Vayakhel Parshah Thoughts
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The Bread Machine
The Jews were to create Lechem Hapanim among the Mishkan outfit. Indeed, they delivered the Lechem Hapanim with the Mishlan.
The Mishkan was assembled at Kislev (Midrash) and erected only in Nissan. Why make Lechem Hapanim so many months beforehand?
The Mishkan functioned as a machine. It was brought to Moshe with all its working parts. Unlike korbanos, which were processed in the Mishkan, the Lechem Hapanim actually were was part of the Mishkan. That is why they sat there all week – they functioned in the Mishkan’s operation.
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Presentation
In Vayakhel it says Betzalel put in the Aron’s Badim. In Pkudei it says that Moshe did. Who dunnit?
A new car comes preloaded with gas, a toy comes with batteries, an iPod with songs. And the Mishkan was presented to Moshe with Badim already in the Aron. Inserting Badim was Moshe’s job, indeed, he reinserted them later on.
Similarly, as above, the Shulchan came with Lechem HaPanim even though they were not used.
Presentation is important. The Mishkan was significant and respecting it means that it be presented in a functional form, not as a heap of odds and ends.
We need to pay attention to the form with which we present ideas, ourselves, gifts and products. Presentation dictates value.
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Celestial Fame
At each portion of the Mishkan’s construction it states: ‘the Jews made it as Hashem commanded Moshe’. Again and again. Why?
The Baal Haturim’s explains that Moshe offered to be erased from the Torah in the previous sedra for the sake of saving the Jews. Hashem repaid him by all these extra mentions of his name.
Anyone willing to lose fame and honor for Hashem’s sake are repaid with greater fame and greater honor!
Another suggestion: Torah gives credit in specifics. Instead of a general thank-you, the Torah thanked and acknowledged each and every accomplishment separately. Indeed, each was a separate achievement.
This is how to thank: give detailed due, each achievement by itself.
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Defining Wisdom
Hashem gave wisdom into the hearts of all those who are wise at heart. A Roman matron asked Rabbi Yossi bar Chalafta ‘Wouldn’t it be better to give wisdom to those who have it not, to fools, rather than to those who have it already?’
He ‘Do you lend money to the poor, who need it more, or to the rich, who need it less?’
She ‘To the rich!’
‘Why would that be?’ he wondered.
She ‘When I lend the poor I have no assurance for the money. If I lend to the rich my money is secure!’
Said the Rabbi ‘Indeed, Hashem is in the same situation. If He would give wisdom to fools, what would they do with it? Pursue foolishness with greater ingenuity.
Instead, Hashem finds someone who profits from wisdom, and grants him.’
What wisdom do we learn from this exchange?
1. Wisdom is not ingenuity. Many a slow-witted man is wiser than the world’s greatest genius. Wisdom means sense, living with reality. Not IQ.
2. To merit wisdom one must be positioned to use it, one must be enrolled in a program of learning, or a framework of growth, where his wisdom will be put to use. One needs to qualify.
If you implement your knowledge, you will be granted lots of it!
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Family Connections
Betzalel came from high lineage; he was a grandson of Miriam and a grandson of Chur, a leader of Klal Yisrael. Oholiav, his partner in the Mishkan, was from a very simple stock, from the low class tribe of Dan. This shows that Hashem gives no recognition given to aristocracy. The simple and the great are all the same to Him. – Rashi
If so, why did only the most distinguished families to serve in the Beis Hamikdash?
Hashem does not value aristocracy in itself. Sometimes, however, aristocracy enhances the job at hand. The Beis Hamikdash service is more impressive (to us) when done by great people. So we choose noblemen because the service is enhanced by their standing.
We choose them because they can contribute more, not because they are important. Sometimes we give others the stage, when they are more capable. Our consideration is only; Where does Hashem profit more?
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In connection to the Mishkan the Torah commands ‘Six days you should work, and the seventh you should rest’. Rashi explains that Mishkan building stopped on Shabbos.
Here is a simile; Someone walks behind another, copying his every move. He has done nothing specifically unusual – each action itself meaningless – yet their combination means mimicry.
Working during the week is not unusual, and neither is resting on Shabbos. But the combination of the two equals imitating Hashem’s workstyle. He too created during the week and rested on Shabbos.
The Mishkan was a micro-universe. Building the Mishkan paralleled creation of the world. As the world was created on Seven days, with six days of activity and one of rest, so was the Mishkan.
And this is the activity pattern Jews merit each week anew!
©2014
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