CHUMASH CANDESCENCE
PARASHA VAYAKHEL
EXODUS 35:01-38:20
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
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Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
"And there was Extra" (Ex 36:07)
In this week's Torah portion we are given the mandate to build the
sanctuary. The details of how it was built, who funded it, and who was in charge of
its construction are given. It is interesting to note that a 13 year old,
named Bezalel, was assigned the task to be in charge of the artistry and
construction of the Tabernacle. We can learn from this that even a great
man such as Moses, cannot be perfect in everything. We are a community and
depend on each other for our different skills and strengths. Bezalel
needed Moses to teach him Torah. Moses needed Bezalel to teach him architecture
and gold crafting.
Moses asks the people to contribute all sorts of items to be used for the
Mishkan's manufacture. The people voluntarily delivered gold, silver,
gems, jewels, cloth, silks, furs, and hides. They were so giving that there
was a surplus of donations. God instructs Moses to "restrain us from giving"
(Ex 36:06). If only our modern building funds had this "problem"!
Why did we need a Mishkan? Why did we need the first and second Temples
in Jerusalem? Why do some of our people pray for the restoration of the
Third Temple? Why do we need our modern synagogues and temples? Do we in the
year third millennium really need a place where we can "see" God dwell among us? Is the
Mishkan the answer to our quest to see and feel God that we tried to
achieve with the Golden Calf? (Please refer to last week's D'var on Ki Tisa.)
Bezalel made a wondrous menorah (Ex 37:17 to 24). It was of pure gold.
Did you ever note that the seven-candled menorahs in traditional shuls are
never golden. Perhaps they are bronze or silver. This is because the Talmud
ruled that a gold menorah can only be used in the Temple in Jerusalem. Have you
noticed that Reform Judaism chose a gold menorah for its logo? Have you
noticed that gold menorahs are used in liberal temples? We are making the
statement that we are no longer waiting for or praying for the Third
Temple.
In our temples, in our hearts, and in our good deeds are where we say
God's presence, the Shekinah, dwells. The Divine Light is accessible to us
each and every day. We know from our history that God's presence left the
Second Temple. Why? It was because of people's unbiased hatred, jealousy,
arguments, and the fact that even murder was committed there.
The Talmud teaches that studying Torah at night (when melancholy can
set in, when one can cry over the reasons for the Temple's destruction), is
effective in bringing the Divine Light back. Our very own human behavior
can cause this light to be with us. Or our behaviors can cause it to leave
us.
We have freedom of choice. "Who is strong? The person who practices
self-control" (Pirket Avot 4:01).
Rabbi Chanina said, "Anyone whose good deeds are greater than his
wisdom, his wisdom will endure. Anyone whose wisdom is greater than his good
deeds, his wisdom will not endure" (Pirket Avot 3:12). Torah study, or going to
temple, or even teaching a class there, does not change people. Only by
practicing what we learn or teach can we influence our own behavior and
the behavior of others. Our actions of good deeds and tikun olam are
essential.
They show our commitment. They help us to grow spiritually while at the
same time help others. The Talmud in Sotah (3a) tells us that we only sin
when we are not thinking straight. God rewards us, in traditional teaching,
for planning to do a good deed along with the finished deed itself. But God
punishes us for sinning only if we do the act, not our thinking about it
(Kiddushin 40a).
What if Moses said he did not want Bezalel's help, that
he knew it all? What if Moses acted jealously toward Bezalel or sabotaged
his project? Do any of us today get jealous of the successes of our friends
and undermine their advancement? Do we have folks in our temples who would be great resources,
but do not use them because our fear and our jealousy keep us from doing so? This comes from a lack and faith a trust in God.
Are we so silly as to think that there is a finite amount of goodness in
God's universe. Are we so unsophisticated to think that if we ignore our
friends when they are in need, and do loshan ha ra about them when they wish to
succeed, that these sins do not affect our own well-being? These types of
behaviors only reinforce our own fears of mortality and insecurities.
After all, is it not illogical to think that if we help another, there will be
less help available to aid us when we are in need? Is the Divine Light
available to us only finite?
What do we do in our modern Mishkan that we call our temples, shuls, and
synagogues? "The people has approached Me with its mouth and honored Me
with its lips, but has kept its heart far from Me, and its worship of Me has
been a commandment of men learned by rote" (Isaiah 29:13).
The Torah is a tree of life. Judaism is not just a religion. It is a way of life.
"L'chaim...to life!!" is our toast. The Torah teaches us to behave at all times "when
we lie down and we rise up." Although we are taught to "love your brother as
yourself" and to "pursue justice, " do we? What does our Judaism mean to us?
Is it just matzoth balls and singing our prayers without trying to act on
them in our daily lives? We are all children of God. If you want to make a
parent happy, be nice to his/her kids. "You are children of God, your
Almighty" (Deut 11:01).
We are also servants of God as it says in Ex 19:06: "You shall be unto Me
a kingdom of priests. " We are to act holy, in all of our activities. "You
shall be holy, for I God am holy" (Lev 19:02). This holiness is not genetic. We
need to work at it regularly. As Isaiah says it best in Chapter 44, verses
6-10, "You are My witnesses...a light unto the nations, so that My salvation
may be unto the ends of the earth!"
We are living during some interesting times when politicians have a
litmus test for national office. They have a need to tell the voters how Jesus plays
a role in their lives. Does this marginalize us as Jews? Could you imagine
in the mid-1970s a radio commentator saying to an African American, "Get
the bone out of your nose and get the NAACP to buy a liquor store and do riot
rehearsals?" Yet, this speech is allowed on the Rush Limbaugh
radio show from the mouth of the host!!
Limbaugh and his ilk want prayer in
school and the Ten Commandments posted. This is just as vain as having the
Second Temple full of hatred and our modern temples filled with Torah talk
without Torah behavior.
In Europe today, in the countries of the former USSR, Russia, Hungary,
Sweden, France, and Austria, neo-Fascists parties like Le Pen and
Haider are part of their coalition governments. Anti-Semetic web sites abound.
Yet Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League continues to act conciliatory to
the government of Austria fearing a backlash. Didn't we hear those same
fears in the 1930s? Did it save our European cousins? The ADL continues to rent
space to the Austrian embassy in New York City. Rabbi Stephen Wise of our
Reform movement spoke out courageously against Hitler and Nazism in the1930s. Who among
us will speak out forcefully now against Joerg Haider, Le Pen, Limbaugh,
Buchanan and candidates courting the American ayatollahs of the
religious right?
Bezalel's menorah in his Mishkan, as our menorah and Torah in our own
sanctuary, remind us about God's dwelling in this world. By virtue of our
incorporating Godliness and holiness into our own lives we can redeem the
world! This was the message that Moses brought to us from Sinai.
This is our mission as Jews. We cannot avoid it. Once we do, we are not Jews, and
not worthy of our temples, Torah, and menorah. May we all try to act better
toward one another so that our neighbors can see that if we make our
temples a place for brotherhood, there is hope, tikvah, to make our
cities, nations, and world fulfill our prophets' dreams. Let us give a little
"extra" so that one day, there will be so much love, peace, and understanding,
God will tell us all to "restrain" with a loud "Dayenu"!
Shabbat Shalom,
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
facebook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:CHUMASH CANDESCENCE: PARASHA PEKUDEI: EXODUS 38:21 TO 40:38
CHUMASH CANDESCENCE
PARASHA PEKUDEI
EXODUS 38:21 TO 40:38
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
facebook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
"Clouds"
This week's parasha brings us to the end of the book of Exodus. A year
has passed since the first Pesach and our deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
We have now become "avidim ha Shem," servants of God. So much has happened
during this year. We have been given the Torah, we sinned with the
Golden Calf, and the cult of sacrifice and the Cohan theocracy from Aaron has
been firmly established. All of our major pilgrimage holidays have been
commanded and our lunar calendar was promulgated. We have been awarded Shabbat.
We have constructed the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, as God's dwelling place
among us.
Pekudei means reckoning. Moses has made an accounting to the children of
Israel, of every shekel they have donated to build the Mishkan. Moses,
who was above suspicion of doing wrong, still wanted us to have no doubts
that all of our monies went into the project. The Talmudic rabbis teach us
the concept of Marit Ayin from this telling. This phrase means "appearance to
the eye." It was very important to our sages that not only should we do
good, but it should never even appear as if we could be doing bad.
so that so no one could even hint at any gold going for his personal
use. We also learn the concept of Kedosh ha Shem, the sanctification of God's
name, that occurs when we do the good deeds that are expected from us.
Conversely, we are taught the opposite concept of Chilul ha Shem, the desecration of
God's name, when we behave badly.
we are to avoid even looking as if we did wrong. We were elected to be God's
servants. This connects with the mitzvah of not putting a stumbling block
before the blind. How can our actions that we know are good, but may not
appear to be good (i.e., an Orthodox rebbe using a pay phone at a BBQ
restaurant), cause someone else to sin? The answer the rabbis teach
is that it can lead someone to either think that eating pulled pork or ribs
is allowed, or cause someone to do lashon ha ra (gossip, also a sin).
Traditionally speaking, God has given us the Torah, which is our
instruction book for proper living and Good, Orderly Direction. How, we ask? With
Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness to change for the better. We were not
asked by God to be spiritually perfect, but instead to make spiritual progress
in our lives. We are to remember to attempt to make all of our actions holy.
"The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of God filled the
Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud
rested upon it, and the glory of God filled the Tabernacle" (Ex 40: 34
and 35).
House of God [Solomon's Temple]. The Kohanim were unable to stand and
minister because of the cloud and the glory of God filled the house of
God" (I Kings 8:10-11, Haftarah Pekudei). Do we as modern Jews need an
invitation to visit God? Both Moses and the descendants of Aaron
apparently
did. Can we not dwell with God as we daily do good deeds?
our soul is welcome. We can find that deep peace at being one with God that
passes all understanding.
"But now they [clouds] only block the sun, they rain and snow on
everyone. So many things I would have done but clouds got in my
way.
I've looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and
still
somehow, it's clouds' illusions I recall. I really don't know
clouds at
all (from "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell,
sung by Judy Collins)
The gift of Shabbat helps us push away the barrier of clouds that at
one time or another veil our vision. Shabbat is an infinite gift with in a
25-hour period. The building of the Mishkan represents the finite as
does God's creation of the world. Kabbalistically the Mishkan and creation
are Yesh m'ein , something from the Ein Sof [the Infinite Being].
They are finite things being given to us by the infinite. If God is infinite, and He produces
something finite, we know mathematically that anything added to infinity still
produces a sum that is also infinite. The Zohar says that this concept is called
Tzimtzun, contraction. Creation is not an addition but in reality a
holding back of the infinite and hence a small piece of the infinite God. During
the first six days of creation God actually is holding back. But on Shabbat,
He reverts back to a non-contraction state and hence Shabbat is
spiritually infinite.
eternal Shabbat a second before God began creation. And when creation was
completed, God gave us a human taste of infinity with the weekly Sabbath.
Shabbat is our taste of infinity and provides spiritual renewal with God.
We then can push back the clouds that block our relationship with God, the
infinite. By doing this, we are also able to push back the clouds
that keep us from being connected to one another. On Shabbat we are to
contract and hold back from what we physically know we can do, but make a
rational decision not to do. Our rest is touching the infinite.
observe just two Shabbats, redemption would come immediately (Talmud Tractate
Shabbat 118A). In liberal Jewish terms, we have the power to redeem
ourselves by taking time out for rest and renewal each week.
As Moses did an accounting in the beginning of this parasha, so should we
do a weekly spiritual accounting, Talmudically called cheshbon ha nefesh. The
last day of each month is called Yom Kippur Katan (small day of atonement).
We do not need to wait until autumn's Yom Kippur to reflect, ask for
forgiveness, and grow as people. We have the power to do so regularly.
The rabbis teach that if a person sincerely does this cheshbon 80 times, he
will emerge as a new person with a new ruach (spirit). We can regain our
sanctity regularly. We do not have to wait for the cloud to lift and be given an
invitation to reach God. We have the ability to do so regularly. If we
only use this ability, our lives would benefit immensely.
In last week's parasha we were told of the 13-year old Bezalel who God
picked to construct the Mishkan and its artifacts. The name Bezalel means "in
the shadow of God."
high, will abide within the shadow of God." The Talmud in Tractate Shavuot 15B,
says that the Mishkan itself may be considered to be the shadow of the
Shekinah and its purpose was to allow the Divine Presence or the Shadow
of God into this world.
was to keep the experiences of Sinai with us in all of our travels. As Isaiah
spoke (Is 11:06), in his messianic prophesy, "a little child will lead
them." May we all work on developing a "wise and understanding heart"
(I Kings 3:09), like Bezalel, Moses, and King Solomon so that we can keep
God's presence inside each of us and walk humbly in His shadow each day.
Chazak Chazak Vinitchazek!!! Be strong, be strong, and may we be strong
for one another!!!
Shabbat Shalom,
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL
Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.
Maker of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human comprehension!
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
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