Parashat Vayakhel/Pekudei

Parashat Vayakhel/Pekudei

Adar 23, 5772 ~ March 17, 2012
by Joel Ackerman

Over the last several weeks, we have heard a lot of incisive commentary on the matter of community – first from Rabbi Dardik in his drash on parasha Terumah, then from Marshall Schwartz and Ginna Green in their mini-drashot. Then we read Ki Tissa, which describes how the Israelite community was almost torn apart through the incident of the golden calf, which resulted in G-d’s almost destroying the people and in which they were engaged in internecine warfare, brother against brother.

But G-d forgave the people and gave them the opportunity to restore their relationship with Him by building the mishkan. And He also gave them the opportunity, and the means, to build or rebuild their community and cement it.

The Israelites were ready to act on these opportunities, and had the desire to carry out G-d’s command to build the mishkan, but that would not be enough. The initial desire, excitement and enthusiasm would have to be converted or translated into acts that would have a lasting effect. Both the work to be done and the way that it would be done would be equally important.

The task of building the mishkan and its contents was not given to Moses, but to Bezalel. So, too the task of rebuilding the community was given to Bezalel, not to Moses. It had to be that way, for Moses had been involved in the fighting and killing within the community.

That the task of rebuilding the community – and the ability to do it - was given to Bezalel is shown in the language of the Torah (ch. 26, verse 31). In speaking of Bezalel, Moses repeats G-d’s words to him “V’maleh oto ruach Elohim b’chochmah bitvunah uvda’at uvchol m’lacha” – “And He has filled him with the spirit of G-d, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and with every craft.” The difference between these attributes is made clear by the use of the word “and” in connection with the last two. G-d imbued Bezalel with knowledge and craftsmanship in particular, that is, knowledge how to build and how to make the items. That should have been enough to enable Bezalel to make those items. So why did G-d also give him wisdom and understanding? In order to know how to lead the broken community in this task so that it could be rebuilt – or rebuild itself – and to do it with the spirit of G-d.

Bezalel had to become a project manager, and Oholiav had to become his assistant. It was not enough that they knew how to make the items, or even that they knew how to teach others to do that. They also, as every project manager knows, had to know how to knit the community together to carry out the work and, in this special case, how to guide the people in rebuilding the community that had been torn.

To properly rebuild the community, it would be crucial that

· everyone take part - those who could see the big picture and those who are detail-oriented, those who have greater skills or talents and those who have lesser or different ones, those who have established abilities and those who have natural talents that can be brought out by participating and by being taught

· the results are attributed to all;

· and that none should be left out and nothing left over.

Meanwhile, Moses has to absorb the meaning of a task he is to perform – anointing both Aaron and his sons as the kohanim. Our sages point out that Moses could anoint Aaron with a whole heart and with joy. Aaron was his brother, and Moses could be happy that Aaron was named kohen gadol. But Moses’ sons were not destined to follow him in his leadership role. So Moses might have felt envy towards Aaron’s sons, but he nevertheless was commanded to anoint them in the same way, and with the same joy, as he would anoint their father. Not an easy command to carry out, but one that was necessary in the process of building the community.

And Moses had to learn for a second time that he was not supposed to do everything himself. Earlier, at Sinai, Jethro had advised him to give others part of the task of judging disputes in the community. Now, G-d tells Moses that he will not have to build the mishkan himself. In fact, Moses should not try to build it himself. G-d has appointed two men – Bezalel and Oholiav – to carry that out.

Everyone worked on building the mishkan. Some did the complex tasks – weaving, carpentry, metalwork, building the altars, etc. Others brought materials, assisted, schlepped stuff, held the materials while they were being worked on, cleaned up, etc. The metalsmith crafting vessels for the mishkan cannot work alone. He needs other people – to bring the metal material, to tend the fire, to hold an object while it is being worked on, to cool the object. They might have the same level of skill as the smith, or they might not, but they are essential to carrying out the work. The weaver needs someone with very fine motor skills to cut thin threads out of gold sheets (see ch. 39, verse 3) and people to spin the yarn (ch. 35, verse 25). The woodworker preparing panels for the walls needs help in measuring, cutting and shaping the wood, planing the edges, and other tasks.

Our sages like to paint a picture that the original enthusiasm and excitement of the people was maintained throughout the construction of the mishkan. Perhaps so; if so, that would not only be highly unusual, but would seem to be almost miraculous. In addition, such harmony might even be deleterious to the need for cementing a community. It could seem artificial; we humans don’t normally function that way. Working in perfect harmony on such a complicated project would quickly be seen by those participating to be unnatural. Everyone enthusiastic all the time? Smiling all the time? No change of expression?

No; in my mind the needed repairs to the community, the cementing, came about through working together on the mishkan in human ways – building together, arguing together, getting frustrated together, working through problems together, finding solutions together.

And it probably was not a smooth process. Even the commentators probably knew better; some of them were skilled craftsmen. Hitches commonly occur whenever people work together on a project. Sometimes things don’t go well. Sometimes measurements are off. Sometimes tempers flare. Sometimes work has to be redone. But Bezalel (and Oholiav with him) had been given the necessary wisdom and insight to keep the work on target and to keep the attitude of the people steady. In the end the results were attained, and all were credited with the final result – the mishkan and the objects it held.

A final thought. This parasha is often questioned for the length of its details. Why doesn’t the Torah simply state that all the work was done as G-d had commanded, for instance just contain the text of ch. 39, verses 42-43? Why list every task, every item, every little detail?

Perhaps to remind us of the immense amount of work that went into the building of the mishkan and its contents. To review lovingly each and every item that was made. To realize the scope of the work. To allow every person who worked on that project to feel a strong sense of accomplishment in having completed the work. To allow every person to point to one or more items and be able to say “I helped make that”.

All of this helps to build, and to maintain, a community.