It isn’t often when “Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Citizen” have an opportunity to perform a patriotic act. No, I am not talking about paying taxes, hanging a flag outside one’s home on Canada Day, or wear all things red, white, and maple leaf during the Olympics. I am talking about an opportunity to protect the land in which we live. No there is no invasion from a foreign adversary. For the past year, we have been fighting a war against a virus. For the past year, we have been asked to make sacrifices including sacrificing time spent with family and friends. We have been asked to alter our behaviour by wearing masks, remaining socially distant, observing various levels of economic closures, and border closures. We have altered the way in which we gather to celebrate, mourn and pray. Now with the vaccination process up and running, the call for Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Citizen to perform his/her patriotic duty has never been clearer and more obvious. The sooner people sign up for their vaccination, and receive their vaccination, the quicker the line moves. The quicker that 80+year-olds sign up and get their vaccine, the quicker 65-79-year-olds can sign up and get theirs. The quicker that cohort signs up and gets vaccinated the quicker, 60-64-year-old cohort get theirs, and so on and so on. Everyone has a role in this process, whether it is shipping the vaccine, administering the vaccine, setting up a website for people to sign up and schedule a time to receive the vaccine, or just showing up at the appointed time and place to receive a shot, the fact is, we all have a role to play so that our society, our community, and our country begins functioning in a far more normal capacity.
This week we combine the final two Parshiot, Vayakahel-Pekudie, and complete the Book of Exodus. Following the sin of the Golden Calf and Teshuvah (repentance), B’nai Yisroel begins executing God’s instructions for the Mishkan, the Ark, and the Tent of the Meeting. You will recall that when God gave these instructions to Moshe, God started from the middle of the Mishkan – the Aron (The Ark of the Covenant) and worked out to the walls of the Tent of the Meeting. When B’nai Yisroel begins the building process, it begins with the walls of the Tent, then concludes with the altar, and finally the Ark of the Covenant.
After the destructive behavior of worshipping the Golden Calf, B’nai Yisroel comes together and shares a common constructive experience bound by a common goal. Their goal is to complete the construction of the Mishkan. The common experience is their contributions for raw materials. V’Yavo’u Kol Ish Asher Nasahu Libo V’chol Asher Nadvah Rucho- Every man whose heart inspired him came; and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of God for the work of the Tent of the Meeting, for all its labor and for the sacred clothing (Ex.35:21). By participating in this constructive process, everyone had an opportunity to repent for the sin of the Golden Calf and for their lack of faith. If viewed as a process, B’nai Yisroel began on the outside of its relationship with God, struggling to connect to God by means of idolatrous behavior. After repentance, and with the completion of each aspect of the Mishkan and the Ohel Moed; B’nai Yisroel began moving towards the Holy of Holies. They started with the walls of the Tent of the Meeting and finished with the ark. They started where they were capable. As they continued to spiritually and grow and develop; they were able to move to the next level, concluding with the Aron.
For the vast majority, we approach God in a similar way. As we become inspired, we come to Judaism. As we become motivated, we dedicate a greater portion to God, both in terms of Tzedakah and time. It is very rare when our motivation or dedication comes as a result of a “bolt of lightning” or some existential metaphysical sign or wonder. No, our motivation and dedication are a result of our recognition that there is something missing in our lives. We miss meaning and purposefulness in our lives. We miss contentment in our lives. We miss peace in our lives. Certainly, we can be happy without meaning. Certainly, we can be happy without contentment. Certainly, we can be happy without peace. Why? Happiness is rather fleeting and quite often it is the result of some external factor. Meaning, contentment, and peace are ultimately internally influenced and far less fleeting. Our movement towards God, our movement towards greater observance, is a series of steps. We don’t begin as a Tzaddik observing all mitzvot. Rather, one mitzvah leads to another, learning leads to more learning which eventually leads to doing.
We learn several vital lessons from these Parshiot. First, we learn that Judaism requires two parties, God and B’nai Yisroel. Both must exist together in a balanced relationship. When God and Torah become so far out of reach, B’nai Yisroel will become alienated and turn towards idolatry, such as the Golden Calf, crass materialism, money, or some other “God”. When B’nai Yisroel fails to elevate itself in Kedushah, in holiness, then we fail in our dual mission: making our lives more meaningful and spiritual and being "a light among the nations”. However, when we enter into a highly participatory and shared communal experience, such as building the Mishkan, or any project or program, when we all sacrifice some of our personal needs for the well-being of the community, then our individual lives take on greater meaning and purpose. Second, we learn that when the community shares a commons sense of purpose, something wonderful happens. We achieve that balance between God and ourselves. The result, of course, is that God will dwell among us. God’s dwelling among us makes our community a little warmer, a little kinder, and more significant. Third, we also learn that the actual process of construction requires hard work. B’nai Yisroel, like any community, shared in the difficulty of the task. Greater participation makes the experience that much more meaningful and more rewarding. What is the reward? The reward is a community that shares Simchas (joy) and tsuris (sorrow), victories as well as defeats. The reward is that no individual member of the community should ever feel alienated and alone. The reward is a community that strives for growth and improvement. This brings more meaning to the life of the individual, the family, and the community.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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