Parashat VaYakheil-Pekudei (HaChodesh)
March 13, 2010
27 Adar 5770
Vol. 19 No. 23

This week's Halacha file: Genetic Engineering in Halacha – Part 2

This issue is sponsored by Donna Hoenig and Kenny Scharf and families in commemoration of the second Yahrtzeit of their mother, Anita Scharf, Chana bat Yehuda HaLevi VeRachel

To Reassemble
by Rabbi Darren Blackstein

The Midrash Rabbah on our Parsha asks the following question: when mentioning the name of Bezalel, why must the Pesukim state that he is a descendant of Chur? The Midrash answers that when Bnei Yisrael make the Eigel HaZahav, the Golden Calf, Chur tries to oppose the people as they seem to worship the calf and is killed. This is compared to a case in which a King’s soldiers rebel and the one officer who tries to stop the rebellion is killed. The King understands that the soldier gives his life for him and decrees that the soldier’s male offspring should become generals and officers. In our case, Chur gives his life in defense of Hashem’s glory and is killed. Therefore, Hashem says that all the children who will descend from Chur will have a great name in the world. By mentioning Chur, the Torah emphasizes how the great Bezalel is Chur’s descendant and an officer of Hashem of sorts.

This explanation seems to have other overtones. First, in Parashat Ki Tisa, there is a gathering regarding the Chet HaEigel, and there is also a gathering in our Parashah regarding the Mishkan. The gathering around the calf is emotionally driven and perhaps even selfish;hence, resulting in a lack of total participation. The gathering is an assembly, but only in name, not really reflecting unity among the members. It is there that an individual tries to alert the crowd as to what it is really doing, and the crowd eliminates that individual because it is unable to face the truth about itself, Hashem, therefore, creates a different scenario in Parashat VaYakheil in which an assembly is required to show unity. The gathering shows that everyone is on the same page of true, genuine Avodah. At this assembly, a descendant of Chur is prominently displayed, respected, and required. He is essential for the assembly’s progress and survival. Chur is present when the people gather and their intentions become skewed while Bezalel is present when the people gather and stay true to their mission. It appears that the Mishkan, in a way, is the antidote for the Eigel, as Hashem finds a way to manifest justice for the line of Chur when gathering our people for a positive assembly and makes the building of the Mishkan a redemptive process.

Both episodes show the great power of the Tzibur. An assembly has the power to bring out the uncontrollable, beastly part of mankind. This very same gathering, however, can be a vehicle for mankind to experience tremendous growth. We must choose this latter scenario if we are to maintain our purpose of glorifying Hashem. Every time we assemble for solidarity, for rally, or even for prayer, we need to remember that the power of the crowd is great and must be controlled with the utmost caution and respect. With this approach in mind, and with Hashem’s help, may we all merit to one day be reassembled as we usher in the final redemption, BeMeheira VeYameinu.

Why the Work Week?
by Isaac Shulman

In this week’s Parashah, the Torah reminds Bnei Yisrael about the commandment of Shabbat. The Torah states, “Sheishet Yamim Tei’aseh Melachah UVaYom HaShevii Yihyeh Lachem Kodesh Shabbat Shabbaton LaShem,” “For six days, work shall be done, and the seventh day shall by holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem” (Shemot 35:2). An obvious question can be raised. If the Torah does not waste any words, why does it say that work shall be done for six days? How is that relevant to the observance of Shabbat on the seventh day?

An answer is that the Torah is stressing the need to work during the week and not be lazy. In order to fully appreciate Shabbat on the seventh day, one must work during the week. If every day were a day of “rest,” Shabbat would not be the special day that it is. If, however, one were to work rigorously during the week, he would experience Shabbat in a much more meaningful way.

This is seen in a similar manner regarding Hashem’s creation of the world. Why doesn’t Hashem create the world in one day and rest the next, or even create it in one second and rest the next? Could Hashem not create the world in any manner that he wished?

Hashem is teaching us the importance of working before the rest. He does not simply get the job done quickly, but instead invests the appropriate amount of time and then chooses to rest. This lesson is extremely important to understand that effort must come before rest, and only then can one be efficient each and every day.

At the same time, however, the Torah is teaching us that for six days, one can work, but not on the seventh. The Torah is teaching that one does not need to be constantly working. One might think that the economic loss for not working one out of every seven days is high, but the Torah is teaching that one needs rest and it will not be more efficient to work every day of every week. While earning a living is quite important, it is also extremely important to take a day each week to reflect on one’s life. It is not healthy for a person to go through life with the same routine without thinking about what he or she is doing.

The Torah, therefore, prevents the very important message that people need to put in their own effort before they can take rest, but also that people do need to take rest in order to prevent living life as a robot. Shabbat represents the perfect balance between those two ideas.
-Adapted from a Devar Torah by Rabbi Shalom Rosner

The Value of Time
by Shmuel Garber

This week we read the last of the four Parshiyot, Parashat HaChodesh. Parashat HaChodesh discusses the first Mitzvah Hashem commands Bnei Yisrael as a nation, the Mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh. By establishing when months start and end, Bnei Yisrael exerts much control over the calendar, and, thereby, when holidays fall out.

The Pasuk states, “HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem Rosh Chodashim Rishon Hu Lachem LeChodshei HaShanah,” “This month shall be for you the beginning of the months, it shall be for you the first of the months of the year” (Shemot 12:2). We derive from this Pasuk the setting of our calendar from the lunar cycle. Witnesses would come and testify to seeing a new moon, and the Sanhedrin would declare a new month. Seforno teaches that until the Cheit HaEigel, Bnei Yisrael needed only to recognize a sanctification of time, not of location. However, after the Cheit HaEigel we became distanced from Hashem and required a more physical level of sanctity. We needed a physical Mishkan instead of being satisfied with the presence of the Shechinah being all around us. It is clear that the inherent spirituality and importance of time is ever present, if unfortunately distant. As such, we should have respect for time as we do for physical sanctities. The Talmud Yerushalmi in Masechet Chagigah teaches us that wasting time that could be spent learning Torah is equivalent to the worst of sins.

Additionally, in Parashat HaChodesh, Bnei Yisrael are presented with Mitzvot regarding Pesach. In this section, the Torah states, “UShmartem Et HaMatzot,” “You shall guard the Matzot” (12:17). Rashi (s.v. UShmartem Et HaMatzot) expounds that we should read the word “Matzot” as “Mitzvot.” In other words, we should guard and be expeditious with the Mitzvot. Just like you don’t let the Matzot sit and leaven, you should allow the opportunity to do a Mitzvah sit around unfulfilled. Rather, you should do the Mitzvot with Zerizut, zeal. There is an obvious question. Why does the Torah teach this message through a hidden meaning of the word Matzot? Nachalat Eliezer answers that it is because it is comparable to Matzah that, if you don’t act swiftly, what could be a Mitzvah will pass. If one doesn’t watch Matzah, it will become Chameitz. If one grabs the opportunity, he will grab Olam HaBa; if not, Olam HaBa will pass him.

We can learn the value of time and of using it wisely from this Parashah. It is not only necessary to cherish time, but to utilize it to perform Mitzvot with Zerizut. Entering Pesach, we should keep this message in mind in our performance of its many Mitzvot.

Enough but Extra
by Yosef Robin

In Parashat VaYakheil, the Torah describes the process of building the Mishkan. During this process, Bnei Yisrael are commanded to make donations to assist in the building. Eventually, the people make so many contributions that Moshe commands the people to stop, as the Pasuk states, “VeHaMelachah Hayetah Dayam LeChol HaMelachah LaAsot Otah VeHoteir,” “But the work had been enough for all work, to do it--and there was extra” (Shemot 36:7). However, the Pasuk seems to be contradictory; if there is enough work, how is there also extra work?

Rav Chaim Ben Attar explains that Bnei Yisrael donate more than is needed for the Mishkan, but Hashem makes sure that everything that is donated is used. Hashem does this because He does not want any member of Bnei Yisrael to feel rejected or insignificant because his donation is not used. Rav Yisrael Dan Taub offers a different interpretation of the Pasuk. He believes that even though Bnei Yisrael bring just enough materials for the Mishkan, Hashem makes sure that there are extra supplies. Rav Taub explains that Hashem does this to encourage humility; Hashem wants the people to believe that their donations are extra so that they focus on the Mishkan as an atonement for the Eigel HaZahav, the golden calf, and not on their donations.

Both of these explanations understand the seemingly contradictory Pasuk in two almost opposite ways: to boost their self-esteem by giving their donation significance, or to deflate their excessive egos. Yet perhaps these divergent ideas can provide an important balance which should be persistently cognizant in our interactions with others as well as ourselves. Too much confidence, or too little, is inadvisable. Only by synthesizing these two behavioral poles can we truly learn from Hashem’s actions here and internalize it.

Remez HaShavua
by Neil Bodner

In this week’s Parashiot, Vayahkel-Pekudei, the Pasuk (Shemot:38:8) states “וַיַּעַשׂ אֵת הַכִּיּוֹר נְחשֶׁת וְאֵת כַּנּוֹ נְחשֶׁת בְּמַרְאת הַצּבְאת” “He made copper Laver and base from the mirrors of legions”. The Midrash comments that Moshe Rabbeinu was puzzled as to why specifically these mirrors, which Jewish women in Egypt used to seduce their husbands to have relations, did Hashem not only allow, but specifically indicate, as materials for the Mishkan’s creation. Hashem explains that he treasures these mirrors so greatly because they epitomize a Jew’s mission in Olam HaZeh: to sanctify physicality. We are supposed to take a fully physical act, such as marital relations, and transform it into a spiritual experience.

The Remez: The word “מראת” “mirrors” shares the same Gematria (641) as “עוז וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ” “strength and majesty are her garments,” (Mishlei 31:25), because physicality is our greatest power.