Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat Vayakhel
Erev Shabbat, 29 February 2008
Week of February 24 to March 01 2008
Torah portion: Ex. 35:1-38:20
Haftarah: I Kgs. 7:40-50
Sunday Readings for March 02: I Sam. 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph. 5:8-14; Jn. 9:1-41

Admit it now, at least to yourself...did you take just a brief look at this week’s parashah and find your mind star1ting to wander, so you quietly put the book down without finishing the reading? Understandable, I know! The long passages about construction materials and methods don’t seem very inspirational. But if that happened to you, I think you may have missed an important teaching...

It’s all as if nothing had happened: the heated anger, the torrent of intense criticism, the soothing, and persistent pleas for calm and reconciliation that were part of last week’s Golden Calf sidra (a sub-story within the parashah) have vanished. Everyone has made up again, and they are preparing to build the tabernacle. We’re back to where we were before the horrible idolatrous episode began. Well, almost...

Moses called a meeting [vayakhel, “to convoke”]. All the Israelites gathered to hear what would be said, perhaps still expecting more lecturing over their dreadful behavior with the calf, wondering if God would really remain at their side. The radiance that shone from Moses face every time he emerged from a conversation with the Divine, as the last parashah ended, was reassuring... Moses, their leader and intercessor, still had God’s ear. He exclaimed before the assembly:
These are the words that YHWH has commanded...
For six days is work to be made, but on the seventh day, there is to be holiness for you,
Sabbath, Sabbath-Ceasing for YHWH! [35:2].

There is to be ‘holiness’ for you,” Fox translates it! “You are still my people.” [Whose people?] “You are holy, set apart for me, and I am reminding you that I have set apart a special time of rest for you.” Back together again! As though nothing had happened to create any breach in the relationship with the Children of Israel, God returns to the matter of their current tasks, building an earthly place of dwelling so God can be present among the people. Moses is about to recite the lengthy list of materials needed and construction jobs to be done but, before they start, he reminds them of a more important message from God, who says, in effect, ‘Even during this assignment of building my place of presence [What could be greater, holier, worthier than that?], I am reminding you that every seventh day you must cease your work and remember my Creation--that’s the most important task of all!’ That’s it! Brief, concise, clear... Remember my Sabbath—there is to be holiness for you! With that established, the building work begins on the tabernacle!

In a number of locations there have been constructed a full-size replica of the wilderness tabernacle—there was one in the desert near Jericho. Walking through it, my imagination revels in the luxurious images of splendor enumerated in our text [Fox]:
“gold, silver, and bronze,
blue-violet, purple, worm-scarlet…
rams’ skins dyed-red, tanned-leather skins,
oil for lighting, spices for fragrant smoking-incense...

This tabernacle would be the best that they could make with the materials found among their possessions, or fashioned with their skills and talents. And they were ready to do it with enthusiasm!

Can you recall ever having a nasty disagreement with someone you truly love or admire? Tension is in the air, communication is strained, you are nervous to be in the other’s presence. Then something happens to settle the disagreement—apologies are made to each other, mea culpas are offered and accepted—and the air is cleared again. What a sense of release! A great burden seems to be lifted from your shoulders and you feel cheerful, you chatter again. That’s what we see in this portion as Moses starts reading the list of things needed. Hands go up, volunteers appear, and everyone scurries about to do something helpful.

That’s the important underlying message this week. Forget the endless details of construction materials for now, and look instead at how the people respond, after the incidents of the broken tablets and golden calf have been washed from their minds: chapter 35 v.10, everyone wise of mind is to come; v.20, the entire community went out; v.21, every man whose mind uplifted him; and, everyone whose spirit made-him-willing; v.22, men and women alike, everyone of willing mind; and every man that wished to elevate an offering; v.24, everyone that raised a contribution; v.25, every woman wise of mind; v.26, every one of the women whose mind uplifted them; v.29,...and every man and woman whose mind made-them-willing to bring anything...that YHWH had commanded...the Children of Israel brought it, freewill-offering for YHWH.

What an incredible scene! Notice the language used: “entire community...every man...men and women alike...all are involved, eager, responsive, dedicated. When there is so much repetition of terms in the text, we know the message is of major significance that deserves our attention. The people are so happy to have their relationship with God back to ‘normal’ and to feel safe, protected, and part of the community. The therapeutic effect of their joint effort and communal outpouring must have been just what their spirits needed. Soon, with the construction completed, there would be a new order in the camp, amazing worship experiences, and the awesome realization that...God is coming, here, to be with us! I’m sure that must have been spoken sometimes in tentative whispers of incredulity. God would actually dwell, with intensity and at close range, in Israel’s very midst. Israel was in an Advent mode! [Fretheim].

The story thus far is so uplifting that one would hesitate to introduce any negatives at all, any cloud of concern or worry. But the Rabbis could not overlook a worrisome point: in the earlier account of the golden calf, there also was that all-inclusive language about the people’s participation, all the people broke off their earrings for the making of the calf [v.32:3]. But in this section, the totality is qualified: everyone...wise of mind; or, every man...whose mind uplifted him; or, everyone ...whose spirit made-him-willing; and, everyone...that raised a contribution, etc. So not everyone in the camp was involved in the building of the tabernacle. Not everyone had a willing spirit, was enthusiastic, or committed. But then it seems they don’t really matter, for the final outcome. God’s work is being done... by those who want to be involved!

The preparation for God’s presence among them did not depend on everyone. It would be accomplished by those who were willing to be involved in the preparation, who worked, who joyfully contributed of their resources, their time, and their energy. Maybe there’s an underlying message in this for us today.

For Reflection and Discussion: “Worshipping God does not come from a natural impulse within us; it requires of us a spiritual effort in order to overcome our nature and to accept the Yoke of Heaven. With idolatry, we have a natural urge to engage in it.” [1] Do you agree with Leibowitz? How do you feel about the tabernacle being prepared for God’s dwelling among the Israelites if many of them are too lazy to care? [2] Are there parallels in our church communities today? How does it affect our planning? Our work?

Bibliography: Fox: The Five Books of Moses (New York, 1995); Fretheim: Exodus: Interpretation (Louisville, Kentucky, 1991); Y. Leibowitz: Accepting the Yoke of Heaven (New York, 2002).

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This week’s teaching commentary was adapted from the 2003 commentary by
Glenn Edward Witmer, B.A., M.Div., Th.M., President, Bat Kol Institute, Jerusalem.