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Shabbat Parashat Vayakhel Pekudei 5781Parashat Hashavua: The Great People Who CouldRav Daniel MannThroughout our many lands of dispersion, many Jews excelled as fine craftsmen, as we have learned through history books, stories, and family names (whether it be Goldsmith, Cooperman, or Chait). It would have been wise for the Egyptians, with access to free Jewish labor, to have developed some of our forefathers into fine craftsmen who could have contributed to society. This would have come in handy for us, when we were on our own, especially when we had the opportunity/necessity to build the Mishkan. It would have been min hashamayim (based on a fortuitous divine plan) to have used skills learned in Egypt to further our own national goals. Yet, I am unaware of statements of Chazal and the commentators that speak of the artisans of the Mishkan having such training, and the p’sukim imply the opposite. The p’sukim speak of Betzalel and Ohaliav and “all of the men with a wise heart” as those who “Hashem gave wisdom to know how to do the work of the holy tasks” (Shemot 36:1). Chazal do speak about special qualities of Betzalel, who knew for example how to “connect the letters with which the heavens and earth were created” and that he had been in “the shadow of Hashem” (Berachot 55a). Indeed, Betzalel and Ohaliav were “called by name” by Hashem as those chosen to lead the lay efforts of the building of the Mishkan (Shemot 35:30). Regarding their staffs, not only were the people not listed in the Torah by name, but the p’sukim indicate that they were not appointed by Hashem. Nor was it like the elders who were selected based on their previous experience (Bamidbar 11:16). Rather the Torah describes the group as “all whose heart raised him up to draw close to the work to do it” (Shemot 36:2). Thus, the criterion seems to be that whoever found it within himself to step forward was the right person. As far as talent, the Torah describes them as “the wise of the heart to whom Hashem gave wisdom in his heart” (ibid.). One could understand that no experience or talent was needed, as Hashem provided all. On the other hand, the gemara (ibid.) says in this context that Hashem gives wisdom only to those who are already wise. Rav Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht (my rosh yeshiva at Kerem B’Yavneh) used to explain there are two types of wisdom: there is base wisdom is the desire to obtain wisdom, which then allows one to receive the divine wisdom he uses; the people mustered up their own base wisdom. Top of page
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We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for: Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha Rivka Reena bat Gruna Natna Meira bat Esther Together with all cholei Yisrael Hemdat Yamim is dedicated to the memory of: for our homeland Eretz Hemdah's beloved friends and Members of Eretz Hemdah's Amutah Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l Rav Reuven Aberman z"l Tishrei 9 ,5776 Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l Sivan 17 / Av 20 Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l Tishrei 20 ,5781 R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l Rav Carmel's father Iyar 8 ,5776 Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h. Tamuz 10 ,5774 Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l R' Meir ben Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l & Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l Tevet 16 ,5780 R' Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha and Chana bat Yaish & Simcha Sebbag, z"l Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l Rav Benzion Grossman z"l Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l Tamuz 19, 5778 R' Abraham Klein z"l Iyar 18 ,5779 & Mrs. Gita Klein z"l Av 4 Gershon (George) ben Chayim HaCohen Kaplan z"l Adar II 6 Hemdat Yamim |