Shabbat Parashat Vayakhel 5784

Parashat Hashavua: Shabbat, Mishkan, and Shekalim

Our parasha connects the mitzvot of Shabbat and of building the Mishkan. It is a wonderment (see Yeshayahu 66:1) that a structure can “house” the Divine Presence (see Shemot 25:8). How does pure spirituality dwell in an earthly, physical place?

The day of Shabbat, the day of rest and sanctity that Hashem gave to His nation and not to other nations (from Shabbat Tefilla), provides an answer. What does it mean that Hashem “gave us” Shabbat? Can’t others keep Shabbat of their own accord?

Chazal say that the world, after Creation, was missing only rest, which Shabbat provided (see Rashi, Bereishit 2:2). What does it mean missing rest when rest is just the lack of work?

Hashem commanded us to make Shabbat a symbol of our special relationship with Him. It shows our understanding that the six days of work, and success during those days, come from Hashem. Our goal cannot be the pattern of eating in order to live and living to eat, or involvement in a never-ending struggle to get ahead of others.

In our modern world, the need for rest from the lightning pace of life is especially poignant. Long ago, people traveled by foot; then mankind learned to ride horses; then came trains, followed by cars and even planes. In the future, maybe rockets will replace planes. We need to improve rest because otherwise pursuit of our desires will just spawn additional pursuit, creating an atmosphere of lack of serenity.

This is especially felt these days, during strikes to improve salaries and benefits. They are not necessarily wrong, and some of their claims are correct. What bothers me is that if the strikers are right, why does it take a strike to convince the authorities, and if they are wrong, why is everyone able to agitate society to get what they do not deserve?

Shabbat is not a day of rest [in the term’s standard usage] but a day to create a spiritual link to enrich the days of the week. It is not a day of asceticism but of raising this world to the level of the World to Come. We eat three meals, for which we are urged to prepare before Shabbat. This hints that Shabbat teaches us that we live in a world of preparation, not one of picking the fruit of our labors.

Shabbat also prepares us for Parashat Shekalim. Religious moshavim have the same physical set-up as non-religious moshavim and the same headaches. Physical elements cannot just be a tack-on to the community’s shul. We need a revolution, whereby our shekel turns into a holy shekel, just as Shabbat infuses the week with sanctity. That is the way to add sanctity to the Mikdash. If everything is devoid of sanctity, the Beit Hamikdash will simply and regrettably be camouflage (see Yirmiyahu 7:9).

Moshe gave the mitzva of Shabbat in an assembly – the masses are good for Shabbat. Some people daven vatikin on Shabbat, because the cholent is better early. Some come late to shul because they do not want to spend too much time there, but prefer reading newspapers. That is not a “Jewish Shabbat.” It lacks rest and sanctity and does not prepare for the Beit Hamikdash.

Hashem had to show Moshe a shekel of fire (Rashi, Shemot 30:13). A person needs to avoid putting it in his hand or his pocket where it will burn what it touches. Rather, it should be an impetus for positive action.   

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