Vayakhel – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

וכל אשה חכמת לב בידיה טוו...וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה טוו את העיזים

Every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands…all the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom spun the goats. (35:25,26)

This was extraordinary craftsmanship, for they would spin the fibers from the fleece on the backs of the goats before it was shorn from them. Sforno explains that, after it is shorn from the animal, goat’s hair loses more and more of its luster each time that it is handled. Thus, by combing and spinning the fleece while it was still growing, they were able to preserve much of the luster that would otherwise have been lost. How much luster is diminished after a few hours of spinning? Probably a minimal amount, which is unnoticeable. Yet, the women made the…

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וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayakhel

All the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom. (35:26)

The Baal HaTurim notes the Mesorah, Masoretic tradition, of the phrase, V’chol ha’nashim, “And all the women,” is used again in Megillas Esther, V’chol hanashim yitnu yikar l’baaleihen, “And all wives should show respect to their husbands” (Megillas Esther 1:20). This refers to Haman’s advice in which he instructs Achashveirosh to issue a decree, emphasizing the significance of women appreciating and valuing their husbands. This is undoubtedly one of the primary tenets that provide the framework for a successful marriage relationship. A woman who does not value her husband (and reminds him of his second-class status) will ultimately cause the…

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והנשאם הביאו את אבני השהם ואת אבני המלאים לאפוד ולחשן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayakhel

The Nesiim/Princes brought the Shoham stones and the stones from the settings for the Eiphod and the Breastplate. (35:27)

Rashi quotes the Midrash in which Rabbi Nosson notes that the word Nesiim, Princes, is spelled without the two yuds that would normally be there. The defective spelling is sort of a subtle rebuke of the Princes for not bringing their gifts immediately when the call for contributions was made; rather, they waited until everything else had been donated. They had calculated that they would complete whatever would end up lacking. How surprised they were to discover that the nation had given overwhelmingly, leaving almost nothing for the Princes to give. Our sages indicate that their lack of an immediate…

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אלה הדברים אשר צוה ד' לעשות אתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayakhel

These are the objects that Hashem has commanded that they be made. (35:2)

Horav S. R. Hirsch, zl, observes that the above pasuk, Eilah ha’devarim, “These are the objects,” alludes to the various categories of labor required to construct the Mishkan. It represents the concept of meleches Shabbos, that which constitutes labor on Shabbos. In pasuk 4, the orders for building the Mishkan are introduced in a similar vernacular, Zeh hadavar asher tzivah Hashem laasos, “This is what G-d has commanded.” Thus, the (eilah ha)’devarim of the above pasuk refer only to those forms of labor which are vital to the construction of the Mishkan. These are the forms of labor which are…

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ויאמר משה אל בני ישראל ראו קרא ד' בשם בצלאל בן אורי בן חור למטה יהודה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Vayakhel

And Moshe said to Bnei Yisrael, “See, Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel ben Uri ben Chur, to the Tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Chazal teach that no deed goes unrequited. While, at times, we see individuals laboring in Torah, indeed, sacrificing themselves for the pursuit of Torah study and its dissemination, although their incredible reward does not seem to materialize. This is literally due to our shortsightedness. We must understand that reward does not necessarily occur immediately. It might take generations for that reward to be actualized, but it will definitely come. Horav Yaakov Galinsky, zl, quotes the Binah L’Ittim, who notes that there are times when a person toils to understand a difficult Talmudic passage or halachah, which apparently, he is not…

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ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael… This is the word that Hashem has commanded. (35:1,4)

Our parsha receives its name from the Hakhel, assembly of the people, so that they could receive their instructions concerning the building of the Mishkan. This gathering together of all the people was an essential prerequisite for the construction of the Mishkan. Why is this? To understand the significance of this gathering, it is important that we understand the power of “one.” In order to do so, we should examine how breaking a large singular item into many parts reduces its potency. Horav Mordechai Miller, zl, cites a powerful analogy from the Yalkut Shimoni on Sefer Tehillim. A king was…

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ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קודש... כל העשה בו מלאכה יומת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you… whoever does work on it shall be put to death. (35:2)

In the previous parshah (Ki Sisa), the Torah addressed the mitzvah of Shabbos observance, detailing the punishment for its desecration. Why does the Torah reiterate it yet again in this parshah (Vayakhel)? Furthermore, if the primary point is to prevent us from working on the seventh day, why does the Torah preface it by saying, “Six days you shall work”? Why not get to the point? Horav Tzvi Pesach Frank, zl, quotes his brother-in-law, Horav Aryeh Levine, zl, who heard the following explanation from a well-known gaon, Torah scholar. At the beginning of Meseches Pesachim, Tosfos explains why the Torah…

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ולהורות נתן בלבו הוא ואהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayakhel

And the ability to instruct he installed in his heart, he and Ahaliav ben Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (35:34)

Rashi notes that Ahaliav ben Achisamach was min ha’yerudin she’b’shevatim, one of the lowliest of the tribes, “Yet Hashem equates him to Betzalel regarding the works of the Mishkan, and Betzalel was from Shevet Yehudah, which was from the greatest of tribes.” The lesson to be derived is quite simple: when it comes to building the Bais Hamikdash, all Jews are equal. Yichus, lineage, regardless of its illustrious origins, does not play a role in granting a person a position of distinction. Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, explains that all of the various masks that exist in the world, masks that…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5773

ויקהל משה את כל קהל עדת בני ישראל ויאמר אליהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayakhel

And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael and said to them. (35:1)

Rashi observes that this assembly took place on the day after Yom Kippur, after Moshe Rabbeinu had descended from the mountain. The Sifsei Chachamim notes that Parashas Ki Sisa concludes with Moshe’s descent from the mountain. The narrative here continues from that point. The fact that Rashi emphasizes that the Assembly occurred on the day after Yom Kippur is notable. Is the date really that significant? If the gathering would have taken place on another day – would it have been different? Horav Moshe zl, m’Kubrin offers a practical exposition – something to which we can probably all relate. Yom…

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ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קדש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayakhel

On six days work may be done, but the seventh shall be holy for you. (35:2)

The Torah introduces the commandments concerning the Mishkan with an enjoinment to guard/observe the Shabbos. On a simple level, the Torah is intimating that, while the construction of the Mishkan is a lofty endeavor with clearly transcendent significance, it does not supersede Shabbos. In other words, the construction of the Mishkan, regardless of its magnitude, is halted for Shabbos. Veritably, one detects an affinity between Shabbos and the Mishkan. Chazal declare that the Lamed-tes Melachos, Thirty-nine classifications of work prohibited on Shabbos, are derived from the nature of work involved in the construction of the Mishkan. What is the connection…

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וכל אשה חכמת לב בידיה טוו...וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה טוו את העיזים

Every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands…all the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom spun the goats. (35:25,26)

וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה

All the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom. (35:26)

והנשאם הביאו את אבני השהם ואת אבני המלאים לאפוד ולחשן

The Nesiim/Princes brought the Shoham stones and the stones from the settings for the Eiphod and the Breastplate. (35:27)

אלה הדברים אשר צוה ד' לעשות אתם

These are the objects that Hashem has commanded that they be made. (35:2)

ויאמר משה אל בני ישראל ראו קרא ד' בשם בצלאל בן אורי בן חור למטה יהודה

And Moshe said to Bnei Yisrael, “See, Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel ben Uri ben Chur, to the Tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael… This is the word that Hashem has commanded. (35:1,4)

ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קודש... כל העשה בו מלאכה יומת

On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you… whoever does work on it shall be put to death. (35:2)

ולהורות נתן בלבו הוא ואהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן

And the ability to instruct he installed in his heart, he and Ahaliav ben Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (35:34)

ויקהל משה את כל קהל עדת בני ישראל ויאמר אליהם

And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael and said to them. (35:1)

ששת ימים תעשה מלאכה וביום השביעי יהיה לכם קדש

On six days work may be done, but the seventh shall be holy for you. (35:2)

YEARS

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