Vayakhel – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

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)

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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והמלאכה היתה דים לכל המלאכה לעשות אתה והותר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayakhel

And the work (of bringing materials for the building) was just enough, to make all the works (of the Mishkan), and there was left over. (36:7)

When we read this pasuk we are struck with an anomaly in its interpretation. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh asks: Are these two expressions – dayom, “just enough;” and v’hoseir, “left over” – actually exclusive of one another? If there was “just enough,” then there could not have been anything “left over”; and if there is something “left over,” then clearly there was more than “just enough.” The Sfas Emes approaches this from a number of perspectives. We will select one which teaches a valuable lesson in avodas Hashem, service to the Almighty. In the Midrash Tanchuma, Chazal state that the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Vayakhel

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Vayakhel

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayakhel

Moshe assembled the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (35:1)

The Avnei Nezer explains that as the Mishkan’s construction came to a conclusion, Moshe Rabbeinu assembled the entire nation for the purpose of teaching them the importance of harmony. The goal of the Mishkan is to serve as the one unifying place, the singular force towards which all of the Jewish People focus their prayers and sacrifices. Until the completion of the Mishkan, it was permissible to offer sacrifices on Bamos, personal altars. Each and every Jew did his own thing, expressing his service to Hashem on his personal wavelength, exclusive of his neighbor. Tefillah was an individual endeavor. It…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayakhel

Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work… brought a free-willed offering to Hashem. (35:29)

If one follows the translation of this pasuk – “Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring – brought a free-willed offering” – seems redundant: “Whoever was motivated to bring – brought.” Is there any question concerning their offering? The commentators respond to this redundancy, each in his inimitable manner. I will focus on one such interpretation. Horav Yehonasan Eibeshitz, zl, offers a practical explanation. When Moshe Rabbeinu made his appeal for the Mishkan, the entire Jewish nation responded positively – even the erev rav, mixed-multitude. This created a problem, since the members of the erev rav were…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5770, Vayakhel

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5770

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5770, Vayakhel

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5769

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5769, Vayakhel

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

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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)

והמלאכה היתה דים לכל המלאכה לעשות אתה והותר

And the work (of bringing materials for the building) was just enough, to make all the works (of the Mishkan), and there was left over. (36:7)

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Moshe assembled the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (35:1)

Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work… brought a free-willed offering to Hashem. (35:29)

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

YEARS

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