27 minute read
Judaism
ASK THE RABBI
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IS LUXURY A LUXURY?
Dear Rabbi
I live as a member in a particularly Orthodox Jewish community. I recently bought a nice luxury car and all I get now is funny looks from everyone as though to say, “Who do you think you are?” I suppose my question is, is there a Halachic position on spending money on a luxury car?
Shmuli
Dear Shmuli
When the Torah (Vayikra 14:36) instructs that a house struck with leprosy be cleared out before a Cohen renders it impure, the commentator Rashi makes the point that “the Torah takes pity on a Jew’s resources.” Similarly, when the verse (Devarim 14:21) states that the carcass of a forbidden animal can be sold to a non-Jew, the Midrash notes, “the Torah takes pity on a Jew’s resources.” This is a recurring theme throughout Jewish literature. Thus begging the question, if the Torah encourages conservation, wherein would lie the justification to spend excess money on a luxury car?
Even if it is well within the means of an individual, the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 27a) observes that the mouthpiece of the Shofar used on fast days was covered with silver rather than gold because “the Torah takes pity on Jewish resources.” The Temple could certainly have afforded the gold, yet still avoided unnecessary excess.
To be sure, if it is somehow necessary for the purposes of work or whatever other reason, then so be it. Moreover, the Torah doesn’t forbid one from taking pleasure in what they can afford. But generally, when it’s just about feeling like king of the road, a balance ought to be struck between driving in comfort and spending the extra 50K just to impress the morning minyan. Give the money to charity instead. You’re guaranteed a more luxurious place in G-d’s books.
TIME TO FORGIVE?
Dear Rabbi
When someone has done time in prison and then seeks to come back to synagogue, should he be welcomed back in? What about when he has a yartzeit, in order to say kaddish?
Gerald
Dear Gerald
It really very much depends on the nature of the crime. For example, if he was in for paedophilia, then there is a very real element of risk, especially when there are children around. Moreover, those with children would not be comfortable bringing their kids to shul in the circumstances. Perhaps, some leniency ought to be sought for the purposes of saying kaddish on a yartzeit, but safeguarding measures would have to be put into place before that could be allowed.
For other crimes, well, again, it depends. If the individual concerned stole from members of the community, while there isn’t the same risk per se, one has to be mindful of the sensitivities of those other members who attend shul, that were his victims.
We do believe in the principle of repentance and turning over a new leaf. But we are always mindful of the nature of the beast and have to take in the bigger picture.
LVING WITH REGRET
Dear Rabbi
I spent a lot of my earlier life involved in all sorts of decadent behaviour. Even as I now lead a more virtuous life, I find myself often thinking back with regret and it always drags me down. In fact only recently I was feeling so lousy about it all, that I found myself going down that same slippery slope. How do I snap out of it?
Craig
Dear Craig
Foremost, you ought to pursue some professional help that can guide you through this process. But in the meantime, here is some food for thought: A Jew ends up sleeping in the same cabin as a Russian General of the Czar’s army. He tells the conductor to wake him up at 4:00 a.m. so he can get off at his stop. He is awakened at the proper time, yet due to the darkness he mistakenly puts on the clothes of the general instead of his own.
When he arrives home, his wife asks him if everything is all right with him. When he takes a look in the mirror and sees that he is wearing the general’s uniform, he tells his wife, “It seems like the conductor woke up the general instead of me.”
Though we may feel our personalities to be torn inside and harbouring within them dark and gloomy demons, we ought never allow ourselves to succumb to these forces and grant them permission to dictate our behaviour. We need to remember always that even while our conscious moods may gravitate toward decadence, our essence remains pure.
This is Judaism’s fundamental code of human behaviour. Even while you feel selfish, unholy and obnoxious inside, your behaviour - what you do, how you talk and how you think - ought to reflect the beauty and splendour of your innate holiness.
Remember, G-d does not desire holy people doing holy things; He desires unholy people doing holy things. Do not make the error of the Jew sleeping on the train. Do not confuse who you are with what you are wearing. It is a sad error to allow yourself to be defined by your external rotten mood in lieu of your inner pristine self.
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Pirkei Avot
Dedicated in memory of Tova bas Chayim Hillel Monis and Meir Shimon ben Avrohom Yakov Perek 3: Mishna 14
אָרְבִנּשׁ םָדָא ביִבָח ,רֵמוֹא הָיָה אוּה אָרְבִנּשׁ וֹל תַעַדוֹנ הָרֵתְי הָבִּח .םלצְב ...םלצְבּ יִכּ )ט תישארב( רַמֱאנּשׁ ,םלצְב לֵאָרְשִׂי ןיִביִבח .םָדָאָה תא הָשָׂע הָרֵתְי הָבִּח .םוֹקָמַּל םיִנָב וּאְרְקִנּשׁ ,םוֹקָמַּל םיִנָב וּאְרְקִנּשׁ םהָל תַעַדוֹנ 'הַל םתַּא םיִנָבּ )די םירבד( רַמֱאנּשׁ יִלְכּ םהָל ןַתִּנּשׁ לֵאָרְשִׂי ןיִביִבח .םכיֵקֹלֱא ןַתִּנּשׁ םהָל תַעַדוֹנ הָרֵתְי הָבִּח .הָדְּמח ,םָלוֹעָה אָרְבִנ וֹבּשׁ הָדְּמח יִלְכּ םהָל בוֹט חַקל יִכּ )ד ילשמ( רַמֱאנּשׁ
He used to say: Beloved is man for he was created in the image [of G-d]. Especially beloved is he for it was made known to him that he had been created in the image [of G-d], as it is said: “for in the image of G-d He made man” (Genesis 9:6). Beloved are Israel in that they were called children to the All-Present. Especially beloved are they for it was made known to them that they are called children of the All-Present, as it is said: “you are children to the Lord your G-d” (Deuteronomy 14:1). Beloved are Israel in that a precious vessel was given to them. Especially beloved are they for it was made known to them that the desirable instrument, with which the world had been created, was given to them, as it is said: “for I give you good instruction; forsake not my teaching” (Proverbs 4:2).
We should be exceedingly grateful that we are beloved by Hashem. It is not for nothing that the Torah, which doesn’t waste words, chose explicitly at the beginning of Bereshit to state that we are created in the image of G-d. In the same way people will do anything for their beloved, Hashem will do anything for us. Although it can often not seem that way, especially when people are suffering in one form or another, we must strive mightily to remember that Hashem always has our absolute best in mind even if we can’t directly see it.
Torah from Israel
Terumah: Daf Yomi on Tik Tok
BY RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
Every component of the mishkan is iconic. Each article symbolizes a different aspect of religious experience. From the materials to the fabrics, from the dimensions to the ritual ceremonies, each detail of the mishkan contains profound religious symbolism.
Though every part of the mishkan is symbolic, the aron is the most evocative. As it houses the luchot and a sefer Torah, it reflects our approach to Torah study.
Moshe supervised the construction of the mishkan by delegating projects to the chief engineer, Bezalel, and his team of artisans and craftsmen. Though numerous workers were involved, Hashem personally directed each command to Moshe. Each instruction is conveyed to Moshe with the term “v’asita” which translates into “You should build.” Oddly, the instruction to fashion an aron was conveyed to Moshe with a plural-tensed term: “v’asu” which translates into “They should build an aron”. Unlike all the other vessels, the aron is presented as a communal and collaborative project.
According to the midrash, this collective language empowers each individual Jew to take personal ownership of Torah. Torah should not be the private or exclusive possession of an elite or the protected trust of the educated, but should be democratic and should be easily available to all. Often, Torah is compared to water because it is freely and effortlessly available to all, regardless of education, social position or religious rank. Torah must be collectivized, popularized and extended to every Jew.
In reality, though, the aron was not universally accessible. Astonishingly, the aron didn’t occupy any actual space in the mishkan. Containing the celestial word of G-d, it lies beyond the human realm and existed in a “void” or a black hole in the mishkan. Additionally, the aron was sequestered in the inner sanctum, which was rarely entered by humans. Tragedy struck when the aron was mishandled while being transported by Dovid to Yerushalayim. A Levi named Uzza tried to reposition the aron as it fell off the wagon and tragically he died, since he had laid a bare human hand upon the casing of G-d’s word. As the word of Hashem, Torah must inspire awe and transcendence. Torah must be austere and otherworldly.
Our relationship with Torah is built upon this irreconcilable paradox. We want it to be familiar and accessible, but we also must preserve its gravitas. Torah must be friendly but spiritual. It must be human but divine. It must be natural but also heavenly.
Throughout our history, this balance was always very carefully calibrated. During Raban Gamliel’s reign as Nasi, entry into the Torah study hall was restricted to people of high moral standards. How can Torah be cheapened by teaching it to frauds? Upon assuming the title of Nasi, Rebbi Eliezer ben Azarya suspended these restrictions, exposing thousands of newcomers to the beauty of Torah.
Ezra the Prophet banned Torah study for men after marital relations. Only by immersing in a mikvah can a man achieve the purity and solemnness necessary to resume Torah study. This regulation as well, severely limited Torah study, and was eventually repealed.
Until the end of the first century, Torah could only be studied while standing. How can the word of G-d be read while casually reclining? This cavalier posture would mar the grandeur of Torah. Again, this policy boomeranged and was eventually relaxed.
This balancing act is perennial. We always face the challenge of popularizing Torah while maintaining its integrity and preserving our reverence for Torah. The solemnity of Torah and the austerity of Torah study have always been flexed to enable broader popular commitment to Torah.
Recently, a woman began reformulating the daf yomi in a humorous fashion, on a social media platform named Tik Tok. These popular videos summarize the daf with a mixture of sarcasm, sincerity and even sexual innuendo. Many are disturbed by the disgrace of profanity-laden descriptions of the Talmud. Others believe that these videos have captured a broad audience and exposed them to Torah knowledge.
This reminds me of a similar question which arose several years ago in Israel. A reputable publishing house printed a Tanach covered with a material resembling blue jeans. This more user-friendly and less formal Tanach, undoubtedly, was more attractive to a broader audience who weren’t naturally drawn to a more classic version of Tanach. For others, wrapping a Tanach in clothing which many associate with leisure rather than serious study, reduced the honor of Torah. These two dilemmas- a Tanach with a jeans cover and irreverent daf yomi summaries- though very different, both reflect the enduring challenge of balancing between popularizing Torah and retaining its honor. Too much familiarity and we dilute Torah’s intensity. Too much intensity and Torah feels distant and unreachable.
There is obviously no clear-cut solution but here are a few guidelines toward a healthy balance. I haven’t watched the Tik Tok Daf Yomis (aside from one video which I quickly glanced at) so my comments are more “generalized “about how to popularize Torah without cheapening it.
1.INTENT
Obviously, the foremost issue is assessing intent. Is Torah being recast or reframed for its greater glory? Is the reformulation of Torah conducted in the service or Torah or in the service of an alternate agenda? Torah should never serve any other agenda. It is the perfect, stand-alone, and eternal word of Hashem and cannot be subjugated to any other purpose. Is Torah being repackaged for the sake of Torah and to serve its interests, or for other reasons and for alternative purposes? Intent is always our first yardstick when judging repackaging of Torah.
2. REVERENCE
Does the unorthodox presentation of Torah, ultimately, generate respect for Torah or belittlement? It is legitimate to soften Torah even if changes the tone of our reverence. It is legitimate to create greater access even at the cost of reduced “veneration”. If Torah is too austere and solemn it can feel distant and, for some, irrelevant. If Torah is held too high, it become unreachable. Humor and cultural associations can make Torah more friendly, less formal, and more accessible.
However, any strategy which reduces respect for Torah authority or creates scorn and ridicule is intolerable and dangerous. Respect doesn’t have to be solemn, but it must be solid. Off-color humor and sarcasm lead to cynicism and derision. This is the second yardstick. Even if the intent is sincere, is the outcome one of greater respect or less respect for Torah and religion? For many, religious passion is driven by intensity, reverence and religious tension. For others, these emotions are too heavy and suffocating. It is legitimate to create a softer and more relaxed inner religious landscape. As long as respect is solidified, and authority is reinforced.
This concern is especially true in our treatment of Chazal. As they were human beings, it is easier for people to belittle them, or worse, ridicule them G-d forbid. Too much comedy and parody can undermine the immense respect due to people who possessed an almost unimaginable mastery over Torah and created our traditions of the Oral law.
3. DIGNITY
Are the terms and words which are employed comical and “light” or crass and vulgar? In general, it is important to speak and write with dignity and to avoid crude and raunchy language. This is even more important when referring to the word of Hashem. Employing risqué language or curse words when discussing Torah content is appalling. We live in a sordid world and Torah provides an escape to a purer world and to the divine source of nobility. Torah must be guarded from the ugliness of humans.
Torah is both eternal and timeless. Though it must be reformulated to “speak” to each generation its sanctity and holiness must be vigilantly protected. If we are uncertain about the proper balance to strike, it is preferable to err on the side of preserving Torah’s splendor and gravitas.
The writer is a rabbi at Yeshivat Har Etzion/ Gush, a hesder yeshiva. He has smicha and a BA in computer science from Yeshiva University as well as a masters degree in English literature from the City University of New York.
Weekly Dvar Torah
FROM ERETZ YISRAEL For Heaven’s Sake
BY RABBI REUVEN TARAGIN
“Bring gifts for Me… Let them make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell amongst
them.” (Shemot 25:2,8)
“For me”; this is what Hashem emphasizes by using the word li. In the first pesukim of the parasha, Hashem uses the term in reference to the collection of funds for and the building of the Mishkan. Rashi explains the significance of li by adding the word shem (name) between the lamed and the yud of the word. The Mishkan needs to be built for Hashem’s name, for His sake.
Our ability to create a sanctuary for the shechina and to develop a meaningful relationship with Hashem hinges not only on what we do, but also on why we do it. Action meant to further our own interests or for other ulterior motives does not bring us close to Hashem or Him closer to us.
AVODAH, NOT MELACHAH
The Ramban uses this idea to explain why the work done in building the Mishkan is called avodah (rather than just melachah). Avoda signifies effort intended l’shem shamayim. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains through this the abundance of commandments regarding the korbanot and the Mishkan. Acting in accordance with Hashem’s commands ensures that our building and sacrifices will be done for the sake of fulfilling Hashem’s Will.
ATONEMENT FOR THE EIGEL
The Midrash sees this as the way the building of the Mishkan atoned for the sin of the Eigel. When the Jews asked Aharon to build the golden calf, they said: “Make an Eigel for us.” As we saw, Hashem formulated the commandment for building the Mishkan as: “Make a Mishkan for Me.” Sin is committed for self-interests; avodat Hashem, for Heaven’s sake.
Rav Mordechai Mi’Kazmir saw this idea in the difference between the way Hashem told Moshe to fashion the luchot versus how He formulated the prohibition against idol worship. When Hashem told Moshe to chisel the luchot, He said: “P’sal (carve) for yourself.” When He warned against idol worship, He said: “Do not make for yourself a pesel (image).” When speaking about Torah and avodat Hashem, the action comes before the person. Idol worship, though, begins with people putting themselves first.
COMMITTING OURSELVES
Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner captured this idea beautifully with his famous song, Bilvavi. The song links our ability to build a Mishkan within our hearts to our ability to focus on Hashem’s honor. The last part of the song – “u’l’korban akriv lo et nafshi hayechida” – describes committing our unique souls to Hashem. Our focus on avodat Hashem helps us reach the level where this kind of commitment is possible.
A powerful story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe highlights this level. A woman asked the Rebbe to pray for her only son, who was desperately ill with leukemia. The mother, trembling with fear, spoke to the Rebbe while tears rolled down her cheeks. The Rebbe looked into the mother’s eyes and said, “If you knew that it was Hashem’s Will, would you be willing to let him die? Could you give him up if you knew that Hashem wanted him?” The poor mother just sat there looking back at the Rebbe. After a long struggle with her emotions, she finally replied, “Yes. If I knew for certain that it was Hashem’s Will, I would be willing to give up the boy.” The Rebbe nodded and said, “Now we can pray for him.” He then offered a prayer for the boy, surrendering him completely to the wisdom and mercy of Hashem. Three days later, the boy was released from the hospital.
May we use the Mishkan as the model of commitment to Hashem that we extend that to all aspects of our lives.
Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational Director of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshivat Hakotel Overseas Program. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www. mizrachi.org/speakers).
Terumah Sidra Summary
“They shall make for Me a Sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them” (Shemot 25:8)
Point to Consider: What is the deeper message of the aron being plated with gold not just on the outside, but also the inside, even though the inside was not visible? (25:11)
Artistic impression of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), credit: Aleksig6/Wikimedia Commons
1ST ALIYA (KOHEN) – SHEMOT 25:1-16
G-d tells Moshe to ask the Jews for voluntary offerings towards the construction and functioning of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The materials needed are gold, silver and copper; turquoise, purple and scarlet wool; linen, goat hair, dyed ram skins, skins of the tachash animal, acacia wood, oil, specific spices and particular precious stones (for placing in the Kohen Gadol’s garments).
G-d then instructs Moshe about how to make different features of the Mishkan: The aron (ark) was made from acacia wood, plated with gold on both the inside and outside, and with a gold zer (crown) around the top. It had four gold rings attached to it, two on each side, with a gold-plated wooden stave left permanently between each pair of rings, in order to carry the aron. The Tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed in the aron.
2ND ALIYA (LEVI) – 25:17-30
The kaporet (cover) of the aron was made of pure gold, with two cherubs moulded on top, facing one another and with their wings touching. The shulchan (table) was made from gold-plated acacia wood, with a gold zer (crown) on its misgeret (lid). It had rings and staves to carry it, like the aron. The lechem hapanim (show bread ) was placed on it.
3RD ALIYA (SHLISHI) – 25:31-26:14
The menorah was hammered from one piece of pure gold, with seven lamps. The Mishkan had ten yiriyot (curtains), made of linen and patterned wool, with golden hooks joining them together.
The ohel (tent), draped over the Mishkan, was made of 11 curtains of goat hair, with a further double michseh (cover) on top, one made from dyed ram skins, the other from tachash skins.
4TH ALIYA (REVI’I) – 26:15-30
The kerashim (planks) and their enjoining bars were made from gold-plated acacia wood.
5TH ALIYA (CHAMISHI) – 26:31-37
The parochet (partition) was made of wool and linen. It was placed on the southern side of the Mishkan, to cordon off the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) area, which housed the aron.
6TH ALIYA (SHISHI) – 27:1-8
and staves attached to rings to carry it.
7TH ALIYA (SHEVI’I) – 27:9-19
The chatzer (courtyard) surrounded the Mishkan; its outer ‘fence’ was made of linen yiriyot (curtains), attached to wooden pillars.
HAFTARAH
The reading, from the Book of Kings, records King Shlomo’s (Solomon) construction of the Beit Hamikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem, which was completed 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt. The construction involved mobilising close to 200,000 workers. G-d told Shlomo that He would “dwell among the Children of Israel” if they would be loyal in their Divine service.
40 JUDAISM
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488 Terumah: A House for G-d?!
BY GAVRIEL COHN
Many have puzzled over the purpose of the Mishkan. Why does G-d need a house to dwell in, a peculiar tent-like structure furnished with ornate objects? King Solomon himself, charged with building the First Temple in Jerusalem, wondered aloud, “Will G-d indeed dwell on the earth? Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; much less this Temple that I have erected” (1 Melachim 8:27).
The great medieval scholars advance several theories to explain the purpose of the Mishkan (and, by extension, the Beit Hamikdash). For the Ramban, the Mishkan was intended as a permanent reconstruction of the people’s Divine encounter at Mount Sinai, its dazzling gold ornaments reflected the fires upon the Mount Sinai. The Mishkan was a mobile, permanent, model-version of G-d’s epic Revelation, traveling with the people and lying at the heart of their encampment. For the Seforno, a later, Italian commentator, on the other hand, the Mishkan was a necessary response to the People’s grievous sin of the Golden Calf. They had proved themselves religiously reckless, even idolatrous. So, G-d withdrew His initial offer that “in every place where I cause my name to be mentioned I will come to you” (Shemos, 24:18). The Mishkan instead was to be the sole place of worship, a restricted and controlled enough form of religious expression preventing such sinful antics from occurring in the future. The Rambam, in his Guide for the Perplexed, presents a third reason for the Temple. He writes that the Sanctuary, with its priests and animal offerings, merely reflects the trappings of Near Eastern pagan rites (although an eternally binding institution nonetheless). It was a sophisticated “divine ruse,” serving to incorporate some pagan practices into Judaism in order to ensure that the Jewish People at the time would find familiarity in the Torah and thus accept it. Fourthly, for Rabbi Yehuda haLevi, the great Spanish poet, in stark contrast to the Rambam’s historical proposition, the Temple stood as the ‘power-plant’ of the nation, its sacrificial rites almost mystically facilitating and allowing G-d’s Presence to rest amongst us. (As an aside, this perhaps is why the Rambam, one hundred years later, uses Temple Sacrifices as his centre-piece example in advancing his historical and contextual approach to understanding the mitzvot; namely, in order to directly counter HaLevi’s claim). Such is an overview of some of the most famous answers given to the question as to why we have a Temple.
However, the introduction that the Torah presents us with may perhaps provide us with an idea, at least in the most broadest sense, as to the purpose of building a “house for G-d” and, shedding light on Judaism’s unique perspective as a whole:
“The L-rd spoke to Moshe saying, speak to the People of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering. This is the offering that you shall take from them: gold, silver, and copper... And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst…”
Perhaps one of the radical differences between Judaism and idolatry is its focus. In essence, Pagan religions were often self-directed. Man worshipped the stars or the moon purely for himself, to achieve his own needs. He served the G-ds or the constellations in order, for example, to be bestowed with agricultural plenty, health, or military success (see Guide for the Perplexed, 3:30). Judaism, however, was to be the exact opposite; it is entirely other-focused. That is the key message of the Temple, to donate and give to G-d, to “take for Me an offering… and to make Me a sanctuary.” It was to be a religion, a set of values and rules, focused entirely on reaching out, on helping man and on helping G-d, so-tospeak. Judaism’s focus is not so much that we should be the centre of G-d’s life, so to speak, but that G-d should be the centre of our lives. That is the idea of the Temple, to build a house for G-d in the middle of our camp, and to invest ourselves in it, giving of our wealth and time. Judaism’s entire purpose is to step out of ourselves and to give – to help man, and even, radically, to provide G-d a dwelling within this world. It is not about self-service, but service of the other and of G-d, for His Own Sake. That, at least in its broadest sense, is the purpose of the Temple, to donate and maintain a House for G-d in the middle of our camp; to make G-d and other people the centre of our lives, and not the other way around.
Gav works as an Account Executive in Public Relations. The views expressed here are entirely his own. Questions? gavcohn@ gmail.com
Terumah
RABBI DR RAYMOND APPLE
GOD’S SANCTUARY
Israel are commanded to create a mishkan, a sanctuary for G-d. It had to be a building where worship took place and people would encounter the presence of G-d in their midst.
The people needed the mishkan, but did God? The Torah says He did; it says v’asu li mikdash, “they shall make Me a sanctuary” (Ex. 25:8).
Difficult to understand when you look at the 66th chapter of Isaiah which says that God’s dwelling place is everywhere. Surely G-d cannot be pinned down to any one place or territory.
But it is not in the edifice that G-d is located but in the people who enter and use it. It is in the people themselves that the Divine spirit rests.
Each person is equal in the sight of G-d. Each has the capacity to sense that they matter to the Almighty. Each has eyes to see the majesty of the world, ears to hear the Divine Word of justice, peace and truth, a mouth to acclaim the greatness of the Creator.
Outside the sanctuary people tend to get up to mischief; inside the edifice they are changed forever and become, in the words of Psalm 8, “little lower than angels”.
CHOOSE ONE
A rabbinic rule says that whoever carries out the command of tzitzit is as if he has fulfilled the whole Torah (Sifrei Bamidbar 16:39).
Tzitzit is very important, but what about the other 612 mitzvot?
A person ought to keep the whole of the 613 commandments but they need a lead-in that will bring them to the entire mitzvah-life. Become an expert in one mitzvah and gradually expand to a second, a third, a fourth one, and eventually the total mitzvah-life.
The Talmud hints at this when it tells us (Kidd. 39b) that Rabbi Yehudah concentrated on devotion in prayer and Rabbi Nachman emphasised having three special meals on Shabbat.
When you look at this week’s sidra you see that the opening verses place importance on offerings. Many people focus on the donations they give to Jewish causes. Wonderful, but they could expand their commitment – if they give money for education the next thing is doing some study themselves. If they give to Israel the next stage is to contemplate Aliyah.
The mitzvah that leads them into Judaism should eventually bring them to the full mitzvah-life…
THE WISE KING
The haftarah begins (I Kings 5:26) by telling us that the Almighty gave Solomon wisdom.
In what way does this statement link up with the sidra with all its multifarious architectural details?
According to Kimchi, it was in the great building projects which Solomon undertook that his wisdom was shown.
Wisdom is not the same as learning. It is practical planning and implementation. What you build, the way you build, the overall vision for the series of buildings that you undertake, all are evidence of your practical capacity.
SHULS & RULES
One of the first tasks of the people of Israel after the Exodus and the Revelation at Mount Sinai was to build a Tabernacle: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8).
Some of the sages thought the command to construct the sanctuary in fact came after the episode of the golden calf.
The Midrash suggests that after committing such a grievous sin the people felt ashamed and thought G-d would never take therm back into His favour, so G-d told them to create a physical meeting place where they would gather and His presence would be with them.
Nachmanides, however, says the Tabernacle had nothing to do with the golden calf but enabled the people to maintain the closeness to G-d that had exhilarated them at Mount Sinai.
Many centuries have passed, and the first thing that Jews do in a new locale is still to establish a synagogue. They want a place of meeting, a physical focus for community and a centre for spiritual and educational inspiration.
Many of the synagogues built over the course of history were grand, impressive edifices that were triumphs of architectural design. But because of persecution and migration, many of the great synagogue buildings lost their congregations and some were physically attacked and destroyed.
So how sensible is it to put up great, solid edifices when there is no guarantee as to their future?
The obvious answer is that you must always hope for the best and have faith that the synagogue will survive and be needed.
But unfortunately those who work so hard to put up the building are sometimes such optimists that they lay down their tools and think that some magic will ensure that the synagogue is a success.
The Mi Sheberach for the congregation praises both “those who establish synagogues for prayer” and “those who enter them to pray”, and ideally the two groups should be synonymous.
Rabbi Raymond Apple was for many years Australia’s highest profile rabbi and the leading spokesman on Judaism. After serving congregations in London, Rabbi Apple was chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, for 32 years. He also held many public roles, particularly in the fields of chaplaincy, interfaith dialogue and Freemasonry, and is the recipient of several national and civic honours. Now retired, he lives in Jerusalem and blogs at http://www.oztorah.com
