Vayakhel-Pekudei (Hachodesh)
SAN DIEGO — There isn’t a Torah parsasha that doesn’t have an exact link to what’s going on in the world during the week we read its teachings. This week we read from Vayakhel and Pekudei and, lo and behold, once again we experience an inspirational nexus with our contemporary lives and a biblical passage.
These parashiyot explain many details of the building of the Tabernacle, some of which we learned in parasha Terumah, last month. In this week’s readings we learn about the actual construction. The Malbim teaches us on the pasuk, in Teruamah, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst,” (Exodus 25:8) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָֽׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם, that a proper understanding of this points not to a physical structure, a building, but to a way of being. You see, every step of the architectural plans, the construction, the accounting, relates to the current COVID19 epidemic, that some would argue is of biblical proportion. Every situation in life presents us with an opportunity. The opportunity we have now is to bring the crown of Hashem closer to our inner lives, regardless of any external building.
Many cities already found ways to bring this message of the Malbim as they close their synagogues, understanding that COVID19 is easily transmitted, whether it be through droplets in the air, or physical contact, with particular gravity for older community members.
The Malbim brings an interesting perspective as we hear so many nationally leading epidemiologists and government officials tell us about distancing, washing, isolating, quarantining, etc. The Malbim reminds us that it’s not a building, what’s outside of ourselves, but rather, what’s inside of ourselves that matters most. Maimonides teaches us that we are Hashem’s partner in our obligation to maintain our health and longevity, not out of choice, but out of mitzvah.
Thankfully the parshiyot this week remind us of a most powerful message when many do not have a physical building in which to pray, gather, socialize, all for good reason. Through the Malbim’s insight to, yes, pay attention to the minutiae of every facet of the edifice, we must also be certain that we delve with equal detail inside of ourselves and build with the same specifics, every day, a Mishkan in our soul, mind and heart. Hashem dwells inside each of us in this manner. This week’s reading, when read through the lens of today’s pandemic, can be seen as an appeal for attention on our spiritual growth more than focusing on the external gold, planks, curtains, mirrors, donations, bricks and mortar. Each presents a unique link to some aspect of our inner lives.
An interesting observation, made by Rabbi Benjamin Bleich, draws a fascinating relationship to the word “corona” (as in corona virus), originating in the Latin word for “crown.” He then teaches, “The keter – the crown – is the most powerful symbol of our connection with God.” He tells us that there were 620 letters in the original ten commandments. 620 is also the gematria of the word keter. Our connection to God is clear during these trying coronavirus times.
Are we using this challenging time to consider how we can build and transform ourselves, our communal connections, our links to each other, our mindfulness in preserving human life, day to day, even without a building? If not, we’ve missed the essential teaching of these parshiyot, and in particular what the Malbim and Maimonides bring to us. When we do, we see clearly, IY’H, that the Torah resides within us, not within a beautiful building. And when we live in this manner, we’ll see that when we return to our synagogue buildings there will be greater beauty, an even more beautiful and meaningful crown, under which we will all continue to live in optimal wellbeing and health.
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Michael Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly d’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family worship. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com