Parshas Vayakhel and Pekudei Divrei Torah and Insights

בּ“ה

Parshas Vayakhel

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‘And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel’ (Shemos 35:1)

He gathered them together the day after Yom Kippur (Rashi zt”l).

Our Gedolim explain (see Kli Yakar; Olelos Ephraim; Totzaos Chaim, and Chiyucha shel Torah) that, as is known, on Yom Kippur, people are usually united and peaceful with each other. But what about afterwards? Moshe Rabbeinu gathered Klal Yisroel together specifically the day after Yom Kippur so that the incredible peace and unity would continue even after the holy day. . .

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‘And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and he said to them, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them.”’ (Shemos 35:1)

The Sifrei Tzaddikim interpret this phrase in another way: Moshe Rabbeinu gathered together Klal Yisroel and he told them that “These are the things” -- to always come together in unity and peace “that Hashem has commanded to do them”. This is His Will!

(Brought in Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos p. 157-158)

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‘And Moshe assembled the entire congregation of the Children of Israel. . . And Moshe said to the entire congregation of the Children of Israel. . . “Take from with yourselves a Portion for Hashem.”’ (Shemos 35:1,4,5)

Says HaRav Avraham Leib Scheinbaum shlit”a: In the first passuk of Parshas Vayakhel, Moshe Rabbeinu is addressing the entire nation b’hakhel, all-inclusively -- men, women and children -- and instructing them regarding the privilege of constructing the Mishkan.

The Mitzvah of erecting the Mishkan is a communal Mitzvah. Building a place where the Shechinah will dwell, a place from which all of Klal Yisroel will draw inspiration and holiness, must be done through the Tzibbur (community) -- together as a unit.

HaRav Baruch Sorotzkin zt”l explains that for the entire Jewish People to derive spiritual inspiration and influence from the Mishkan, it is essential that they feel they have a part in it. Therefore, even the poorest Jew was compelled to contribute towards the Mishkan, so that they would have a share in this edifice.

The Adanim -- which were the silver bases into which the Kerashim, wooden beams, were fitted -- were derived from a special collection from all of Klal Yisroel. This was because the foundation of the Mishkan had to originate from everyone equally.

We find later in Parshas Pekudei, that Moshe gave a complete reckoning of the silver, its proceeds and exactly how it was spent. This was done to indicate that there was exactly enough silver, and every bit of it was used for the adanim. This was unlike the gold and copper, which had a surplus. Every individual had to feel that he had an equal share in the Mishkan’s foundation.

(Peninim on the Torah; sixteenth series)

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‘Six days work will be done, and on the seventh day, it shall be for you holy, a Shabbos of Shabbos’. . .’ (Shemos 35:2)

Rashi zt”l quotes from Mechilta that the Shabbos is put here before speaking about the Mishkan to teach that the work for the Mishkan and building it did not override the Shabbos.

The Be’er Yosef, HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant zt”l goes deeper into the connection between the two: He quotes from the Nefesh HaChaim, which says that the Mishkan was like a microcosm of the entire world.

Thus, just like when Hashem created the world, He ceased working and making it when it came Shabbos, so too with the building of the mini-world, as it were -- the Mishkan -- they had to halt the work for Shabbos.

(Heard from HaRav Yehoshua Kalish shlit”a)

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‘And the entire assembly of the Children of Israel went out from before Moshe.’ (Shemos 35:20)

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh asks the question; why does the passuk emphasize that Bnei Yisroel went out ‘from before Moshe’? Didn’t we already know that they had been standing before him, and now that they ‘went out’, obviously they were leaving his presence? (See there for his wonderful answer).

The Alter of Kelm, HaRav Simcha Zissel Ziv zt”l suggests that we learn from here a valuable message: Even after the Bnei Yisroel left Moshe Rabbeinu’s presence, and from learning under him, it was still recognizable that they had learned by him -- not just at the time of their studies, but wherever they were, you could tell that they had studied Torah from Moshe.

This is a great lesson for all talmidim. Even when they leave the sacred walls of the Study Hall and from the tutelage and gaze of their Rebbe -- when they go home, or during bein hazmanim, etc. -- they must remember that wherever they go, it should still be noticeable that they are bnei Torah.

(Darkei Mussar on 35:20)

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Notes HaRav Yehoshua Kalish shlit”a; the Torah seems to reiterate a lot when dealing with the Mishkan and the donations for it, the phrase ‘as Hashem commanded’ or something similar. Why the repetition?

Explains Rav Kalish; according to the opinion of Chazal which Rashi zt”l quotes, the command to build the Mishkan, although listed before the sin of the Golden Calf, came chronologically after it, and was like an atonement for it.

Now, the Beis HaLevi zt”l takes an interesting approach to the Cheit ha’eigel, saying that the root of it was that the Bnei Yisroel were trying to make their own way to serve Hashem -- unfortunately, one that wasn’t at all the proper way.

Putting these things together, Rav Kalish expounds that this is perhaps one of the messages of the commonly recurring refrain mentioned above: It emphasized that the Mishkan, etc., was done and made exactly according to how Hashem had said, which was a complete atonement and correction for the Cheit ha’eigel, when Bnei Yisroel tried to serve Hashem in a way they made up, not the way Hashem proscribed.1

(Heard from Rav Kalish shlit”a)

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1 See Hegyonah Shel Torah on Shemos 25:5

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‘And every man whose heart lifted him came, and all whose spirit inspired him, brought the Portion of Hashem for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service, and for the holy garments.’ (Shemos 35:21)

Explains the Chida {HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt”l}: It is known that the nature of people is that at times, there awakens in their heart the desire to do a good thing. But after some time, the inspiration “cools down,” and in the end, the person may not even do the good thing they thought to.

It was not so with the Mishkan: The Torah praises the contributors to the building of the Mishkan that ‘every man whose heart lifted him came, and all whose spirit inspired him, brought the Portion of Hashem’. The Bnei Yisroel actually upheld what they thought to do at first!

(Vi’karasa L’Shabbos Oneg)

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‘And they brought to him [Moshe Rabbeinu] further contribution every morning.’ (Shemos 36:3)

We are taught that the Bnei Yisroel brought their contributions early in the morning while people were still sleeping so as to not be noticed [and to give in the optimal form -- anonymously].

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|~Maaseh~| It is related that once, a bochur was caught smoking in secret on Shabbos. This caused a great uproar. The Chofetz Chaim zt”l was approached and asked what should be done with the bochur; should they remove him from the Yeshiva, or let him stay? The Chofetz Chaim invited the bochur to his room, and spoke to him for around ten minutes, and when the bochur left, he was crying and regretting what he had done. No one else knew what had gone on in Rav Yisroel Meir’s room, and the matter remained a secret for a long time.

After some years, a Rav told over the story before the congregation, and in conclusion of his words he said: “It is too bad, very much so, that we did not ask the bochur what the Chofetz Chaim said to him, so that we would learn thereof how to deal with bochurim.” At the end of the Drosha, the congregation began to leave, each person going to their own house -- except for one elderly man whose head was bent over, resting on the table. The Rav approached him to wake him up because he thought that he was asleep, but he discovered, to his surprise, that the Jew had fainted! He immediately poured water on him and treated him, until his “spirit returned.”

When the man came to, the Rav asked him why he had fainted; perhaps he wasn’t feeling well? But the man answered that he had caused him to faint, when he told over in his Drosha about the bochur who was with the Chofetz Chaim. The Rav wondered and asked; what connection did the story have to him? Answered the man, that he himself was the bochur whom the Rav had told about.

The Rav begged the man to tell him what the Chofetz Chaim had really said to him, and how he succeeded in influencing him.

The man replied: “When I entered by the Chofetz Chaim, he took my hand and grabbed it with warmth with both his hands; he looked into my eyes with a gaze of compassion and great love, and he began to cry and to say: ‘Oy Shabbos Kodesh! Oy Shabbos!’ Such did the Chofetz Chaim cry throughout ten minutes. In those moments, I trembled and I felt a stream of holiness that passed inside of my body. I broke into a cry and I regretted from the depths of the heart about what I did, and I accepted upon myself complete Teshuva until this day. Therefore, when you told the story, I was very moved, because I remembered the stirring occasion with the Chofetz Chaim, and therefore I fainted.”

(Ne’imos Netzach II, quoted in Peninei HaTorah)

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בּ“ה

Parshas Pekudei

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‘These are the countings of the Mishkan’ (Shemos 38:21)

We read about it Parshas Pekudei a tally of the materials donated for the Mishkan, etc. and how they were used and appropriated. It appears, says HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, that this reckoning teaches us that we need to do an accounting on everything that HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave to us. Our life; what are we doing with the time on this world that Hashem has granted us? Are we using it for Torah and Mitzvos, or, Chas V’Shalom, for nothingness and meaningless matters? And our money; are we giving to charity requisitely? Are we properly keeping the Halachos that deal with monetary matters?

And this applies to everything Hashem has kindly blessed us with -- all our strengths, our talents -- everything. We need to ask ourselves; are we using them in accordance with Hashem’s Will?

(Darash Moshe)

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‘Stones of remembrance for the Children of Israel’ (Shemos 39:7)

HaRav Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk zt”l explains another significance of these words, aside from their plain meaning: These stones would cause the Jews to remember that their names are engraved on the Ephod, which is worn before Hashem, and thus they will be ashamed to do an aveirah.

(Meshech Chochmah)

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‘You shall erect the Mishkan’ (Shemos 40:2)

Chazal tell us that the Bnei Yisroel, including the wise of heart, were trying to set up the Mishkan, but they were unable to. So HaKadosh Baruch Hu said, “You engage in erecting it, and it will arise on its own.” This is like what the verse (v. 17) says, ‘The Mishkan was erected’ -- which implies that it was by itself (Vayikra Rabbah 52:4).

The Kli Yakar expands on this Midrash: We see in this a lesson for all the things a person may do, that a lot of times, it is beyond our capability to really complete a certain task. So what can we do? We must put in our effort, doing everything that we can, as much as we are capable -- and then Hashem will give us help from Above to complete the mission.

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‘And the Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan. . . And when the Cloud ascended from upon the Mishkan, the Children of Israel would travel in all their journeys. And if the Cloud would not ascend, and they would not travel until the day that it ascended.’ (Shemos 40:34, 36-37)

With this topic we finish off the Book of Shemos. That Hashem would lead the Bnei Yisroel, letting them know when they should travel and when they should not.

We must understand that this is true as well in our own lives: Hashem leads us and helps us on the right path through life with certain signs and messages -- whatever they might be. As we say in our morning blessings, ‘Who prepares the footsteps of man.’

This assurance that Hashem leads us and guides our way through decisions, etc. and is always involved in our personal lives is a wonderful way to leave -- and thing to leave with -- from Sefer Shemos. And B’Ezras Hashem, to go forward with in the Holy Torah.

(Tal U’Matar)

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‘For the Cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day, and fire would be on it at night, before the eyes of the entire House of Israel in all their journeys.’ (Shemos 40:38)

HaRav Shalom Schwadron zt”l suggests that this passuk alludes to the bitter Galus, Exile, that has been “home” to the Jewish People for the last few thousand years. The passuk is telling us that during all of Klal Yisroel’s journeys, throughout the Exile following the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, “fire” has always been burning to guide us through the darkness of Galus. What is this fire? It is the Torah, as it says in Yirmiyahu (23:29); ‘Behold, My Words are like fire -- the Word of Hashem’. This is a reference to the daled amos shel Halacha, “the four cubits of Torah Law,” -- a place where Torah is studied -- which illuminates the road for us as we travel through the long, harsh night of Exile.

Adds HaRav Avraham Leib Scheinbaum shlit”a: This is how it has been throughout our Exile. The Torah has been our sanctuary, our island of serenity, our place of refuge, our tower of hope. In the Torah, we have always felt that we were with Hashem. We never felt alone. The continued study of Torah was a remarkable phenomenon, especially during the Holocaust, when Jews turned bunkers, cellars or underground tunnels into Battei Midrash, houses of Torah study.

In the Vilna Ghetto, an entire religious school system continued while the Nazi guards were unaware that it was going on. In the Daltmorgan Camp in southern Germany, a group of Yeshiva students would convene at night to study Mishnayos. This was after a day of hard labor in the clay pits. Bone tired and near starvation, covered with vermin from lack of showers, they would listen as a young student from Novhardok recited chapter after chapter of Mishnayos aloud, from memory, and the rest would repeat after him. Others studied Talmud by memory as they marched for hours in the biting cold. Their bodies were cold, but their hearts were warmed by the fire of Torah. They were not alone. Hashem dwelled -- and dwells -- in the daled amos shel Halacha which they maintained.

(Peninim on the Torah; sixteenth series)

Somewhat similarly, the Avnei Azel explains that this verse teaches us that no matter where we are -- throughout all the wanderings, migrations, etc. of our Galus -- we should always remember that Hashem is with us, and will never let go of us nor forsake us.

In very good times -- “day” -- Hashem’s pillar of cloud leads the way for us through the wilderness of Exile, and in, Rachmana litzlan, very dark times of suffering and persecution -- “night” -- the pillar becomes like a fire, that will consume the enemies who rise up to destroy us.

Hashem always is with us -- even in the darkest of times.

(Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos)

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As we know, at the end of every Sefer of the Torah, we say the words ‘Chazak Chazak Vi’Nischazeik!’ -- ‘Be strong, be strong, and we will be strengthened!’

Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl zt”l taught that the repetition -- ‘Chazak Chazak’ -- means that we must strengthen ourselves time and again to do the right thing. Even if you tried once and failed, strengthen yourself and try again, a second time, and a third time, etc. And if we do this, then ‘Vi’Nischazeik’ -- Hashem will help to strengthen us.

(Torah Wellsprings)

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|~Maaseh~| Once, government officials came to Rimanov, and said that they were commandeering the Shul to be used as a warehouse for army supplies. The community leaders came to Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov zt”l for suggestions how they might be able to avert this tragedy. One member of the community spoke up and said there might be a saving grace, because the roof of the Shul leaked, and if the officials became aware that the supplies may be damaged by water, they would forgo use of the Shul.

Rebbe Menachem Mendel said, “What?! You have allowed the Shul to fall into disrepair? No wonder this has happened! Hashem has punished you for evidencing disrespect for His House. Have the roof repaired immediately and see that all necessary repairs are done, and you will see that they will withdraw their plan.”

The townspeople did as Rebbe Menachem Mendel had instructed, and, miraculously, when the Shul was repaired, they were notified that the government no longer needed it as a warehouse.

(Four Chassidic Masters)

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, March 20, 2020