CHOCHMAS NASHIM: VAYAKHEL/PIKUDEI, IT WAS CLEAR ALL ALONG!!!
BUT IT WAS OBFUSCATED
By: Suri Stern
One of this week’s torah portions is Parshat Vayakhel, G-d’s commanding Moshe to gather the Jews. The first commandment is that we observe Shabbos.
Shabbos is the quintessential revelation of our trust in G-d, the paradigm of which was the giving of the mon food that G-d created for the Jews to eat in the dessert. We were told that we were to collect a double portion of mon on Friday, so that we wouldn’t have to gather mon on Shabbos. We tested G-d, and there were some who went to gather the mon on Shabbos, and angered G-d.
This week is all the prayer of the blessing of the new moon, and Parshat Hachodesh, the first commandment we were given, which was the blessing of the new moon, which would set the monthly festival calendar. Historically, more people and women attend synagogue on the weekend. But the shuls will be empty this week because of the Coronavirus.
So with whom shall we gather this weekend?
With all of our running to minyan and shiurim and weddings and bar mitzvahs and vorts, running running running, we are returned to our roots, our home. Our family. Ourselves. We need to rest, and to get back to basics.
So with whom shall we gather? Our family first and foremost. Via Skype and Facetime and Whatsapp, we can visit with our friends and remote family. But Shabbos is coming and thank G-d our electronics will be off. I dusted off our scrabble, Settlers of Cattan, Stratego, Monopoly.
I’ve been trying to motivate you to follow the motto of Rabbi Akiva, Tipah Achat, one drop, so named because when Rabbi Akiva was a mere shepherd, he saw drops of water dripping on a stone, which made a deep impression over time, and he understood that even at age 40, he could start learning torah slowly, and it would make a deep impression on him. And he became the great Rabbi Akiva.
Look on your bookshelf. Do you see the bible/Chumash. Why not start at the beginning, and bond with G-d, Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac…and eventually, Joshua, the Judges…Psalms and King David, who sang 150 songs to G-d as he was chased by enemies within and without his family and friends.
We can congregate with immediate ancestors who are in our home. I’ve taken out photo albums of my immediate ancestors and we sit and look at albums.
Finally, we finish reading the book of Exodus this week, with Parshat Pikudei. In shul, we stand and in one voice say, Chazak Chazak V’nitchazek, Strengthen, Strengthen and be Strengthened, and so it should be that we strengthen and become strengthened by those with whom we are surrounded and with whom we surround ourselves, family and our ancestors.
Stay well. I’m thinking of you.
Shabbat shalom.
-Suri