Reflections from Rabbi Ellis

Vayakhel is the penultimate Parsha in the book of Shmote - Exodus. Vayekhel takes place in the desert of Sinai opposite the mountain where G!d made his presence known to Israel. Vayakhel means he gathered this is the first gathering of the nation since Moshe returned with the second set of the Ten Commandments. All the tribes stand at attention to hear what penance G!d has set for us. What’s the price of sin, of this sin, and forgiveness?

Moshe doesn’t answer the question. He diverts, it seems Moshe himself does not know what price we will have to pay for the sin of the golden calf, we are still finding that out today. Moshe, in G!d’s name offers us something else: a project, or two. Not a word is said about the sin that was committed or how it has changed things, but it is clearly the context of what happens in our Parsha.

Moshe has been the leader of the Children of Israel for only a few months. It wasn’t easy herding them from Egypt to Mount Sinai, being on the road in such challenging conditions can break even the strongest of people. The trouble only really starts though when we are finally settled in Sinai. As long as we were traveling all of our energy and resources were directed to the same goal: making it alive to the next camp. Once we arrived, we were all busy preparing to receive the Torah.

Our troubles in the desert start after all of that. Moshe went up to Mount Sinai and our project was to wait. Moshe left us in the hands of two of the greatest leaders in history: Aharon and Hur. So, what happened, how could Moshe leave his nation in a situation where such a horrible thing as the idol worship could happen in his absence?

We lacked a project, something that allowed and required the participation of all of Israel. Our productive capacity was not being utilized, certainly not in an organized manner. Potential uncultivated often turns to rebelion. After forty days of not engaging in a national project, part of the nation needed one, and so they made it the golden calf with its disastrous effects.

The first thing that Moshe commands us to do, is to undertake a national project that will require the attention, dedication and resources of all members of society. For those looking for sacrifice, huge amounts of materials are needed. For those who want penance, the heat and toil of the smith, or the lifting and cutting of the carpenter. For those who want guilt, the Mishkan was through its very existence a reminder of our sin of the golden calf. The creation of the Mishkan offered every kind of Jew another path towards forgiveness, without ever making it explicit. Each of us feel the sting of failure differently and need to be able to carve out our own path to wholeness. Most importantly it connected all of our individual paths into a cohesive whole.

Shabbat Shalom!