734_B_Beis Moshiach 08/03/2010 9:17 AM Page 3 contents MORE THAN GATHERING TOGETHER 4 D’var Malchus REDEMPTION: OVERCOMING 6 SPIRITUAL FEARS 2 Thought | Rabbi Zvi Homnick TANYA ON THE RADIO JUBILEE 12 Feature | Interview by Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan STORIES FROM THE FRONT LINES OF 18 SHLICHUS Shlichus | Rabbi Yaakov Shmuelevitz EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN TO LOVE 22 USA HASHEM 744 Eastern Parkway Chinuch | Rabbi Levi Goldstein Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 WHEN THE DOCTORS SAY NO AND THE [email protected] 26 www.beismoshiach.org REBBE SAYS YES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Story | Nosson Avrohom M.M. 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MORE THAN [8] G-d’s Presence was revealed within the Sanctuary. There it was overtly manifest that the world is His dwelling, and that all the diverse GATHERING elements of existence are permeated by His oneness. And from the Sanctuary, light spread throughout the world, [9] diffusing this awareness. TOGETHER This leads to a second concept: The Jews are “one nation on earth.” [10] Implied is that they are bound Sichos In English together by inner unity, and this enables them to spread G-d’s A WHOLE THAT IS money be donated to the collective oneness throughout the world at GREATER THAN ITS and the Sanctuary be built by that large. [11] PARTS body. Thus the unity he established For the unity of the Jewish people among the Jews was even extended is an active potential rather than a The Hebrew language does not into their financial matters. passive state. lack synonyms and there are several By nature, we are all concerned Establishing oneness among our other verbs which could have been with our possessions; our Sages people spurs the manifestation of chosen to begin the verse, [1] “And granted many considerations G-d’s unity in all existence. Moshe gathered together the because “A person is anxious about children of Israel,” which introduces his property.” [4] this week’s Torah reading. As such, money is frequently a FROM INSIDE OUT The word the Torah employs, source for strife and discord. In this What motivates our people to VaYakhel, is significant, for it instance, however, the people rise above their individual identities? implies the fusion of the people into willingly pooled their resources, The call of Moshe Rabbeinu. a kahal, a communal entity that is far joining together in the construction Moshe Rabbeinu was the more than a collection of of a structure, the Sanctuary, which epitome of self-transcendence. individuals. [2] reflected their own oneness. He had no self-concern A group which gathers together whatsoever; every aspect of his being can also part ways, and even while ONENESS AS A DYNAMIC was committed to others. [12] And together, their union is not thus he was able to instill self- complete. The fact that the Sanctuary was transcendence among others. A kahal, by contrast, represents constructed by the Jewish people [5] Moshe is described as “a an eternal [3] communal entity that in a spirit of unity [6] caused the shepherd of faith.” takes the individuals beyond their structure as a whole to be permeated He infused the Jewish people personal identities and unites them by oneness. with knowledge, enabling them to in a new framework, highlighting the This is reflected in the fact that establish harmony within the fundamental bond that joins them the construction of the different different dimensions of their being. together. elements of the Sanctuary (and later [13] Moshe called the people together the Beis HaMikdash), e.g., the ark, To illustrate the concept with a to make donations toward the the altar, the menorah, are not story: Rav Zalman Aharon, the elder construction of the Sanctuary, for considered as separate mitzvos, but son of the Rebbe Maharash, once the Sanctuary could not be built rather as part of the more inclusive asked his uncle, Rav Yosef Yitzchak, from the private resources of any charge to construct a dwelling for if he recited his prayers b’tzibbur, individual. G-d. [7] “with the community.” Instead, it was necessary that the Although each of these elements Rav Yosef Yitzchak answered in 4 26 Adar 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH 734_B_Beis Moshiach 08/03/2010 9:17 AM Page 5 the affirmative. anticipated at present. Beis HaBechira 1:6. See the essay in The very next day, however, Rav The massive waves of Seek Out the Welfare of Jerusalem, Zalman Aharon noticed that his immigration that have reached Eretz which discusses the halachic uncle prolonged his prayers, Yisroel in recent years are obvious ramifications of this concept. lingering far longer than any harbingers of the ultimate 8. Our prayer service parallels the congregation would. ingathering of our dispersed nation. worship in the Sanctuary and the Beis “You told me you prayed And just as the physical HaMikdash. As such, the concept of the b’tzibbur?” he asked. dimensions of the Redemption are subordination of the individual to the collective is also reflected in prayer. “I do,” his uncle replied. being anticipated, so too, the “B’tzibbur literally means ‘with the possibility exists of appreciating a Prayer is essentially a person’s request collective.’ After I marshal together foretaste of its spiritual elements. for the fulfillment of his own needs (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos the ten components of my soul, I We have the potential to establish T’filla 1:2). Nevertheless, rather than pray.” a new dimension of harmony within pray in the singular, while praying, our Such efforts are fundamentally ourselves and spread that harmony requests are always made in plural, necessary to the establishment of among others. emphasizing how one must join unity among our people as a whole. And by anticipating the together with all Jews. The stress on For when a person develops Redemption, we will precipitate its oneness is further underscored by the inner harmony, he will be more open coming, making it a reality even custom of the Alter Rebbe who placed to others and willing to relate to sooner. the declaration, “Behold I accept upon myself the fulfillment of the mitzvah, them as equals. And this will Adapted from ,Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXI, p. ‘Love your fellowman as yourself,’ “ at encourage the inner bond of oneness 250ff; Seifer HaSichos 5749, p. 292ff; Sichos Shabbos Parshas VaYakhel, 5752. the very beginning of the prayer service that all Jews share to surface. (Siddur T’hillas Hashem p. 12). A person’s divine service begins NOTES: with gathering together the different 9. Cf. the Jerusalem Talmud, Brachos 4:5. aspects of his own being. 1. Exodus 35:1. Afterwards, he gathers together 2. See Tzafnas Paneiach, Klalei 10. II Samuel 7:23. with other men, and then, extends HaTorah ViHaMitzvos, entry tzibbur. 11. Maamer Issa B’Midrash T’hillim this unity until it encompasses 3. For “a collective can never die” (Seifer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 271, every element of existence, T’mura 15b. English translation, S.I.E., N.Y., 5753). showing how the entire world 4. Shabbos 117b, et al. 12. See the essay of this series entitled exists to reveal G-d’s glory. [14] “A Paradigm Of Leadership.” 5. In contrast to the parshiyos Truma and Tetzaveh which relate G-d’s 13. See the maamer, V’Kibel THE ULTIMATE command to Moshe to build the HaYehudim, 5687, English translation, INGATHERING Sanctuary, it is the actual construction S.I.E., N.Y., 5751. of the Sanctuary which is the focus of 14. Cf. the conclusion of Pirkei Avos, The most complete expression of this week’s Torah reading. Since this ch. 6. this oneness will come in the Era of involves activity within the context of the Redemption, [15] when “a great ordinary material reality and such 15. Shabbos is described as me’ein congregation (kahal gadol) will activity often is characterized by a lack olam haba, a microcosm of the World to Come. Since the ultimate fulfillment return there,” [16] Jews from all of harmony, there was a greater need to stress unity. of the unity of Parshas VaYakhel will be over the world will stream together in the Era of the Redemption, the to Eretz Yisroel. 6. The construction of the Sanctuary is parsha begins with the commandment This ingathering will be more a continuation of the synthesis between to observe the Shabbos, the day when than geographic in nature, G-d will the material and the spiritual which this unity is expressed. began with the Giving of the Torah. “bring us together from the four 16. Jeremiah 31:8. corners of the earth,” [17] Before the inception of this sequence, in preparation for the Giving of the 17.