BS”D March 20, 2020 Potomac Torah Study Center Vol. 7 #22, March 20, 2020; Vayakhel-Pekudei HaHodesh 5780 NOTE: Devrei Torah presented weekly in Loving Memory of Rabbi Leonard S. Cahan z”l, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Har Shalom, who started me on my road to learning almost 50 years ago and was our family Rebbe and close friend until his recent untimely death. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Devrei Torah are now Available for Download (normally by noon on Fridays) from www.PotomacTorah.org. Thanks to Bill Landau for hosting the Devrei Torah. __________________________________________________________________________________ With everyone focusing on winter and the coronavirus scare, which has virtually shut down Israel, the United States, and many other countries, look what is sneaking up on us. March 19 was the first day of spring (earlier than normal this year). This Shabbat, we would complete Sefer Shemot, and Parashat HaHodesh would announce the holy month of Nisan, if we had a minyan on Shabbat morning. Pesach starts in less than three weeks, and of course, almost no one right now expects to be ready on time. This Pesach, when we must practice social distancing to break the cycle of spreading the virus, our Seders will be small and lonely. One of my closest friends is home taking care of three very young children, while his wife works long hours as an emergency room physician. My friend realizes that all four members of his family are likely to catch the virus. His family must self quarantine from their parents, grandparents, siblings, and cousins. My son, who is on active duty with the military, must stay within the county in which he lives. Since my son will also be caring for coronavirus patients, he and his family are also likely to catch the virus. They cannot travel to Maryland to be with family for Pesach – and probably for months after. The week after Pesach, we read about the treatment process for a metzora (one afflicted with tzoraat), which requires isolation away from everyone else until the skin affliction clears and a Kohen pronounces the person cured. The modern form of isolation, self quarantine, is not as lonely, because we have computers, radios, television, and books to occupy ourselves and to enable us to listen to services and study Torah electronically (except on Shabbat and Yom Tov). “Vayakhel” is a very unusual word in the Torah. Other than here, where Moshe gathers (Vayakhel) the entire congregation, the only other instance of the word is when Korach gathers (Vayakhel) the entire congregation to challenge Moshe and Aharon. When Moshe gathers the people, he tells them Hashem’s commands – opening by stating that they may work for six days, but the seventh is to be holy, a day of complete rest, and anyone who works will be put to death (35:1-3). Later in the Torah, when Korach gathers the congregation, God tells Moshe to separate from Korach’s followers, because He will consume them in an instant. When Moshe gathers the people to separate Shabbat from ordinary days, completion is for a good purpose, for life. When Korach gathers the people to go against His commands, it is for evil, and completion is an act of destruction. The root of Vayakhel, bet-daled-lamed, also occurs in a very different context. “Havdalah” shares the same root as Vayakhel. In the creation story, after a day of creation, Havdalah indicates completion of a day, a separation for good (Bereshis 1:18). Havdalah also separates Shabbat from ordinary days after the holiness of the day of rest from creation – for God and for Jews. Separation can be for good, for holy purposes – or it can be for evil. In Vayakhel, Moshe reaffirms separation in time, between Shabbat and ordinary days. Shabbat is so important that even any activity involved in building a home for God’s presence among man, the Mishkan, must stay separate. During these days of medical crisis, we must separate, even from loved ones, even on Shabbat and during Pesach. Life comes first. A physician must break Shabbat to care for a sick person, to save life. All of us must keep separate for now on Shabbat and Pesach to preserve life – to break the infection connection for the disease so the number of seriously ill patients does not overwhelm the capabilities of our medical system. 1 First testing of vaccines to prevent coronavirus 19 started this week – in Israel and in at least two medical research facilities in our country. Some anti-viral treatments are also in initial testing, hopefully to point the way to a treatment for seriously ill patients. May these efforts prove successful so we can live though the current medical emergency.. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Please daven for a Refuah Shlemah for Nossan ben Pessel, Mordechai ben Chaya, Baruch Yitzhak ben Perl, David Leib HaKohen ben Sheina Reizel, Zev ben Sara Chaya, Uzi Yehuda ben Mirda Behla, HaRav Dovid Meir ben Chaya Tzippa; Eliav Yerachmiel ben Sara Dina, Amoz ben Tziviah, Reuven ben Masha, Moshe David ben Hannah, Meir ben Sara, Yitzhok Tzvi ben Yehudit Miriam, Yaakov Naphtali ben Michal Leah, Tova bat Narges, Zissel Bat Mazal, Chana Bracha bas Rochel Leah, Elisheva Chaya bas Leah, Leah Fruma bat Musa Devorah, Hinda Behla bat Chaya Leah, Beyla bat Sara, Nechama bas Tikva Rachel, Miriam Chava bat Yachid, Ruth bat Sarah, and Tova bat Narges, all of whom greatly need our prayers. _____________________________________________________________________________ Hannah & Alan _____________________________________________________________________________ Drasha: Parshas Vayakhel: More or Less by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky © 1998 [Please remember Mordechai ben Chaya for a Mishebarach!] In a magnanimous show of unity, men and women of all tribes of the nation converge their hearts, minds, and pockets to complete the Mishkan. In the next two Torah portions, the Torah summarizes the accomplishments of the nation by detailing the work that was done by Betzalel and his host of artisans and craftsmen who were filled with Heavenly spirit. Moshe declares the success of the campaign and the generosity of the donors by announcing, that “the work (and contributions) had been enough for all the work, to do it — and there was extra” (Exodus 36:7). Not only was there enough for the completion of the task there was extra. But many commentaries are concerned about Moshe’s seemingly strange expression of completion. “There was enough, and there was extra.” After all, if there was enough, then there was not extra. And if there was extra then it should not be called enough! The Torah could just well have stated , “There were extra contributions of work and material for the work that was needed.” It seems that only by having more than enough, by only having extra gifts, there was actually enough. Is that possible? President John F. Kennedy loved to tell the story of a political battle for the mayoralty of the small manufacturing city of Fall River, Massachusetts. The candidates scoured the industrial community for support, each pledging prosperity, growth, and increased productivity. But general promises would not persuade the voters. The candidates scoured the community, talking to citizens as if each vote would truly decide the election. They were right. It was the tightest race in Massachusetts’s history. During the vote counting the candidates sat nervously with their supporters awaiting the final tally. It took days to declare, and weeks to finally confirm, that the winner of the mayoral race was actually decided by one vote! But the winner’s jubilation was muted only days after the results were declared. You see, everyone in the town reminded him, “It was my vote that got you elected!” The Sichos Tazdikim explains that Moshe wanted the proud accomplishment of building the Mishkan combined with humility, despite the enormity of the accomplishment. Had there been exactly enough gold, silver, copper, and other materials contributed in order to complete the construction, then perhaps a false sense of pride may have crept in. If it were not for me, some may have thought, “there would be no Mishkan!” “I gave the contribution that turned the tide!” Everyone would have pinned the success on his or her copper or silver or gold. 2 The only way this false pride could be avoided was if there was a bit more given to the cause than actually was needed. Only then, would you have not only a Mishkan, but an edifice bereft of individual haughtiness. Therefore, only when there was more given than was actually needed, did Moshe feel that he truly had enough! When we face extreme situations, and we contribute to their positive resolution, it is important to realize that we are only messengers. If Hashem wants success it will come without us as well. In that vein, our contribution will be even more pure, for it will have every good attribute and will only be missing only one ingredient. It will be missing a false sense of conceit. It will not only be enough, it will be more. Good Shabbos! ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Vayekhel: Blinded by the Light by Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah © 2020 What message can we learn from our Parsha to give us some guidance during this crisis? Parshat Vayekhel-Pikudei opens with the second story of the Mishkan. After having been commanded by God in the building of the Mishkan in Terumah-TiZaveh, Moshe now, in turn, commands the people to build the Mishkan. They follow his command with enthusiasm, give large donations, and build the Mishkan. The parasha, and the Book of Shemot, end with the Glory of God dwelling the Mishkan, that is, with the fulfillment of the opening verse in Terumah – “And you shall build for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in your midst.” This parsha is not, however, a simple duplication of the earlier parshot, and there are two striking differences in the sequence of the commands and their execution.