Vayakhel-Pekudei/Chodesh March 12, 2021
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Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei/Chodesh March 12, 2021 A Taste of Torah Stories for the Soul Rest Assured by Rabbi Aharon Wilen Against All Odds based on a story on mishpacha.com Moshe, upon his final descent from Mt. initial command to construct the Mishkan Sinai after receiving the second set of Luchos in the parshios of Teruma and Tetzaveh The day Bergen-Belsen was liberated, an (Tablets), gathers the Jewish People for a and its actual construction in the parshios American officer came to the camp to public address. One would expect that the of Vayakhel and Pekudei. The fundamental help the inmates with their immediate very first thing Moshe would tell the Bnai difference that resulted in all these changes needs. He met Rabbi Gershon Liebman, Yisrael after his descent from Mt. Sinai is, as Rashi (Shemos 31:18) points out, that who had been part of the leadership of would be the most important and relevant the initial command occurred before the the Novardok Yeshiva before World War information he received during his time on Sin of the Golden Calf, while the actual II. One aspect of the Novardok Yeshiva’s the mountain. Moshe told the Bnai Yisrael construction of the Mishkan took place unique approach was to decide what about building the Mishkan (Tabernacle). afterward. needed to be done and to go ahead and do it, no matter how difficult and unlikely Why was the Mishkan the most vital item to When the Jews believed Moshe dead and convey? success appeared, and place one’s reliance turned, to some degree, to idol worship with upon Hashem. The Jewish People had reached the highest the Sin of the Golden Calf, their relationship level possible in their relationship with with Hashem was shaken. Committing this “What would you like?” asked the Hashem at the revelation on Mt. Sinai. sin also seriously reduced their spiritual officer to Rabbi Liebman. “To establish The Mishkan was to be the place where level. The Mishkan’s original design was for a yeshiva!” Rabbi Liebman exclaimed. that relationship would continue. It would a people who were spiritually perfect, on The soldier hadn’t been expecting such a provide a place for the constant interaction the highest level ever reached by humanity, forceful answer, and hadn’t heard such a with Hashem and would be where His a continuation of what they achieved at Mt. request before. “Where?” he asked. “Right Shechina (Hashem’s presence in this world) Sinai. After this dramatic drop in the spiritual here,” said Rabbi Liebman. “And who would reside among His Nation. It is state of the Jewish People, the Mishkan had to will be the leader of this yeshiva?” “I will!” understood, then, that the most important be modified in order to be able to function “And who will be the students?” “I will be thing to teach the people at this moment was for a people on a much lower spiritual the student!” Rabbi Liebman said. “What how to construct the Mishkan and capture level. Many details in the construction were else do you want?” asked the officer. that relationship forever. therefore changed to compensate for this “Nothing,” said Rabbi Liebman. The strange thing is that Moshe prefaced this new reality. As far as the officer could tell, Rabbi teaching about the Mishkan with the laws of With this idea, Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon Liebman had become unhinged by his Shabbos. Shabbos is, of course, of upmost explains why it was necessary for Moshe to sufferings. He left him and made no effort to fulfill his request. Still, on his own importance. In the Torah, we find the term switch the order of Shabbos and the Mishkan. initiative, Rabbi Liebman announced the “Shabbos laShem,” Shabbos is sanctified for At the time of the original command to opening of a yeshiva in Bergen-Belsen. He Hashem. It is a time to think of Hashem, make the Mishkan, Bnai Yisrael still had an was the rosh yeshiva (head of the yeshiva), to contemplate the basics of emuna (faith in untainted bond with Hashem and were on and he let it be known that anyone who Hashem) and to put those ideas into practice. the level to continue the relationship created wanted to learn could join him. He found Nonetheless, one must still wonder, why at Mt. Sinai through the Mishkan. After an old synagogue in Hanover with a full did Moshe need to discuss Shabbos before the Sin of the Golden Calf, however, the set of Mishnayos. He soon had over a getting to the Mishkan? relationship was damaged by idol worship, hundred students. This is especially perplexing if we look back to which left them with weakened emuna. Left when Moshe himself was being taught about at that level, they were not deserving of a Rabbi Liebman later moved to France the Mishkan. When Hashem taught Moshe Mishkan. The path to repairing their emuna in 1948. With no family, money, or the plans for the Mishkan, He first told him and relationship with Hashem, and thereby knowledge of the French language, he about the Mishkan with all its details, and regaining the ability to have a Mishkan, lay decided he was opening a yeshiva there. followed that with the mitzvah of Shabbos. in Shabbos. Despite the enormous challenges, he succeeded in opening a yeshiva in Lyons, Why did Moshe switch the order and put Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievski (1899-1985; Shabbos first? France. And he was successful. Over the better known as The Steipler) wrote to years, he and his students opened dozens Rabbi Yehoshua Heller (1814-1880), in numerous people who complained to him of Jewish institutions, from elementary his work Ohel Yehoshua, points out that about challenges in their emuna that a segula schools to old-age homes, across France. in the myriad details of the Mishkan, there (spiritual remedy) to rise above questions are actually many differences between the in emuna is to improve one’s observance of continued on back continued on back To receive Torah Weekly by email, email to [email protected] to email email, by Weekly Torah receive To [email protected] [email protected] www.denverkollel.org www.denverkollel.org Denver Community Kollel Kollel Community Denver 303-820-2855 Ave. 14th W. 5080 To sponsor Torah Weekly, delivered weekly in print and via email to thousands of Jews worldwide, email [email protected] email worldwide, Jews of thousands to email via and print in weekly delivered Weekly, Torah sponsor To odds, throughout the ages. ages. the throughout odds, do “You him, assured Hashem but place, into information. determined to do what they can, against all all against can, they what do to determined walls heavy massively the lift could he how call 303-820-2855 for more more for 303-820-2855 call Mishkan happened. And so it has occurred with Jews Jews with occurred has it so And happened. wondered Moshe . the erect to Moshe your part and I will do Mine.” And that’s what what that’s And Mine.” do will I and part your instructs Hashem parsha, week’s this In [email protected] or or [email protected] continued from front from continued www.denverkollel.org, email email www.denverkollel.org, Stories for the Soul the for Stories matter the amount. Visit Visit amount. the matter can make a planned gift, no no gift, planned a make can for you? Think again! Anyone Anyone again! Think you? for day of Shabbos in the fullest way possible. way fullest the in Shabbos of day in the world is ultimately because Hashem Hashem because ultimately is world the in planned giving. 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