It’s the intention that matters. - There’s a principle that applies to anything someone does: everything follows your intention. The Gemara says that if one wants to become a righteous person, he will get spiritual help from heaven, but even if one wants to become a wicked person, he also will get spiritual help from heaven. In other words, whatever you put your mind to, you will get spiritual help from heaven. In this Parsha, we learn about the Menorah. Moshe Rabbeinu did not know how to build the Menorah, as it was too difficult and he had to request help from HaShem. HaShem commanded Moshe to take a piece of gold and to throw it into the fire, and miraculously the fire formed the beautiful Menorah. What’s interesting is that the same act was done with the golden calf, as the Jews took the gold and silver and threw it into a fire, and the fire formed the golden calf. There is a clear message that HaShem is showing us: whatever you put your mind to, you will get spiritual help from heaven. The Gemara in Kiddushin, page 31a, says “One can feed their father a fancy and expensive poultry dish, and this act can drive him from this world. On the other hand, one can make their father grind with a millstone and this act can bring him to life in the world to come.” Similarly one can bring their wife a beautiful bouquet of flowers, yet cause a disaster, but one can give their wife a single flower and increase the peace and love. It all depends upon his intentions. The physical quality and quantity is less important.
Where’s my tax money going? - The Ohr HaChaim says that the Jewish people were speaking behind Moshe Rabbeinu’s back, saying that he was using the money that they gave for his personal use. They even gave details, mentioning that Moshe Rabbeinu had thick thighs and a thick neck as a result of eating a lot of food purchased with their money. Due to this, in this weeks Parsha we lists all the materials that were purchased with the Jewish people’s money. But there is one material which is missing from the list of materials listed in our Parsha: gold. The Nachmanidies says that the gold was not listed because it was hard to calculate how much money was given for it. Rav Yonatan Aibeshits says that they were not questioning the gold because the gold was given willingly, the people didn’t care about the value of money, or if he took some for himself. There is a physiological concept that if you force someone to give something, they want to know where it is going, but since the gold was given willingly, they did not care to know where the money was going.
How can we receive blessing in our work? - Who doesn’t want to have a successful life? However, as we all know, we sometimes succeed and other times we don’t. The Tiferet Shlomon says that if we bring HaShem into our lives, and if whatever we do we have in mind it is for honoring HaShem and doing a Mitzvah, then you will see blessings in all of your endeavors. For example, when someone is working and has in mind that from some of the money he makes he will put some aside to go to food for Shabbat or tuition for his kids, he will receive blessing in his work. The Passuk says, “And when Moshe Rabbeinu saw that they had performed all the tasks as HaShem commanded, he blessed them.” Rashi says that the blessing was “May it be the will of HaShem be upon your hands, and may the beauty of HaShem be upon you and establish the work of our hands upon us.” This blessing of “Vayehi Noam” is recited many times in our Tefilot. The Shechina does not come without our work, and the Shechina comes only if we ask him to come. Just as the Shechina came when we asked him to come after we built the Mishkan, so to when we ask him to come in our everyday actions.
There is always someone with you on your journey. - The Passuk that ends this week's Parasha (and also ends the entire Chumash) has the word “Me’sahem” - journeys. There is a parable about a person that went on a business trip. Before he left, he went to say goodbye to his father. Upon seeing his son, his father asked him which country he is going to. The son responded that he is going to a country in Europe. The father then gave him a watch and asked if he can take to an expert watchsmith that is based in the country that he is going to. The son took the watch and returned a few weeks later with the broken watch. He told his father that he did not find the watchsmith he wanted and could not get it repaired. The father explained to his son that he knew he couldn’t fix it, he gave the broken watch to his son so that the son will keep the father in mind during his trip. That’s why the Torah ends this week’s Parasha with the word “Me’sahem”. Even when so to speak, “the Mishkan is dismantled” during our journey, we should never forget who we are serving. It also reminds us that HaShem is with us wherever we go, and He will not forsake us, day or night.
Do not put all your eggs in one basket. - In this week's Parasha, we go into details and explain all of the work that Aholiav did because we want to show how eager Am Yisrael were to build a house for HaShem with beautiful vessels. But, there is something very important missing from our Parsha: the anointing of Aharon and his sons, as HaShem commanded him. The Me’am Loez explains that on the day of dedication, there was a big celebration. The Jewish people thought they could not put all the Mishkan together, so they went to Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe Rabbeinu built the Mishkan, because HaShem wanted Moshe Rabbeinu to take part in the building of the Mishkan, as the materials were mostly done by Betzalel Ben Uri and Aholiav. So, Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to celebrate the building of the Mishkan that day, and the day after the anointing of Aharon and his sons. This is a Jewish concept: to spread celebrations across multiple days. What we should learn from this is that we should have a plan and draw meaningfulness to every single day.
Giving and taking. - The Passuk says “Vayikach Vayiten Et Ha’Edut” - “And he took and he gave the tablets.” We use this unique language when referring to the tablets, and not other vessels. Why? Rav Chaim Kanievski answers that since the Tablets are very important, so much so that just from taking it from the wood box to the Mishkan is a job, it is similar to the Sefer Torah, and specifically when it comes to the taking process of taking out the Sefer Torah. Rav Shlomo Kluger says that many times in life, giving is taking, especially when you give for the sake of giving. Therefore, when you give to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, it’s in fact actually taking. The Edut is Torah we learn and we teach, we take and give.
The perfect atonement. - The Passuk says, “On the first day of the first month, you should erect the Mishkan.” Construction on the Mishkan began after Moshe Rabbeinu came down from the mountain for the second time. Six months later, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, it was finally erected. According to the Midrash, the entire labor of construction was completed miraculously within three months, but HaShem did not want it erected until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the month when Yitzchak Avinu was born. The obvious question presents itself. If HaShem didn't want the Mishkan erected until Nissan, why did He work a miracle to have the work completed within three months? Why didn't He just allow the work to proceed normally so that it would be finished by Nissan? If that, too, would have required a miracle, then so be it. But why make a miracle that leads to the completion of the project three months early? The Be'er Yosef explains that the waiting period was necessary for the Mishkan to fulfill its purpose. Our Sages tell us that the Mishkan was an atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf. Let us then consider what were some of the human failings that led to that fiasco. Impatience was certainly at the heart of it. As soon as they perceived, mistakenly, that Moshe Rabbeinu was late returning from the mountain, they pushed the panic button. Did they ask Aharon what to do? Did they consult with the elders? Did they step back and try to deal with the situation in a calm manner? Did they try to aerennine what HaShem wanted them to do? They did none of these things. They plunged right ahead impatiently and impulsively and caused tremendous damage for the Jewish people for all future generations. This was the sin for which the Mishkan was an atonement. Therefore, HaShem wanted to teach the Jewish people the virtue of patience. Don't be in such a rush. The construction of the Mishkan is complete by Tevet, but you have to wait until Nissan. There is a time to do everything, and HaShem is the One Who determines that time. The servant does not call the shots, the Master does. This was the lesson they had to learn right away in order for the Mishkan to be an effective atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf. (Rabbi Frand On the Parasha)
True Joy? What’s that! - The Passuk says “Moshe Rabbeinu saw all their work, and indeed they did it as HaShem commanded.” Moshe Rabbeinu describes two perfect characteristics of Am Yisrael. One is that they did it in a perfect way, with enthusiasm and meticulousness. Secondly, they were devoted to HaShem, and did everything with the joy of fulfilling a Mitzvah. That led them to freedom, as they were free from their own desires. Rav Hirsch says that if a person has these two principles, they will always be happy, because he is not a slave to any human being, or to his own sicknesses. Rather, he is a slave to HaShem. Am Yisrael has these two traits down to perfection. People search day and night for joy, but here the Torah is telling us how to be truly joyful.
Moral and Ethics. - It’s says at least 10 times in this week's Parsha, “Ka’Asher tziva HaShem et Moshe.” - “As HaShem commanded Moshe to do.” Why does this sentence need to be repeated so many times? The answer is that the Torah is teaching us a very profound lesson: that morals and ethics need to come from a divine source, from our holy Torah. If not, every person would come up with their own set of morals and ethics, which would lead to destruction. When one develops their own morals without knowing what HaShem wants him to do, it can be disastrous. We can definitely see this from what’s happening in the world, where people are merciful to cruel people and cruel to good people.
“Chazak Chazak VeNitchazek.” - This Shabbat many have the custom of saying “Chazak Chazak VeNitchazek” in honor of the finishing of Chumash Shemot. The reason why they say it is because when Yehoshua finished reading the Sefer Torah, HaShem told him “Chazak Ve’Ematz!” “Be strong and be diligent!” We, as Sephardim, do not have the custom of saying “Chazak Chazak VeNitchazek” because we anyways say after every Aliyah to the Torah “Chazak U’Baruch!” But, it is a good custom nonetheless. The reason why the customs is to specifically say the phrase “Chazak Chazak VeNitchazek” is from the Gemara which says that there are four things that need to be strengthened, and one of them is the Torah. That is also why HaShem told Yehoshua “Chazak Ve’Ematz!” “Be strong and be diligent!” meaning, be strong in Torah and diligent in good deeds. When a person does a Mitzvah or good deed, us Sephardim bless him with “Yashar Koach.” Or, as the Ashkenazi one word version goes: “Shkoiach.”