Parashat Vayakhel

8/2/2019 Parashat Vayakhel

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Parashah Insightsby

Rabbi Yaakov HillelRosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom

Parashat VayakhelThe Sanctity of the Whole

Parts of a Whole

Moshe assembled the entire congregation of the children of Israel and said to

them, these are the things which Hashem commanded to do. Six days you shall

labor and the seventh day will be holy for you, Shabbat Shabbaton, a day of rest forHashem (Shmot 35:1-2).

Moshe saw the entire work, and behold, they had done it as Hashem had

commanded, so they did it. And Moshe blessed them (39:43).

And it was in the first month of the second year, on the first of the month, that

the Tabernacle was erected (40:17).

Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud rested upon it, andHashems glory filled the Tabernacle (40:35).

The parshiot of Terumah, Tetzaveh, and Ki Tissa contain detailed information

concerning the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) in the desert, its utensils,

and the priestly garments. Now, in the parshiot ofVayakhel andPekude, the Torah

repeats the whole listing. The Torah is never repetitious. Why add what would appear

to be two entire extraparshiot?

This apparent repetition teaches us an important lesson, which we can

understand by studying a principle in the method of Scriptural interpretation known

asgematriya, or numerical equivalents. Hebrew is unique in that it has no numbers;


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the letters also serve as numbers.Alef, the first letter, is one,bet, the second letter, is

two, continuing up to yud, ten. Numbers higher than ten are expressed by a yud

with analef(eleven),yud-bet (twelve), etc. In addition to the meaning of any given

word expressed by the characters read as letters, it also has a numerical equivalent

(gematriya) composed of the value of its letters in numbers. The meaning of words

or phrases which have the same numerical equivalent may be connected on a

profound level.

In some instances, the tally is off by one. For example, one word may add up to

ninety-eight, and the other, to ninety-seven. In such a case, the discrepancy is

resolved by adding what is called the kollel, counting the word itself as an

additional one.1 This practice is surprising. If the figures do not tally, why introduce

what seems to be an artificial device, as if to force the calculation to fit? What is thekollel, and how does it work?

In his Kabbalistic workMaor VaShemesh, Rabbi Yehuda Koriat explains the idea

behind adding the kollel in gematriyot with an interesting analogy. A visitor to a

shipyard will see a whole range of objects: planks and beams, rope and fabric, nails,

screws, and bolts of all sizes, and much, much more. The shipwrights can identify

each isolated item and explain its use in the construction of a ship. However, if the

visitor returns after the ship is completed, they will no longer tell him, Heres a nail

and heres a plank. They will tell him, This is a ship. No more a pile of assorted

materials, it is an entirely new entity, composed of all those components. On their

own, each individual component is of limited importance, and cannot be utilized to

the maximum. Only when they are combined in the finished structure are they at

their finest and most useful. It is the completed boat that can sail the high seas not

the stacks of wood, metal, and cloth.

The same is true of a gematriya. Its components, the individual letters, each with

its own numerical value, are put together to form a new entity a complete word.

The word itself stands on its own as an additional component. According to this

analogy, it makes sense to add the kollel to the calculation of agematriya, because

it is an element on its own.

The Parshiot ofTerumah, Tetzaveh, and Ki Tissa describe the construction of

every individual part of the Tabernacle in detail. Each had its own distinct identity.

1We find an allusion to the practice of counting the kollel in theBne Yissacharscommentary on

the verse Efraim and Menashe, like Reuven and Shimon, they will be [the same] to me (Bereshit

48:5). The Hebrew words Efraim vMenashe have the same numerical equivalent as Reuven

vShimon, minus one. Even so, the verse says, they will be [the same] to me, meaning that theywill be considered equal. By adding the kollel, an additional one, they become equal.


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Put together, they become the Tabernacle, a whole new entity, vastly greater than

the mere sum of its parts. It was then that the Divine Presence could come to rest

upon it.

Intensified

We find this concept in the Torahs commandment, And they will make for Me a

Sanctuary and I will dwell among them (Shmot 25:8). Every individual contributed

something of his own to the construction of the Tabernacle and its vessels. The

Alshich explains that the Al-mighty specifically wanted every Jew to have a share in

the building of the Mishkan.And they will make for Me a Sanctuary refers to the

share of every Jew in the construction each one was a partner. In this way, the

Mishkan became a powerful central point uniting all Jews. The bounty and blessing

bestowed by the Divine Presence (Shechinah) resting on the Tabernacle could

extend from there to the homes of every individual Jew, so that Hashem would

dwell among them (Torat Moshe onShmot 30:13).

The presence of the Shechinah intensifies in keeping with the number of Jews

present, as we learn from our Sages discussion of the laws ofzimun. When three or

more adult males have eaten together, they recite the Grace after Meals as a group,

adding the preliminary words Let us bless. Ten or more say, Let us bless our G-

d. A hundred or more who have eaten together say, Let us bless Hashem our G-d. A thousand or more say, Let us bless Hashem our G-d, the G-d of Israel. Ten

thousand or more say, Let us bless Hashem our G-d, the G-d of Israel, the G-d of

Hosts, Who dwells upon the Cherubim, for the food we have eaten (Berachot 7:3).

The principle is clear. The importance of a greater number of Jews who unite to

recite the Grace after Meals is evident in the corresponding changes made in the

zimun. The Divine Presence rests to a greater degree on a proportionately larger

group. The verse He will be a King in Yeshurun when the heads of the nations

gather, the Tribes of Israel united (Devarim 33:5) alludes to this idea. The presence

of the Tribes of Israel and their leaders, large numbers of Jews, increases and

intensifies the presence of theShechinah resting on the assembly.

Even though the whole earth is full of His glory (Yeshayahu 6:3), and there is no

place that is void of His Presence (Tikune Zohar, Tikun Ayin, p. 122b),the Al-mighty

is nonetheless E-l mistater, literally the G-d Who conceals Himself. He only

reveals Himself in keeping with the circumstances of the time and the place; the

more worthy the setting, the greater the revelation of His Presence. This is why our

Sages teach that the Divine Presence dwells among ten (Sanhedrin 39a). The

number ten is symbolic of perfection and completion, making it worthy of the


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presence of the Shechinah.2 The larger the number present, the greater the

revelation of the Divine Presence becomes.

As we see, then, the sanctity of the individual cannot compare to the sanctity of

the whole congregation. While every individual undoubtedly has his own personal

worth, the much greater importance of the community as a whole merits its own

vastly higher level of sanctity.

Imbued with Sanctity

TheZohardiscusses the sanctity instilled in each of the components and utensils

of the Tabernacle. When the women spun the fabrics and the other craftsmen

engaged in preparing the sacred vessels for the Tabernacle, they dedicated their

work specifically to its designated purpose by saying aloud, This is for the

Sanctuary, this is for the Tabernacle, this is for the Partition, and so on. Through

this declaration, their labor and the finished product were imbued with sanctity.

When all the components were brought together and the Tabernacle was complete,

the new entity was imbued with a higher level of sanctity, when the Divine Presence

rested on the finished structure.

Similarly, the Zohar teaches that when building a house, one should make a

verbal declaration that he is building it for the service of Hashem, so that it will meritthe presence of theShechinah. The house becomes a dwelling place for the Divine

Presence, and he will be unable to sin there. However, if he does not invite the Divine

Presence to his home, he effectively invites the Forces of Evil instead (Zohar, vol. III,

p. 50a). The Zohars words teach us the importance of a spoken dedication to a

sanctified purpose, such as that of the craftsmen who fashioned the Tabernacle.

ThisZoharis also the source of the Vilna Gaons teaching concerning a synagogue.

If a synagogue is built totally for the sake of Heaven, those who pray there will not be

plagued by improper thoughts (cited by the Gaons great-nephew in Bet Avot, p.

80a).This principle is all the more true of the fulfillment of the commandments. When

we do a mitzvah, we should dedicate our intentions and thoughts fully to the Al-

mighty, having in mind to rectify the commandments root in the Higher Worlds. We

do so by reciting the Lshem yihud prayer prior to fulfilling the commandment. By

having the proper intent, we raise our mitzvah to a much higher level.

2SeeParashah Insights onLech Lecha for a fuller discussion of this topic.


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Now we can understand why all the detailed information from Terumah,

Tetzaveh,andKi Tissa is repeated in Vayakhel andPekude. In the earlierparshiot,

the Torah spoke of the construction of the individual components, which had only

the initial level of sanctity related to each part on its own. Afterwards, in the later

parshiot, the Torah goes on to relate to them on the second, higher level of sanctity,

that of the new, all-encompassing entity composed of these many parts, the

Mishkan.

Comprehensive Sanctity

With this in mind, we can also understand why theparashah opens with the

commandment to keep Shabbat (Shmot 35:1-3). Shabbat, like the Tabernacle, has

an all-encompassing sanctity which includes the six days of the week. Just as the

Tabernacle was a whole which included many parts and had its own, greater

sanctity, Shabbat too includes all the days of the week, with their sanctity and a

greater sanctity of its own. TheZohar(vol. II, p. 63b) teaches that the seventh day is

called Shabbat (literally rest) because on that day, all six days rest it is the

source of the entire weeks rest. In this sense, rest refers to the entirety of the

weeks blessings, such as success, happiness, abundance, and much more, which

are all derived from the Sabbath.

We may say that Shabbat is the weeks kollel. A week is not just a series of sevendays in succession. The six weekdays are all branches stemming from a single root;

that root is Shabbat. The relationship is interdependent. The more we sanctify the six

weekdays by serving Hashem, the greater and more intense the sanctity of our

Shabbat will be. At the same time, since Shabbat is the root which includes all its

branches the other six days the level of our Shabbat influences the weekdays.

Our weekdays can impart holiness, uplifting the spiritual level of our Shabbat, while

our Shabbat in turn elevates our weekdays to a higher level (see Nefesh HaHayyim,

Shaar Bet, note at the end of Chapter 15). In the same sense, the Mishkan was the

root of all the sanctity resting upon the Jewish nation.

The theme of individual components coming together as a greater whole is also

evident in the opening words of the parashah: Moshe assembled the entire

congregation of the children of Israel. In order to teach the nation about the

sanctity of Shabbat and the construction of the Mishkan, Moshe assembled the

entire congregation. He brought this enormous group of individuals together as

one, uniting them as one man with one heart, as they had been at Mt. Sinai (see

Rashi onShmot 19:2, citingMechilta). This mention in oneparashah of the Jewish

people, Shabbat and the Mishkan, three prime examples of the greatness of

individual units combined into one, is especially appropriate.


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Moshes Blessing

After Moshe saw that the Jewish people had built the Tabernacle and its vessels

exactly as Hashem had commanded, he blessed them (Shmot 39:43). Our Sages

tell us that his blessing was that it be Hashems Will to rest the Divine Presence upon

their handiwork, as we learn from the verse (Tehillim 90:17), May the pleasantness

of Hashem our G-d be upon us. And may the work of our hands be established for

us, and the work of our hands, establish it (Pesikta DRav Cahana, end ofNispah

Alef).

Moshes blessing was directly related to the ultimate purpose of the peoples

labors. The Tabernacle was built to serve as the place where Hashem would rest His

Divine Presence, as we learn from the verses, And they will make for Me aSanctuary and I will dwell among them (Shmot 25:8), and I will dwell among the

children of Israel and I will be their G-d (29:45). Just as they had sanctified the

Tabernacles individual vessels with their oral declaration in order to imbue them

with the presence of theShechinah, he now prayed that the Shechinah also rest

upon the completed entity of the Tabernacle, fulfilling its purpose as a dwelling place

for the Al-mighty.

His blessing concluded by quoting King Davids prayer, May the pleasantness of

Hashem our G-d be upon us. And may the work of our hands be established for us,

and the work of our hands, establish it. The pleasantness of Hashem refers to the

resting of theShechinah in the lower world. Moshe prayed that the Divine Presence

would rest upon Israel, both as individuals and as a congregation.

He continued, And may the work of our hands be established for us, and the

work of our hands, establish it. This refers to all the infinite details of the work of the

Tabernacle. Because the work was specifically dedicated to the Al-mighty, it was

established and completed. The construction of the Tabernacle was founded in

sanctity and completed in sanctity.

The literal translation ofalenu, for us, is upon us. The sanctification of the

Mishkan came about due to our efforts to do the work of the Tabernacle with the

proper intent. Since we were the cause of the sanctity, it follows that that same

sanctity was instilled in us as well.

TheZohar(vol. II, p. 93b) explains the profound significance of this prayer, known

as Vyehi noam. Doing a mitzvah brings about rectification (tikun) and perfection in

the Higher Worlds. The extent of that rectification depends on the way the mitzvah

was done. Fulfilling a mitzvahwith the proper Kabbalistic intents (kavanot) is a verygreat source of merit. Fulfilling that same mitzvah according to the requirements of


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halachah,even without Kabbalistic intents, is also a great merit. However, without

the intents, it lacks the element that raises it to the highest level and effects the

greatest rectification.

The highest level of intent is the desire (ratzon) to realize the greatness of the Al-

mighty through the fulfillment of the mitzvah. Doing a mitzvah without this lofty

intent is akin to learning without being able to explain what we have learned; the

quality of the learning is lacking.

A perfect mitzvah, performed with the loftiest intents, effects a very great

rectification in the Higher Worlds. In the same way, our physical deeds in this world

bring perfection to our G-dly soul. The Zoharwrites that the Holy One, blessed be

He, wants mans heart and intent (ratzon). The heart is related to mans physicalelement, and ratzon to his spiritual aspect. Perfect fulfillment of a mitzvah calls for

both.

However, if profound intents are essential to the fulfillment ofmitzvot, we have a

problem: most of us know nothing about these esoteric matters. King Davids

prayer, Vyehi noam, addresses this problem. He said, And may the work of our

hands be established upon us. This means that even if we personally do not know

the deep intents behind the commandments, we ask the Al-mighty Himself to

complete the mitzvah for us, granting it the necessary esoteric intents in our place

and perfecting it so that it brings about complete rectification in the Higher Worlds.

With this prayer, we ask that Hashem consider our mitzvah perfect, even if we lack

the esoteric knowledge to make it so and can only fulfill it on the physical level.

The prayer continues, and the work of our hands, establish it. We ask that our

mitzvah should be established by ascending to its root in the Higher Worlds. King

David was the fourth Leg of the Divine Chariot. The other three Legs are our

Forefathers, Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov. David prayed that his merits, together

with those of the saintly Forefathers, would elevate the mitzvot of the Jewish people

to the greatest spiritual heights.3

3The Ben Ish Hai cites this teaching of theZoharand explains that in Vyehi noam, David prayed

that no mitzvah or prayer should be deficient due to our lack of knowledge of its esoteric intents.

Instead, it should bring about the maximum rectification, as if the doer had had the proper

intents in mind. This is why the early Torah Sages instituted recitation ofVyehi noam before any

mitzvah, prayer, or Torah study. Reciting this verse recalls King Davids prayer, and will help our

own deed be accepted as perfect, even if it lacks the essential intents (see Torah Lishmah 11,where the Ben Ish Hai also brings halachic backing for this principle.).


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This was the meaning of Moshes blessing to the people upon the completion of

the Tabernacle. Perhaps the women who did the spinning and the craftsmen who

fashioned the vessels for the Tabernacle were not aware of all the profound intents

appropriate to their sacred task. Even so, the Al-mighty Himself brought their

handiwork to spiritual perfection, in keeping with the profound knowledge of their

more scholarly brethren, so that it would bring about the most perfect of

rectifications in the Higher Worlds.

In theLshem yihud prayer recited before fulfilling a mitzvah, we declare that we

do our mitzvah in the name of all Israel. Functioning in unity uplifts our people to

a vastly higher spiritual level, which no individual can hope to achieve on his own. It

is our spiritual strength as a people united that makes us worthy of having the Divine

Presence rest upon us and bring blessing to our endeavors, on a scale otherwiseunattainable.

This essay contains divre Torah. Please treat it with proper respect.

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Parashat Vayakhel