B"H
Thursday, Adar1 23, 5779 / February 28, 2019
Parshat Vayakhel, which is read this Shabbat, will in some years be combined with next week’s Parsha, Pekudei. But in other years, as this year, which is a leap year, they are read separately.
Parshat Vayakhel begins with the words, “Vayakhel Moshe,” And Moshe assembled the entire congregation.” This assembly took place the day after Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the Second Tablets. He came down with the Tablets on Yom Kippur and the next day, Moshe gathered the entire congregation and told them about the mitzvah of building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
Q. Why are Vayakhel and Pekudei sometimes combined and sometimes read separately?
A. The Hebrew calendar has seven leap years in every 19 year cycle. A Hebrew leap year consists of 13 months. Every Shabbat we read another Parsha of the Torah, thus concluding the entire Torah on Simchat Torah. In a regular year some of the Parshiot are combined in order to finish the Torah on Simchat Torah. But in a leap year, we need to separate the Parshiot for the extra weeks in the year.
Q. Throughout the Torah we find that Moshe speaks to the Jewish people relating to them G-d’s laws. Yet, we don’t find the Torah stating that Moshe gathered the entire congregation. Why is it so important here to tell us that, “Moshe gathered the entire congregation”?
A. This Parsha is about the building of the Mishkan and subsequently the Holy Temple. The Two Temples were destroyed for two different sins. The First Temple was destroyed because of Idol worship. The Second Temple was destroyed due to hatred and division among the Jewish people.
Although idol worshiping is one of the gravest sins, yet the destruction of the First Temple lasted only seventy years, after which G-d forgave the sin and the Second Temple was built. However, the Second Temple, which was destroyed two thousand years ago, has not yet been rebuilt. This shows us how grave is the sin of strife and lack of unity amongst our people.
When Moshe wanted to tell the people about the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), he “assembled the entire congregation.” This was to show them that for the existence of the Temple, in which G-d’s glory rested, it is important to betogether – to be united through peace and harmony.
Q. The Mishkan and many of its items were made from “Atzei Shitim” – “Acacia wood.” Where did they get the wood in the desert?
A. The Midrash tells us that Yaakov (Jacob), through Divine inspiration, knew that G-d was going to command the Jewish people to build the Mishkan. Thus, when he moved to Egypt, 210 years earlier, he planted acacia trees in Egypt and told his descendants to cut them down and take the wood with them when they leave Egypt.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY