{"id":50468,"date":"2019-02-28T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-28T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=50468"},"modified":"2022-06-02T13:24:15","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T10:24:15","slug":"gatherings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/gatherings\/","title":{"rendered":"Gatherings"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Moses needs to recoup the betrayals from the Israelite’s show of disloyalty. The prelude to the construction of the calf was a gathering of the people against Aaron (32:1) in the absence of Moses.\u00a0What better way to show true change and atonement than to perform the same assembling, using the same verb, this time for the common purpose of a construction for worship of God rather than creation of an idol?\u00a0<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s portion is called after its first word, \u201cvayakhel\u201d which means \u201cgather\u201d \u201cconvene\u201d or \u201ccongregate.\u201d\u00a0 The word for a congregation today, \u201ckahal,\u201d is from the same root, and in the Bible, it could be a gathering of many things, including pious ones (Ps 149:1) holy ones (Ps 89:6) even a congregation of ghosts (Proverbs 21: 16).\u00a0This root, used 39 times as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, can be a gathering for positive means like building the Tabernacle here, or hearing the Torah read publicly as in Deuteronomy 31:12, as well as a negative one as when Moses and Aaron gather to call out the rebellious behavior of the people in Numbers 20:10 (for which Moses and Aaron were punished), or Korach\u2019s gathering people against Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16:19.<\/p>\n

The act of assembling itself is neutral; only when it is tinged with meaning does it take on a positive or negative cast.<\/p>\n

So in this portion dedicated to the further detailing of instructions for the construction of the mishkan<\/em>, it seems crucial that the Sabbath is part of the ground rules for the construction.\u00a0All understand that all workers must rest on the Sabbath and that the contributions of all are to be valued. “All who are generous of heart shall bring\u201d (35:5); this project is not one that is concerned with massaging the big donors but one dependent on the generosity of the entire people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The common purpose so inspires the people with benevolence and dedication that they must be instructed to stop giving: there is enough and no need for more (35:5-7).\u00a0When a group finds meaning in its common purpose, inspiring gifts becomes simple, for the desire to contribute is kindled within them.<\/p>\n

There is no distinction made between the contributions of those who have the \u201cwisdom of the heart\u201d (35:10), women who have \u201cwisdom of the heart in their hands\u201d (35: 25), and women who have wisdom in weaving (35:26), those who have silver and copper (35: 24) and those who have yarns (35: 23). The Israelites gather to create something enduring built on a basis of common values.<\/p>\n

In a few weeks we will read the book of Esther where the verb \u201cto gather\u201d is used five times (Esther 8:11; 9:2; 9:15, 9:16; 9:18).\u00a0It is no accident that Purim is the only Jewish holiday, we learn, which will endure into Messianic times.\u00a0I believe what enables this holiday, and Jewish worship as modeled by the building of the tabernacle, to endure is that the gathering was done out of shared values and with mutual respect.<\/p>\n

At this moment when there are Jews expressing views abhorrent to the Torah, we need to be clear that when we gather it will be for purposes of conveying our core values as these chapters on the process of building the mishkan do so clearly.\u00a0<\/p>\n","image":{"ID":92599,"id":92599,"title":"pro14-people crowd","filename":"pro14-people-crowd.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/pro14-people-crowd.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-more-the-holier\/pro14-people-crowd\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"pro14-people-crowd","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":92598,"date":"2021-05-01 20:18:20","modified":"2022-08-14 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