Parashat Vayakhel, Pekudei

By Rabbi David Shasho

This week’s Parashiot, Vayakhel-Pekudei, both seem somewhat repetitive. The Torah describes every detail involved in the construction of the Mishkan again, despite the fact that it’s all been mentioned earlier, at the time of the commandment in parashat Teruma and Tetzaveh. What is the repetition trying to teach us?

Rashi(35:27) quotes a Midrash that the princes, the nesiim, pledged to donate whatever would be missing after everyone else finished giving to the construction of the Mishkan. They underestimated the peoples’ generosity and enthusiasm. The only things left to be donated were the precious gems needed for the Kohen Gadol’s breastplate and garments, which weren’t available in the desert. The Talmud (Yoma 75a) explains, the gems were deposited into the camp, and the princes brought these gems as their gift.

However, since the princes were lazy in their enthusiasm and efforts to dedicate to the Mishkan, they were punished and the word nesiim is written in the Torah defectively, without a yud. Although the value of the princes’ gifts may have been greater than all the other gifts, they were still taken to task. It’s not the cost that counts. Hashem doesn’t need our money. It’s the effort and enthusiasm that goes with it.

Living in the extremely instant generation that we do, this is an important principle to remember. We want the delicious cup of coffee, without all the grinding and brewing. We want big muscles but with the least exertion possible. We wish that we could accomplish our goals- even spiritual ones- in an easier way, without all the challenges and difficulties we face. This is a mistake. “Odom Le’omol Yulad,” – man was born for hard work. The purpose of our existence is to meet the challenges and difficulties. Without them the goals themselves would be meaningless. It’s like working on a crossword puzzle with all the answers already given. What is even the point?

The Torah finds it necessary to repeat all the details in the actual collection and construction of the Mishkan to inform us that more important than all the pieces necessary for the Mishkan was how we go about fulfilling all the details.

As my Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Chaim Benoliel once said, “Someone who learned all day, struggled over the Gemarah, tried to find answers to his questions, and ended up with nothing, had a great day.” It’s all about the struggle and the effort you put in. Let us work hard, rise up to all of our challenges, and be happy with who we are.

Shabbat Shalom.