Celebrating the Spiritual Levels of Torah

Commentary, Focus Phrases, and Writing Prompts


Week of March 7 - 13, 2010
Torah Portion: Vayakhel-Pekude (Exodus 35:1 - 40:38)

Perhaps we thought our work was done

The Book of Exodus comes to a close with this double parashah describing the completion of the wilderness Tabernacle.

All the materials had been collected then crafted and assembled and brought to Moses, under whose direction the Tabernacle was erected as a focus for God's Presence within the community. The Tabernacle enabled us to continually affirm the Center of our community. The Tabernacle was, in a very real sense, a portable Mount Sinai.

How could such a structure be fashioned while we journeyed across an ancient wilderness? Tradition tells us that we brought materials with us from Egypt, and offered them freely. Only those whose hearts were willing were invited to contribute. This week's Torah portion reveals the result of that very first Building Campaign.

. . . all the artisans. . . said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that the Eternal has commanded to be done." Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: "Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!" So the people stopped bringing: their efforts had been more than enough for all the tasks to be done. (36:4 - 7)

This is how community is created: a group accepts a common goal and enough people in that group contribute materially and energetically to manifest that goal. We did it in that ancient wilderness. It was a moment of great fulfillment, and a time of great hope.

"So the people stopped bringing," but the real work follows the initial work of that creation. Perhaps we thought our work was done once that structure was complete. If so, that might account for some of the troubles that we experienced after the Tabernacle was complete. We had done enough to manifest the structure, but we had not done enough to internalize the ongoing meaning of that structure.

It's the same in our personal lives. We muster our energies to create something special, or to complete a special project. Perhaps we've created a new relationship, perhaps we've found new work, and perhaps it's a house, a car, or something else we have yearned for. We rejoice when we get what we wanted.

Then, all too often, we stop bringing the energy and attention necessary to discover the next steps in our journey. We begin to take what we have found for granted, and our focus wanders. Yet without deepening our commitments, that which was achieved begins to lose its vibrancy, begins to decay.

It is absolutely crucial to celebrate moments of accomplishment, whether communal or personal. It is absolutely crucial to rejoice in moments when dreams are realized. And then it's time to expand our vision; then it's time to create what we could never have even imagined before we got to where we now are.

Focus Phrases

I accomplish all I need to do today.

I celebrate what I have done and what I have shared.

Now I dream bigger dreams.

Writing Prompts

When I feel like I can never reach my goals, I . . .

I rejoice that I have accomplished . . .

What I now would like to manifest includes . . .