Exodus Cycle Two Vayekhel 35:1 to 38:20

VaYakhel

VaYakhel is about actualization. It’s about honoring and manifesting the Shabbot Shabbaton. Let’s quickly look at this parasha in context. It follows Terumah, Tetzavah and Ki Thisa. We’ve been given instructions on the building of the tabernacle, the spiritual objects within, on spiritual dress and rituals. We’ve experienced the transmission of the tablets from Moses in Ki Thisa. Now it’s time, like in a fairy tale, for the instructions to come true. Torah is not a fairy tale however. The clinching of what has been growing within our minds, or better said, of the kavanah, is not some finite ending. It's happening all the time.

There are three strong lessons here. First, the transmission of the name or the mind of God does not guarantee a magical tabernacle. In other words, we have to work for it. Constantly. Second, we need to make sure that the energy going into the work doesn’t destroy the final product. We don’t light a fire on Shabbat. Third, we recognize the artists who have the natural talent to perform the alchemy. These artists do exist. And while they must create within the rules of God it’s against all divine wisdom to try to claim those rules personally and impose the twisted results on the artists themselves. In fact, it’s not only asking too much of the artists, it’s attempting to raise oneself above the divine light.

What do I mean by a magical tabernacle? Well, no matter how well we might understand intellectually and spiritually the mitzvot, or the radiance of God, or the various esoteric constructs created around God…no matter how brilliantly we may be able to accept the teachings and study Torah night and day…no matter how many days we sit on the mountain…we miss the mark if we can’t manifest the tools needed to build the message of God in the mundane world. What are these tools? Compassion. Understanding. Humility. Healing. Forgiveness. We need to use these tools in our simple communication, our reaching to others so that we are moment to moment taking part in the building of the tabernacle of consciousness. It’s all about opening the funnels for complete connection. Let’s put it in the construct of kabbala. If we are so focused on the upper three…on keter, chochmah and binah…they may become too big to fit into our heart. Therefore the essence of God dissipates without a funnel for behavior in this world. The chochmah/chesed connection needs to be nurtured constantly, especially for those of us who like to receive the instructions. None of us are so brilliant or spiritual that the tabernacle is just going to pop up before our eyes.

Next, we don’t want to light a fire (do work) on Shabbat. The Shabbat Shabbaton is itself the actualization of the tabernacle. And while we need to do the physical labor we must know when to stop. We must recognize the boundary that discerns the radiance from the hammering and melding and stitching. To forget the reason for the construction in the fire and frenzy of it can itself destroy the reason. To brilliantly teach the beauty of prayer and at the same time not to act prayerful raises the teaching above the prayer and destroys the prayer being taught. There’s a reason why we are to keep Shabbat sacred in our day to day lives. But we must remember that the metaphor of the action is there to make an imprint of the message on our hearts. For example, even those of us who won’t drive a car on Shabbat are doing exactly that if we are, at any other time of the week, so involved in the actualization of the tabernacle that we forget why we’re building. To apply the commandments in a rote manner…just like the rote sacrifices that Jeremiah and Isaiah so bemoaned… is the action of lighting a fire on Shabbat. It’s also the feeding of our anger, our emotions. To get so lost emotionally in the metaphor that we forget the meaning…is destructive to the meaning itself.

Finally, there’s a reason why one man, Bezazel, is appointed the artist (31:35). God has filled him with ruach elohim or the spirit of the gods. It is his responsibility therefore to consolidate the sparks of talent in the people and apply it. He is the person who, with his hands, can manifest the vision. In a way, we don’t know how the tablets are carved on Mt Sinai. We are told it is with the finger of God. We can’t see this. But we know how the tabernacle is made on earth…with the hands of Bezazel. We can see that. To attempt to twist the work of Bezazel to fit into one’s ego is like telling God He has messed up with the carving of the tablets. How do we recognize the Bezazel’s on this earth? When we read a poem by Whitman, listen to music by Bach, read a story by a friend, see a painting by a child…we know Bazezel is at work.

In the long run, we are pounding, melding, shaping and forming an image of God in the moment right here on earth. We are doing it with every word spoken, every hand held. It’s easy to make mistakes but the biggest one is getting so engrossed in the idea and structure of the work that we forget the eternal picture. Some people believe in an evil outside of God. Some people don’t. If it exists however I think that must be it.

So, may we act as guides for each other however we are involved in the building of the tabenacle. May we watch each other, support each other, love, heal and speak to each other with our hearts. May we accept our weaknesses as we are involved in the continual building, the continual intention, and rise through them into the radiance of God.