Thoughts on Parashat Vayakhel 5785

In the parasha for this week, we see the culmination of weeks of careful instructions for constructing the Mishkan. We learned in the previous three parashot about what to do and how to do it, what to utilize and how much to utilize it with, and what specific specifications to utilize for each of the Tabernacle’s sections. Now that we get to read Parashat Vayakhel (and next week Pekudei, we often read together), it is time for action. Plans are useless unless implemented. The Torah presents us with a detailed account of what is done to construct it—because ultimately Judaism is always about action.

Thoughts on Parashat Tetzaveh 5785

One day, two old friends, Art and Joe, were sitting in a café, sipping their tea and arguing—like they had for the past 40 years—about when and how the Messiah would come.

“I’m telling you, Joe,” Art said, waving his spoon for emphasis, “the world is going to fall apart first. Total disaster! People will forget how to have a normal conversation, the price of everything will skyrocket, and absolute nonsense will be treated as wisdom. Then the Messiah will come to fix it all.”