Keeping In Touch: Vayakhel

This week’s Torah reading tells how Moses commanded the Jewish people to build the Sanctuary for G-d in the desert and how the Jews eagerly responded, giving and working to construct this dwelling for G-d.

The reading is called Vayakhel, “And he gathered,” and begins by relating that Moses gathered together the entire Jewish people. This teaches an important lesson: When building a Sanctuary where G-dliness will be revealed, one must establish unity among the Jewish people.

In our prayers we say: “Bless us our Father all as one.” The commentaries explain that when we are “all as one,” then we have created a fit setting for G-d’s blessing to be manifest.

To explain this concept in the personal sphere: There are individuals who pride themselves on spiritual sensitivity and refinement. Such refinement must be reflected in better and more encompassing relations with their fellow man. It is only through self-transcendence that one can appreciate the spiritual. And the most practical experience of self-transcendence is relations with others.

And sequence is also important. We begin with Vayakhel , establishing togetherness. Begin by breaking down the barriers that separate one Jew from another and this itself will make it possible for the barriers preventing the manifestation of G-dliness in this world to be overcome.