Parshah Moment
Why Gold?

Granted gold has some practical applications: in dentistry, conducting electricity and other things we remember as vaguely vital. But that is not gold. That is not gold's worth. That is not why people have been gaga over it for as long as we can remember.

It's not even that it looks so nice. Bronze has its own look that in some settings surpasses gold -- but it has never caught attention like gold. Gold is simply a way of marking stature or status. A phenomenon that has no intrinsic, concrete worth. The story is told that in Stalin's Siberian gold mines the guards didn't check the forced laborers after a day in the mines; even if the prisoners stole, what could they do with gold in Siberia? Against the moldiest bread it held no value.

So if gold does nothing but separate the haves and the have nots, if it does nothing other than feed the ego of the status-climbing, uh, gold digger, than why would a just and caring and perfect Creator create a virtually worthless empty non-commodity?

But there is an important function that gold – and other of the fine things in life -- has; it says "I care." Ask a new husband; he's probably already learned you can't give appliances for anniversaries. They're too functional, they carry too many messages. "Gee, I hope you're baking is easier now." "You love waffles, don't you?" "Happy Vacuuming!"

The "useless" gift, however, carries only one message: you are precious. Precious as... yeah, you guessed it. And telling this message is the raison d'etre for all of creation. A message to tell friends, certainly. Spouses, definitely. And in the, Torah G‑d -- like good communicative husbands everywhere -- says what He wants: "Build me a Temple that I may dwell within you." It is the act of building that allows for G‑d to be there, building it out of gold says you want Him.

For reasons we cannot fathom, G‑d is not allowing us the Temple yet. For now, we must build it out of the intangible (but very real) elements of our relationships with each other and with Him. But it must be done in the best way possible. Go for the Gold. He deserves it.