Vayakhel: Getting into the Other Guy's Head

by Rav Hillel Mertzbach, Rabbi of the Central Synagogue, Yad Binyamin, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Three weeks ago, when we read Parashat Terumah, we learned G-d's detailed instructions as to how to build the Tabernacle. This week, in Parashat VaYak'hel (Sh'mot 35,1-38,20), we read how these instructions were carried out, under the leadership of master builder Betzalel. What were Betzalel's qualifications for this important job? Moshe introduced him to the Children of Israel as follows:

"G-d has selected Betzalel ben Uri ben Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and has filled him with the spirit of G-d, with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and [a talent for all types of] craftsmanship, able to think thoughts [or: devise plans], to work with gold, silver, and bronze..." (35,30-31)

What is meant by the phrase, "to think thoughts?"

The Gemara (Tr. Brachot 55a) tells us that Betzalel was given his name after he heard one thing and sough to do something else:

      When G-d said to Moshe, "Go say to Bezalel, 'Make a tabernacle, an ark, and vessels'” (31,7–11), Moshe reversed the order and told Betzalel, 'Make an ark and vessels, and a tabernacle” [see chapters 25-26].

     Betzalel said: "Moshe, our teacher, generally a person builds a house and only afterward places the vessels in the house – yet you say to me: Make an ark and vessels, and a tabernacle. If I do so, where will I put the vessels that I make? Could it be that G-d told you to make a tabernacle [first and then] an ark and vessels?”

     Moshe said [admiringly] to Betzalel: "Could it be that you were in G-d’s shadow [b'tzel E-l] when He spoke to me and that's how you knew precisely what He said?"

Betzalel's reasoning was logical and correct. And this raises an important question: If G-d told Moshe a particular order, why did he tell Betzalel a different one?

R. Baruch HaLevi Epstein, the early 20^th-century author of the "Torah Temimah," answers that G-d actually commanded Moshe twice – once according to this order, and once according to the other. Not knowing what to do, Moshe reasoned that since the purpose of the Mishkan was to house G-d's Divine Presence, and since the chief focus of the Divine Presence was over the Holy Ark, it is logical that the Holy Ark be built first. But Betzalel said that it would not be respectful to have the Ark wait outside while the Mishkan was being built.

In sum, Moshe thought that it would be more respectful to first build that which is the ultimate objective, namely, the Tabernacle. But Betzalel felt the opposite. [As we know, the respect that we show to various holy items has no effect on them, but only on us who observe the "respect" that is being accorded them.] He thought that if people see the holy items waiting outside, that itself would be a lack of respect.

Betzalel thought in terms of how people would view the situation. He took the practical approach: What would be the result of building the Ark first?

Perhaps this, then, is what the Torah means in saying that Betzalel was a man who "thought thoughts." He saw ahead and envisioned what people would think, what emotions they would feel, and how this might change the entire situation.

When Israel was commanded to prepare a Tabernacle for the Divine Presence, it was specifically Betzalel who was Divinely chosen to build it – because the ability to bring the Presence upon Israel includes not only knowing what to do, but what his acts will cause people to think and feel. Betzalel was a man with a heart that felt the hearts of the people around him.

Here are some examples to illustrate this trait.

It is told that a man came to ask his rabbi the following question: "Can I fulfill the mitzvah of the Four Cups on Passover night with milk instead of wine?" The rabbi pulled out a large sum of money and gave it to him, saying, "Go and buy yourself food for the Seder." His wife later asked, "Why did you give so much?" The rabbi answered, "His question made me realize that he wasn't planning to eat meat during the entire meal [for then he wouldn't be able to drink milk], which means that he doesn't have money even for meat and other holiday expenses…"

It is also told of one of the heads of the Mirrer Yeshiva that a man stopped him on the street to ask for directions. The rabbi walked with the man all the way to his destination. One of the students later asked him why he didn't just suffice with telling him how to get there. The rabbi said, "I saw that he had a speech impediment and that he hesitated before asking me. I didn't want him to have to ask someone else along his way, so I walked with him to where he wanted to go."

How to Overcome Strife?

A man once told me that he was very insulted that a neighbor of his had not invited him to his son's wedding. I said to him, "Let's try to think of it from his point of view. He has a large family, and he had to invite all of them, plus others in various circles, etc., etc." The man gradually calmed down and realized how hard it would have been for him to invite him.

In various arguments and disputes, if we stand back, we can easily identify the root cause: Each side thinks only of his own standpoint.

This week's Torah portion teaches us to be wise, like Betzalel. We must "think thoughts" regarding what's in the other guy's head. Doing this can help avoid many disputes. The next time we are inclined to get upset at or offended by someone – even by another driver on the road – let's stop for a second and try to think what the other guy is thinking. That's the key to truly bringing the Divine Presence to dwell in our midst.

Vayakhel: Oh how much do I love Your Torah

by Rav Moshe Leib HaCohen Halbershtat, founder and head of the Yoru Program for the Training of Rabbis and Community Leaders, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

This week's Torah portion is Vayakhel (Sh'mot 35,1-38,20), which we read together in some years with Parashat Pekudei. The two of them review the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and its various furnishings, such as the Menorah, Ark, and more, as well as the fashioning of the Priestly garments. We read in these portions of all the acts of construction that were actually carried out, whereas in the portions of Terumah and Tetzaveh, the Torah tells us of each activity that G-d commanded Moshe to do. Aside from this difference, the two accounts are nearly exactly the same, except for occasional small changes from which important details are deduced (see the commentary of the Abarbanel to Vayak'hel and Pekudei).

Why, then, is the story repeated twice? The Torah is generally spare with its words; why did it devote nearly two entire portions to a repetition of all the details we already knew?

The Medrash Tanchuma to Sh'mot 30,8 teaches: 

Moshe Rabbeinu said to G-d: "My Master, of the seventy nations of the world, You command me regarding Israel exclusively: 'When you count the people of Bnei Yisrael [the Children of Israel]… Speak to Bnei Yisrael, saying… Command Bnei Yisrael… And now give this command to Bnei Yisrael...' Everything You command me has to do with Israel!" 

G-d answered: "It is because they are the most beloved to Me among all the nations; they are My treasure, I love them and I have chosen them, as written: "It is you that Hashem your G-d has chosen to be His treasured nation" (D'varim 14,2).

The Medrash continues to cite the following verse as a proof of how much G-d loves Israel: 

"I have given the Levites as a gift to Aharon the Priest and his sons from among Bnei Yisrael, to perform the service of Bnei Yisrael in the Tent of Meeting and to atone for Bnei Yisrael, so that there be no plague among Bnei Yisrael when Bnei Yisrael come near the Sanctuary" (Bamidbar 8,19) – the Children of Israel are mentioned five times (!) in one verse. R. Shimon bar Yochai says it is just like a father who sends his young son to a teacher and does not cease to inquire after him: 'Did he eat well today? Did he drink well today? What time did he get there? What time did he leave?' So too, G-d loves to mention Israel every hour."

From this Medrash we learn the important principle that when one loves another, he continually mentions him and talks about him. Hashem loves Israel, and therefore mentions them five times in one verse. Rabbeinu Bachye (13th-14th centuries, Spain), in his classic commentary on the Torah, says that this is why the Torah repeats the story of the Tabernacle and its accessories no fewer than five times – twice in its details, and thrice in general – just as this verse in Bamidbar mentions Israel five times; both emphasize the affection that G-d has for them.

I believe that we can add another point here, and that is that the reason that the Tabernacle is so beloved to Hashem is precisely because of His great love for Israel! For the Mishkan is the place in which Israel can come close to G-d on the highest level possible on earth. As is written: "They shall build Me a Tabernacle and I will dwell in their midst" (Sh'mot 35,8). 

This explanation is also found in the Ramban's commentary on Vayak'hel (36,8): 

"And in general, everything here is [to show] His love and high regard, to say that G-d loves the work of the Mishkan, mentioning it in His Torah many times, to increase the reward of those who engage in it…"

And these are the words of the great ethical work Orchot Tzaddikim, Chapter 25: 

"Beware very much, my son, of speaking ill and gossip of others, for whoever finds fault – is himself at fault; the fault that is a part of him rests constantly in his heart, because he speaks of it – for every person is judged and recognized by his [speech]. How so? If you see a man who regularly praises women and speaks about them, know that he is a [potential] womanizer; and if he customarily praises good food and wine, it means that he is a glutton; and the same is true for everything else. And the proof is from this verse: "Oh how much do I love Your Torah; it is my conversation all day long" (Psalms 119,97), which tells us that because I love the Torah, that is why I speak of it; everything that a person loves in his heart, he speaks of always." 

One of the trials that many Torah students encounter is their desire to always learn new things, accompanied by a lack of will to review again what they have already studied. The solution for this is to imbue their thoughts and desires with the goal and importance of attaining true love of G-d and of the Torah, and when the students truly feel this, they will review their studies with great joy – because whatever a person loves in his heart, he will always speak of, as we saw in the above verse from King David's Psalms.