I never thought setting up a fence could be an emotional event, but this Monday was special. A crew of workers set up a fence around the front area of the Chabad property on Escondido and the landscape of Jewish El Paso has changed forever.
The idea of a brand new Chabad Lubavitch Center for Jewish Life has been brewing for many years and the community is abuzz about the campaign for quite some time already, but the simple act of surrounding the construction site was a game changer. We’ve moved forward from the planning stages.
I confess that although I am intimately familiar with the demolition plans, I get excited with every carpet ripped out, every piece of plywood taken down and every shingle knocked off the roof.
The information we read in this week’s parsha Vayakhel is extremely familiar. The construction plans of the mishkan (tabernacle) delineated in the Torah over the past three weeks is repeated almost verbatim, to the point that Rashi, the epic commentator has very little to comment on since all the information was previously explained.
Why the detailed repetition? Beforehand the mishkan was a plan and now the Israelites are making it a reality. Every step of the actual construction is exciting and worthy of mention.
Construction sites are busy places. Many people with diverse abilities and credentials participate in the daily goings-on. But there is one thing that unites everyone on site - the hard hat. Beyond the practical safety concern, I believe the fact everyone is wearing the same hat illustrates a vital dynamic necessary to ultimate success; they are all united for one purpose. Everyone has a specific role, but they are members of the same team.
The name of this week’s parsha “Vayakhel” means to gather and unite. Before Moshe shared the divine plans and delegated responsibilities he gathered everyone together to illustrate how this important goal of creating a divine dwelling within the camp is achieved. First and foremost the Israelites must appreciate and digest the fact that they are a single unit. Not a coalition of diverse tribes and factions, but a community bound together at the core.
This same idea is reflected in the broader mission we have as a nation. We are empowered to reveal G-d in every detail of reality through learning Torah and observing Mitzvot. But to succeed we must appreciate that we are part of a large team and everyone in the team needs to be actively engaged.
So when picking up the tools needed to observe a specific mitzvah, remember to put on your “hard hat.” Be sure to share it with another - because every Jew is wearing a hard hat on the grand construction site of making our world a dwelling place for G-d.
ב"ה