This women&#39;s class was presented on&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;Parshas Pekudei, 28&nbsp;Adar I, 5779, March&nbsp;4, 2019 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY&nbsp;

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mishkan

The Home Where G-d Dwells Is Constructed From Physicality

Women's Pekudei Class

When Your Dreams Are Shattered

This weekly women&#39;s class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayakhel/Pekudei, 25 Adar, 5781, March 9, 2021, live from Rabbi YY Jacobson&#39;s home in Monsey, NY.

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women's jewlery

The Earring, Nose Ring, Finger Ring & Armband 

Women's Class Vayakhel

Four Pillars of Education

Why Do We Love Looking in the Mirror? Because It Teaches Us the Secret of Life- Moses Rejected the Women&#39;s Mirrors; G-d Explained to Him that they Represented the Majestic Narrative of Mankind

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22_103___rabbi_yy_jacobson___class_vayakhel.1097.pdf

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VaYakel5770.mp3

women

keyor

moshe/moses

mirrors

Why Do We Love Looking in the Mirror? Because It Teaches Us the Secret of Life

Class Vayakhel

Moses Rejected the Mirrors; G-d Embraced Them. Why?

This class was a &quot;chavrusa&quot; between Rabbi YY Jacobson, in NY, and Rabbi Yitzi Horowitz, in LA. It was a text-based class on Likkutei Sichos Vol. 16, Parshas Vayakhel, presented on Thursday, 23 Adar, 5780, March 19, 2020

The Shiur dissects the famous Rashi in Vayakhel and Naso on why the leaders of the tribes of Israel were the first to dedicate offerings for the dedication of the Sanctuary, yet were the last to contribute to the construction of the Mishkan.

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22_vayakheil_16.eb23.pdf

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21_7421_rabbi_yy_jacobson_when_leaders_are_lazy.6272.mp3

leadership

humility

letter yud

mentors

A Brilliant Analysis of a Difficult Rashi in Vayakhel & Naso

Likkutei Sichos Vayakhel/Naso

Just Because You Inspire Me, You Don't Own Me

This class was presented at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY, on Sunday Parshas Vayakhel Pekudei, 21 Adar, 5777, March 19, 2017.

It is a strange story. Moses seemingly distorted what G-d told him, telling the craftsman of the Sanctuary to first build the furniture and only afterward the outer structure. It was Betzalel who reminded him of the simple truth that you first build a house before you furnish it. Upon deeper reflection, this incident captures the story of our lives.

Many great thinkers, writers, and artist, produced extraordinary works. Their content was great, their message potent, and their talent exceptional. What they lacked was the exterior structure for their souls lavish output. Sadly, in our world &ldquo;art&rdquo; needs a proper &ldquo;frame.&rdquo; Lacking the frame, the art may remain in its corner and melt into oblivion.

The great argument between Moses and Betzalel was which came first&mdash;the energy or the container, the vision or the structure? Moses was a visionary; Betzalel was a man of action. In conclusion, we discover, they were both right: In the world of thought and strategy, art precedes the frame; in the world of action and implementation, the frame precedes the art. In the world of light, vision takes precedence. In the world of shadows, your dreams must follow your actions, not the other way around.

The class continues to explore another perspective by Reb Tzadok of Lublin. Judaism consists of two components&mdash;what G-d gives us and what we give G-d. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah. One is Divine; the other is filtered through human creativity. But are they really different? Depends from whose perspective.

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22_ac_monsey_pekudei_5777_final.f7eb.pdf

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terumah

tabernacle

sanctuary

rabbis

shadow

pekudei

bezalel

talmid chacham

betzalel

What Comes First, the Frame or the Art? The Debate between Moshe and Betzalel

How Do I Know When to Trust a Rabbi?

The Truth, the Whole Truth and…

Harry gets stopped by a police car. When the police officer gets to his car, Harry says, "What's the problem officer?"

Officer: You were going at least 65 in a 50mph zone.

Harry: No sir, I was going 50.

Wife: Oh Harry, You were going 70.

Harry gives his wife a dirty look.

Officer: I will also give you a ticket for your broken brake light.

Harry: Broken brake light? I didn't know about a broken brake light!

Wife: Oh Harry, you've known about that brake light for months.

Harry gives his wife a really dirty look.

Officer: I am also going to book you for not wearing your seat belt.

Harry: Oh, I just took it off when you were walking up to the car.

Wife: Oh Harry, you never wear your seat belt.

Harry turns to his wife and yells, "Shut your mouth!"

The officer turns to the woman and says, "Madam, does your husband talk to you this way all the time?"

Wife: "No, only when he's drunk…"

Smooth or Problematic?

In the Torah, the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle)—culminated in the Torah portion of this and next week Vayakhel &amp; Pekudei—is presented as a seamless flow of command, collection, and finally, construction. G-d commands Moses, Moses presents the people with the plans, the people respond over-enthusiastically, donating more than necessary (for the first and last time in Jewish history…), and all Moses has to do is tell them when to stop. The construction goes ahead according to plan, and in no time at all—six months in total (compare that with construction nowadays)—the Mishkan is up and ready to function.

However, the student of Midrash—the Talmudic and Midrashic commentary to the Torah, transmitted orally throughout the generations till transcribed—makes aware of the “politics” behind the events. It was anything but smooth. The Midrash<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a> tells us, shockingly, that there were those who suspected Moses of pocketing funds and they insolently demanded that Moses make an accounting for every ounce of every item. Moses conceded to their demands and humbly presented a detailed account of every “dollar” collected for the grandiose “building campaign.”

The Midrash<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a> also tells us that Moses actually forgot what he did with some of the silver, and the rumors began circulating… The Rabbi is driving a new BMW… Who paid for his cruise to the Bahamas… How did he manage to buy the two-million-dollar home for his daughter? How can he afford such a grandiose wedding?... Did you see his new kitchen?… Till Moses reminded himself that he used them for hooks on the pillars in the Tabernacle, and the Jews calmed down.

There was another obstacle in the process. There were times—the Midrash tells us—when Moses struggled with understanding G-d’s directions, and G-d had to show him a detailed vision of what He wanted.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a> Once, during the formation of the Menorah, the sages relate, that too did not work. Moses completely gave up and G-d had to make the menorah Himself.

Then the Sanctuary was completed much earlier than expected, and it had to remain idle for three months.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a>

When the time came for the actual erection of the Mishkan, they again ran into a glitch: No one could succeed in lifting the walls. Even collectively, it was impossible. Imagine the anti-climax, the fear that all was in vain. At the end, Moses miraculously lifted the beams alone.

Yet here is the astounding part in all of this:

All of these parts of the story are completely ignored in the biblical text itself!&nbsp;There are a few tantalizing hints, but overall, the story presented in the Torah is one of a holistic, pure, and ideal experience. No glitches, no politics, no accusations, no problems; a perfectly smooth ride.

One wonders how do we reconcile the biblical and oral traditions of the narrative? If the Midrashic traditions are presenting what happened, why are these details ignored in the biblical text? Is the Torah trying to brush over the disturbing truths? Is the Torah teaching us to repress uncomfortable facts; to ignore the real story, to make believe everything is “perfect” when in fact it’s far from it? And if so, why did the Rabbis in the Midrash “ruin the party” and “spill the beans”?

Creation Cover-Ups

This is not the only incident with this birthmark. We find this tendency at least twice more.

The opening of Genesis records eloquently but concisely the facts of creation and it sounds like pretty smooth sailing. “In the beginning, G-d created heaven and earth…” Over the next six days, a universe is formed. The Talmud and the Midrash, however, tell us that even G-d ran into some seemingly unexpected delays and had to make some serious alterations. Each of the six days presented another challenge.

For starters, the Midrash relates<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a> that the attribute of Truth opposed creation, and G-d had to cast Truth away in order to create our universe. The sages also relate that G-d attempted to create the world with the quality of Judgment and was forced to retract to Mercy when He saw that the world could not handle it.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref6')">[6]</a>

Then: He created light on the first day, hoping it would serve all of creation, but it was too great and luminescent and He deemed it useless (and had to stow it away as a reward for only the truly meritorious.)<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref7')">[7]</a>

Next: On the second day, he constructed heaven and separated higher waters from lower waters. According to the Midrash, the lower waters “revolted” and are still weeping about their rejection.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref8')">[8]</a>

Next: On the third day, G-d designed trees with edible branches, but the trees disobeyed and produced only edible fruit.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn9" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref9')">[9]</a>

Next: On the fourth day, the sun and the moon were created to be equals, the moon complained that “two kings cannot serve with one crown,” and hence the moon was diminished.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn10" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref10')">[10]</a>

Next: On Thursday, G-d created the fish, including the Leviathan. Then, realizing that if the Leviathan would procreate, it would spell the end of the planet, He killed the partner of the Leviathan.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn11" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref11')">[11]</a>

Next: On Friday, when He wished to create man, the angels in heaven complained it would be a fatal mistake.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn12" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref12')">[12]</a> Indeed, shortly after Adam and Eve were created they disobeyed G-d's commandment to refrain from eating the Tree of knowledge.

Can you see a pattern? Not a single day passed without some glitch or crisis. Yet, none of these “glitches” or “issues” are recorded explicitly in the actual biblical text. There it is as smooth a process as can be. How can we make sense of this shocking discrepancy?

Even more perplexing is the fact that following the six days of creation, the Torah sums it all up with these stunning words:

וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי.

And G-d saw all that He made and it was very good.

Very good? Really? Each day brought another headache, another meltdown, and another crisis. What makes it so good?

The Second Cover Up

The Tanach describes glowingly and in minute detail the materials and construction and dedication of the First Temple built in Jerusalem without the hint of a glitch. Yet the Midrash adds the “problematic” information: During construction, they hit an underground spring that threatened to flood the entire world;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn13" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref13')">[13]</a>&nbsp;then, at what was to be the climactic finale, the entering of the Ark to the Holy-of-Holies, the gates refused to open against all efforts.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn14" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref14')">[14]</a>

According to the Midrash,<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn15" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref15')">[15]</a> the entire dedication of the First Holy Temple was heavily delayed because the night before King Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh and he slept in! It was his mother, Bat Sheba, who had to enter his bedroom, wake him up, and chastise him for oversleeping on the day the Temple was to be dedicated.

We are left with a striking enigma: The biblical text ignores the disturbing details. Then the rabbis come and share with us “the rest of the story.” Why?

What Is Your Story?

The answer is a crucial and profound lesson in life. It captures a basic perspective of Judaism. The Torah is not trying to hide anything (a general pattern in Torah is that it tolerates no cover-ups, for anybody), and that is why the Sages felt comfortable exposing all of the details. Rather, the Torah is telling us that when one develops a proper perspective of his or her life, the problems do not always deserve to be mentioned. Not because they don’t exist, but because they don’t define the story of our lives, and therefore we can decide not to make them part of the narrative.

In each of these three series of events—creation of the universe; construction of the Sanctuary and the Jerusalem Temple—something awesomely cataclysmic and earth-shattering is occurring. The infinite fuses with the finite; the impossible becomes possible, Man meets G-d and G-d meets Man. Out of cosmological emptiness and infinite Divinity, creation develops; something-ness is made out of nothingness. G-d “squeezes” his omnipotence and omnipresence into a Mishkan (sanctuary) of a few square cubits, into a building of stone, into the heart of mortal man.

This, then, is THE story; this is what happened. The bumps on the road, true as they may be, do not constitute the story, not because they didn’t happen, but because they are not what really happened; they should not, they cannot, obscure or even dampen the majestic power and beauty of the events.

The Torah is teaching us how to live. Life is tough. The really important things are even tougher. Raising and support a family requires strength and courage. Building a good marriage is often challenging and difficult. To develop a relationship with G-d may be frustrating and lonely. Many things will not work out as we hoped they would. We face adversity, grief, and loss. There are inevitably times of pain and heartbreak. There are quarrels and squabbles, moments of anger and setbacks. We must confront depression, illness, mental challenges, financial stress, and spiritual confusion.

But we have the choice not to make all of these THE story of our lives. Sure, raising children is challenging, but when you gaze into the loving and trusting eyes of your child—that is THE miracle of existence, not the challenges leading toward that moment. When you connect to your spouse in a truly meaningful way, in a moment of real camaraderie and respect—that is the miracle of love playing itself out in your life. A bad day at work, hours of frustration in running your business, all melt away before the power of something so much greater, so much more real—your growth as a human being and your ability to help others with your money and your experience.

We must look at our lives and ask what is the real story happening here? Is my life a story of hardship and struggle, or am I part of something incredible: I am building a home for G-d; I am constructing a fragment of heaven on planet earth; I am building a Jewish family, a loving marriage; I am helping people; I have the privilege of studying Torah, of spreading Torah, of doing a mitzvah, of inspiring others to light up the world. This is my story; this is my life. The other parts are of course also true and deserve to be acknowledged as such, much as the Midrash acknowledges the other side of the story with creation, the Mishkan and the Temple. I must deal with every challenge and I must attempt to repair it, but I cannot allow it to become THE STORY.

Here we have the origin, thousands of years ago, of what is known today as Narrative Therapy. Each of us has the choice to define and reframe the story of our lives.

When I wake up in the morning, I know that I have fifty things to do today, most of them are not fun; some are difficult and frustrating. But that is not THE story. The real story is captured in the words a Jew says the moment he or she opens his eyes: “Modeh ani lefanecha… shehechezarta bi nishmasi…” I am alive; G-d gave me back my soul for another day. Gevald! How awesome is that? I can now talk to G-d face to face, learn Torah, pray, share my heart and love with another human being, give charity, and become an ambassador for love, light and hope. I can embrace an aching soul, and touch a bleeding heart. Now that’s a life!

Yes, I got to pay my bills, I have to deal with headaches, I need to catch the bank, I have to fix my garage, I need to call my son’s principal, I have to pick up the cleaners, I need to go to the dentist, and I need to pay back the loan, and I was just called to do Jury Duty.&nbsp;But do not let that become the story of your life. Stay focused on the real story – that at every moment you can construct a home for G-d in your corner of the world and bring redemption one step closer.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn16" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref16')">[16]</a>

<img alt="" src="https://cdnd.theyeshiva.net/content/itemcoverpics/1200x675/2358_1103-525x400.jpg" style="width:494px; height:278px; margin:0px 8px; float:left">My Dear Student

At this time of the year, I remember a dear student who passed on on the 18th of Adar, nine&nbsp;years ago. Nadiv Kehaty&nbsp;was only 30 years old when he died. A&nbsp;loving husband, and the father of four young children, his sudden passing left a family and a community in shock.

Nadiv’s very presence made you feel how much possibility life contained if it was filled with laughter, love, and innocence. For Nadiv, all of life consisted of one story: An opportunity to laugh and make others laugh.

A memory: I was a teacher, sitting at my desk in the lecture hall, presenting a Talmud class to 25 students. I was focused, immersed, and serious. But then, suddenly, one student leaped into the classroom, jumped over the tables, and after listening to a few sentences, exclaimed with his genuine giggle and pure selflessness: “Rabbi, you are awesome; I love you!”

This was Nadiv on a regular day. I’d melt away. It was clear that his soul was sent to this world to teach us how to love and laugh. 
 
I love you too, Nadiv.&nbsp;

_________________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Shemos Rabbah 51:6 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> Ibid. 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Shemos Rabbah 52:4 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a> Shemos Rabbah 52:2 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> Bereishis Rabbah 8:5 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn6')">[6]</a> Bereishis Rabbah 12:15. Rashi Genesis 1:1 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn7')">[7]</a> Talmud Chagigah 12a 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn8')">[8]</a> Tikunei Zohar Tikun 5 (19b). 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref9" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn9')">[9]</a> Rashi Genesis 1:12 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref10" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn10')">[10]</a> Talmud Chulin 60b 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref11" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn11')">[11]</a> Rashi Genesis 1:21 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref12" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn12')">[12]</a> Midrash Tehilim 8:2 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref13" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn13')">[13]</a> Talmud Sukkah 53a 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref14" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn14')">[14]</a> Talmud Shabbos 30a 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref15" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn15')">[15]</a> Bamidbar Rabbah 10:4 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref16" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn16')">[16]</a> My thanks to Rabbi Avraham David Shlomo for his help in preparing this essay.

In the Torah, the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) is presented as a seamless flow of command, collection, and finally, construction. In reality, it was anything but smooth and simple. Moses actually forgot what he did with some of the silver, and the rumors began circulating.

Is the Torah trying to brush over the disturbing truths? Is the Torah teaching us to repress uncomfortable facts; to ignore the real story, to make believe everything is &ldquo;perfect&rdquo; when in fact it&rsquo;s far from it? And if so, why did the Rabbis in the Midrash &ldquo;ruin the party&rdquo; and spill the beans?

2358_2358_depositphotos_90775698_xl_20158e2e9de6.2ab5.jpg

shlomo hamelech

happiness

challenges

seeing the good

creation

A Tribute to My Dear Student Nadiv

Essay Vayakhel/Pekudei

A Cover-Up of Biblical Proportions

Plato's Error: G-d Dwells in the Gulf Between Your Dreams and Your Reality.&nbsp;Did your life, your marriage, your career, your family, work out the way you dreamt it would?

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22_ac_torah_or_noach_5771_final-0.pdf

plato

expectations

vayakhel

G-d Dwells in the Gulf Between Your Dreams and Your Reality

Athens Vs. Jerusalem

In the Beginning

As a result of a near mutiny, the overbearing and arrogant captain was forced to see a psychiatrist by order of the Commodore.

As soon as the captain settled down on the couch, the psychiatrist began the session by asking: 

“Why don’t you start at the beginning?”

The captain said, “Okay. In the beginning I created heaven and the earth…"

Two Creations

At the beginning of Genesis, the Hebrew Bible devotes 31 verses to describe how G-d created the entire world. “In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth.” In striking contrast, the Torah portions of these weeks (Terumah through Pekudei) devote 371 verses to describe how the Jews created the Tabernacle, or Mishkan, in the desert. 

This seems profoundly strange.

The universe spans some 176 Trillion Billion miles&nbsp;and is an awesomely complex structure. After millennia of research, we have not yet scratched the surface of its untold depth and unbound mysteries. We have not even mastered the secrets embedded in a single cell. The Tabernacle, on the other hand, was around 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, and was a highly impressive structure, but essentially a small tent; a mini mobile "shtibel."

Why would the Torah be so expansive about the creation of a humble albeit splendorous tent in the desert and yet so terse about the creation of the cosmos with all of its infinite depth, majesty, and grandeur? 31 verses for creation of the world, and almost half the book of Exodus for the creation of a mobile sanctuary!

Mortality into Eternity

This strange contrast conveys something profoundly important about the Torah’s perspective on life. For an infinite G-d to create a home for finite man is not a big deal. But for a finite man to create a home for an infinite G-d—that is a revolutionary notion. It constitutes the essential revolution of Judaism that from the fragmented pieces of our hearts we can construct a home for the Divine; that the ordinary stuff of human life can be carved into a dwelling place for the Almighty; that G-d craves to dwell in the space we designate for Him in the barren desert of human consciousness.

The creation of the universe is G-d's miracle—the miracle of converting (spiritual) energy into matter. The creation of a structure to house the Divine in a desert is man's miracle—the miracle of converting matter into energy; the wonder of a human being surpassing himself, transcending his finite egocentricity and turning his life into a home for the Divine—that story is deserving of close to 400 verses!

This is the essence of the Tabernacle story, which occupies almost half the book of Exodus and on the surface seems so remote from our present lifestyle: that a human being, with his or her limited tools, through his or her minute and limited deeds, words, and thoughts, can create a home for G-d in his or her daily life; that a frail and vulnerable human being is capable of creating a space in his or her heart for the living presence of G-d. This is the miracle of Torah.

The Talmud says it succinctly (Kesuvos 5a):&nbsp;"The deeds the good people are greater than the creation of heaven and earth."

G-d transformed Divine energy into physical matter; we transform physical matter into Divine energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Half-Ness

This explains two enigmatic details about the Tabernacle story: 1) The obsession with details and nuances that seem irrelevant. G-d seems overly concerned with pegs, nails, beams, hooks, sockets, drapes,&nbsp;curtains, and bows.&nbsp;2) Most of the measurements are half sizes, not whole ones. Why not wholesome measurements?

Yet this captures the essence of the narrative. Our lives are defined by details, and most of them seem mundane. And we always do things in “half,” never complete, as we are fragmented creatures and there is always something left to do in order to complete the work. "No man dies with half of his ambitions fulfilled," states the Midrash. This, then, is the message of the story: our disjointed and fragmented lives, the many diverse details of our mundane life, can all become a home for the absolute and undefined reality of G-d. Infinite Oneness can pervade our consciousness--and the consciousness of the universe.&nbsp;

Standing Up to Evil

As we are all reeling from the shocking news of the Purin war on Ukraine -- it is time to remember and embrace our mission statement: To stand with all our might against tyranny, bloodshed, and abuse of human lives. To take a world so often divisive and fragmented, and reveal that we are all one.

75 years after the Holocaust, will world leaders again allow a KGB gangster to terrorize millions and get away with it? Will we Jews repeat the same mistake and worry about our own problems rather than ensuring each one of our brothers and sisters is protected?&nbsp;

(To help the fund I am overseeing,&nbsp;going directly to 17 Chabad Shluchim in Ukraine, for their communities and refugees, <a href="https://jewsofukraine.com/theyeshivanet">please click here</a>.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

(This essay is based on the discourse Gedolim Maasei Tzadikkim 5685 (1925), by the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson&nbsp;(1880-1950)).

The Human Miracle - G-d Is a Great Builder; But It&rsquo;s Man&rsquo;s Handiwork that steals the show

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human value

G-d Is a Great Builder; But It’s Man’s Handiwork that Takes the Cake

Essay Pekudei

The Human Miracle

This text based class, on Likkutei Sichos vol. 11 Parshas Vayakhel, was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Parshas Vayakhel 5772 (2012). It explains why Rashi does not answer a few difficult items in the opening of Vayakhel, where Moshe speaks to the Jewish people about Shabbos and the construction of the Mishkan. It goes on to show how all of these difficulties are self-understood from a thorough reading of the text. &nbsp;

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20_חלק יא.pdf

19_nooooow.mp3

likkutei sichos vayakhel

Why Shabbos Is Introduced Before the Building of the Mishkan

You Can't Welcome G-d by Breaking His Rules: Likkutei Sichos Vayakhel

There is something very intriguing about Vaykhel-Pekudei. Anybody even slightly familiar with the Torah is aware of its unique conciseness. Complete sagas, rich, complex and profound, are often depicted in a few short biblical verses. Each word in the Bible literally contains layers upon layers of interpretation. For the sages and rabbis over the past 3,000 years, it was clear that there is nary a superfluous word or letter in the Bible, and large sections of the Talmud are based on this premise. If a verse is lyrically repetitive, if two words are used where one would suffice or a longer word is used when a shorter word would suffice, there is a message here, a new concept, another law.

It is thus astonishing to observe that two entire sections in the Torah are seemingly superfluous! These are the final two sections of the book of Exodus&mdash;Vayakhel and Pekudei&mdash;telling the story of how the Jewish people constructed the portable Tabernacle (Mishkan) that would accompany them during their 40-year journey in the desert. In the previous sections of this book, Terumah and Tetzaveh, the Torah gives a detailed account of G-d&#39;s instructions to Moses regarding the construction of the Sanctuary. With meticulous description, G-d lays out to Moses every detail of the Tabernacle&mdash;every piece of furniture, item, article and vessel that should become part of the Sanctuary. Nothing is left out, from the Holy Ark, the Candelabra and the Altar to the pillars, wall panels, curtains, ropes, bars, hooks and pegs, all specified with their exact shapes and dimensions. In these portions, G-d also presents Moses with the exact instructions of how to weave the priestly garments&mdash;down to the last tassel&mdash;worn by those who would perform the service in the Sanctuary.

Then, a few chapters later in Vayakhel and Pekudei, in the story of how the Jewish people carried out these instructions, the previous two portions are repeated almost verbatim. The Torah records, once again, every nook and cranny of the Sanctuary and tells of the actual building, carving and weaving of every pillar, wall-panel, peg, hook, bar, tapestry, piece of furniture and vessel that comprised the Sanctuary. For a second time, we are informed of every decorative form and artistic design sculpted in each article of the Tabernacle and every single shape, design and dimension of each and every article.

Now, a single sentence, something like &quot;The Jewish people made the Sanctuary exactly as G-d had commanded Moses,&quot; would have spared the Torah more than a thousand words! Why the need for hundreds of sentences that are purely repetitive of facts that have been stated earlier?

The class explores the views of the Beis HaLevi, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, his grandson Reb Velvele Brisker, Rabbi Yitzchak Zeev Soloveitchik, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the subject. We explore what it means to build a relationship with G-d, what is the significance of a mitzvah, how to deal with the contrast between the live we wished for and the life we ended up with, and the essence of prayer.

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22_yyj pekudei- english source sheet.pdf

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21_rabbi_yy_jacobson_ohr_chaim_sunday_03082015_3.mp3

physical world

purpose of existance

eigel

golden calf

G-d Dwells in the Home We Construct from our Real Lives; The Secret Behind the Golden Calf

My Dream vs. My Reality 

The Midrash relates that Moses found it hard to understand the mitzvah of a half-shekel, so G-d showed him a fiery coin. But what&#39;s so hard to understand about a half-shekel? It&#39;s a simple coin. And if G-d had to show it to him, why did He show him a fiery coin and not a regular one? 

The issue that divided Israel most was the reparations received from Germany after the Holocaust. Did it mean that the Jews forgave the Germans for they did? Ben Gurion and Begin quarreled on this issue like on no other. Israel decided to take German money. 
 
Reb Chaim of Volozhin explained to a donor, that among Jews too, there is &ldquo;dirty money&rdquo; and &ldquo;clean money.&rdquo; And the two types of money make their way to two different destinations. When G-d showed Moses a &quot;coin of fire,&quot; He was demonstrating to him that money was not only money.&nbsp;

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holocaust

money

ki sisa

Dirty Money & the Secret of “The Coin of Fire”

Essay Ki Sisa

Disinfect Your Hands

<div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 13pt;">
Crash Landing&nbsp;&nbsp;
An airliner was having engine trouble, and the pilot instructed the cabin crew to have the passengers take their seats and get prepared for an emergency landing.&nbsp;
A few minutes later, the pilot asked the flight attendants if everyone was buckled in and ready.&nbsp;&nbsp;
'All set back here, Captain,' came the reply, 'except one lawyer who is still going around passing out business cards.'&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Great Crisis&nbsp;
On the ninth of the&nbsp;month of Av in the year 70 CE – the month we are about to enter into --&nbsp;the Roman legions in Jerusalem smashed through the fortress tower of Antonia into the Holy Temple and set it afire. In the blackened remains of the sanctuary lay more than the ruins of the great Jewish revolt for political independence; it appeared that Judaism itself was shattered beyond repair.&nbsp;&nbsp; Out of approximately four to five million Jews in the world, over a million died in that abortive war for independence. Many died of starvation, others by fire and crucifixion. So many Jews were sold into slavery and given over to the gladiatorial arenas and circuses that the price of slaves dropped precipitously, fulfilling the ancient curse: "There you will be offered for sale as slaves, and there will be no one willing to buy" (Deuteronomy 26:68). The destruction was preceded by events so devastating that from an objective perspective, it seemed that the Jewish people had&nbsp;breathed&nbsp;its last breath.&nbsp;
This is what amazed a philosopher&nbsp;like Nietzsche, a fierce and fateful critic of the Jews, as it has so many other thinkers throughout the ages. In Twilight of the Idols and The Antichrist the German philosopher wrote: "The Jews are the most remarkable people in the history of the world, for when they were confronted with the question, to be or not to be, they chose, with perfectly unearthly deliberation, to be at any price&nbsp;... They defined themselves counter to all those conditions under which a nation was previously able to live&nbsp;... Psychologically, the Jews are a people gifted with the very strongest vitality&nbsp;... The Jews are the very opposite of decadents."&nbsp;
How did the&nbsp;Jews&nbsp;achieve this&nbsp;in indeed?&nbsp;
The Cherubs Embracing&nbsp;
The Talmud relates a profoundly strange incident that occurred moments before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple:&nbsp;
“When the pagans entered the Holy Temple, they saw the cherubs cleaving to each other. They took them out to the streets and said: ‘These Jews&nbsp;... is this what they occupy themselves with?’ With this, they debased [the Jewish people], as it is written: ‘All who had honored her have despised her, for they have seen her nakedness<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>.’”&nbsp;&nbsp;
The meaning of these words is this:&nbsp;The innermost chamber of the Jerusalem Temple, the most sacred site in Judaism, was known as the "Holy of Holies" and seen as the spiritual epicenter of the universe. Two golden cherubs – they were two winged figures, one male and one female -- were located in the "Holy of Holies." These cherubs represented the relationship between the cosmic groom and bride, between G-d and His people.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Talmud&nbsp;teaches<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;when the relationship between groom and bride was sour the two faces were turned away from each other, as when spouses are angry with each other. When the relationship was healthy, the two faces of the cherubs would face each other. And when the love between G-d and His bride was at its peak the cherubs would embrace “as a man cleaves to his wife.”&nbsp;&nbsp;
Now, the Talmud is telling us, that when the enemies of Israel invaded the Temple – during the time of its destruction in the Hebrew month of Av<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a> -- they entered into the Holy of Holies, a place so sacred that entry into it was permitted only to a single individual, the High Priest, and only on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. There they saw the cherubs embracing each other. They dragged them out of the Temple and into the streets, vulgarizing their sacred significance<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
This seems bizarre. When the enemies of Israel invaded the Temple to destroy it, the relationship between G-d and His people was at its lowest possible point, for that was the reason for the destruction and the subsequent exile. The Jews were about to become estranged from G-d for millennia. The manifest presence of divinity in the world, via the Temple in Jerusalem, would cease; Jews and G-d would now be exiled from each other.&nbsp;
Yet, paradoxically, it was precisely at that moment that the cherubs were intertwined, symbolizing the profoundest relationship between G-d and Israel. How are we to understand this<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a>?&nbsp;
 Preparing for the Voyage&nbsp;
The most daring explanation was given by the heir to the founder of Chassidism, Rabbi&nbsp;Dovber, known as the&nbsp;Magid&nbsp;of&nbsp;Mezrich&nbsp;(d. in 1772). Quoting the injunction of the sages that a man ought to consort with his wife prior to leaving home on a journey, the&nbsp;Maggid suggests that G-d, prior to His long journey away from home, expressed His intimacy with the Jewish people. Prior to the onset of a long exile, the cherubs were intertwined, representing the intimacy preceding the journey<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref6')">[6]</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
What the Chassidic master was&nbsp;conveying&nbsp;through this dazzling metaphor – and it is&nbsp;a&nbsp;central theme&nbsp;in&nbsp;Chassidic thought -- was that it was at the moment of the destruction&nbsp;that a new relationship between G-d and His people was beginning to develop. The greatest moment of crisis was also a moment of intimacy. As the Temple was going up in flames, and with it so much of Jewish life and history,&nbsp;G-d impregnated (metaphorically&nbsp;speaking) a seed of life within the Jewish soul; He implanted within His people the potential for a new birth.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For two millennia, this "seed" has sustained us, giving the Jewish people the courage and inspiration to&nbsp;live and&nbsp;propser.&nbsp;Judaism flourished in the decades and centuries following the destruction of the Temple&nbsp;in an unprecedented fashion: The&nbsp;Mishnah, Talmud,&nbsp;Midrash&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kabbalah&nbsp;were&nbsp;all born during those centuries. The very tragic conditions of exile became catalysts for&nbsp;unparalleled&nbsp;rejuvenation. The closing of one door opened many more.&nbsp;
Many empires, religions and cultures attempted to demonstrate to the Jewish people that their role in the scheme of creation has ended, or that it has never began, luring them into the surrounding, prevailing culture. But the&nbsp;“intimacy”&nbsp;they experienced, so to speak,&nbsp;with G-d just moments before He "departed"&nbsp;from them,&nbsp;left its indelible mark. It imbued them with a vision, a dream and an unshakable commitment. Throughout their journeys, often filled with extraordinary anguish, they clung to their faith that they were in a covenant with G-d to transform the world into a divine abode; to heal a fractured world yearning to reunite with its own true reality.&nbsp;
Birth&nbsp;
This grants us a deeper understanding into the ancient Jewish tradition<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref7')">[7]</a> that the&nbsp;Moshiach&nbsp;(Messiah) was born on the ninth of Av. At the moment the Temple was about to be engulfed in flames,&nbsp;the dream of redemption&nbsp;was born.&nbsp;There was an intimacy&nbsp;in the flames and it produced a hidden seed that would eventually bring healing to a broken world.&nbsp;Think about it:&nbsp;The very possibility&nbsp;for the rabbis of those generation to declare that&nbsp;Moshiach&nbsp;was born on the ninth of Av, was nothing but testimony to the intimacy that accompanied the milieu of estrangement and exile. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Now we are&nbsp;finally&nbsp;ready for the birth<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref8')">[8]</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Talmud,&nbsp;Yoma&nbsp;54b.&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> See Talmud&nbsp;Yoma&nbsp;ibid;&nbsp;Bava&nbsp;Batra&nbsp;99a.&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> The 9th of Av is the date of the first and second Temple’s destruction, by the Babylonians and Romans, in the year 3339 (423 BCE) and 3830 (70 CE).&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a> Talmud Yuma ibid. The Ark of Testimony, with the&nbsp;keruvim&nbsp;atop its cover, were hidden in an underground chamber in the Temple 22 years before the destruction of the First Temple, where they remain to this day (according to most opinions). Thus, neither the Babylonians nor the Romans would have found the Ark in the Holy of Holies. The Talmud explains that the&nbsp;keruvim&nbsp;that were dragged out into the streets were not the&nbsp;keruvim&nbsp;from on top of the ark, but reliefs that decorated the walls of the Holy of Holies and which likewise acted as a “barometer” of the state of marriage between G-d and Israel.&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> This question is raised in&nbsp;Maharsah&nbsp;to Talmud Yuma ibid
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn6')">[6]</a> Quoted in&nbsp;Benei&nbsp;Yisachar&nbsp;in his discourses on the month of Av.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn7')">[7]</a> Yerushalmi&nbsp;Berachos&nbsp;2:4.&nbsp;
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn8')">[8]</a> This essay is based on a discourse delivered by the&nbsp;Lubavitcher&nbsp;Rebbe&nbsp;on Purim 1984 (published in&nbsp;Sefer&nbsp;Hamaamarim&nbsp;Melukat&nbsp;vol. 2 pp. 269-270).&nbsp;
</div>

Intimacy in Flames - As the Jewish future was consumed in Roman flames, G-d impregnated them with a seed

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keruvim

cherubs

tisah beav

moshiach

destruction of temple

As the Jewish Future was Consumed in Roman Flames, G-d Impregnated them with a Seed

Intimacy in Flames

This women&#39;s class was given on Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, 5769, March 17, 2009, and it is partially based on the last public address by&nbsp;the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented on Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel, 25 Adar I, 5752, February 29, 1992, and on Likkutei Sichos vol. 21 Vayakhel-Pekudei. 
 
Vayakhel means to gather -- the gathering of distinct parts to create a community; whereas Pikudei means to count. Counting serves as a&nbsp; function of distinction, and separation, with an emphasis on the individual being counted.

These two portions then capture two dimensions of life. On the one hand, we crave intimacy, seek community, and inherently belong to a larger family.&nbsp;On the other hand, we are pulled toward individualism, independence, and self-actualization.&nbsp;

Where is the balance?&nbsp;How do we reconcile the two?

The Individual Vs. the Community

I'm I Part of the Community or Is the Community Part of Me?

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