How often does more than one human being gather where there is true peace?  This entails the power of love being so pervasive, there aren’t even disagreements - or even irritations - voiced or otherwise.  You’re laughing, aren’t you!  We come close to that when we pray together, but even then someone, or more likely more than one person, will be at least aggravated by poor singing, fidgeting, sleeping, and worse, snoring, bathroom needs, disagreement with at least part of the sermon, etc.  Am I right, or am I right!  Of course I am! 

        One of the many miracles recorded by the Torah is contained in this parashah.  Everyone worked together, united by a common purpose, without jealousy, or egotistical need of recognition for their own work or their own gifts.  In fact, the leaders even gave freely, joyfully, and lovingly, their own items (gems, and incense and oil, all of which were worth a lot monetarily) to the ones who were to lead the services.  These Israelites had possessions, but not homes of their own yet.  They had been slaves, and now had newly acquired wealth, which the “newly rich” usually enjoy showing off, rather than giving any of it away.  We see this behavior even today.

        The new Nation of Israel gathered together as one.  These were people of varied personalities (of course!), varied ages, male and female, and remember, they were all related to each other.  Are you aware of any family gatherings where no one’s feelings are hurt, no arguments take place, etc., even when the gathering is for religious purposes, or a celebration?  Even more miraculous, every single person - male and female - joyfully and willingly brought their newly acquired items, along with their time and skills together, in order to build a holy place, a place for them to worship G-d, together as one!  Even when there were only two people on earth, Adam and Eve, they disagreed at first about whether or not to eat the forbidden fruit (some say pomegranate, some say apple; personally, I think the pomegranate makes much more sense, but we can agree to disagree!).

        As if making my point for me, continually throughout the parashah, we are told how the separate items, such as the curtains, were united as if they were one.  The lid of the Ark of the Covenant was made of one solid piece of gold, as was the menorah.  In fact, despite the many numbers listed describing the amounts needed, and the volumes of the ark, tables, etc., they were always brought together, first one side, then the parallel side, and then these two were brought together as one.  Even down to the listing of the walls of the Mishkan, the first wall we are told was the south wall, the second was the north (need I point out these are opposite, as well as parallel in two dimensions), and then the eastern and western walls being the third and forth listed.  All were brought together as one.

        The Nation of Israel was spoken to by Moses as though the individuals were one person, one unit, and they worked together as one unit.  Adonai and human, heaven and earth, male and female, young and old, leaders and progeny, Shabbat and the secular week, and always the amount of what was needed, and who was to be building the Mishkan, and even the two for which the Mishkan was intended; Adonai and the Israelites - the text always unites what could be seen and understood as separate and distinct, down to two opposites which unite as one.  Did I catch you off-guard with the mention of Shabbat and the secular week?

        Our parashah begins with the importance of the command to observe Shabbat.  First, Moses told the Israelites when not to actively do anything, or work, and then when to actively do, or work.  The order is important here.  Not only because we are told time and again about the importance of Shabbat, but also for some reasons which jump out at me.  Shabbat is holy, and it is a day consecrated to Adonai.  Yes, Adonai created us, and our world, along with everything on and in it, and there is a piece of G-d within each of us; thus, without Adonai we wouldn’t exist, and therefore what is of ultimate importance is Adonai.  Most of us also are aware that Shabbat is a time when heaven and earth are united as one - the Kaballists even use the imagery of the bride and groom at their wedding to describe Shabbat.

        We also know the Mishkan was to be a place for the Nation of Israel to come together as one to worship Adonai, as it was to be a “dwelling place” of G-d.  It was to be a place where the soul and the body are united in a single purpose.  Both Shabbat and the Mishkan are about all which I have stated, and so much more.  The reason I believe, however, Moses spoke of Shabbat first - of the not doing before the doing - has to do with the acknowledgment of Adonai being the one who controls all.  As individuals, our egos like to lead us to believe falsely that we actually have control over our immediate circumstances and our environment.  There are those who like to control others, and there are systems we humans empower with a degree of control, such as our governments, our schools, our business, etc.  The reality is, of course, while we must each contribute to our families, communities, workplaces, places of worship, etc., we each play a role in the visible world, but ultimately the real control lies with Adonai.  This is why as much as we plan and accomplish, there will always be obstacles and opportunities we didn’t plan for, nor did we foresee.  We can each only accomplish so much, but we must sit back - figuratively speaking - every so often, and let go of control, and let what we put into place take its own course, Adonai’s course.  As the famous serenity prayer states, “We must accept the things we cannot control.”

        First, there was Adonai, and when all is gone, there will still be Adonai.  This we must not only accept, but celebrate, and acknowledge joyfully and willingly.  We Jewish people must come together as one each and every Shabbat as one community, as one Nation, and as one people despite distance, political leanings, belief systems, gender, age, jobs, rich or poor, etc.  Further, we must collectively acknowledge the One who has all control, the One who created everything, the One who created the Jewish Nation, the One who brings light to this world, and we must celebrate Adonai and thank Adonai together as one.  This is how light wins over darkness, order is created out of chaos, our love for Adonai unites heaven and earth, and ultimately unites us all.  A little piece of information for those of you who do not know this, but when all Jewish people everywhere celebrate Shabbat two times in a row, we will cause the Messiah to come to earth.  I believe we are all aware the world could use a Messiah about now!

        Shabbat Shalom, and may we all work together to bring peace to the earth, and may each and everyone of us be blessed with peace!  I’d love to know what you think!