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Parasha Pekudei: Exodus 38:21-40:38
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Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
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Clouds
This parasha brings us to the end of the book of Exodus. If you have been reading in order on a weekly basis, a year has passed since the first Pesach and our deliverance from slavery in
Pekudei means reckoning. Moses has made an accounting to the children of
The Midrash on these verses (Ex 38:21 to 38:29) says that Moses did not have pockets in his clothes so that so no one could even hint at any gold going for his personal use. We also learn the concept of Kedosh ha Shem, the sanctification of God's name, that occurs when we do the good deeds that are expected from us. Conversely, we are taught the opposite concept of Chilul ha Shem, the desecration of God's name, when we behave badly.
All of our actions need to be good, and we are to avoid even looking as if we did wrong. We were elected to be God's servants. This connects with the mitzvah of not putting a stumbling block before the blind. How can our actions that we know are good, but may not appear to be good (i.e., an Orthodox rebbe using a pay phone at a barbeque restaurant), cause someone else to sin? The answer the rabbis teach is that it can lead someone to either think that eating pulled pork or pork rib is allowed, or cause someone to do lashon ha ra (gossip), also a sin.
Traditionally speaking, God has given us the Torah, which is our instruction book for proper living and Good, Orderly Direction. How, we ask? We do so with honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness to change for the better. We were not asked by God to be spiritually perfect, but instead to make spiritual progress in our lives. We are to remember to attempt to make all of our actions holy.
"The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of God filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, for the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of God filled the Tabernacle." (Ex 40: 34 and 35).
"When the Kohanim left the Holy of Holies, the cloud filled the House of God (Solomon's
If we place the Mishkan in our own hearts, we can create a place where the quietness of our soul is welcome. We can find that deep peace at being one with God that passes all understanding. We can mindfully walk with God each moment of our day.
But now they (clouds) only block the sun,
they rain and snow on everyone.
So many things I would have done,
but clouds got in my way.
I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
from up and down, and still somehow,
it's clouds' illusions I recall.
I really don't know clouds at all.
(from "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell, sung by Judy Collins)
The gift of Shabbat helps us push away the barrier of clouds that at one time or another veil our vision. Shabbat is an infinite gift with in a 25-hour period. The building of the Mishkan represents the finite as does God's creation of the world. Kabbalistically, the Mishkan and Creation are Yesh m'ein, something from the Ein Sof (the Infinite Being).
They are finite things being given to us by the infinite. If God is infinite, and He produces something finite, we know mathematically that anything added to infinity still produces a sum that is also infinite. The Zohar says that this concept is called Tzimtzun, contraction. Creation is not an addition but in reality a holding back of the infinite and hence a small piece of the infinite God. During the first six days of creation God actually is holding back. But on Shabbat, He reverts back to a non-contraction state and hence Shabbat is spiritually infinite.
The Kabbalists teach that God is beyond time. Hence it was an eternal Shabbat a second before God began creation. And when creation was completed, God gave us a human taste of infinity with the weekly Sabbath.
Shabbat is our taste of infinity and provides Jewish Spiritual Renewal with God. We then can push back the clouds that block our relationship with God, the infinite. By doing this, we are also able to push back the clouds that keep us from being connected to one another. On Shabbat we are to contract and hold back from what we physically know we can do, but make a rational decision not to do. Our rest is touching the infinite.
Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai that if all the Jews were to observe Shabbat, redemption would come immediately (Talmud Bavli Tractate Shabbat 118A). In liberal Jewish terms, we have the power to redeem ourselves by taking time out for rest and spiritual renewal each week.
As Moses did an accounting in the beginning of this parasha, so should we do a daily spiritual accounting, Talmudically called chesbon (also cheshbon) ha nefesh. The last day of each month is called Yom Kippur Katan (small day of atonement). We do not need to wait until autumn's Yom Kippur to reflect, ask for forgiveness, and grow as people. We have the power to do so regularly.
The rabbis teach that if a person sincerely does this chesbon 80 times, he will emerge as a new person with a new ruach (spirit). We can regain our sanctity regularly. We do not have to wait for the cloud to lift and be given an invitation to reach God. We have the ability to do so regularly. If we only use this ability, our lives would benefit immensely.
In the previous parasha we were told of the 13-year-old Bezalel whom God chose to construct the Mishkan and its artifacts. The name Bezalel means "in the shadow of God."
Psalm 91:01 states that "he who sits alone most high, will abide within the shadow of God." The Talmud Bavli, in Tractate Shavuot 15B, says that the Mishkan itself may be considered to be the shadow of the Shechinah and its purpose was to allow the Divine Presence or the Shadow of God into this world.
Nachmanides writes that the purpose of the Mishkan was to keep the experiences of Sinai with us in all of our travels. As Isaiah spoke (Is. 11:06) in his messianic prophesy, "a little child will lead them." May we all work on developing a "wise and understanding heart" (I Kings 3:09) like Bezalel, Moses, and King Solomon so that we can keep God's presence inside each of us and walk humbly in His shadow each day.
Chazak Chazak Vinitchazek! Be strong, be strong, and may we be strong for one another!
Shabbat Shalom:
Rabbi Arthur Segal
Via Shamash Org on-line class service
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Hilton Head Island, SC;Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
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