22 Feb PARSHAS VAYAKHEL
Hachodesh
The parashah begins with the words “Moshe gathered the entire community of Bnei Yisrael”. “and he told them, ‘This is what Hashem commanded you to do…’” (Vayakhel 35:1). Tzaddikim explained this passuk figuratively, that Moshe gathered the nation and told them “Hashem commanded you to gather,” because it’s a wonderful thing when Jewish people come together peacefully and with brotherly love, to serve Hashem as one entity. Vaykhel is gematriya mikveh, implying that when Yidden get together, they become pure, like someone who immersed in a mikveh. The Divrei Shmuel of Slonim zt’l teaches: “rochetz” (purifying in a mikveh) is gematriya “tzibur”, community, because being part of a loving and peaceful community purifies like a mikveh. Tzibur is also gemtriya “rachamim”, compassion, because when Yidden get together, Hashem’s compassion is aroused. The Tanya writes, “I heard from my teachers that should an angel be among ten Yidden Z even if they aren’t speaking Torah Z that angel will become terrified because of the presence of the Shechinah, until it disintegrates and ceases to exist”. The Shem MiShmuel (Toldos 5677, Bamidbar 5673) writes in the name of Rebbe Dovid of Lelov zt’l, “Where there’s ten Yidden, even an angel will melt from fear, because every place where there’s ten Yidden, the Shechinah is present.” The Or Someach zt’l derives from the laws of korban shlamim the superiority of a community that performs a mitzvah together. When a single person brings a shlamim, it’s considered “kedoshim kalim”, a lighter sanctity. When a congregation brings a shlamim, it’s “kedoshim kedoshim”, holy of holies, and has stricter laws, because when an entire community does a mitzvah together, the mitzvah rises in value and in holiness. The mitzvah of loving Hashem is stated twice in kriyas Shema. In the first paragraph of Shema we say “v’ahavta es hashem elokecha b’chol l’vavcha” and in the second paragraph we say “l’ahava es hashem elokecha v’lavdo b’chol l’vavchem”. Why is it stated twice? The Chasam Sofer zt’l explains that the first paragraph, written in the singular tense, obligates each individual to love Hashem. The second paragraph talks to the entire community at large, and urges them to love Hashem together, in unity. When an entire community loves Hashem, it’s more special than when an individual loves Hashem by himself.
Shabbos
People think they have parnassah by working but actually, we earn our parnassah by not working — by not working on Shabbos, because Shabbos is the source of all parnassah and berachos. This is the reason there are “lamed-tes melachos”, thirty-nine types of work that are forbidden on Shabbos. The “lamed-tes melachos” symbolizes the “tal”, dew, that enveloped the mon, which sustained the Jewish nation in the desert. In the desert, we received our parnassah wrapped in “tal”, and today we receive our parnassah wrapped in our being careful from transgressing the “lamed-tes melachos of Shabbos. To receive the berachos of Shabbos, we must be careful with its laws, plus there is one other condition: We must be wary from anger and disputes on Shabbos, because those prevent us from receiving the berachos. This is alluded to in the words “Don’t burn a fire in all your dwellings on Shabbos” (Shemos 35:3). The Chasam Sofer zt’l teaches that fire represents anger. The Torah warns us not to turn on this fire on Shabbos, so we can receive Shabbos’s berachos. As it states in the final words of Mishnayos, “Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn’t find a better utensil, to hold blessings for the Jewish people, than peace…” The Gemara teaches: “There was a certain couple who the Satan would provoke to fight every Friday evening. Reb Meir sat in their home for three consecutive Friday evenings, until they made peace. Reb Meir heard the Satan cry, “Woe! Reb Meir sent this man [the Satan] out of that house” (Gittin 52). The Chasam Sofer zt’l explains that although the Gemara is discussing one specific scenario, it actually occurs in many Jewish homes on Friday afternoons. The Satan knows the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility on Shabbos, and the Satan is aware of how many berachos we can receive from it. Therefore the Satan tries to disturb the peace and to promote disputes. We must be aware of this, and strive to banish the Satan from our midst —especially on Fridays. The holy sefarim add that when a dispute erupts on Friday, the husband/wife should think, it’s not the other person’s fault that he’s angry today. The Satan certainly instigated him to disturb the atmosphere of Shabbos. With this awareness, it’s easier to put things back into perspective and maintain the peace on Fridays. They understand that it’s the yetzer hara who’s attempting to ruin their shalom bayis, to prevent them from receiving all the good that Shabbos can give us.