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February 28, 2003/Adar1 26 5763, Vol. 55, No. 27
God's power lies with our assembly as a people
RABBI MENDY DEITSCH
Vayakhel/Exodus 35:1-38:20
What is more important, a team where every person belongs to a greater whole, all united with a sense of community, or the worth of every individual, each as a separate entity?
In this week's Torah portion, when Moses gathers the Jewish people for instruction, we find a most unusual word to describe the gathering of the Jewish nation. The Torah says: Vayakhel Moshe, "Moses assembled." (Exodus 35:1) Why was this term used? What message lies therein?
This word emphasizes how all the assembled members merge their identity to form a single whole, an assembly, a community.
This week's Torah portion reminded me of the story of Yankel and the crew team.
Yeshiva University decided to field a crew team. Unfortunately, they lost race after race. They practiced for hours every day but never managed to come in any better than dead last.
The school dean finally decided to send Yankel to spy on the Harvard team who had won the last few races. So Yankel schlepped off to Cambridge and hid in the bulrushes of the Charles River, from where he carefully watched the Harvard team as they practiced.
Yankel finally returned to Yeshiva. "I have figured out their secret," he announced. "They have eight guys rowing and only one guy shouting."
While each and every member of the community has their own identity and personality, it is the coming together of the nation that represents a penetrating view of the world where details of existence pale away to reveal a holistic and wholesome spiritual mass - the realization that there is nothing but God.
This notion of unity and completeness is brought about through our leader Moses who was able to unite all the people regardless of their individualism. Despite their differences or backgrounds, the people were able to unite, not because of Moses' words, but because of what he represented. He was teaching the Torah that God had given. He was conveying a message far greater than what any human being can compose.
Vayakhel teaches us that each and every person is still part of a communal whole and thereby intimately associated with the leaders of the community, and at the same time we maintain our own unique talents that God did not give any other person.
Moses is telling us that there are two aspects of our assembly. The first one is the individualism that is so important and the other, the collective involvement, the power of unity that brings peace and harmony in the world.
May we merit through true peace and unity the ultimate coming of Moshiach (the Messiah) speedily in our time.
Rabbi Mendy Deitsch is director of Chabad of the East Valley, a Jewish outreach organization, and director of the Jewish Learning Institute. E-mail him at rabbi@chabadcenter.com.
Jewish News has invited local rabbis to present commentaries on the weekly Torah portion. This is one of more to come throughout the year.
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