I am very excited for the opportunity to share words of Torah with you. Each week, in this spot, I look to share an idea I've found that speaks to me and that I think will resonate with you as well. This week, I share an excerpt from an article by Rabbi Abba Wagensberg entitled 'The Struggle to Build', which speaks of the importance of perseverance during the good times and the difficult as well.
[...] The Midrash (Tanchuma 11) states two opinions regarding the seven-day inauguration of the Tabernacle. According to Rebbe Chiya ben Yosef, Moses dissembled and reassembled the Tabernacle twice a day during the inauguration. This is deduced from the repetition of the word "to erect," which appears in the forms "takim" (Exodus 40:2) and "hukam" (Exodus 40:17). How could the Tabernacle be erected again once it was already built? According to Rebbe Chiya, the repetition of this word implies that Moses took the Tabernacle apart and then rebuilt it. Rebbe Chanina adds to Rebbe Chiya's opinion by noting the word "vayakem" (Exodus 40:18), which is from the same root word "to erect." Rebbe Chanina therefore claims that Moses dissembled and reassembled the Tabernacle three times a day! By now, the question is obvious: why was it necessary for Moses to continually take apart and rebuild the Tabernacle?
The Slonimer Rebbe uses this Midrash to teach us a vital lesson. Although we spend our lives toiling and struggling to build ourselves into sanctuaries - vessels worthy for the Divine Presence to rest within - there still may be times that we stumble and fall. Despite these low periods, however, we must never give up hope. Rather, we must rouse ourselves immediately and continue to strengthen and build ourselves, because it is forbidden for a Jew to fall into despair. [...]
We see this lesson expressed in Rebbe Chiya ben Yosef's opinion that Moses dismantled and rebuilt the Tabernacle twice a day. These two times correspond to morning and evening: the bright time and the dark time of the day. We could suggest that the message being conveyed here is to move forward not only during the bright, easy times of life, but also when circumstances are dark and difficult. No matter what the situation, our task is to build ourselves and continue to grow.
[...] May we be blessed to never give up, even after falling two or three or 21 times, by having confidence in ourselves and realizing that the fall is part of the climb. By doing so, may we build ourselves into a sanctuary, and merit to witness the rebuilding of the ultimate sanctuary, our Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Baruch HaShem, we have been blessed with a number of Simchas in our congregation over the past couple of weeks coinciding with the joyous months of Adar. At the same time, we are dealing with difficult losses in our broader community, not to mention our slow and careful path forward while still contending with what remains of the COVID pandemic as well as the difficult news we continue to hear coming out of the Ukraine. This message of 'never giving up hope' no matter what is happening, is one that is ever important and certainly worth taking to heart at the current time.
Have a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Davies
Rabbi@SOICherryHill.org