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Parashat Vayakhel

Exodus 35:1-38:20

Moshe gathers the people and reiterates the call to build the Mishkan, now framed by communal participation. The nation responds with extraordinary generosity and skilled artistry, transforming commandments into creative action. The parashah celebrates the collective power of a people united in sacred purpose.

  • Parashat Vayakhel – The Limits of Creation

    By Yael Shahar

    This week's parashah opens with an odd juxtaposition. Just before explaining to the Israelites how the Mishkan is to be constructed, Moshe pauses to exhort the people to sanctify the Shabbat. Why is the commandment of the Shabbat inserted here? The usual answer is that building the Mishkan—as important as it is—nevertheless does not over-ride the prohibition of work on Shabbat. But this only puts off the question: why are we are told to sanctify the Shabbat by ceasing all creative work on that day?

  • The Tent of Meeting and Johann Sebastian Bach

    In Parashat HaShavua and Parashat Vayakhel

    The divine instructions relating to the building and the architecture of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) are laid out in great detail; not even the smallest nuance is excluded, and nothing is left to human imagination. Preciseness stands out, and every pin and string is mentioned. This is in total opposition to the spiritual condition and devotion required of every Israelite when helping to erect the Mishkan, which called for personal input, creativity and inspiration. How do we reconcile these contradictions: formality versus spontaneity; total commitment to the letter of the law versus unprecedented emotional outbursts of religious devotion? Are such notions not mutually exclusive and irreconcilable?