Dear friends,
So many of you have hastily dispersed; many of you are grieving the loss of community, hopes, plans. Sudden changes, uncertain future — we’re not the first.
Last week we read about the building of the Golden Calf. When Moses had ascended Mt. Sinai, leaving the restless people behind, they demanded of Aaron, “Make us a god that will go before us…” Aaron told them to bring their gold, and somehow a Golden Calf was fashioned. Neither God nor Moses were happy. The calf was destroyed.
Now what?
Moses went back up the mountain and came down with a new set of stone tablets. But he came down with something else as well: instructions to employ gifted artisans, Betzalel and Oholiav, and involve all the people in building something else with their precious belongings — not an idol, but the “mishkan”, the container in which the stone tablets would be carried.
People apparently love to create, to interact physically with their environment. We sometimes especially like to create something beautiful when our hearts are heavy and we are at a loss, as the people apparently were in Moses’ absence. In this story God seems to anticipate this need and ability of ours to be active, to create. So in this week’s Torah portion the people are invited to bring their precious metals, fabrics and jewels, and real artists (sorry Aaron, it really doesn’t seem to have been your area) to build something beautiful AND appropriate as a community.
This is what I’m calling “re-directing.” And this is what we see in this week’s Torah reading. “Wise-hearted men and women” donating their precious belongings to build a proper center and focus that everyone can be proud of.
Thus far I’m talking about the material arts. In the brief animated retelling of the story below we are treated to a beautiful MUSICAL narrating of this portion. Soothing and tender music.
Please, all you wise-hearted people out there, let’s all turn off the news for a few moments, pick up our needle and thread, paint brush, banjo, or jigsaw puzzle (that’s me) and connect with a different part of our being, connect our being to a different part of creation.
I’m hunkered down (“centered down” in the language of the poet Lynn Ungar) here in St. Paul, but have easy access to phone, email, text, Zoom, FaceTime, you name it. If anyone would like to reach out — PLEASE DO! And if you know someone for whom the social distancing is particularly difficult, GIVE THEM A CALL! The invisible lines of connection we can create are more precious than the finest linen and wool.
I’m attaching here a recording of myself saying “mi’sheh’beirach” prayer for the sick. Feel free to give a listen, and pause the recording after I say the word “cholim” or in English “those who are ill” and add the name/s of anyone you know who is in need of healing, body or soul.
And let’s add to the list of creative activities we can engage: bringing light to the world by simple striking a match and kindling Shabbat candles. Through the flame we access our community through time and space, our loved ones, our ancestors. We engage with such a primal force in the universe — light, warmth, flame.
It is so precious.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Shosh
651-485-1243