From The Rabbi’s Study… Shabbat, March 21,22, 2025/21,22 Adar 5785
The summary of this Shabbat Torah portion containing the commandment to observe the Sabbath is repeated. Moses asks the Israelites to donate gifts of gold, silver, copper, precious stones, and the like, to be used for building the tabernacle. Moses appoints Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee the building of the sanctuary construction. They report that the people are giving more gifts than are needed. Moses tells the people to stop bringing their donations. Under the direction of Bezalel and Oholiab, skilled craftsmen worked on the tabernacle.
Judaic concepts and values of the sanctity of the Sabbath are stressed again in the account of the construction of the tabernacle. The Sabbath was not violated even for so sacred a cause as the building of the House of G-d.
The Talmud tells us the story that a Roman emperor once asked a rabbi: “What is the secret of your happiness?” The rabbi replied: “We have a delicacy called the Sabbath, and it’s delicious aroma fills our lives with fragrance and joy” (Shabbat 119a).
How did Moses choose the artisans or was it G-d that chose them? The answer is found in this Torah parsha. The person had to have three values, Chochmah/wisdom, Binah/understanding, and Da’at/ knowledge. G-d bestowed these three qualities on Bezalel, the chief architect of the tabernacle (Exodus 35:31). Chochmah indicates intuitive wisdom, binah is the principal application of chochmah; da’at is obtained through study and education.
A mitzvah in this Torah portion is the prohibition of fire on the Sabbath. When one kindles the Shabbat candles the person covers their eyes, some wave their hands three times from the kindled candles and then cover their eyes. Why? Exodus 35:3 states that “you shall not kindle fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath.” Fire was prominently used in work by the Israelites and thus prohibited on the Sabbath. The command was understood by some of the Jewish people to prohibit even the enjoyment of light or fire on the Sabbath. The rabbis, however, applied it only to cooking and baking. The Sabbath was meant to be a day of rest, holiness, and tranquility.
Also, when one is starting the Sabbath in the evening before the sun sets (those that procrastinate have 18 extra minutes just in case you are in the middle of finishing work), a Jewish person will first kindle the candles. Then they cover their eyes and recite the blessing, opening their eyes to then see the light. Now the mundane becomes the sacred moment of Shabbat. By the way if you are a male, in school, or live alone, you are commanded to light the candles, too. Over the centuries it became a minhag/custom that women light the Shabbat candles. However, the commandment and mitzvah is for the Jewish person.
In case you did not know, the ceasefire is over in Israel. The IDF are fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. I would like to thank the ladies that have knitted hats for the IDF, and I will be sending them to the IDF through the “Terri’s Angels” organization.
We pray for B’hatzlacha/ continued success in all their endeavors, and their safety. We pray that they will be able to rescue and free the remaining hostages, too.
Am Ysrael Chai! Long Live Israel!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
I will be having a knee replacement this week and I hope to be well to join the Shabbat service on Friday night. Thank you all for your prayers and kind thoughts.
