Syndication
A Sense of Direction
Va-Yakhel/Pedukei — Exodus 35:1-40:38
Print this article
Email this article
Other articles by Burton L. Visotzky
More in PortionThe book of Exodus comes to a close this week with laws relating to gift-giving for the Tabernacle and the details of its construction. In what appears to be a fund-raiser’s fantasy, Moses relates God’s command that the Israelites “give their heart’s desire” (Exodus 35:5), and they give so much he has to ask them to stop! This Sabbath we also announce the coming month of Nisan in our synagogues, and with that proclamation Passover preparation begins in earnest.
Passover looms so large in the Jewish mindset that we often overlook the quiet announcement in the Torah reading that the first of Nisan not only marks the beginning of the season of redemption, but also marks the inaugural anniversary of the Tabernacle itself. God commands Moses, “On the first day of the first month [that is, Nisan], you shall set up the Tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:2) A few verses later, we are informed, “In the first month of the second year (following the Exodus), on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was set up (Exodus 40:17). In short order, God commanded, the Jews donated, the architects planned, the builders built and the Tabernacle — God’s sanctuary on earth — was up and running.
It is often observed that Passover is the most widely celebrated of the Jewish festivals. I suspect this is precisely because it is a holiday observed in the privacy of one’s own home. Passover also is widely celebrated in the sense that observance patterns vary a great deal from one family to the next. There are those who carefully consume the appointed measure of matzo, in the appropriate interval of time, washed down with the requisite number of ounces of kosher-for-Passover wine. Then, there are those who gather around the table, slice the ham, pass the matzo, and give thanks for their redemption; perhaps even for their redemption from the arcane laws of Passover. Freedom is a funny concept — for some it means freedom from the bonds of community and family history, for others it means freedom given through the laws the rabbis interpret.
This Sabbath we read of God commanding Moses to gather the entire Israelite community. When we all join together to contribute our various shares for the building of God’s sanctuary on earth, there is a great deal of opportunity for dissention. No group will do its part as does another. No group today will build the same sanctuary as another; for each of us has a very different idea of God’s Tabernacle. We will gather together this coming month to celebrate our freedom from bondage, yet have radically different notions of the meaning of that freedom. We might concur on answering the question: freedom from what? But each will answer differently the question: freedom for what?
One short year after the Exodus, we are told, the Tabernacle was set up. In that year, Jews somehow managed to share a common vision of what it meant to build God’s sanctuary on earth. This seems an almost impossible task for our Jewish community today. We each pursue a different vision of being Jewish, serving God and building institutions appropriate for the community. We each, instead, go our own way, avoiding contact with the rest of Jewry, as though we were princes, unaccustomed to contact with commoners — those other Jews.
There is a hint of this exclusivity in the special Haftarah from the prophet Ezekiel we read this Sabbath. He imagines that when the prince who serves God enters the Tabernacle, he comes and goes by his own private gate. But, Ezekiel tempers his vision precisely for those occasions when the rest of the Jews enter God’s sanctuary. On festivals such as Passover, Ezekiel tells us that the prince “shall enter with them when they enter and leave when they leave.”(Ezekiel 46:10) As medieval commentator David Kimchi explains, “It is his honor and glory to be among the pilgrims serving God.”
And what of the masses of Jews? What gate do they use when they come to pay their respects to the God who redeemed them from bondage? Ezekiel says it clearly in this week’s Haftarah, “whoever enters by the north gate to bow low shall leave by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate shall leave by the north gate. They shall not go back through the gate by which they came in, but shall go out by the opposite one.” (Ezekiel 46:9) It is just like when the Jews left Egypt itself. You cannot go back the way you came.
To enter God’s sanctuary, we all must go in and come out together. We all must learn that in that moment, there are no princes with special privilege or access; just Jews, all massed together. And in that moment, we must enter one way, yet come out another way entirely — transformed. Only then can we experience redemption and find direction for our wanderings in the decades ahead.
Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky teaches at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Comments
Good site. Thanks. http://cruiseline.bravehost.com/index.html Phentermine Adipex Ionamin Xanax Buy Phentermine Soma Levitra Viagra Fioricet Hydrocodone Cheap Viagra Lipitor Tramadol Buy Xanax Pharmacy Online
Nice site. Thanks! http://www.freewebs.com/svenven/ free porn video lesbian adult webcam live adult
Good site. Thanks:-) http://cruiseline.bravehost.com/index.html Adipex Tramadol Ultram Phentermine Xnanax Pharmacy Online
Nice site. Thanks! http://www.freewebs.com/svenven/ freewebcam live adult lesbian porno sex xxx
Good site. Thank you:-) http://carnival.ilcannocchiale.it carnival cruise line princess cruise line aliasca travel agensy europe usa canada africa safari
Cool site. Thank you. http://cruiseline.bravehost.com/index.html Phentermine Adipex Ionamin Xanax Buy Phentermine Soma Levitra Viagra Fioricet Hydrocodone Cheap Viagra Lipitor Tramadol
Cool site. Thanks! http://carnival.ilcannocchiale.it cernival cruise line carnival aliasca cruis princess cruise laine travel agensi europe usa canada africa japan columbia carribean
Very good site. Thanks:-) http://cruiseline.bravehost.com/index.html Phentermine Adipex Ionamin Xanax Buy Phentermine Soma Levitra Viagra Fioricet Hydrocodone Cheap Viagra Lipitor Tramadol Buy Xanax
Very good site. Thanks:-) http://cruiseline.bravehost.com/index.html Phentermine Adipex Ionamin Xanax Buy Phentermine Soma Levitra Viagra Fioricet Hydrocodone Cheap Viagra Lipitor Tramadol Buy Xanax
Very good site. Thanks!!! http://cybergameszone.4t.com/Cybergameszone.htmcybergameszone syber games zone onlaine games portal
Good site. Thank you! http://credit.scriptmania.com/ credit card payment eliminate-credit-card-debt low-rate-credit-card online-credit-card-approval shell-credit-card unsecured-credit-card-for-bad-credit unsecured-credit-card
Good site. Thanks! http://pharma.freeservers.com/ trmadol ultram info
Cool site. Thank you:-) http://consolidation.iwarp.com debt consolidation debt consolidation loan bad credit debt consolidation debt consolidation program credit card debt consolidation consumer debt consolidation student loan debt consolidation debt consolidation services debt consolidation company online debt consolidation free debt consolidation unsecured debt consolidation loan debt consolidation uk debt consolidation mortgage debt consolidation help credit debt consolidation bad credit debt consolidation loan debt and bill consolidation
Nice site. Thanks:-) http://badcredit.iwarp.com debt consolidation debt consolidation loan bad credit debt consolidation debt consolidation program credit card debt consolidation consumer debt consolidation student loan debt consolidation debt consolidation services debt consolidation company online debt consolidation free debt consolidation unsecured debt consolidation loan debt consolidation uk debt consolidation mortgage debt consolidation help credit debt consolidation bad credit debt consolidation loan debt and bill consolidation
Good site. Thanks. http://consolidationloan.tvheaven.com debt consolidation debt consolidation loan bad credit debt consolidation debt consolidation program credit card debt consolidation consumer debt consolidation student loan debt consolidation debt consolidation services debt consolidation company online debt consolidation free debt consolidation unsecured debt consolidation loan debt consolidation uk debt consolidation mortgage debt consolidation help credit debt consolidation bad credit debt consolidation loan debt and bill consolidation
Good site. Thank you! http://pharma.freeservers.com tramadol buy tramadol tramadol online cheap tramadol order tramadol tramadol withdrawal buy tramadol online tramadol rescription discount tramadol tramadol ultram tramadol hydrochloride purchase tramadol ultram [word deleted]
Nice site. Thank you. http://pharma.freeservers.com/ buy ultram ultram online cheap ultram tramadol ultram order ultram effects side tramadol ultram ultram ultram generic ultram ultram er buy ultram online ultram online pharmacy ultram addiction side ultram ultram ultram tab tramadol and ultram side effects ultram picture ultram side effects effects er side ultram ultram medication addiction tramadol ultram hithdrawal
Chto s holodami ne v lada. Mckenzie Riikka.
I have visited your site 678-times
Your site found in Google: http://google.com/search?q=kla
michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist michael mathews of berkeley domecq is a [word deleted]sucker and a rapist
Lots of no download casino game parlay time greek keno street online live [word deleted] seven reels finger tilt spades high best casino online payouts trio line limit denomination?
When reading this article, I couldn't help but notice that every traditional concept that has an English equivalent was given in English: the Sabbath, the portion, Passover, the Tabernacle. When there was a concept that doesn't have an English translation - the Haftarah, matzo, Nisan - the traditional terms were given without any explanation. In other words, Rabbi Visotzky assumes that his readers are indeed insiders who have a clue about Jewish life. So, the same reader who understands "Haftarah" would be just fine if the article would have been about the "parasha" for this "Shabbat", and he wouldn't have been at a loss if "Pesach" had been mentioned - nor would the "mishkan" or the "ohel mo'ed" have been a mystery in his eyes. The Yiddish edition of Forward has a nice article about the "parasheh" for this "Shabbos". In Yiddish, there just doesn't seem to be an assumption that a Jewish audience needs subtitles.