Rabbi Roodyn

This week’s sedra, vakayhel is essentially a repeat performance of parshas Teruma that was read three weeks ago.

To put things in context, there are four portions that deal with the building of the mishkan. Teruma is all about the commandment to build the mishkan and all its vessels.  Tetzaveh is the instructions regarding what goes on inside it, such as various offerings and the dress and function of the kohanim. Last week we took a break and learnt about the tragic episode of the golden calf. This week and next we are back with an account of how those instructions were implemented to the smallest detail, just as Hashem commanded.

There is an important principle that the Torah does not waste any letters, there are no redundant words and certainly no superfluous potions. If so, then why do we have these two portions? The Torah could have simply that the Jewish people fulfilled all that he was commanded, or something to that effect. In fact Rashi barely makes any comments over the next two weeks and he has said it all already in the previous parshios!

The Torah is perfect and therefore any redundancy is written to teach us a message. Perhaps one message is to teach is that it’s one thing to have a good idea, but it’s whole new level to put it into practice. Many of us spend our time hoping and dreaming, wishing and wanting. Fewer of us take action to make those dreams a reality.  This is one of the messages behind the mitzvah of tefillin, where we place the idea of Hashem’s unity on our head, to allow it to enter into our consciousness. Rather than allowing that truth to remain cerebral, we also tie the tefillin to our arm so that it those messages should be fulfilled in the world of action.

There is a famous aphorism that the ‘road to hell is paved with good intentions’.  There are many good ideas that have never come to fruition because they never made the transition from theory into practice. Good intentions are wonderful but they do not impact the world outside of ourselves. Perhaps the message of this ‘redundant’ parsha is to teach us that good ideas need to go from our heads to our hands.