Elisha Gubermanis Torah Mizion Shaliach in Ottowa

Maybe it's really lucky that WhatsApp didn't exist when Bnei Yisrael were building the Mishkan. It's very likely that if Moshe had sent the instructions for constructing the Mishkan in the "Avadim Hayinu" group chat of Bnei Yisrael, there would have been mostly emojis, along with the obligatory response from the traditional aunt: "Thank you so much, very moving!"

That is exactly why the parasha begins with the words: "And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael and said to them…" (Shemot 35:1). The Mishkan was not just a physical structure, but a national and spiritual endeavor built through the cooperation and contributions of the entire nation. The Torah teaches us here a fundamental principle – serving Hashem is not just a personal matter but depends on the strength of the community, and the presence and active participation of everyone is essential!

Chazal teach us: "All of Israel are responsible for one another." The sanctity of Am Yisrael does not stem from the individual alone but from each person’s ability to contribute to the greater good. That is why the work on the Mishkan begins with gathering the entire nation – to emphasize that divine inspiration dwells specifically through unity.

This idea is also reflected in the mitzvah of Shabbat, which appears at the beginning of the parasha: "Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day it shall be holy for you" (Shemot 35:2). Shabbat is a time when all of Am Yisrael pauses from work and gathers together – the family at home, the community in the synagogue – fostering a deep inner connection. It reminds us that true spiritual value is not created only through personal effort but through the formation of a shared sacred space.

Parashat Vayakhel teaches us that the path to building a Mishkan for Hashem in this world is not only through good personal intentions but through collaboration, mutual responsibility, and the understanding that each of us is part of something greater. If we learn to act together with a sense of communal responsibility, we can transform the entire world into a place of divine presence.

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