Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 16 Adar, 5785

Good morning! Today we start a new parsha – Va-Yakhel – which means “And he assembled”

It is time to assemble the pieces of us to close out the celebration of the last year! All of the work we’ve engaged in spiritually is coming to a head. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work!

The full moon is behind us and we are moving towards the new moon of Nissan – the first month. The month of Passover. We will begin a holy day period where we remember our past and journey to freedom. If we are feeling stuck? Now is the time to assemble and prepare.

The theme from today’s Torah portion is the intersection between generosity and wisdom. The bridge? Discernment.

I have been learning how discernment is one of the areas we most struggle with.  It is easier to be rigid – always saying no to something new; because we feel comfortable with the familiar rigidity of the current moment.

Or; we always say yes to something new; because we don’t want to get locked into getting “stuck.”

However – both patterns that keep us enslaved to our past. Because at the end of the day, we don’t trust ourselves with the freedom we are given.

In each moment, we get to choose – and use discernment.   However, discernment? Creates uncertainty.

If we always say yes, or always say no? We can be certain of the outcome because we are just repeating the pattern.

However, choosing allows us to explore the fullness of who we are:

Discernment keeps Abundance from becoming Greed.

Discernment keeps Devotion from becoming Co-Dependence (or Worship)

Discernment keeps Honor from becoming Pride.

Discernment keeps Majesty from becoming Arrogance.

This is the tough part. If we are living our lives avoiding greed, co-dependence, pride, and arrogance? We will likely not want to come close – so we will avoid choices that lead us to abundance, devotion, honor, and majesty.

Because to choose abundance? Requires discernment for when it crosses over to greed.

And so on.

Are we living our life to AVOID something? Or are we living our life to live out our nature?

This is what we are assembling.

What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 23 Adar 1, 5784
Parsha Va-Yakhel: (Exodus 35:1 – 38:20)
First Portion: Exodus 35:1 – 35:20

Good morning! We have a new Torah Portion this week!  Va-Yakhel – which means “And he assembled”

What is being assembled together in our lives this week? What have been working on this past year? Where have we celebrated during this month? Who is coming together as we move into the wilderness?  Moses assembles the people – and he provides DIRECTION.  This week, let’s be on the lookout for who is assembling in our lives, and the direction they are giving us!  Let’s dig in:

1Moses called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble, and he said to them: “These are the things that the Lord commanded to make.

Moses is giving the people directions on what needs to be created. This creation is about bringing Hashem into a space within us. 

What is it you are assembling in order to CREATE.  And we are NOT talking about creating IDEAS. We are talking about TANGIBLE creation here it seems.  What’s next?

2Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to the Lord; whoever performs work thereon [on this day] shall be put to death.

3You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”

So basically – Moses is saying LET’S GO!!!!!  And. “Hard work ahead, first thing y’all need to know? We are going to take a day off and REST.

This is hard stuff.  That is the message for us. We need to prioritize REST in this process of creation.

What are you working on? What are you creating?  Here is the process for the Children of Israel:

4And Moses spoke to the entire community of the children of Israel, saying: “This is the word that the Lord has commanded to say:

5’Take from yourselves an offering for the Lord; every generous hearted person shall bring it, [namely] the Lord’s offering: gold, silver, and copper;

6and blue, purple, and crimson wool; and linen and goat hair;

7and ram skins dyed red, tachash skins, and acacia wood;

8and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil and for the incense;

9and shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen.

For me? The key is “every generous hearted person.” Are we generous? Then what can we bring to the table to CREATE from? Who are the generous people who have assembled in our lives?

What is it you need from them? The list above seems to connect with materials – almost like an artist gathering paint.  Let’s keep going:

10And every wise hearted person among you shall come and make everything that the Lord has commanded:

11The Mishkan, its tent and its cover, its clasps and its planks, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;

12the ark and its poles, the ark cover and the screening dividing curtain;

13the table and its poles and all its implements, and the showbread;

14and the menorah for lighting and its implements and its lamps, and the oil for lighting;

15and the altar for incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the incense and the screen of the entrance for the entrance of the Mishkan;

16the altar for the burnt offering, its copper grating, its poles and all its implements, the washstand and its base;

17the hangings of the courtyard, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen of the gate of the courtyard;

18the pegs of the Mishkan and the pegs of the courtyard, and their ropes;

19the meshwork garments to serve in the Holy, the holy garments for Aaron the Kohen [Gadol], and the garments of his sons [in which] to serve [as kohanim].’ “

Interesting.  Every person had a role. You were either generous or wise in this story it would seem.  The generous people brought the materials, the wise people built the tabernacle.

So here is my takeaway:

• Who are the generous people in our lives who have entered in and can provide the materials we need to create from?
• Who are the wise people in our lives who have entered in and can provide wisdom in putting our creation together with us?
• Whose lives are WE in to be generous with?
• Whose lives are WE in to be wise for?

Then?

20The entire community departed from before Moses.

Wow. Some powerful thoughts today!