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Torat Malakhim
(Torah from the City of Angels)
March 8, 2003
4 Adar II, 5763
Rabbi Mark Diamond
Executive Vice President
The Board of Rabbis of Southern California
Torah Portion: Pekuday ("These are the accounts...")
Exodus 38:21-40:38
Haftarah Portion: I Kings 7:51-8:21
The weekly parashah concludes the Book of Exodus on a positive, inspiring note. The Israelites are commanded to construct a portable sanctuary for God to carry with them during their lonely journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The successful completion of this sacred project brought much joy and relief to our ancestors. For the mishkan, the Tabernacle, was a visible symbol of the Divine promise to protect the children of Israel.
On a deeper level, the Tabernacle was a perpetual symbol of Jewish unity. The Zohar notes a fascinating parallel between the mishkan and the Eternal One. Each day when we recite the Shema we proclaim: Shema Yisrael Ado-nai Elo-haynu Adonai Ehad. "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone."
Now the Tabernacle was made up of many different parts--the tent and its furnishings, the Ark and its poles, the table and all its utensils, the pure lampstand, the golden and copper altars, and other parts. Yet the Torah tells us: Vayehi ha-mishkan ehad. All of the parts were put together "so that the Tabernacle became one whole."
Thus, says the Zohar, the very same God who created human beings in the Divine image, ordered the creation of the Tabernacle in the Divine image. Just as the human body possesses many organs, higher and lower, some internal and not visible, while others are external and visible, and yet they all form one body, so also was the building of the Tabernacle. All its individual parts were formed in the pattern of that above, and when they were all properly fitted together, "the Tabernacle was one."
Hence, the Tabernacle stands as a primary symbol of Jewish unity. For we are, above all else, a people of "ones": one God, one Torah, and one Tabernacle. And, in each case, the whole is infinitely greater than the sum of its individual parts. The mystery of the mishkan is no less impressive than the mystery of the Divine revelation, or the mystery of the workings of the human body.
And what of the mystery of am ehad--one people? Despite centuries of persecution, somehow the Jewish people has managed to preserve a core belief in the essential unity of the community of Israel. There is a mystical connection between Jews who have been scattered to the farthest reaches of the planet.
The fate of the Jew in Los Angeles is bound up with the fate of the Jew in Jerusalem. And together we hold ourselves responsible for the fate of the Jew in Buenos Aires. Kol Yisrael arayvim zeh la-zeh. "All Israel is responsible for one another," states the Talmud. Throughout the ages, our extraordinary ability to translate those words into deeds represents one of the greatest achievements in human history.
At times, we take our communal bonds for granted. We dismiss the miracles we can achieve when we pull together as a community. My experiences on Super Sunday reminded me of the power of Jewish peoplehood. My face-to-face solicitations, telephone calls, and conversations with our incredibly dedicated staff and volunteers all served to reinforce the message of am ehad.
One of the joys of my position is the opportunity to engage in dialogue with leaders of other faith traditions. This past month I've spoke frequently about Super Sunday with my non-Jewish colleagues. After learning more about what we do in the Jewish Federation, a friend and colleague commented: "Your community is the envy of my church. We have a lot to learn from your experience maintaining your faith, keeping ties with your people, and raising money to help those in need."
Kol Yisrael arayvim zeh la-zeh. May we ever be mindful of the sacred bonds that unite us with our people in the four corners of the globe.
* Shabbat Shalom *
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