Vayakhel - Pekudei 5772 English

Rabbi Daniela Szuster
B´nei Israel Congregation,
Costa Rica

“And Moses said to the Israelites: See, the Lord has singled out by name Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  He has endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge… and to give directions.  He and Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan…” (Shemot 35:30-34).

The first parashah of this week, Vayakhel, starts by recounting the contributions made by the Israelites for the construction of the Mishkan (tabernacle), as well as the different components that were built.  We are told that two people were chosen to carry off this awesome project:  Bezalel and Oholiab.

This time, I’d like to mention two midrashim that explain why these two skilled craftsmen were chosen.

A first midrash wonders why it was precisely these two, Bezalel and Oholiab, who were chosen for the task.  It refers to the fact that Bezalel belonged to the tribe of Judah, the most important of all, from which we Jews descend.  But Oholiab was from the tribe of Dan, considered socially lower due to its origin, from one of the sons of the concubines.

Why were both of them chosen?  To teach us not to feel proud for our family origin, because in this case, the one with greater status and the one with the lowest were equal in God’s eyes; both were selected not because of their parentage but because of their qualities and skills (based on Tanhuma 13).

How often do we see this happen in our society; people are chosen because they belong to a certain group, and not because of their qualities or abilities.

Although society has evolved enormously, we still see that people with specific profiles, whether they are or are not appropriate for the job, gain higher positions in the working, political, economic, educational or religious fields.  White men from the upper class, heterosexual and married, prevail, leaving behind other groups deemed on a lower category.

Purportedly, we live in democratic societies, where every one of us is equal before the law, with the same rights and obligations, but if we delve a little into this reality, we will notice that it is not actually so.

The Midrash, wisely, drives us to choose people for their skills instead of for their social status.  That is why Bezalel and Oholiab were chosen, even though they belonged to tribes socially catalogued at different levels.

The second Midrash tells us that we should not appoint a leader without the consent of the people or of the group he/she will lead.  Where does this idea come from?  From our parashah.

The Midrash comments that God asked Moses:  “God turned to Moses: "Is Bezalel acceptable to you?" Moses replied: "Master of the universe, if he is acceptable to You, certainly he is acceptable to me!" "Nonetheless," responded the Almighty, "go and tell the Jewish people." Moses proceeded to the people and presented the idea for their endorsement: "Is Bezalel acceptable to you?" "If he is acceptable to the Holy One and he is acceptable to you, certainly he is acceptable to us!" (Talmud Masechet Berachot 55a).

 It is interesting that God cares about Moses’ and the people’s opinion on the appointment of Bezalel as architect and craftsman of the Mishkan.  Without a doubt, this teaches us about the importance of group consensus regarding decision-making and choosing the people who will lead them, who will mark the course of their lives.  Even before the idea of democracy is proposed, the Midrash speaks of consensus.

These midrashim teach us that when we elect people, we should do so for their abilities and potentials, not for their social upbringing.  Also, that we should all participate on the decisions that affect us all, instead of leaving the decision of our future on the hands of just a small group of people.

Our tradition has taught us these values for centuries; modern times, with the democratic governments, somehow teach us the same, but unfortunately we do not see it absolutely fulfilled in practice.

Each one of us is responsible for living in a really egalitarian society, where the voice of each person is heard when the time comes to chose a course.

Shabbat Shalom!