Vayakhel-Pekudei: Glittery Misgivings
Are you the kind of person who doesn’t leave the house without a contingency plan? Do you eye over-friendly people suspiciously and carry a can of mace in your backpack in case a Jihadist infiltrates your school cafeteria? Whether you consider yourself a worrywort or a strategist, you’re still someone who’s uncertain about the success of Plan A.
Two Greats meet The sixth Chabad Rebbe, Reb Yosef Yitzchak was under incredible political strain during Communist regime, and his physical health suffered. He occasionally visited rehabilitation resorts, or spas, in the countryside to regain his energy. On one such visits, the Amshinover Rebbe, (a Polisher Rebbe known for his incredible Ahavas Yisrael), was also at the spa in Carlsbad, Bohemia. Reb Yosef Yitzchak, the Frierdiker Rebbe, asked him, “What did you tell your Kehilla in the past week?”
For some reason, he didn’t want to answer, yet the Frierdiker Rebbe prodded him until he spoke.
The vort And the princes brought the shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen;
כז וְהַנְּשִׂאִם הֵבִיאוּ אֵת אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלֻּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחשֶׁן:
Rashi explains in the name of Reb Nosson “This is what the princes said, “Let the community donate what they will donate, and whatever they are missing we will complete.” Since the community completed everything, as it is said: “And the work was sufficient” (Exod. 36:7), the princes said, “What are we to do?” So they brought the shoham stones, etc. Therefore, they brought donations first for the dedication of the altar.
Rashi continues with the repercussions of their actions: “Since at first they were lazy [i.e., they did not immediately donate], a letter is missing from their name, and וְהַנְשִׂיאִם is written [instead of וְהַנְשִׂיאִים, with additional “yud” s].”
Scenario: I run a charity organization for orphaned polar bears. After meeting with the illustrious and wealthy Ploni, he interrupts me and says, “I want you to try and raise raise ten million dollars, and if you haven’t gathered all the money by next week, I’ll donate the difference.”
What I definitely would not answer is, “How dare you! I hereby strip you of the “P” in your PhD for insinuating that I won’t succeed!”
In reality, There is hardly a seminary, yeshiva, museum, organization, shliach, preschool, park or highway that doesn’t pine for such a person.
So why does Rashi say the princes were lazy? Wasn’t this a magnanimous gesture? Yet they’re not rewarded, but punished!
The Amshinover answers When Nesiim told Bnei Yisrael they’d fill what’s extra, they introduced a doubt that the Yiddin would accomplish the goal. A real leader, a Nasi, has to strive for 110 percent! A Nasi pushes and prods and challenges his people to test their limits. A Nasi doesn’t sell his people short.
My Rebbe If you watch videos or read accounts of peoples’ encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, you’ll notice a common thread. Whenever someone tells the Rebbe about the community service they support, or the synagogues they built, or the books that they’ve printed, the Rebbe’s answers sound something like, “Nu, and what more will you do?”
Because he didn’t want any Jew to be satisfied with where he is; he wanted us to grow continuously. Never mind social conventions and unheard of campaign schemes! The Rebbe was someone who saw possibilities in the world, and possibilities in its people.