ויקהל
Adar I 23 & 25, 5752 – February 27 & 29 1992
The Torah portions of Vayakhel and Pekudei are usually read together. In some years (Jewish leap years in which an entire month is added to the calendar) they are read in two seperate weeks. The year 5752 was one such year.
Every parsha has a general theme that threads together all its subtopics, which is lesson on a various aspect of serving Hashem. This theme is is expressed in the name of the parsha.
In this farbrengen of Parshas Vayakhel, the Rebbe expounded on the two distinct messages of these two portions which are usually combined:
“A person’s task in the world is in broad terms to serve his Maker and to use all that’s in the world do the same,” said the Rebbe.
“But there are two aspects of this task. The first is alluded in the name “Vayakhel:”
Vayakhel means to gather, to bring about a form of unity of the world and especially of the Jewish people, in which the shared task we all have of serving Hashem is primary,
Pekudei means to count, to appreciate the individualism of every individual person and thing and their unique way and style of serving Hashem.
When Vayakhel is read alone, we emphasize that we can uncover the underlying unity in creation at large and in the Jewish people in particular without waiting for every individual’s qualities to be expressed. There just is no time, we want Moshiach now!
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This is all the more emphasised on Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel (and Shekalim) of this year, 5752, ה’תשנ”ב — which abbreviates “may it be a year of wonders in all matters:” |
וְהַדְגָּשָׁה יְתֵרָה בְּכָל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל בְּשַׁבָּת פָּרָשַׁת וְיַקְהֵל וּשְׁקָלִים בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ — “הָיֹ’ תְּהֵא שְׁנַת נִפְלָאוֹת בַּכֹּל”: |
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The term “wonders in all matters,” which simply means that wonders are not outstanding events, rather they become visible in everything, emphasizes how all matters are elevated from their regular state of being and take on a wondrous state of being. This is accomplished by them being released from the bounds of their reality. |
בְּ”נִפְלָאוֹת בַּכֹּל”, שֶׁבְּכָל הָעִנְיָנִים רוֹאִים נִפְלָאוֹת, מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת הָעַלִיָ’ דְּכָל הָעִנְיָנִים (עַל-יְדֵי הַיְּצִיאָה מִגִּדְרֵי מְצִיאוּתָם) לְמַעֲמָד וּמַצָּב דְּ”נִפְלָאוֹת”, |
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No two creations of G-d are exactly alike. Each has a set of defining factors that set it aside from all others. What all creations of G-d share in common is that they are being constantly created by Him. Chazal teach that nature, טבע in Hebrew, shares the same gimatriya (86) as אלקים, the name of Hashem that expresses the Hashem’s ability to conceal Himself. When the world runs its “natural” course, the hand of Hashem behind its workings isn’t obviously apparent. When miracles occur and that cover-up is lifted, revealing the hidden hand behind all that occurs in the universe, the shared aspect of any and every creation comes to the forefront — namely, that all it is really is an expression of G-dliness. When any given creation in the world becomes part of a miraculous process, it actually reveals an underlying unity with everything else in the world found in its core. This revelation overshadows its individualism: |
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When that happens, they start to exist in a manner wherein their individual character, namely their advantages and particular attributes, is not (so) felt. Instead what is apparent is the more general concept of “wonders”. |
וּבְאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא נִרְגַּשׁ (כָּל-כַּךְ) עִנְיָנָם הַפְּרָטִי, מַעֲלָתָם וּתְכוּנָתָם כו’, אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן הַכְּלָלִי דְּ”נִפְלָאוֹת”, |
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Within wondrous acts of G-d, the wonders promised to take place at the Redemption are even more revealing of G-d’s oneness: |
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