By Chaya Shuchat
As we enter the first Shabbos in isolation, many of us are looking forward to a rest from the stress of the past week. It’s a time to turn off the news, the Whatsapps, the phone calls, to turn inward and enjoy a restful Shabbos with our families.
Not coincidentally, this Shabbos, Parshas Vayakhel-Pikudei, gives us unique insights to deal with this unprecedented situation.
The two parshiyos on the surface have opposite themes. The parshah of Vayakhel begins with Moshe gathering the Jewish people together to command them to build the mishkan. The Jewish people responded with overwhelming generosity. The parsha of Pikudei is a detailed listing of all the donations received. So the emphasis in Vayakhel is on our unity, while Pikudei emphasizes our individuality.
The last Shabbos farbrengen that we were zocheh to hear from the Rebbe was Parshas Vayakhel, 5752. In that sichah, the Rebbe explains that these two parshiyos are a microcosm of our avodah to transform the world into a dwelling for Hashem. On the one hand we are all joined together in a common purpose. At the same time, each of us has our individual skills, talents and resources to devote to this task. The parshah of Vayakhel teaches us in a general sense that the entire world exists only for the sake of Hashem, while the parshah of Pikudei shows us how to bring the G-dliness down into each and every individual element of the world.
Throughout Jewish history, whenever we faced a tzarah our first instinct is to gather together as one. As we recently read in the Megillah, Mordechai’s response to Haman’s threat was “lech k’nos kol hayehudim,” to gather all the Jews together for fasting and prayer.
In this situation, when we are facing the biggest crisis in our generation, we are forced to isolate from one another, each of us in our own homes. Yet our hearts are beating as one, united, concerned for each other, thinking of each other. Every individual, in their own home, is thinking about how he or she can best lend his or her unique talents and resources to help us get through this crisis.
Teachers have stepped up to share their ideas and lesson plans online. Musicians and entertainers made their videos available for free. People talented in art gave online lessons. One trained therapist in quarantine offered telephone counseling for anyone who needs help managing stress and anxiety. In the past week I have merited to see up close the work of the Gedaliah Society. Dozens of volunteers fielded hundreds of phone calls with requests for advice or assistance. Our community came together to make sure that despite the isolation, nobody should be without food or medication, or a caring and reassuring person to talk to.
Through building a mishkan for Hashem we show that the entire world was created solely to serve Hashem. This week, especially, when the world has come to a standstill and all matters of olam hazeh fade into the background, we have a unique opportunity this Shabbos to tune in to the true spiritual reality. Our achdus and ahavas Yisroel are the keys to confronting everything that lies ahead of us, to nullify the cause of this galus and bring about the ultimate miracle, the hisgalus of Moshiach and rebuilding the third Beis Hamikdosh.
Chaya Shuchat, a pediatric nurse practitioner, is also the author of A Diamond a Day, an adaptation of Hayom Yom for children, as well as many articles on the interface of Chassidus and daily life.
