In a tremendous show of unity and magnanimity, the Jewish nation – men and women – came together, in the recently read sidros, to donate their hearts and pockets, to the completion of the construction of the Mishkan – the holy Tabernacle.
In this week’s sidrah, Moshe Rabbeinu declares the success of this campaign, and states that “the work (i.e. the contributions) had been enough for all the work, to do it, and there was extra,” (Exodus 36:7).
The question that begs to be asked is, “there was an enough, and there was extra” seems to be a contradiction in terms (or a “stirah miney ubey!” as one may say, in Talmudic parlance). For if there was enough, then there was not extra, and if there was extra, then there was more than enough, but not enough.
So, is enough enough?! Or, is “extra” enough?! It would seem from the verse that only by having more than enough, was there indeed “enough,” and this requires explanation, but first – a story.
President John F. Kennedy loved to tell the story of a political battle for the mayoralty of the small manufacturing city of Fall River, Massachusetts.
The candidates scoured the industrial community for support, but general promises would not persuade the voters. The candidates then talked to people as if each vote would truly decide the election. It turns out that they were right.
The Fall River mayorality was the tightest election in Massachusetts history! It took days to declare, and weeks to finally confirm, that the winner of the post was actually decided by one vote!
But the winner’s jubilation was muted only days after the results were declared – because everyone in the town reminded him, “It was my vote that got you elected!”
The Sichos Tzaddikim explains that Moshe felt the (natural) pride involved in the building of the Mishkan; nonetheless, his feelings were tempered by his great personal humility. However, there was a concern that had there been exactly enough gold, silver, precious stones and other materials required for the Mishkan, that there might creep in a false sense of pride – for Moshe as well as for the rest of the Jewish nation.
“It was my contribution that tipped the scales,” each person might think in his heart, and the purity of the Mishkan would be tarnished.
Tangentially, let me share with you a “mussar” (ethical) thought as follows: One of the masters of mussar once quipped, every Jew should have two pockets, each with a different verse inside; the one verse to read “and I am but dust and ash,” and the second verse to read “and You (Hashem) made him (man) just slightly less than G-d.” The first verse represents the frailty and weakness inherent in man, whilst the second signifies the tremendous G-dly heights to which man can reach. The symbolism of having two pockets containing these two verses is that life’s journeys take a person through many varied experiences, and in each experience, one must be aware that one is to approach life with one, or the other, of these two verses – with focus on the frailty of man, or focus upon the greatness of man.
When we contribute to charity we ought to consider that we are merely messengers. If Hashem wants success of any given campaign, it will happen – through us or through others, and not due to any individual.
In that way, the donations towards the Mishkan were “enough, and there was extra,” indicating that this message was conveyed, and the only “ingredient” missing from the Tabernacle was: a false sense of conceit. Then, and only then, was it “enough” and indeed “more than enough.”
[Adapted from “Parsha Parables 3,” by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, pp. 90-91.]
Good Shabbos, Yosef
