By Rabbi Craig Axler
This week’s Torah portion is Vayakhel-Pekudei: Exodus 35:1 — 40:38
This week, we conclude the Book of Exodus with Vayakhel-Pekudei and so end the extended chapters dedicated almost entirely to the instructions, construction and assembly of the Tabernacle — the first portable holy place of our collective people. The last several weeks have been devoted to the dimensions, detailed descriptions and even repetitive lists of each component part of the Mishkan.
Amid all the minutiae it could be easy to lose sight of one of the most inspiring elements of this section of Torah: The holiness of the Tabernacle and Tent of Meeting stems from their construction as an inclusive, collective project that welcomed and made use of the gifts of heart, spirit, talent and substance from the whole community. Moses convenes the people, repeats the command from God to bring the materials and carry out this work, and they spring into action. As Exodus 35:21 tells us:
“And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit was moved came, bringing to the Eternal an offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral vestments.”
Even the language here is clearly inclusive. We find the Hebrew word “kol,” meaning “all, each or every” with an unusual density in these chapters. It calls out for comment. Exodus 35:22 makes even more explicit that this is a truly inclusive project: “Vayavo’u ha’anashim al ha’nashim — Both men and women came — Kol nediv lev — All whose hearts so moved them.”
From this very first communal construction project to the present day the message is clear: community must be inclusive to achieve the goal of bringing holiness and God’s presence into the world. There is a place at the table, a use for the gifts of every willing heart. When we consciously or inadvertently exclude someone, we diminish the holiness of the endeavor.
Last month, Jewish communities marked the annual tradition of JDAIM — Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month. Among the questions we ought to be asking as synagogues and institutions during the month of February and (more importantly) at all times is: Who is in the room? Who is not in the room? Are there barriers, physical and institutional, keeping those with any variety of disabilities out of our institutions? Do we see, recognize and respond to those who are present in ways that honor the varied gifts of the heart they bring to our communities? What more could we be doing to truly include everyone?
And, of course, this same principle applies to every facet of what makes our diverse community beautiful and whole. True holiness in our sacred spaces depends on the presence of the whole House of Israel. May all our prayers ascend in all places as offerings of the heart. ■
Rabbi Craig Axler is the senior rabbi of Temple Isaiah in Fulton, Maryland.
