Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:20) The Sin Of Baseless Hate

This week’s portion is all about construction of the Mishkan. Moses calls together the people to give instructions on construction and we again meet Betzalel, the head of the project. We also are reminded of the importance of Shabbat and the call again for people to bring gifts (donations) from everyone whose heart is so moved.
Yet, there is a challenging interpretation that has frightening contemporary implications within the beginning of the portion. Moses calls on all the people, maybe to bring them together as a community after the Golden Calf incident. Indeed, in the Etz Hayim commentary, we read that the “Second Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred of one Jew for another” (p. 552). This interpretation drawn from Talmud Yoma, reflects a traditional concept known as “Sin’at Chinnam”. This is baseless hatred of another.
Once again, our tradition speaks to us. The sin of “sin’at chinnam” is rampant. Think about the society in which we are living, where the concept of “the other” is being accepted more and more. The “other” is made to stand out, ridiculed and excluded. Just as this sin, according to tradition, helped destroy the Second Temple world, so we can see how the divisiveness in our society can destroy our own way of life. How often has history shown that decay from within contains the seeds that destroy a culture. We Jews must be on guard against this sin, for we have been the victims of it for centuries.
The theme of this portion is the construction of the Mishkan. That Mishkan is often seen as a metaphor for our own life, our own community etc. Maybe this portion is asking what materials we bring to the creation of our life and world? Is it a building build on “Ahavat Chinnam” (love) or have we allowed hate, distrust and fear to eat away at the very foundations?
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Richard F. Address

Rabbi Richard Address

Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min, is the Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com. Rabbi Address served for over three decades on staff of the Union for Reform Judaism; first as a Regional Director and then, beginning in 1997, as Founder and Director of the URJ’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns and served as a specialist and consultant for the North American Reform Movement in the areas of family related programming. Rabbi Address was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972 and began his rabbinic career in Los Angeles congregations. He also served as a part time rabbi for Beth Hillel in Carmel, NJ while regional director and, after his URJ tenure, served as senior rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ from 2011-2014.