Building the Tabernacle – an action we complete in this week’s double portion Vayakhel-Pekudei – is one of the holiest acts recorded in the Torah. Watching the Israelites gather from far and wide to complete this traveling sanctuary is as every bit as miraculous as the crossing of the sea and receiving Torah at Mount Sinai. It is through this act where human kindness and love overflow, and every single Israelite can contribute toward the project. As we read in Exodus 35:21: “And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred up, and every one whose spirit made willing, they brought offerings to the work of the Tent of Meeting, and to serve God…”
The overflowing of generosity felt thousands of years ago, is exactly the feeling we were able to capture in this year’s CSS Purim spiel. Watching the dozens of actors and musicians come onto our CSS bima to perform the story of Esther to the music of The Beach Boys was a thing of beauty. A big thank you to Cantor Frank for organizing what Bruce Corris always calls our “rag-tag crew” into a cohesive production. I especially admire the work of Julia Cohan and Elaine Kellick who transformed our hallway and worship space into a beach party, as well as our chief costume designer extraordinaire, Sue Frank. Betzalel, the chief artist of the Tabernacle, was no doubt smiling down upon us with joy in seeing what they were able to create. May they continue to use their talents to bring God into our midsts in the near and the far future.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex