בס''ד
Building a repository for the presence of G-d is no small feat and
seemingly necessitated specific kinds of individuals to accomplish its
requirements. The Mishkan and the
vessels contained within, had to not only be assembled to the most precise
instructions, but also had to be constructed by those who understood the nature
of what it was they were undertaking.
The Torah specifies that “Every wise-hearted (Chacham Lev) person
amongst you” should take part in this magnificent endeavour. Examining that particular turn of phrase more
closely may lead us to wonder why the attribute of wisdom is connected to the
heart, normally associated with emotions, rather than the brain, the more conventional
source of intelligence?
The truth lies in understanding what
genuine wisdom is. The common misconception
is to think that as long as a person has acquired significant knowledge, that
person should be deemed sagacious when, as the Chochams Hamatzpun asserts, this
is not at all the case. If a person
knows a tremendous amount about a subject, but does not apply that knowledge
through practical application of its useful elements, than that person is far
from wise and in reality may be considered a fool. That type of person demanded by this lofty
task had to be one who not only knew of spiritual matters but lived them as
well. The wisdom had to not only be in
the mind, but in the heart, the reservoir of all those feelings within us that
contribute to how we actually behave.
If we pause for a moment and take an
honest look at our own lives, it is likely that we would concede to not truly
living up to the standards that we know we should be keeping to. A declaration that we know what is right, can
be used as something of a defence for our behaviour and a justification for our
life choices. I may not be living to the
values I aspire to, but at least I am a person who is aware of the ideals and
one day will reach those ambitions. Although
this knowledge may be the foundation for future growth, it must not be used as a
crutch to support stagnated development, relying on aspirations of future exploitation
of our awareness of righteous behaviour, at the expense of actual change. If we are not applying what we know to our every
day, then we are perhaps no better off for knowing it. If we are not trying to live the life we know
to be the genuinely virtuous one, then we are living a life of folly with the
keys to true wisdom stowed away in our pockets.
May Shabbos touch our minds and
hearts.
לעילוי נשמת לאה
בת אברהם
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