בס''ד
If you've ever watched a child sifting through his haul of
birthday presents after their party, you will have noticed each one being
swiftly unwrapped to find out what has been received. But if each of the
gifts are identical then they will soon be given short shrift. Each of
the princes of the tribes brought identical offerings for the dedication of the
mishkon, yet the Torah painstakingly lists every individual tribute
brought. Given that we know the Torah contains not even one superfluous
letter, it requires explanation why each of the princes’ offerings were listed
when the Torah could have quite easily given one description and then stated
that each of the princes duplicated that exact same offering.
Although
two acts can seem externally entirely alike, in fact they may be diametrical
opposites. To give money to a person
because one wants to help someone in need is completely different to giving to
another solely in order that others should be impressed by your apparent
charitable deed. The very same action,
donating the very same amount, is for one, an act of giving, and for the other,
in truth, an act of taking. Taking this
idea a step further, it is also true that even within any given positive action,
there can still be multiple forms that it can take; all correct and valuable, yet different in
their essence. The desire of each prince
to offer sacrifices in the Mishkon all stemmed from the exact same genuine wish
to be involved in this momentous moment and it came into each one of their
minds at exactly the same time. Yet,
says the Ramban, each one came with their own unique motivations and rationales
for what they brought and why they brought it.
This meant that although the offerings may have outwardly looked indistinguishable
from each other, their essential nature was in truth completely distinct and
require its own listing to express this.
The
Jewish way of life demands exact courses of action for every given situation
and to a great extent we are bound by the same rules and obligations as
everyone else. This sameness may give
rise to feelings of insignificance in both ourselves and our actions. However nothing could be further from the truth. Although it is true that you may be
performing the same external act, your own set of circumstances, unique
disposition and exclusive mindset that only you put into this performance,
means that only you will ever accomplish this mitzvah in this particular way
and only you can generate the creation of G-dliness in the world that is the result of this absolutely
extraordinary inimitable act.
*May
Shabbos bring out the uniqueness that belongs only to us*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
לעילוי
נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון
לרפואת אלימלך יהושע אהרון בן דבורה רבקה
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