Parashat Pkudei – We Are Obligated

Rabbi Ezra Friedman

Judaism requires complete dedication from Jews. There are no shortcuts in Judaism. A Jew must be willing to dedicate everything to serving Hashem. This not only includes material aspects but emotional ones as well. Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, the founder of the deep analytical model of learning Talmud, discusses the intent one should have during prayer. He expounds from Maimonides that in order to fulfill the obligation of prayer, it is not enough to say the words at the appropriate time while donning Talit and Tefillin. One must pray with the appropriate intent. Rav Chaim claims that if one doesn’t consciously feel that he is speaking in front of the creator of the world in all His glory, then no matter what he says he is not truly praying. Without the emotional component, prayer doesn’t happen. This is just an example of how Jews must focus and bring their hearts and emotions to a state where they feel their servitude to Hashem on a deep level. This is a very hard task since emotions are fluid and at times uncontrollable.

How can Jews acquire such emotional dedication? We are all created with flaws and there is always a day in Orthodox Jews’ lives when we wake up and simply don’t have the emotional strength to pray or we don’t have the capacity to sing at our Shabbat table. What does Hashem expect from us? The answer is that if that if we grasp the right way of looking at our life system, the Torah, we can answer this question. In all aspects of modern society, there are rules, obligations and benefits. Civilization adapts and accepts that detailed and obligatory systems, such as government, are fundamental in order to prevent anarchy. A legal system of laws and rules is the pillar that holds society together. Most law-abiding citizens accept the laws of the countries, in which they reside, even if sometimes they find them harsh or unfair. A citizen fulfills his obligation because he believes and understands that is the right thing to do. In Torah, this is also true, but on a much deeper level.

Parshat Pekudei completes the book of Exodus, which relates story of leaving Egypt, receiving the Torah, and building the nation of Am Yisrael. The book ends by retelling the details of the Mishkan and its utensils. The Mishkan and its construction take up a large part of the latter section of Sefer Shemot, but in Parashat Pekudei there is a unique addition. As opposed to earlier descriptions of the Mishkan, Parashat Pekudei mentions more than twenty times the term ,”כאשר צוה ה’ את משה” , “Just as Hashem commanded Moshe”. Since these words give no additional information about the commandments, what is the purpose of this addition? The Torah commands us to build a Mishkan and explains everything in exacting detail, what materials to use, the precise dimensions, and where to place each utensil. Does every detail matter? For instance, if someone felt that a part of the Mishkan should be made of gold instead of silver, would it make a difference?

The Mishkan is a mirror of Jewish life. The Mishkan is a physical project put together by Am Yisrael as a whole. The above additional words come to teach Am Yisrael throughout the generations that Torah is not just an emotional experience or a religious epiphany, but rather a system that holds our very lives together. When we can internalize this concept, we can understand and live with every part of the Mishkan, just as Hashem wanted. We can come to terms and value every aspect, no matter how our emotions affect our viewpoints.

This lesson is essential for serving Hashem. Perhaps there are mornings when one wakes up and might not have the emotional or mental strength to pray with complete concentration. However, if one can internalize how the Torah lays out a guide to a full and prosperous life, then no matter what the situation, any Jew can rise up and make his best effort to have real intent in prayer, regardless of how difficult his or her life might be. He or she can have a festive and enjoyable Shabbat, even though there are financial difficulties and it would be better to work overtime on Friday. Even though the Torah is all-encompassing, its tenets are no less important than those of any other modern-day system of obligation, whether it be government, army, or corporation. The more we realize that we are bound by an intricate system of laws, which are for our benefit, the more serious our Avodat Hashem (service to Hashem) will become.

This important mindset is very important for our days. Unfortunately, we live in an era where postmodernism is rampant. People feel that their spontaneous emotions are what is true. There is no such thing as objective morals and as such, many young people today want to be free from all obligations. On the contrary, when we are bound by a system that caters to every aspect of our lives, we grow stronger. True dedication is when someone feels the desire to do something, but knows it is not the right thing to do. The Torah teaches us to tame our emotions and realize the importance of a system that guides our lives and helps us become better. Truth and objective values are not a negative. They are the way our world needs to function even if they are difficult and complex. Therefore, the next time we find it hard to put on our Tefilin, open our wallets to give Tzedakah, or do a favor for someone we do not like, we should remember those five words, “Just as Hashem commanded Moshe”.  We are obligated to follow the Torah and we will become better people because of it.