Speaking about Parashat Trumah in Melbourne

Trumah Torah portion is not easily read, not even by Hebrew speakers. It is dedicated entirely to a meticulously detailed description of the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), for which all the materials were brought in by the Israelites. This Torah portion tells us which materials are to be collected and put together, what part should be placed on top and what should be placed next to what. This Torah portion seems like a complicated Ikea instruction manual, with exceptional depth and elaboration.

A famous saying claims that “God is in the little details”, and this is beautifully explained in this Torah portion. God is in the place where a lot of thought was invested, where the little details were thought out; God is not in a ready-made place but in one where men labored.

This reminds me of something that my father used to say: “if you do something, do it right”. If you want to earn your colleagues’ respect, to leave a trace of your own, to do something significant, don’t just do it offhandedly but do it right, put your heart into it, put in the time, effort and though it requires.

On the other hand, my mother had a saying of her own. When I would bring home something I made in art class, for instance a figure of an animal – that bore little resemblance to anything you may find in a zoo – my mother would say: “it’s the thought that matters”. What she meant was: even if you didn’t invest a lot of time and thought and the result is not exactly right, it is your good intentions that are important.

Well, my friends, this dilemma is still with me today. How should I tackle the tasks of life? Should I put my entire self into each and every task, perform each with all my heart and soul? This would be the ideal thing to do, but is it possible with so many things to do and such limited time? On both the job front and the family and social circles, the tasks are so many. Not to mention studying, which I would love to take up seriously, and the social causes to which I am eager to commit. So maybe I shouldn’t put so much effort into one task but do a little of everything? A little work, family life, friends, school, social projects – maybe this would be the magic formula? Perhaps this is the only way we can get things done.

When I was quite young I wanted very much to go to university. I remember myself still in high school, looking through university web sites, selecting courses long before I even enrolled. During my internet searches I was always amazed to read about the professors who had dedicated their lives to their specific research, such as to investigating some African beetle. What could be so important about one tiny beetle, I wondered. Why would this professor invest so much time and effort in a beetle, rather than in other, more important causes? But on the other hand, he is one of the world’s experts on this beetle, he knows he gave the world his very own, distinct, contribution, backed by all the heart and courage it takes to promote the knowledge of humanity on this very specific subject. So what would be the most significant way to live your life? Which way brings you more influence?

As a member of the Board of the Israeli Reform Movement, I can tell you that this dilemma preoccupies not only me personally but also our movement as a whole. The Israeli society of today is full of gaps that need to be filled. In secular schools, too little emphasis is given to Jewish education, and our surveys show that the Israeli secular public is eager for more progressive Jewish content. If you know the history of the Israeli Reform Movement you can appreciate how incredible the findings of these surveys are. Hundreds of thousands of new immigrants are waiting for the Jewish leaders who will welcome them into Judaism through a process that respects them as modern people. Millions of Israeli Jews are waiting for that Jewish experience that is also Israeli and communal in nature, an experience that will allow them, if only for one Shabbat, a peek into their own tradition without violating the value of equality that is so dear to them. Many assignments are facing the Israeli Reform Movement, but too little time and too few resources are at hand. So there is that age-old dilemma again: should we focus on one mission? Should we do one small thing with our best efforts? Or should we spread out, help out in many areas but on a smaller scale?

This is, of course, a difficult philosophical question to which there is no clear answer. If we look again at our Torah portion, we will see that the building process was done with materials brought in by different people – each brought in their own special contribution. Some donated gold, others brought in scarlet and crimson dyed wools. Each one contributed something. To create meaning, to leave a trace, to do something the way it should be done, we need to work together. We need to realize that “no man is an island”, as the British poet put it. We must realize that each of us can give a little something, and together, as a society, a movement, an international, Israeli and Australian Jewish community, we can achieve our goals. If we only use our human advantage, each within their own field and their own distinct capability.

In our Torah portion, everybody contributed something to the process but probably not all participated in the actual building. I think this is fine. This is in fact the only way we can live. Some build while others help around, and when another project comes along, it will be those others who will do the building while their friends will now be helpers or contributors.

And this is my answer to the question I raised before. We should each ask ourselves: in what area will my contribution be distinct? What is my expertise? What are my most outstanding properties, which can be of use to society? Once we have answered these questions, we will know what the right field is for us to commit to, and in what other fields we should be helpers and contributors, assisting others who are performing the task.

And let us remember that the task described in our Torah portion is not just ordinary building. It is the building of the tabernacle – a process that served, by itself, as a spiritual experience that strengthened the Israelites. I wish us all that we choose those tasks and projects that will bring us peace and spiritual elevation. I wish us all that we dedicate ourselves, as Rabbi Kook once said, to increasing the goodness in the world.