Subjugating Our Individualism

Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In the Parshiyos of Terumah, Tetzaveh, Ki Sisa, and Vayakhel, detailed instructions for the building of the Mishkan were given. In Parashas Pikudei, Betzalel and his men construct it. Every component of the Mishkan is mentioned, and each time the Torah relates that the craftsmen made it “as Hashem commanded Moshe.” This phrase appears eighteen times.

Why should such an obvious point be stressed so repeatedly? Every element of the Mishkan had its own construction requirements—naturally they were produced as Hashem had commanded! Was there any alternative? Moshe’s blessing to all those who were involved in the Mishkan seems strange too—he also specified that his blessing was because they had done their jobs “as they had been commanded.” Why should a person who does what he is employed to do get praised and blessed?

Rav Yechezkel Levenstein answers by pointing out that people have a powerful drive for self-expression. Their ideas, beliefs, and individuality accompany them with every action that they do. People like to do things “their way,” and often they go out of their way to leave their mark. Even when it comes to mitzvos, people often put personal touches on the way that they celebrate Shabbos, learn, or do chessed for others. There’s a lot of room for individuality when serving Hashem.

However, though personal dedication and individuality are precious to Hashem, there is no place for them when we are faced with clear halachic instructions. Our mitzvos are supposed to reflect Hashem, not ourselves. Our Shabbos table is unique in terms of the words of Torah we choose to say, the songs that we sing, and the dishes we serve, but when it comes to the laws of what is permitted and forbidden on Shabbos, there is no room for individuality. The laws must be kept precisely.

This was the greatness of the artisans who constructed the Mishkan. Any artist can find ways to make his mark, no matter how detailed the instructions that he was given. Here, the craftsmen were praised for subjugating themselves entirely to accomplishing nothing other than Hashem’s instructions. Any thoughts of embellishments were set aside. Their sole motivation was to do exactly “as Hashem commanded Moshe.” This was the real masterpiece.

Rav Reuven Fine adds another reason that the artisans were singled out for praise. They were all men of exceptional understanding, capable of appreciating the spiritual beauty of the Mishkan’s design. Hashem revealed all of the secrets contained in the blueprint of the Mishkan to them. Every detail represented deep spiritual ideas. Nevertheless, during the construction the artisans were only motivated by their pure desire to fulfill Hashem’s word. Though construction of the Mishkan could have been spiritually exciting, what excited the artisans was participating in a project that fulfilled Hashem’s will—nothing more.

Some people think that they can only find motivation for fulfilling a mitzvah happily by being inspired by the reason behind it. However, this is not what Hashem really wants. These people are clearly not emulating the ways of Betzalel and his artisans.

There is another issue with being overinvolved in the reasons behind the mitzvos. Unfortunately, one’s power of reasoning can lead to conclusions that are irrelevant, or worse, incorrect. We find a few instances in Jewish history where even Torah giants failed because they reasoned their way out of doing what Hashem really wanted. One of the most notable cases is found in Sanhedrin (21b). There, the Gemara relates that Shlomo HaMelech took more wives and horses than he was allowed to by Torah law because he felt that the Torah’s prohibitions weren’t applicable to him. The Torah says that a king should not take too many wives because they will distract him from Hashem and cause him to go after his base desires. The Torah also says that a king should not acquire too many horses because this may cause him to take up residence in Egypt, something forbidden for Jews to do. Since the Torah revealed a specific reason for each of these laws, Shlomo asserted that only when the reasons were applicable did the prohibitions exist. He thought that one who would not stumble in these ways was allowed to engage in these practices. Unfortunately, the Gemara testifies that Shlomo HaMelech did indeed succumb to what the Torah had warned him about.

We see that a legal argument advanced by the wisest of men was flawed because it was rooted in an intellectual approach to mitzvos. The Torah is Hashem’s tailor-made guide for mankind, and every mitzvah is an essential building block for existence. Shlomo should never have thought that there was a way that the Torah did not apply to him.

In truth, we share a lot in common with Shlomo HaMelech. Though we don’t reject Torah principles, G-d forbid, we may reason that we’re not violating them or that the Torah understands and is lenient with people in our situation. The true Torah perspective is to accept the challenge of living up to the Torah’s principles completely, and apply ourselves to keeping the mitzvos that Hashem expects us to fulfill. Doing mitzvos “as Hashem commanded Moshe” is not exceptional piety—it is basic Judaism.

Rav Shlomo Brevda would recall that there used to be people in Torah-observant circles who felt that Hashem really just wants us to have a good heart, or that the main thing is to engage in Torah study. Both kinds of people had lenient attitudes toward Halachah. At times these people could commit even the most serious of sins!

“The Chazon Ish was the one who restored the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) to its proper place at the center of Torah-observant life,” said Rav Brevda. Today, all observant Jews know that even the most caring heart and the most brilliant mind are worthless if one does not use them to fulfill Hashem’s commandments to the letter.

May we be zocheh to fulfill the mitzvos “just as Hashem commanded Moshe”!

NEW! HOT OFF THE PRESS! Rabbi Krieger’s “Gedolei Yisroel on the Parashah & Yamim Tovim” is now available from the Yeshiva office, Jewish bookstores worldwide and can be ordered online at https://www.feldheim.com/gedolei-yisroel-on-Parashah-yamim-tovim-2.