The Importance of Details, The Importance of the Big Picture

Rabbi Joel Fleekop

Saturday, May 23, 2009

After years of planning and months of construction, I am very excited that our expansion here at Shir Hadash is nearly complete. As announced last Sunday at the congregational meeting, we hope to wrap up construction next month.

Throughout the inconveniences of construction – and there have been a few -- I drew comfort from the Torah’s instructions for the building of the tabernacle. This year there was something particularly meaningful in the notion -- expressed in the book of Exodus -- that holiness can be found in the gathering of materials, the making of plans, and the banging of tools.

With that said, I am happy we are almost done. I am looking forward to the day, may it not be distant, when the holy sounds of hammers will be replaced again by holy quiet. And while I think it is important to get exercise and enjoy nature – having to walk outside to get to a printer, copy machine, or co-worker wasn’t exactly ideal.

Thankfully, that is almost behind us and we will have a beautifully updated and expanded campus to enjoy. I am eagerly anticipating just about everything that comes with the end of construction – but not moving. Not packing up, schlepping, unpacking, and reorganizing.

Preparing to confront this last challenge, I have a special affinity for the end of this week’s Torah portion. This section gives procedures for moving of the tabernacle and the sacred objects inside – including the ark, oil lamp menorah, and altars. Aaron and his sons are instructed to dismantle the tabernacle and to prepare the items within for transport – covering the sacred objects in layers of cloth and protective goat skins. In other words, they are instructed to do the packing.

The responsibility for actually moving the objects, however, rests with the Kohathites, a clan within the tribe of Levi. Regarding this important work, the last three verses of our parshah, Numbers 4:18-20 instruct,

Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; But thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things; Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them each to his service and to his burden; But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

In studying these verse, the rabbi’s raise two important questions. Why was each Kohathite assigned a specific task? And why was it so important that they not witness the actual packing of the objects?

Midrash Rabbah offers an answer, actually two, to the question of why the jobs were assigned.

According to Rabbi Elazar Ben Padat, the Kohathites might have been afraid to carry the holy ark, since it’s mishandling can result in death. And thus, if the jobs were not assigned, the Kohathites would all run to carry the other objects – the tables, vessels, menorah, and the altars. The ark, the most holy object, would thereby be slighted. Thus, God commanded Moses to assign each Kohathite with a specific task.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, offers the exact opposite explanation for the assignments. In the same text as Rabbi Padat’s teaching, we find Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman suggestion that since the Kohathites knew the ark was the most holy object, they would have all run to carry it. Arguments, perhaps even fights would arise over who had the honor of carrying the ark. And of course all the other holy objects would be slighted. Hence the need for specific assignments.

Whether one follows the interpretation of Rabbi Eleazar or Rabbi Shmuel, the reason for the assignments seems to be one of logistics. Giving each Kohathite a specific task – outlining a clear process -- ensures that everything moves smoothly and that nothing important is forgotten or left behind.

Now the second question. Why were the Kohathites – those charged with the actual schlepping -- not permitted to watch as the Levites prepared the sacred objects for transport?

The answer to this question has to do with psychology. Rabbi Hirsch explains,

The reason for this was that the holy vessels should not be regarded simply as material articles of use. The people should realize their inner, symbolic significance. . . Had they kept their gaze directed on the holy vessels whilst they were being covered, this inner perception of their sacred purpose would have suffered.

In other words, if the Kohathites watched as the objects that made up the tabernacle were prepared for transport, they might come to see these holy items as just objects -- as simply constructs of wood, cloth, gold, or bronze. They might forget that these objects, each rich in symbolism, combined to make up the holy tabernacle – which itself was a symbol for God’s presence in the life of the Israelites.

So what can we learn from these two questions and their answer?

From the first, we learn that in matters of ritual, as in other areas of life, process and planning are important. Whether overseeing the expansion of a synagogue so that it better meets the needs of our holy community, having friends over for a relaxing Shabbat dinner, or preparing to become Bar or Bat Mitzvah, it is important to know what steps need to be taken and how they will be accomplished.

But with so much focus on process, planning, and doing there is the chance that the big picture, the holiness of Jewish community and Jewish observance can get lost. And so we are reminded by the second question that pro-active-steps must be taken so that we never, through familiarity or misuse, allow the holy to become mundane.

Olivia, nearly a year ago you were given a list of prayers to study, speeches to write, and scriptural readings to learn in preparation for this morning. Unlike the clan of Kohathites moving the tabernacle, the heavy lifting fell to you alone. But as in our Torah portion, process was important. It was the many steps and milestones – the completing of each week’s assignment – that led to you so beautifully leading us in worship this morning.

And so now, with your hard work done, I pray, as I do with all Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, that through the hours spent mastering different aspects of the service, you haven’t forgotten that these tasks are not homework assignments but rather elements for creating something holy – a Bat Mitzvah – a responsible Jewish adult.

And I offer a similar prayer for all of us who are engaged in the functioning of our holy community – as volunteers, board members or staff. May we be blessed to see not only the process and steps required for success, but the ultimate and holy goal behind our actions – whether we are trying to move the world, move spirits, or simply move offices.

Shabbat Shalom