In
this week’s Torah portion, Vayakhel (Ex. 35:1 – 38:20) Moses repeats to the
Israelites the detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle that God had
given to him. Moses names Bezalel, who
he says, “God has singled out” as the director and chief artisan of the
enterprise. Indeed, in Exodus 31, God
tells Moses that He has endowed Bezalel with “ruach Elohim”, divine spirit of skill, ability and knowledge in
every kind of craft. “Ruach Elohim” is the same phrase used in
the opening words of Genesis, just before God speaks to create light.
In Midrashic literature, Bezalel’s name is
deconstructed to b-tzel-el, meaning “in
the shadow of God”. Rabbi Harold
Kushner, in the Etz Chaim Torah Commentary, takes this to mean that, because of
Bezalel’s work, people will be able to see in it, in limited manner, the
presence of God. Avivah Gottlieb
Zornberg, in her work The Particulars of Rapture points out that in
order to create his artistic works,especially metalwork, Bezalel must master the use of fire. Just as God creates and destroys, so Bezalel
uses fire, which also has creative and destructive properties.
Legend
says that not only Bezalel, but his assistant Oholiab and all those who worked
on the Tabernacle were also gifted with ruach
Elohim. So too is every person who
makes art, or literature or music given this divine spirit. With that spirit, we create, and in the words
of the Baal Shem Tov, string pearls for the delight of Heaven.
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