By CHAYA KAPLAN-LESTER
In this week''s reading Moses introduces the people to Bezalel – the master artist and constuctor of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. As with much of the content of the parsha this is almost a word for word repetition of last week''s text. There it is God who introduces Bezalel to Moses. Both introductions are essentially a three-verse long run-on sentence ennumerating Bezalel''s divinely endowed gifts. They tell of his talents of working with silver, gold, brass, stones, wood. Yet there is one difference between the two; one addition to this week''s telling that was not in the last. Here Moses adds a fourth verse which introduces another type of skill altogether. He says that God gave Bezalel the ability “l''horot” – to teach, to instruct. Suddenly, amidst all of these technical skills Moses brings in the craft of educating others in how to create.And let''s not forget, the people have just emerged from their most monsterous creation ever, the Golden Calf. They are admonished, repentant, broken. One might have thought that their confidence in their ability to create anything worthwhile would have been snuffed out with the calf. And yet, in spite of, or perhaps because of it, they are moved – and moved mightily – to create offerings, and to re-create themselves.The creative impulse and act is essentially therapeutic for the people. They are healed from the trauma of the calf with the creation of the Mishkan. Bezalel stands as a master teacher in his ability to empower others to their highest creative selves. And in this he also stands as a healer, able to bring healing through empowerment. It is when our leaders have a heartfelt urge to teach, to nurture the growth of others, to guide, to share, to empower...that sacred space is materialized in our midst.The poem below shares Bezalel''s instructions to a young artist. He teaches not external, manual technique but internal, spiritual technique. For the text is clear, his skills are divinely-implanted. He thus instructs others to become creators by connecting to and shadowing the ultimate Creator.The exercise for this week – List out 3 of your most divinely-endowed skills. How can you teach one of them to someone else?Letter to a Young ArtistThough knowledge may be taughtWisdom must be minedand a thousand-seasons of advicecan be lost in the gloss
of a single self-sought in-sightThe best I can teach youis to seek Source within.God-giftedvoice grantedstill, smalland thin.So inquire and see,where is this mishkan constructedin me?Where are you embroidered,where garbed in argaman?Where are you hammered,where are you spun?What is the silver that you alone smith?What gold is burrowedin your fault-linesand rifts?Your life,right nowis risen-sapand skeletonkeyThe sole materialresilient to time andsmall quakes of defeats.Your internal compassis the one textI compel you to read.*Do not be distracted by task and materials.Technique is irrelevantwhen you''re working with miracles.YOU yourself are the fiberousflesh of the tentinstructions for constructionengraved on your skinYOU are the blueprint for building-- unfurl!The study of selfis the map to the worldSo heed the mentor of inner majiwho shutters forth in dreams- whose instructions are embeddedand spelled out in reamsof data from thedroning mundane of your daysRaised up,encoded in skin,limb and name.*It all depends on GodRemember thatAnd you’ll never lack for applause….for the thunder herself will provideAnd the tongues of treesWill sound the treble of your best critiqueAnd as for vocationthat path will be gildedwith bow to the Spiritnot boon to the self.And you will know your own nameby hearing it calledfrom God’s mouthand none else.And when the final test comesand you spin gold out of strawcredit but the Instructorwho endowed it all.