Community Projects
Parshat Vayakhel-Pikudei
This week we read the double portion of Vayakhel and Pikudei. These two portions are the final portions of the Book of Shemot (Exodus). The Parshah begins with the words " ויקהל משה - And Moshe gathered." (Shemot: 35:1). This portion discusses in great detail the actual building of the Mishkan (tabernacle in the wilderness) and how all the planning and design finally came to fruition.
The etymology of the word Vayakhel comes from Kahal or Kehilah, which means to congregate or congregation. In fact, it is common and appropriate in Hebrew to call a community or synagogue a Kehilah. It is fascinating that the word Kehilah or Vayakhel seemingly first appears in the Torah in this portion, as it relates to the communal building project of the Mishkan. Why is that?
Building communities is a tricky and challenging task. Big and vibrant communities seem to have it all, infrastructure, support systems, organizations and more. Disconnected or fractured communities seem to be lacking the abovementioned systems and the special sauce of what makes a community vibrant and rich.
So, what is the secret? How do we set out to build community? How do we take individuals with varied ideas and opinions and begin to mesh them together into a unified force?
The great military powers of the world as well as successful businesses and organizations recognized long ago, that in order to create a unified community or group, there must be a shared vision and purpose. This is the singular greatest objective of the military's basic training - to take individuals and make them into a fighting force. In military jargon "To tear down the individual and build back a disciplined, physically and mentally tough, professional warrior". Similarly, smart leaders, recruit, train and have their employees buy into a vision, for without a shared goal and raison d'etre - there can be no real community.
In the last portions, we see how Hashem commanded the Jewish people to build the Mishkan. They donate materials, plan the structure, lay out the building schematics, and more. But it is only in this portion, Vayakhel, where they actually start the building that they are called a Kehilah. That is because now is when they truly became one community, focused and driven towards the same goal. The same applies to building any community. When a community has a shared vision and belief, a collective objective and goal, beautiful things happen. For when individuals come together with a greater purpose and goal, they truly become a Kehilah - a special sacred community.
Shabbat Shalom
