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and Rav Kook wrote a touching
letter in support of its creation.
He saw the renaissance of art in
the Holy Land as a symbol of the
regeneration of the Jewish people
in their own land, landscape
and birthplace. Judaism in
the diaspora, removed from
a natural connection with its
own historic environment, was
inevitably cerebral and spiritual,
“alienated.
” Only in Israel would
an authentic Jewish aesthetic
emerge, strengthened by and
strengthening Jewish spirituality.
Perhaps the most moving
of all remarks Rav Kook made
about art came in the course
of a conversation he had with
a Jewish sculptor: “When I
lived in London, I used to visit
the National Gallery, and my
favorite pictures were those
of Rembrandt. I really think
that Rembrandt was a tzaddik.
Do you know that when I first
saw Rembrandt’s works, they
reminded me of the rabbinic
statement about the creation of
light?
“We are told that when God
created light [on the first day
of Creation, as opposed to the
natural light of the sun on the
fourth day], it was so strong
and pellucid that one could see
from one end of the world to
the other, but God was afraid
that the wicked might abuse it.
What did He do? He reserved
that light for the righteous in the
World to Come. But now and
then there are great men who
are blessed and privileged to see
it. I think that Rembrandt was
one of them, and the light in
his pictures is the very light that
God created on Genesis day.
”
I have often wondered what
it was about Rembrandt’s
paintings that so enthralled the
Rav. Rembrandt lived in the
Jewish quarter of Amsterdam,
knew Jews and painted them, as
well as painting many biblical
scenes, though the closeness
or otherwise of his connection
with Jews has been the subject

of controversy. Rav Kook’s
admiration for the artist had,
I suspect, nothing to do with
this and everything to do with
the light Rembrandt saw in
the faces of ordinary people,
without any attempt to beautify
them. His work let us see the
transcendental quality of the
human, the only thing in the
universe on which God set His
image.
Art in Hebrew — omanut —
has a semantic connection
with emunah, “faith” or
“faithfulness.
” A true artist is
faithful both to his materials and
to the task, teaching us:
To see a world in a grain of

sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of
your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
(From Auguries of Innocence by
William Blake)
The name Betzalel means, “in
the shadow of God.
” Art is the
shadow cast by the radiance of
God that suffuses all things:
The world is charged with the
grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining
from shook foil.
(From God’s Grandeur by
Gerard Manley Hopkins)
And as Goethe said: “Where
there is much light, the shadow
is deep.
” When art lets us see
the wonder of creation as God’s
work and the human person
as God’s image, it becomes a
powerful part of the religious
life, with one proviso. The
Greeks believed in the holiness
of beauty. Jews believe in hadrat
kodesh, the beauty of holiness:
not art for art’s sake but art as
a disclosure of the ultimate
artistry of the Creator. That is
how omanut enhances emunah,
how art adds wonder to faith.

The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan

Sacks served as the chief rabbi of

the United Hebrew Congregations of

the Commonwealth, 1991-2013. His

teachings have been made available

to all at rabbisacks.org.

The Effectiveness of
Unity Toward a Goal
P

arshat Vayakhel teaches
us the profound sig-
nificance of collective
action and communal unity
as the Israelites embark on the
construction of the Mishkan
(Tabernacle), a tangible sym-
bol of their covenant with the
Divine. Following the
revelation at Mount
Sinai, the community
rallies together, tran-
scending individual
differences to contrib-
ute generously toward
this sacred endeavor.
At the heart of
Vayakhel lies the metic-
ulous account of how
the Israelites gener-
ously contribute their
resources and skills
toward the construc-
tion. Every member
of the community, regardless of
social status or material wealth,
is invited to participate in this
sacred undertaking. The egal-
itarian ethos underlying this
collective endeavor underscores
the inherent value of every indi-
vidual within the community,
emphasizing the importance of
inclusivity and mutual support.
Furthermore, the narrative
highlights the necessity of
organization and coordination
in communal projects. Moses
appoints skilled artisans, such
as Bezalel and Oholiab, to over-
see the construction, ensuring
that each task is executed with
precision and excellence. This
demonstrates the importance of
leadership and expertise in guid-
ing collective efforts toward a
common goal. It underscores the
principle that unity is not merely
about coming together but also
about working together effective-
ly toward a shared vision.
The Mishkan itself serves as a

tangible symbol of the covenant
between the Israelites and the
Divine. Through its construc-
tion, the community forges
a collective identity centered
around their relationship with
God. The Mishkan becomes a
focal point for communal wor-
ship, embodying the presence
of the Divine among God’s
people and reminding them
of their shared covenantal
obligations.
We, as contemporary read-
ers, are challenged to con-
sider the relevance of these
principles in our own lives.
In an era marked by indi-
vidualism, the imperative to
cultivate unity and solidarity
within our communities res-
onates deeply. The narrative
of the Mishkan inspires us to
harness the transformative
power of collective action and to
work toward common goals with
shared purpose.
Moreover, we are invited to
contemplate the role of leader-
ship and expertise in guiding
communal endeavors. Just as
Moses appointed artisans to
oversee the construction of the
Mishkan, so must contemporary
leaders cultivate and harness
the talents of individuals within
their communities for the greater
good. By fostering an environ-
ment of collaboration and mutu-
al respect, leaders can inspire
collective action and empower
others to contribute their unique
gifts toward shared goals.
By embracing unity, purpose
and collective action, we can
aspire to build sacred spaces in
our midst, where the presence
of the Divine dwells among us
and where the aspirations of our
communities find expression.

Rabbi Robert Gamer is the rabbi at

Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park.

SPIRIT
TORAH PORTION

Rabbi Robert
Gamer

Parshat

Vayakhel:

Exodus

35:1-38:20,

30:11-16;

II Kings

12:1-17.

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