It wasn\u2019t long ago that the typical football fan simply watched his team\u2019s games each week and checked in again for the Super Bowl. During the six month offseason, the fan would focus his attention to other sports, or to his family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following football has evolved since then, and one clear sign of this phenomenon was this past week\u2019s obsession with the NFL Combine, a way for NFL teams to assess players joining the league from college. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These young men participate in a 40-yard dash, bench press, and vertical leap and more. Interviews, personality tests, intelligence tests, medical evaluations. The goal of the combine is to gather objective raw data for scouts and managers to more accurately assess a player\u2019s value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the combine is flawed. Treating football players like specimens causes teams to pass on shorter quarterbacks such as Russel Wilson and Drew Brees, the combine failed to measure the grit of a Tom Brady, and impressive performances have led to countless busts in NFL history (ask any Jets fan for some examples.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the past month, we have been reading about the Mishkan. We studied the intricate details of the physical structure down to the most minute detail of the clasps, beams, and bolts. We read vivid descriptions of its beauty: the colors of the curtains, the magnificence of the menorah, the clothes of the kohanim, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In our parsha the project is finished. The proud workers have crafted, fastened, and stitched exactly as they were commanded, and they bring their work to Moshe for his blessing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b7\u05bc\u05a8\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0 \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u059c\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea\u05be\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc\u05be\u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b0\u05bc\u05dc\u05b8\u05d0\u05db\u05b8\u0597\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05b5\u05bc\u05d4\u0599 \u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05c2\u05a3\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u0594\u05d4\u05bc \u05db\u05b7\u05bc\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u059b\u05e8 \u05e6\u05b4\u05d5\u05b8\u05bc\u05a5\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b8\u0596\u05d4 \u05db\u05b5\u05bc\u05a3\u05df \u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05c2\u0591\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05a5\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u0596\u05dd \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05bd\u05c1\u05d4\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And when Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks\u2014as the LORD had commanded, so they had done\u2014Moses blessed them. (39:43)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What was Moshe\u2019s blessing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rashi shares with us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u05d5\u05d9\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05dd \u05de\u05e9\u05d4.<\/strong> \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e8\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e8\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b5\u05c2\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b6\u05dd, \u05d5\u05b4\u05d9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e0\u05b9\u05e2\u05b7\u05dd \u05d4\u2019 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u2019, \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d7\u05b8\u05d3 \u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u201d\u05d0 \u05de\u05b4\u05d6\u05b0\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05ea\u05b0\u05e4\u05b4\u05dc\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d4 (\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d0):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AND MOSES BLESSED THEM \u2014 He said to them \u201cMay it be the will of God that His Shechinah rest upon the work of your hands; \u2018and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e8\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e8\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b5\u05c2\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b6\u05dd<\/p>\n\n\n\n
May it be the will of God that His presence rest upon the work of your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bracha is simple. That\u2019s the point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building the Mishkan began with a command:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05a5\u05e9\u05c2\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b4\u0596\u05d9 \u05de\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05d3\u05b8\u05bc\u0591\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05db\u05b7\u05e0\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u0596\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05db\u05b8\u05bd\u05dd\u05c3<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. (25:8)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
For the past few parshiyot, the Jewish people became architects, craftsmen, and carpenters. They obsessed with \u201cvassu li mikdash.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moshe now shifts their focus. \u201cVshachanti btocham.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Realize that the physical Mishkan is just a shell. A 40-yard dash time means nothing if a player can\u2019t catch a football. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout history, temples and sanctuaries have been built that are empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e8\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e8\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b5\u05c2\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b6\u05dd<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A house of G-d is meaningless if G-d is not welcomed inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In our lives as Jews, we structure our lives for religious expression. We daven, we have shabbat meals, we dress and act a certain way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a community, we build an infrastructure of Jewish institutions. We have solid shuls, a beautiful mikvas, and wonderful schools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moshe Rabenu reminds us to remember our objective. Not just to build a framework, but to bring G-d into our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sefer Shemot ends with G-d\u2019s cloud descending, representing His presence in the Mishkan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, we no longer are privileged for G-d to show us such a clear symbol of His presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But our goal remains the same: \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e8\u05b8\u05e6\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e8\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05d9\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b5\u05c2\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b6\u05dd<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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