Vayakhel Pekudei 5778

By Simon Goulden

In this week’s double sidra, we find the instruction to keep Shabbat sandwiched between the instructions and accounts of the construction of the Tabernacle. It serves as the introduction, whereas prior to this it had been the crowning conclusion of that same project. So, although we are always told not to attribute chronology to the Torah, it’s natural to ask the question: Why?

There are two aspects of Shabbat. 1) In one way Shabbat is the pleasant prize after a good week of work or activity. 2) In another way it is the all- important pause in preparation for the week ahead. So, Shabbat serves as the calm both before and after the storm. Shabbat is not an escape from a week of harried activity. Certainly, we cease from doing many things but to where do we retreat? Back home!

Many modern offices now have an atrium. The entire structure is seemingly made of glass, from the lobby to the roof. The first time I saw one, I thought, “What a waste of space! How inefficient”. Later, I was informed that the offices that face the atrium are as highly prized as ones that face the street. Nothing is wasted. Every office has an exposure to natural light and, of course, is made more valuable.

In a way, that’s just like Shabbat. It may seem to be a waste of so many human-hours but in the end it yields time. The quiet refrain of Shabbat, free of emails, facebook, twitter, webchats, allows us to recapture energy and focus. Psychologists are even telling us all to have a ‘web free day a week’, yet we knew all about that, three thousand years before Sir Tim Berners Lee.

The week that follows a restful Shabbat is likely a more productive and meaningful one. Creating that sacred centre piece in our life lets sufficient light into our inner world to give endless added value to all we do.

Have a good week – and Shabbat shalom!