“It is not thy duty to complete the work, but neither art
thou free to desist from it” [Ethics 2:20]. Moses had good reason to
acknowledge the truth of Rabbi Tarphon’s aphorism. Who more deserved to crown a
lifetime of service to his people by leading them to the Promised Land? But
there emerged a Joshua.
Likewise, after assiduously applying
himself to the task of collecting the building materials for the Sanctuary, was
it too much to expect to supervise its construction? Seemingly, it was. Moses
was usurped and there arose a Bezalel.
However, in allowing the work to be
completed by another, Moses embellished it, for Bezalel brought to his task a
contribution that was beyond his leader – that of youth. Aided by the Divine
gifts of “the spirit of G-d, wisdom, understanding and knowledge,” Bezalel
combined the enthusiasm of youth with the sagacity of old age.
Rising from the desert under the
guidance of its youthful overseer, the Sanctuary captured the imagination of the
young as well as the old, emerging as a cohesive force to unite the generation
of Bezalel with that of Moses in service to the Almighty.
The ruach elokim - the spirit of
G-d, which enabled Bezalel to curb the excessive enthusiasm of youth by viewing
life through a spiritual dimension – is not the only “spirit” that man selects
to guide him through life’s journey. Prior to their expulsion from the Garden
of Eden, Adam and Eve “heard the voice of the Lord G-d walking in the garden le’ruach hayom – “according to the spirit of the day.”
Their approach to life was influenced
by the values of their contemporary world, paying scant heed to the transcendent
and timeless values of “the spirit of G-d” which encompass all days, and not
just one’s own.
If we look back to our youth to provide
the Bezalels of the future, who will consolidate and edify the communal
sanctuaries so lovingly and painstakingly constructed by Bezalels of the past,
then they will only emerge if we teach them that the qualities of Jewish
leadership are not to be found in mere organisational and administrative skills
of ruach hayom. They must derive their inspiration from ruach
elokim, G-d’s spirit, the spirit of Jewish learning.
