Golden Rule

לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב, וְלָמָּה נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּבִשְׁבִיל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ

Parshas Terumah begins by speaking about the various materials that would be needed for the מִשְׁכָּן. The Passuk says: וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים. There is a long list of items that were contributed to the מִשְׁכָּן, but as the Parsha continues, one material takes center stage: all of the Keilim, other than the Mizbeach HaNechoshes, and the structure of the Mishka itself, were made of זָהָב.

In a way, this seems almost expected as gold is the most precious of all metals, and its beauty is universally appreciated. It therefore makes sense that this material would be most prominent in the מִשְׁכָּן, which was the resting place of the Shechina itself.

Chazal seem to have a different perspective, however.

The Medrash, here, tells us: הַרְבֵּה בְּרִיּוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעוֹלָם, וְלֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן, there are some things that HKBH created that the world was not able to use. In truth, continues the Medrash, they should have been hidden, וְהָיוּ רְאוּיִין לְהִגָּנֵז , but they were not hidden מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. The Medrash then identifies זָהָב as one such item. Later, however, the Medrash takes this concept even farther, telling us: לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב, וְלָמָּה נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּשְׁכָּן. The world was not capable or worthy of using זָהָב, but it was created nonetheless, expressly so that it could be used in the מִשְׁכָּן.

How can we understand this Medrash? What does it mean thatלֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב ? Why wasn’t the world worthy of using gold? And if indeed לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב, why did HKBH create it expressly for the מִשְׁכָּן? We understand that זָהָב was used because it is the most beautiful material, but if it had never been created another precious metal would have that stature and could well have been used in the מִשְׁכָּן. Why was is necessary to create זָהָב, which the world was not really רָאוּי for, just for the מִשְׁכָּן?

Finally, if it is true that ,לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב but this was the only material that could be used in the מִשְׁכָּן, why is mankind able to use זָהָב before and after the construction of the מִשְׁכָּן? We know that there were other materials, such as עֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים that were only used in the מִשְׁכָּן, and at no other time. Why could this not have been the case with זָהָב? Even it was necessary to create זָהָב, why was it made so widely available to the world that was not even רָאוּי to use it?

It seems that we cannot explain the message of this Medrash without gaining a better understanding of the nature and significance of זָהָב, as explained by Chazal. To do so, we can look back to Parshas Beraishis, where we first find זָהָב mentioned in the Torah.

After the Torah finishes speaking about the initial days of Brias HaOlam, we learn about Gan Eden, and its related areas, in more detail. Specifically the Torah tells us וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים, a river flowed through the Gan and split into four branches once it left. The Passuk speaks about the first branch, telling us: שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן הוּא הַסֹּבֵב אֵת כׇּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב. The river, called פִּישׁוֹן , encircled the אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה which is where זָהָב is found. The Torah continues, telling us וּזְהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא טוֹב, the gold located in the אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה was of particularly good quality.

We must obviously understand why the Torah speaks about זָהָב here: why does it matter that the זָהָב was located in the אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה and that it was of good quality? The Medrash Rabba, there, answers this question with a Drasha: אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה. The word זָהָב in these Pessukim does not refer to physical resources, but to the Torah itself, which is more precious than any metal or stone, as Dovid Hamelech says in Tehillim, הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב.

The Medrash then explains the words וּזְהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא טוֹב as follows: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין תּוֹרָה כְּתוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא חָכְמָה כְּחָכְמַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. It seems, according to the Medrash, that the אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה was part of אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, and that is the זָהָב, which refers to דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה is said to be of a high quality.

This Medrash is itself difficult to understand: why does the Torah couch its discussion about תוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל in Pessukim speaking about זָהָב specifically? Why mention the זָהָב of אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה , and its high quality, just to hint at the Mailah of תוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל ? Why did the Torah choose this Remez specifically?

To answer these questions and understand the words of these Medrashim, it might be helpful to first address one of the most pressing questions that emerges from this discussion.

As we have seen, Chazal make it clear that the world was generally not fit to use זָהָב , but it was created for the purposes of the מִשְׁכָּן. If we think about it, however, this material was also used at one other point in the Midbar, but for a much less noble purpose: the creation of the עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב. It emerges that זָהָב , which should never have been created in the first place, was used for the exact opposite purposes of its intention. How can we understand this? Why was gold created and made available to all—despite the fact that the world was not able to use it properly—only to then be used in such a perverse way?

This importance of this question is enhanced by a Medrash that actually links the two instances of זָהָב to one another.

The Tanchuma, in this week’s Sedra, tells us: אֵימָתַי נֶאֶמְרָה לְמֹשֶׁה הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזּוֹ שֶׁל מִשְׁכָּן, בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עַצְמוֹ. Moshe was given the Tzivuy to build the מִשְׁכָּן on Yom Kippur, after descending from Har Sinai with the second Luchos. The Medrash explains why these instructions were given on that day: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָבֹא זָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן וִיכַפֵּר עַל זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל. On that Yom Kippur, Klal Yisroel achieved complete Selicha for the מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, and HKBH then gave the Tzivy for the מִשְׁכָּן, because the זָהָב of the מִשְׁכָּן would be מְכַפֵּר on the זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל.

The Medrash seems to be saying that the זָהָב of the עֵגֶל itself needs a כַּפָּרָה—what does this mean? Why does the זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל require a כַּפָּרָה and why does that come as a result of the זָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן ?

Perhaps we can answer these questions with a deeper understanding of the cause of the מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל.

When the מִשְׁכָּן was finally anointed, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu told Bnei Yisroel: זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' תַּעֲשׂוּ וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה'. It seems that Moshe gave Klal Yisroel instructions, but the next Passuk speaks to Aharon HaKohen, leaving us unaware of what he told Bnei Yisroel.

The Toras Kohanim, there, enumerates these instructions, however: אֲמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ יָצַר הָרַע הֶעֱבִירוֹ מִלִּבְּכֶם וְתִהְיוּ כֻּלְּכֶם בְּיִרְאָה אַחַת וּבְעֵצָה אַחַת לְשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. Moshe told Klal Yisroel that if they remove אוֹתוֹ יָצַר הָרַע from their midst, they will find themselves united in their goal, and be Zoche to greet the Shechina.

Sound advice, to be sure, but what is אוֹתוֹ יָצַר הָרַע and why does it prevent Hashra’as HaShechina? How could Klal Yisroel remove this יָצַר הָרַ, assuring an eventuality of וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה'?

R’ Elya Baruch Finkel zt”l, in a Maamar printed in M’Shulachan R’ Eliuahu Baruch, brings this Medrash, and explains its message based on the words of the Brisker Rav.

R’ Elya Baruch explains that when Klal Yisroel understood that Moshe Rabbeinu would not be returning, they felt that their relationship with HKBH was at stake. If Moshe Rabbeinu was not leading them, they felt that they would no longer be able to connect with Hashem I the same way, and their ability to grow in Ruchnias was therefore threatened. They created the עֵגֶל to fill this void, in the hopes that it would in some way allow them to reach the Madreigos for which they yearned.

It emerges that at the core of the חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל was a desire to be closer to HKBH, a real and true urge to be closer to HKBH. The misstep was that they acted in this way without a Tzivuy from HKBH. The best intentions, explains R’ Elya Baruch, fall to the wayside if we do not conduct ourselves in the way the Torah instructs us. Even if one acts with the pursuit of goals—to achieve lofty Madriegos in Avodah—if his actions are not עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, they are not only worthless, but indeed destructive.

This, explains R’ Elya Baruch, was the אוֹתוֹ יָצַר הָרַע to which Moshe referred—the Yetzer Harah that convinces us to act in ways that are contrary the Ratzon Hashem but with the best purposes in mind. It was this approach that would hold them back from וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה', and make it impossible to experience Hashra’as Hashechina.

This is the meaning of the Tanchuma: יָבֹא זָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן וִיכַפֵּר עַל זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל. The Avodas HaMishkan, explains R’ Elya Baruch, is the perfect antidote to this attitude: in the מִשְׁכָּן every action performed, and even each step that is taken, is עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר. As their name suggests, the ultimate purpose of the Avodas HaKorbanos is to achieve Kirvah to Hashem, and it is from this Avodah that we learn how to combat אוֹתוֹ יָצַר הָרַע. The מִשְׁכָּן was the ultimate כַּפָּרָה for the חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל because it addressed the core flaw that caused our mistake. Only if we learn the importance of conducting all our actions עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר regardless of lofty intentions, and we avoid further such missteps.

As we have seen, however, the Tanchuma links the עֵגֶל to the מִשְׁכָּן through their common use of זָהָב , perhaps shedding light on the nature of this material.

When the Medrash tells us לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב, it does not mean זָהָב specifically, but rather any material with the characteristics of gold: something that is recognized not only for its value but for its beauty. Not only does זָהָב have an intrinsic value, but it is also universally regarded as the most magnificent and majestic material. The existence of a material such as this is fraught with disaster: the attraction and utility associated with this material are so universal that it can too easily be used for the wrong reasons. It was for this reason that the Chazal say לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּזָּהָב.

This was resolved, however, by theזָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן .

If we think about it, it is curious that the same material that was used in the חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל took such a central role in the מִשְׁכָּן—one might think that it would have been better to use a different, unsullied material. Perhaps, however, this was the exact message of the מִשְׁכָּן: the same actions, the same intentions, can be used for good or the opposite. If one wishes to become closer to HKBH and he acts עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר, he is Zoche to וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה'. If he does not, disaster awaits him. The מִשְׁכָּן teaches us that the same זָהָב can be used for the חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל or וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה'—the choice is ours.

The message of the מִשְׁכָּן is what allows us to have זָהָב in this world, because we are taught how to make decisions. Absent this important reminder about the primacy of acting עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר it would be too dangerous for such a precious and universal material to even exist. With this message, we have a fighting chance.

Perhaps this is why the first mention of זָהָב is understood by Chazal the way the Medrash in Parshas Beraishis teaches us: אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה. The Torah is compared to Zahav to teach us the proper way to approach a material such as this. When we do not have a Navi to explicitly tell us what to do , there is only one way to discern how to conduct ourselves עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר—the Torah itself. The Passuk therefore uses the term זָהָב to refer to the Torah, for without the Torah there is no way to understand how to properly use the resources we are given. In this vein, the Medrash further speaks about תוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, for the clarity that can be achieved in אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל is unmatched. It is there that the Torah can be most easily used to discern the Ratzon Hashem, indeed וּזְהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא טוֹב.

As we continue to learn about the מִשְׁכָּן over the next few weeks, its ultimate purpose must be kept in mind. The precept of יָבֹא זָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן וִיכַפֵּר עַל זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל applies then as now: if we understand the message of the מִשְׁכָּן correctly, taking to heart the idea that the same material can be used for the עֵגֶל or the מִשְׁכָּן, we will be Zoche to an existence of וְיֵרָא אֲלֵיכֶם כְּבוֹד ה' each in our own way.