The Middle Crossbar — Uniting the Jewish People
by HaRav Dov Begon, Head of Machon Meir
“The middle crossbar was made to go through the center of the beams from one end to the other” (Exodus 36:33).
It was the middle crossbar that linked together the Tabernacle beams from one end to the other, while the other four crossbars linked together only portions of the beams.
The middle crossbar ran within the beams and could not be seen from the outside, while the other crossbars could be seen from the outside. This situation serves to allude that what unites the Jewish People from one end to the other like the middle crossbar is precisely something that is hidden, interior, the precious soul of the Jewish People, which is concealed within the whole nation down through the generations, and within every individual Jew, whoever he may be.
Today, we must strengthen that which has united all the parts of the nation down through the generations. That same “middle crossbar” has extended from one end to the other, from our inception as a people until the end of days. It has united all the tribes of Israel from East to West, gathering together in Eretz Yisrael, and all the open and hidden social streams. What has united all the Jews is the fact that we all possess one precious soul, and that we are a people chosen by G-d to perfect the world under the reign of the Almighty. As G-d long ago said to the father of our nation, Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation… You shall become a blessing…. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).
The middle crossbar is the root of all the nation’s branches. And like the branches on the tree, which all imbibe their sustenance from the root, so let us drink deeply from our roots. Let us unite all the branches and strengthen them.
“G-d will withhold no good thing from those that walk uprightly.”
At the end of the Tabernacle service in the Communion Tent it says, “They brought the Tabernacle to Moses” (Exodus 39:33). And why did they bring it to him? It is because they could not erect it themselves. No human being could erect it because the boards weighed so much that no one could put them upright. Yet Moses succeeded. Moses asked G-d, “How can a human being possibly erect it?” G-d replied, “Go through the motions.” Moses seemed to be erecting it, but it stood erect and rose by itself. This is the meaning of the words, “The Tabernacle was erected” (Exodus 40:17). It arose by itself (see Rashi, ibid.).
Not just with the erection of the Tabernacle in ancient times, so heavy that no man could lift it, did Israel required divine assistance. They also require assistance with establishing their personal Tabernacles, the Jewish family and nation. We are commanded to make a sincere effort, and G-d helps us. We have limited strength, but Omnipotent G-d assists us, as our sages said, “If a person sanctifies himself a little bit, G-d will sanctify him much. The effort he makes here on earth is equaled by what G-d does for him from above” (Yoma 39a).
In our generation, we are busy with the rebuilding of the Third Temple, in three stages, as Rambam wrote:
“Israel were commanded to fulfill three mitzvoth on their entry into the Land: appointing a king for them precedes waging war on Amalek; annihilating the seed of Amalek precedes rebuilding the Temple” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 1:1-2). In all of these stages we need to strive greatly despite the enormous difficulties, and in accordance with our efforts we enjoy divine assistance.
The State of Israel is the beginning of the Kingdom of Israel, at the height of which we will merit the appearance of the Messianic King and the rebuilding of the Temple. Yet the State of Israel is beset by enormous hardships in the shape of struggles and wars with enemies from without and spiritual, moral and social crises from within. Sometimes matters seem as difficult as raising up the Tabernacle boards. Yet we need to follow in the path of Moses, who went through the motions of raising up those heavy boards, while G-d assisted him.
Every Jew is commanded to participate in the rebuilding of our Nation in Israel. Those matters include: (1) connecting the State of Israel and its citizens to the Torah and to Jewish tradition; (2) strengthening our hold on Eretz Yisrael; (3) strengthening, exalting and unifying the spirit of the Jewish People. Whoever plays an active part in this mission will be the living fulfillment of the words of David, the Sweet Singer of Israel, “G-d will withhold no good thing from those that walk uprightly” (Psalm 12:12).
Message for Parshat Shekalim
Israel were counted in the desert by means of the half-shekel contribution. The Torah is teaching us that it makes a difference whether you measure each person individually or as part of a group. Each individual alone is metaphorically called a “gulgolet,” literally a skull (see Exodus 38:26), which is known to symbolize death. When a person is not connected to the larger community, he is like a limb torn away from the body, a dead limb — and then the evil eye takes control of him.
Yet through the half-shekel contribution, a general fund is created of the whole Jewish People together, with each donor being linked to the larger group, as one man with one heart, each member of the group having worth and importance. Under such circumstances, the good eye takes control and then there is nothing to fear from counting the people of Israel. They are then like limbs connected to the body, all sharing one soul, and the census, now counting a collective, itself attains holiness.
