Prayer for Being Meticulous with Material Matters and Recognizing How the Seemingly Insignificant May Matter the Most

Parashat Pekudei

Prayer for Being Meticulous with Material Matters and Recognizing
How the Seemingly Insignificant May Matter the Most

 
Hashem, help me be honest and exact in all material affairs,
in money matters, payment of wages, lost objects, and repairs!
 
Help me take good care of everything I use,
Let me never be late in paying any of my dues!
 
Knowing the importance of a clean record in all my calculations,
I hope always to be careful to separate off the correct donations!
 
Regarding any profits from various products that I sell,
may keeping a separate valet for tzedakkah serve me well!
 
Like Moshe who was impeccably honest with copper, silver, and gold,
please let me never mistakenly any donation for myself withhold!
 
May I be a pleasing blessing for all,
whether they are great or seemingly small!
 
The most important are often the overlooked little joints,
Let me not be swayed to regard them as insignificant points!
 
We learn about the vital role of the Mishkan’s hooks,
even if they do not affect the way the exterior looks.
 
Just as the hooks kept everything together
even in storms of inclement weather,
please strengthen me in connecting all the dots,
while untying the entanglements of the knots! 
 
With all the world’s conflicts and divorce,
help me become a unifying force!
 
While intellectual pursuit attracts greater acclaim,
May I not be carried away by importance and fame!
 
Let me not fear to apply the work of my hands
For the sake of carrying out all Your commands!
 
Hashem help me not to let my ego stand in the way,
of knowing what really matters at the end of the day!

Based on the Book of Shemot Chapter 38:21 and 39:43 which provides the complete account of the Mishkan, its material and vessels. 

Why does the book of Shemot which is called סֵפֶר הַגְּאֻלָּה/Sefer HaGeulah – ‘The Book of Redemption’ culminate in a mere accounting of materials, wouldn’t we expect a more spiritual ending of the book of Shemot?

 

ספר שמות פרק לח פסוק כד כָּל הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַיְהִי זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים כִּכָּר וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלשִׁים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ:

“All the gold that had been used for the work in all the work of the Holy, the gold of the waving offering, was twenty-nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the holy shekel” (Shemot 38:24).

Why did Moshe who was the most faithful trusted leader have to show and account of how the donations were used? 

ספר שמות פרק לח פסוק כח

וְאֶת הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים וְצִפָּה רָאשֵׁיהֶם וְחִשַּׁק אֹתָם:

(כט) וּנְחשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה שִׁבְעִים כִּכָּר וְאַלְפַּיִם וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁקֶל:

(ל) וַיַּעַשׂ בָּהּ אֶת אַדְנֵי פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הַנְּחשֶׁת וְאֶת מִכְבַּר הַנְּחשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְאֵת כָּל כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

(לא) וְאֶת אַדְנֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב וְאֶת אַדְנֵי שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר וְאֵת כָּל יִתְדֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת כָּל יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב:

“Of the thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars The copper of the waving was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. From that, he made the sockets of the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the copper altar, the copper grating upon it, and all the implements of the altar, and the sockets of the courtyard all around and the sockets of the gate to the courtyard, all the pegs of the Mishkan and all the pegs of the courtyard all around” (Shemot 38:28-31).

Why is much less mentioned about the use of gold and silver, as opposed to the very detailed accounting for the use of the copper? 

The Hooks of Creation

The Mishkan corresponds to the work of creation. The greatest wonder of everything in creation is the joints. The Torah starts with the letter “beit,” which has the numerical value of two. This teaches us that our world is one of dualism. It links the material with the spiritual. When we join the different links together, we bring about a unity that is beyond the natural duality of this world. Although the golden menorah and the ark with its cherubs are glamorous, we must not forget the seemingly insignificant hooks, clasps, and pegs that connected the entire Mishkan and without them, everything would fall apart.

It was impossible for people of flesh and blood to join the Mishkan together. As Rashi explains, “they brought the Mishkan unto Moshe” (Shemot 29:33), for they were unable to erect it. Moshe said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “How is its erection possible by human beings?” G-d answered him, “You be busy with your hands!” Although Moshe appeared to be erecting it, in fact, it set itself on end and rose of its own accord. That is why Scripture states, “The Mishkan was erected” (Shemot 40:17), implying – by itself. The Mishkan, signifying unity, could only be erected through Divine intervention. Moshe merited becoming the vehicle for Divine assistance because he was the unifier of the Jewish people. Women also have the ability to reach beyond discords and join together in spite of differences. When we use this ability, Hashem assists our endeavor and allows the Feminine Indwelling Presence (Shechinah) to rest within the Jewish people. (Based on Women at the Crossroads: A Woman’s Perspective on the Weekly Torah Portion, Parashat Pekudei).

ספר שמות פרק לט פסוק מג

וַיַּרְא משֶׁה אֶת כָּל הַמְּלָאכָה וְהִנֵּה עָשׂוּ אֹתָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה הָשֵׂם כֵּן עָשׂוּ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם משֶׁה:

“Moshe saw the entire work, and lo! they had done it-as Hashem had commanded, so had they done. So, Moshe blessed them” (Shemot 39:43).