This week's reading tells us about how the Jews in the desert donated the components for the building of the Tabernacle; altogether 15 different materials.
And seemingly the most important of them was 'Shittim' wood:
The Holy Ark, the Inner and Outer Altars, the 'Bread Table' and the very walls of the Tabernacle were all made primarily from this wood. The Medrash even tells us (see Rashi 25:5) that one of the first things the Patriarch Jacob did when he entered Egypt was to plant Shittim trees for use in the Tabernacle over 200 years later when the Jews would leave!
But it's not so clear why this particular wood was chosen. It wasn't necessarily more sturdy, practical or more important than other woods and it was very heavy.
So what was so special about Shittim wood? Why does the Torah tell us about it? And what does it mean to us now?
To understand this here is a story.
The scene is some two hundred years ago in the large Chassidic Shul (Synagogue) of the Holy Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzin. The Chassidim were preparing for their morning prayers when a secular Jew burst in franticly, grabbed the first man he encountered and whispered short of breath from running, "D-d-d... did they begin the prayers yet? Are they finished?"
Before the Chassid could answer, the stranger wiped the sweat from his brow and continued, "I have YorTzite for my father! YorTzite today!!"
(Yor Tzite (lit.year's time) means the exact anniversary that a loved one passed away. That day is very important in Judaism, especially for the passing of a parent, and a special prayer called 'Kaddish' is said in a group of at least ten Jews.)
A few Chassidim approached the man and calmed him down, informing him the prayers had not begun yet. The fellow didn't have a covering on his head and clearly was not religious at all, he, and it was obvious that he would never have stepped foot in the place if not for his conscience bothering him about the Yor Tzite.
He said his name was Yanush and he didn't believe in any of the Torah but he wanted to say Kaddish for his father who was religious. Someone put a Yarmulke on Yanush's head. Someone else approached him with Tefillin (phylacteries) which he unsuccessfully tried to refuse. Then someone brought him a prayer book and showed him where the 'Kaddish' prayer was, promised he'd help him say it, another draped a prayer shawl (Talit) on his shoulders and the prayers began.
Yanush really just wanted to forget the whole crazy thing and leave but something kept him there, maybe it was guilt, but on the other hand, maybe it was the soul of his father.
The Chassidim were patient with him and waited silently at each of his bumbling, time consuming attempts to say the Kaddish prayer. But finally, when the services were over, he removed the Tefillin and Tallit said 'Thank you' and started for the door. But they stopped him.
"Hey!" they exclaimed, "You have make a kiddush! To buy 'Kibbud'!!" (lit. 'Honor' i.e. cakes, liquor etc. to give 'honor' to the departed) make a Lechiam for your father."
Poor Yanush was stuck, he had no choice but to agree. He was planning to give a donation and leave. This place made him uneasy, it was too Jewish. "I'll just buy this stuff and get out of here." He comforted himself.
He gave some money to one of the Chassidim who ran out the door and returned just moments later with all the delicacies. Yanush gave him a bit tip added a donation and turned to the exit.
"No, NO!!" they all cried out. Someone grabbed his arm and another led him to the tables they had pushed together. "You must stay! For the sake of your father at least make a 'LeChiam.'"
They pulled up chairs, sat down around the table and forced Yanush to sit with them.
But Yanush had had enough. He wanted out and he wanted it NOW! He angrily pushed his seat back and abruptly stood up. Suddenly the door of the Rebbe's study opened, a hush fell over the room and everyone stood at attention. It was the holy Rebbe of Ruzin in person!
Even Yanush was surprised. He'd never imagined a human being could be so.... so real and holy!
"Why the commotion?" The Rebbe asked quietly.
No one answered they were paralyzed with awe.
"Ahh! Kibbud!" Said the Rebbe as he glanced at the food on the table. "Yor-Tzite for your father?" He looked Yanush deeply in the eyes.
The Rebbe pulled up a seat, sat at the table, and motioned for them all to follow.
"Here" Said the Rebbe as he filled a small shot glass with vodka and offered it to Yanush who was just sitting down. "Make a blessing! (Jewish people are supposed to say a short blessing before eating anything). "Here" the Rebbe repeated, "make a blessing and then say 'LeChiam'! (lit. To life)"
Yanush looked around, all eyes were on him. The surprise was wearing off, 'what am I doing here?' he thought to himself. 'This is insane and I'm leaving. I'm not making any blessings" He reached out, took the glass, looked around again briefly and with a smirk on his face, silently tilted his head back, opened his mouth and downed the vodka in one gulp.
"LeChiam U'L'movet!!" (To life and to death!) he said loudly as he stood up challengingly from the table and the vodka began taking effect.
"Oy Oy!" yelled the Rebbe holding his head in his hands! "Oy! What have you done to your father?! What have you done!!?"
This unexpected outburst sobered Yanush up, the Rebbe was really serious. He again looked Yanush deeply in the eyes. "What have you done!!?” Yanush started to really feel afraid and ashamed although he didn’t know of what.
"Listen to me my friend! I knew your father. His name was Shlomo, right? Well, when he died several years ago his soul rose to the heavenly court and stood trial. It was decided that because he had a bad son like you and it was partially his fault he had return to this world; a gilgul (reincarnation).
"His soul descended and was incarnated in a grain of wheat. Yes, a grain of wheat. That grain waited in the field until it was finally harvested. Then it was bundled and shipped to a large distillery where it was put in a huge vat until it fermented. Then it was processed, aged, bottled and finally distributed. Are you listening Yanush?
"That bottle found its way to our local grocery store and finally this morning it was purchased and is now sitting here on our table before us.
"Yanush! Your father's soul was in that glass of vodka I just gave you. If you would have just made that blessing you would have rectified it. But you didn't. You wrecked the entire process! What have you done to your father?!"
Yanush's head was spinning. The story was ridiculous, insane, crazy but when the Rebbe told it, he saw that it was true! Clearly true.
He sat speechless, his eyes filled with tears, he remembered his father's face and he began trembling uncontrollably. "What can I do? Is there any way to...?" he whispered.
"Yes" answered the Rebbe. "But it means changing your life to become the Jew your father wants you to be." Yanush nodded in agreement.
Now this story is a bit fantastic, right? How can a human soul be contained in a piece of grain? Seems crazy? Well, it's nowhere near as fantastic and crazy as what we read in this week’s Torah portion:
The Infinite ESSENCE OF G-D was 'contained' in a Holy Temple (tabernacle).
In fact, this is the center and goal of Judaism: to reveal the Creator in every aspect of His creation.
And the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe explains (in his last discourse, 'Bati L'Gani') that EVERY Jew has the potential to duplicate this impossible feat; every Jew is a Holy Temple.
But just as in the tabernacle the main ingredient was Shittim wood so to make ourselves into Holy Temples we need 'SHTUS: u,e, to be crazy.
The word Shittim implies ‘Shtus’ i.e. to be ‘crazy’ for the truth.
This is what made Abraham the first Jew; he was 'crazy'. Abraham did not reckon with the Creation, only with the will the Creator. So it was with Issac, Jacob, Josef Moses and all the Jews thereafter.
This 'Shtus is essential to Judaism and when Jews tried to do without it and act 'normally' the result was the Golden Calf, rebellion against Moses, David, the prophets and the Rabbis which destroyed two Temples and put us in the exile we have been in for almost 2,000 years.
But with it, with this ‘craziness’ everything can change in a moment. G-d forgives our mistakes and 'returns' to the world. As the hero of our story realized.
And that is the lesson that Shittim wood teaches us:
'Craziness' is at the essence of Judaism. Only through our 'Shtus' for holiness will Moshiach arrive, the Third Temple be built and G-d be revealed in this world as He was at Mt. Sinai.
(See the end of Rambam's Yad HaChazaka).
But it all depends on us. We must go a bit 'crazy' and become interested ONLY revealing Moshiach and ignore anything that discourages us.
Then we will see a 'crazy' good world where there is no hatred, war, ignorance, disease or suffering only Meaning, Blessing, Joy and Truth.
And not much is missing, we are standing on thousands of years of Jewish hopes, suffering and prayers. Now it could be that just one more good deed, word or even thought can tilt the scales and bring.......
Moshiach NOW!
Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel
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