Moshe said to Klal Yisrael ‘Re’oo’ – “See, Hashem called for Betzalel to make the Mishkan.” How could the Jews see that Hashem had chosen Betzalel to be the one to make the Mishkan?
Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that the Passuk continues and says that Hashem blessed him with the qualities of being smart, clever, understanding all the different materials and what to do with them. If Hashem gave Betzalel such qualities there was a reason, to use them for Avodas Hashem. If so, he’s the man for the job.
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter explains that a person isn’t just blessed with talents for nothing. Hashem creates every person for a purpose in this world and they have a mission to fulfil. In order to succeed Hashem gives every person all the necessary tools and talents they need to succeed and fulfill their goal.
The following story took place nearly 120 years ago. At the beginning of the 20th century there was a massive exhibition to celebrate the historical date. The exhibition was for all sorts of new architecture and modern designs. Arts and crafts from all around the world were displayed at the exhibition.
The winner was a magnificent engraved wooden cupboard. Its design, engraving, its features and beauty struck anyone who saw it. It had open drawers and hidden ones, moveable shelves and much more. The craftsman who designed and made the cupboard was awarded a golden medallion.
A wealthy man from Vienna bought the winning cupboard for an outstanding figure of 8,000 gold coins, a fortune. It was the center piece in his dining room and he proudly showed it to all his guests.
Sadly, the wealthy man from Vienna lost his money and had to declare bankruptcy. His creditors came to his home and took all his expensive furniture and property and sold them. The beautiful cupboard went up for sale too, but no one knew its true value, so it was sold very cheaply.
Over the time the cupboard changed hands a few times. In between, some handles broke, a leg fell off and it got scratches here and there. Finally it arrived at a local saddler (someone who makes, repairs and sells saddles, harnesses etc.) in Vienna who bought it at a bargain price and put it in his store.
It served him perfectly. He placed the leather in the glass show vitrine that was made for the silver items, the scissors in the drawers and the dirty cleaning materials in the lined drawers.
One day the designer of the cupboard visited Vienna. Whilst he was walking down the street, the sole of his shoe broke. Having no choice he searched for a shoemaker. When he saw the sign of the saddler he decided to try his luck. He walked inside, took off his shoe and gave it to the store owner.
Whilst he was waiting he noticed the once amazing cupboard in the corner of the store. It was missing a leg, scratched, dirty and full of the saddlers working materials. He was so shocked that he fainted.
The saddler called in some passersby to revive the man. When he woke up he started crying bitterly.
“Look what happened to my beautiful piece of craft.” He started showing them the cupboard and explained every part what it was made for. “This was for silverware, this was for gold, and this was for jewelry. The hidden drawer was for confidential documents,” and the man continued showing them the amazing functions of his piece of work. “Shouldn’t I be crying when I see that instead it has become a warehouse for old pieces of leather, nails and scissors?”
Hashem created us with such amazing architecture. A brain with so many different compartments, to store important and valuable information, to understand our Torah study, to work on our personal traits, to concentrate and meditate during our prayers. And as we say in the special Tefillah on Yom Kippur eve (Tefilla Zakka, a prayer said by many Yidden just before Kol Nidrei), “Not only I never used my mind and limbs for holy things, I contaminated them with so many sins.
You created a brain for holy thoughts and to understand Your Torah; and instead I used it for bad thoughts.”
We were an amazing piece of art and craft and we’ve ruined so much with our sins.
Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz said that the Passuk tells us of two people that Hashem blessed with extra Siyatte Dishmaye.
The Passuk writes about Dovid Hamelech ‘Va’Hashem imo’ – and Hashem was with him. Chazal learn from here that Dovid Hamelech was always correct in his Halachic rulings.
The Passuk also writes about Yishmael ‘Vayehi Elokim es hanaar vaygdal’ – and Hashem was with the boy and he grew up. What did Yishmael use it for? The Passuk continues that he sat in the dessert and became a sniper, whenever he shot his arrows it always hit the target. What a difference!
And where do we come in? That is up to us decide! And in addition we have to pay attention to the unique talents we may have and then try and understand why we were given those extra gifts and what are we meant to use them for...
Chances are that we’re in for some surprises that we never took notice of till now and maybe we were missing out some of the important things that we are meant to do because we were given the tools to do them.
Let’s try and use our potential properly and correctly.
