Parshat Vayakhel  27 Adar 1 5763, 1 March 2003

By Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel - Is religion a force for good in the world - or a force for evil? Yes, in the name of religion magnificent values have entered the mainstream of our world civilization and culture: 'Thou shalt not murder,' 'Love thy neighbor as thy self,' 'Thou shalt be holy;' however, equally in the name of religion the fanatic crusaders, the frenzied Almohads, and the fierce fundamentalist Jihads have wrought devastation and destruction for countless innocents. Is G-d good, or is G-d Satan?

I believe that a difficult textual problem in the five Biblical portions we read during this period will shed light on the above question - and will also serve to shape the parameters of the responsibility of the free world during the present global war against terror.

There are five Biblical portions which deal with the paramount religious institution of Israel: the Sanctuary or Mishkan, precursor of and model for the Holy Temple and Synagogue, directed by the Priestly class of the Israelite religious establishment. But these five chapters, although largely dedicated to the Sanctuary and its accoutrements, the Priests and their special garb - down to the exquisite detail of exact measurement and minute description - have in their midst, as a surprising and even illogical interruption from the sanctuary matter-at hand, the directive to keep the Sabbath, a vivid description of the tragic transgression of the golden calf orgy, and then a repetition of the admonition to keep the Sabbath.

Indeed, a graphic study of these five chapters will emphasize how convoluted the order appears to be: the portions of Terumah and Tetzaveh deal with the Sanctuary and the Priests, the portion of Ki Tisa opens with the command to observe the Sabbath and goes on to record the episode of the Golden Calf and its aftermath, the portion of Vayakhel opens reminding us again to observe the Sabbath, but then the bulk of Vayakhel and Pekudei returns to the details of the Sanctuary and Priesthood. Sanctuary, Sabbath, Golden Calf, Sabbath, Sanctuary - how can we explain this curious interconnection in the Biblical text? And I need not remind you that the Bible has previously detailed the Sabbath laws, both with regard to the manna which did not fall and could not be garnered on the Sabbath as well as in the decalogue where it appears as the fourth commandment. Why repeat the Sabbath instruction here, literally surrounding the golden calf trauma and in the midst of the Sanctuary directive?

Lord Acton taught that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I would venture to add that religious power can not only corrupt but it can also destroy! The Bible abounds in commanding us to eschew and even uproot idolatry - not because of its false theological ideology but because of its immoral and depraved practices, from Dionysian sexual orgies to (Molochian) child immolation (see Jacob Katzs Exclusion and Tolerance, chapter on Meiri, as well as Moshe Halbertals Idolatry). Acts of murder and immorality in order to spread and coerce 'religious' doctrine is the worst kind of evil - for the religious zealots turn Divine directives into the diabolic demonism and transform G-d (or Allah) into Satan.

The Bible profoundly understands how religion can be transmitted and perverted into rank evil. Hence, after presenting the Divine words of ethical conduct and morality which is the real content of our religion, (the portions of Yitro and Mishpatim), comes the Biblical mandate: 'And they (the Israelites) shall make for Me a Sanctuary so that I may dwell within them'. And immediately following the description of the Sanctuary and its accoutrements, the priestly induction and their garb, comes the command, 'But My Sabbaths shall you observe' (Exodus 31:18). The reason is simple: the Sanctuary, the ritual aspect of Judaism, is a means and not an end. The purpose of the Sanctuary is so that G-d will dwell within the individual Israelites, so that the Biblical concept of Godliness will inform their innermost beings and suffuse their deepest personalities. And since the Sabbath is defined as a day dedicated 'to the Lord your G-d' (Exodus 20:10), the definition of the godliness which must imbue and inspire the Israelites is to be found within the Biblical ideas depicting the significance of the Sabbath: the Jewish understanding of G-d is inextricably bound up with the Biblical understanding of the Sabbath.

In Exodus, (Chapter 20) the Bible teaches that the Sabbath bears testimony to the Divine creation of world; in Deuteronomy (Chapter 5) the Bible teaches that the Sabbath bears testimony to the Divine freeing of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. Hence the G-d of Judaism is a G-d of life who has created every human being, - and who is therefore concerned for the life of every human being; He is likewise - as a corollary to what has just been said - the only creator, who would not allow any human being to 'lord' it over any other human being. The universal Parenthood of G-d guarantees the universal siblinghood - and freedom - of every one of His children. And certainly one would violate the freedom of the other by enslaving the other, by raping the other, by stealing from the other, and certainly by murdering the other.

Hence it is not sufficient to believe in, or to worship, G-d, in order to be considered a good and moral individual; it is necessary first to clearly express the definition of the G-d in whom one believes. Therefore after the first description of the Sanctuary comes the command to observe the Sabbath - in order to emphasize the nature of the G-d in whom we believe, a G-d-the-Parent who creates universal life and insists on the uncompromised and absolute freedom and inviolability of all His children. When one substitutes such a G-d ideal for an idolatrous golden calf- symbolic of materialism (gold) and physical power, riches (oil) and subjugation (calf-bull) - one is following a religion of corruption and destruction, turning Divine into Demon. Thus in the aftermath of the golden calf, when Moses asks G-d to explain His glory (the aspect of His being which humans can comprehend), the Lord responds that He is a G-d of love and compassion, of tolerance and loving kindness (Exodus 34:6) - intrinsic - altruistic characteristics which are the very antithesis of an orgy inducing, power intoxicating golden calf! And so following the golden calf tragedy we are strengthened by hearing once again about the importance of the Sabbath, 'a sanctuary in time' rather than an edifice of gold dedicated to sharing and loving and praying and learning. And only then does the text return to the physical Sanctuary which must be understood as a means to the Divine end which is exemplified by the Sabbath!

Our tradition therefore teaches that the goal of our religion and indeed of the sojourn of the human species on Earth is to accept the word of G-d from Jerusalem, a Divine command of universal peace when we will turn our own swords into plowshares and nations will not learn war anymore (Isaiah 2). As long as everyone accepts the seven Noahide laws of morality - and specifically 'Thou shalt not murder' - then different religions based upon a universally accepted ethic can truly dwell in peace, with 'everyone calling upon his G-d and our walking in the name of the Lord our G-d forever' (Micah 4). Especially in a global village of nuclear capability, our G-d demands fealty to 'Thou shalt not murder' and 'Thou shalt not enslave;' this is a condicione sina qua non for a future to humanity and a world of peace. A god who incites suicide bombers and demands exclusive totalitarian control and power is a Satan, not a G-d, and his adherents must be stopped before they destroy the free world. But a G-d of loving kindness and pluralism based upon the universal ethic of G-d the creator of life and the guardian of freedom is the source of morality and the only hope for preservation of our civilization.

Shabbat Shalom.

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