Vayakhel

From Sefer Likutei basar Likutei

  “And Moshe gathered all the congregation of B’nei Yisrael, and he

said to them:

'This is what Hashem commanded: ‘Six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day holy for Hashem, a Shabbos rest.”

What is the significance of Moshe gathering the people as opposed to all other commandments in the Torah, which were said to the B’nei Yisrael without specifically gathering them? The reason Moshe gathered them was to teach the commandments of erecting the Mishkan. Why then did he interject the commandment to rest on Shabbos? And how can the pasuk read: “These are the things which Hashem commanded, ‘six days your work shall be done', which almost sounds as if the work we do during the week is a commandment? The answer is that really this whole Parsha is about building the Mishkan. Just that first Moshe teaches that what Hashem has commanded- namely, the building of the Mishkan, can only be done on six days. The seventh must be Shabbos. From here, the Gemara learns that the 39 activities necessary for construction and creation (of the Mishkan) are the things one must not do on Shabbos. (Nechmad VeNaim) But why did this need to be taught before he even began enumerating the work of the mishkan? The answer is that the mishkan would serve as an atonement for the worship of the eigel hazohov. The Bnei Yisrael knew that, but it is still better that they not build it just to gain atonement and favor before Hashem. It is better to build it with no ulterior motives. Even good motives. So Moshe Rabeinu teaches the laws of Shabbos, about which it is taught, “Whoever keeps the Shabbos, even if they have worshipped idols like the generation of Enosh, Hashem will forgive them!” Moshe is teaching the great power of Shabbos to elevate the people to Hashem. Now, they can proceed to build the Mishkan with a clear mind. (Chasam Sofer)_ But what is behind Moshe's “gathering” the people? The Medrash learns from these pesukim that Moshe taught a lesson for future generations: that communities should gather on Shabbos to hear and study Torah. Moshe gathered them and said: Do you see how we are all gathered together to receive instruction (Torah) today? This is how to observe Shabbos. You must come together to learn and hear Torah. But you must clear your minds to do this. Just like you can not build a Mishkan on Shabbos, because Shabbos raises you above all worries – even the acts of idolatry fade away in the holiness of Shabbos! So too, in future generations, you will need to end your thoughts of the workweek on Shabbos. Therefore, the pasuk says “Six days work shall be done” (and not “six days you shall work”), meaning that when Shabbos enters, you must think about your work as something that gets done by itself. As if you are not even the one who accomplished your work. This level of Emunah will help you set aside thoughts and worries on Shabbos and allow you to come together for the public study of Torah. (Yismach Moshe)