Midreshet Amit

Torah

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Details Matter

By: Talia Silver and Dalia Schwartz

Our lives are incredibly productive and busy. From work life, to thinking what our next meal is going to be, it is important to remember the little things that matter. Have you ever noticed the detail and focus this week’s Parsha has on the Mishkan? (The portable Temple). The rest of Sefer Shmot contains Parshiot that are full of details connected to the Mishkan, it's vessels and the clothing of the Kohanim.
What about other fundamental Mitzvot that we apply to our lives such as Shabbat? Where do we see the same amount of detail discussed in the written Law concerning this commandment in which keep every 7 days? The truth is, the Mishkan is the foundation of our community and our people. What we mean by this, is that the Mishkan is not just the dwelling place for Hashem; it is the dwelling place for the entire Jewish people. The Lubavticher Rebbe teaches us to make ourselves as well as our homes into a holy sanctuary. For example, teaching your children Torah and bringing them up in a spiritual environment despite living in a physical world will bring Kedusha into your home the way that Kedusha rests on the Mishkan. Just as the Shema states “åÀùÑÄðÌÇðÀúÌÈí ìÀáÈðÆéêÈ åÀãÄáÌÇøÀúÌÈ áÌÈí” “You should teach your children, and you should speak of them (the Torah and Mitzvos)”.
 
Despite the fact that Shabbat may not be extensively written about in the Torah, Shabbat itself has incredible depth and detail. The Gemara (oral Law) presents the 39 melachot with intricacy. From winnowing to harvesting, all of these general categories of labor that are forbidden on Shabbat, are aligned with the Mishkans activities. However, the Mishkan is vastly discussed to teach us not only the message of listening to G-d’s request of asking us to build a House for Him, but also the idea that we enthusiastically want to include Him in our lives.  
 
To conclude, the lesson we can take from this week’s Parsha - which explores the workings of the Mishkan - is that details matter. Whether one is at Seminary, smiling at someone walking past, or even post sem, in the workplace or at university/college, you can always make an good lasting impression through small acts of kindness in order to turn yourself into your own mikdash.