Vayakhel וַיַּקְהֵל - And He Assembled
Torah Reading: Exodus 35:1-38:20
Reading #3 – Exodus 35:30–36:7
My Thoughts:
In verse 36:6 we read, “So the people were restrained from bringing”. Can you even imagine? Think about the church, synagogue or small group you attend and the leader telling you not to donate anymore to the ministry that you have more than enough. Wouldn’t that be so amazing? I actually witnessed this a few weeks ago. In a local community zoom meeting I was attending, the director of a local non-profit spoke to us. She was asked how we could help her ministry. She said, “Really right now we have enough. We have been over blessed with money and goods to help our clients.” I was astonished. I had never heard someone from a non-profit agency say that they had all they needed. Truly this ministry was super blessed by Hashem!
Challenge:
My challenge to you is to “check out” the group/ministry that you usually give to. Maybe you can ask for a fiscal report and see how they are doing. If it looks like their income has far exceeded their expenses, then maybe it is time to pray about giving elsewhere for a while. We want to be good stewards of all that Hashem has given us. We need to make sure we are giving to the organization/group that Hashem has called us to. Amen!
Exodus 35:30–36:7
30 Moses said to the children of Israel, “Behold, Hashem has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 He has filled him with the Spirit of Elohim, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship; 32 and to make skillful works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 33 in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of skillful workmanship. 34 He has put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skillful works.
36 “Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom Hashem has put wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Hashem has commanded.”
2 Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Hashem had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it. 3 They received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They kept bringing free will offerings to him every morning. 4 All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which he did. 5 They spoke to Moses, saying, “The people have brought much more than enough for the service of the work which Hashem commanded to make.”
6 Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and too much.
