This Shabbat, called Shabbat Shekalim, one of four Shabbatot where we add an extra reading from Torah before we get to Passover, is confusing. In the extra reading we learn that the Israelites took a census by charging every adult male twenty and up a half shekel membership offering. A tax really. Just a half shekel. Not more, not less. Affordable for everyone. From the very poorest to the richest person.  

But then there is our main reading, also from Exodus: 

“So, the whole community of the Israelites left Moses’ presence. And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit was moved came, bringing to יהוה an offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral Men and women, all whose hearts moved them, all who would make an elevation offering of gold to יהוה, came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants —gold objects of all kinds.” 

That very first word, vayakhel, “And Moses assembled, convoked…” is how we get the phrase Kehila. A kehila kedosha, a holy assembly. 

Let me underscore that. Women and men. ALL. Whose heart moves them. The whole community of Israel. This is something you want to do, not something you have to do. Not rich or poor. Not male or female. Everyone. It is everyone’s job to keep this place going,  

Including the women. How appropriate that we read this during Women’s History Month. Often times we talk about the covenant is being passed down by the women. We see that Rebecca (I wrote a whole master’s thesis about that), we see that with Hagar, who actually names G-d. We see that with Miriam and with Zipporah. We see that with Ruth. And, as we approach Purim, we most definitely see that with Esther.  

Now it may also be true that Moses had a woman problem. We see him change the language, preserved earlier in Exodus. G-d gives Moses the instructions of how they are to prepare for receiving the Torah. “Moses, “Go to the people and warn them to stay pure today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothes. Let them be ready for the third day; for on the third day יהוה will come down, in the sight of all the people, on Mount Sinai. You shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, ‘Beware of going up the mountain or touching the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death without being touched—by being either stoned or shot; beast or person, a trespasser shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.”” (Exodus 19:11-13) 

But then Moses, when he repeats the instruction adds a phrase: “Moses came down from the mountain to the people and warned the people to stay pure, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day: [the men among] you should not go near a woman.” (Exodus 19:14-15) 

Do not go near a woman. Say what? That wasn’t in the original instructions. How did Moses dare to change G-d’s words? Or was it a later writer or editor? We may never know but there is a clear shift. 

Similarly, in our current story, while the women bring their gold and their copper most likely from their mirrors, Moses isn’t sure he wants to use it to make the basins for the priests to wash. Why? The midrash may explain. Trust me you are old enough to handle this: 

According to the Jewish Women’s Archive: “Two verses in the Hebrew Bible refer to women ministering in the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:8 and 1 Samuel 2:22). These women gathered around the entrance and donated their copper mirrors to the making of the basin where the priests would wash before entering the sanctuary. Yet neither the nature of their service nor the original purpose of the mirrors are known. The historical critical approach conjectures that these women served as guards at the Tabernacle’s entrance, warding off evil with their mirrors. The midrash, however, retells the story of the women’s mirrors with which they seduced their husbands in the fields. Despite Moses objection, God urges that the mirrors be accepted because it was they that “raised up the hosts” of Israel in Egypt (Exodus 12:41, 51”). 

Yes, the women slaves in Israel used their mirrors to seduce their husbands and that’s why there were baby Israelites. The women midwives, Shifra and Puah, courageous ones, delivered those babies, ensuring that the Israelite people would survive. Those mirrors allowed the covenant to continue!  

The women giving up their gold and their silver and yes, those copper mirrors, also allowed the covenant to continue and for full worship in the mishkan to happen. They were gifts of the heart. From the women. We are often told that it is the women who refused to give up their gold for the golden calf and that’s why we have Rosh Hodesh, a half holiday dedicated to women, which begins tonight.  

Why were these gifts requested to build the mishkan? Ultimately to keep the lights on. To allow the people to worship G-d.  

Motel 6 used to have an ad, ““I’m Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we’ll leave the light on for you.” It was welcoming. You knew you had a place to lay your head.  

It reminds me of a story, and I can’t find the original source. Several rabbis wanted to use it this week. This is the kind of thing we do for fun. So here is one version of the story: 

“In a mountain village many years ago, there was a Jewish nobleman who wanted to leave a legacy for people of his town. So he decided to build a synagogue. 

In the course of his planning, the nobleman decided that no one should see the plans for the building until it was finished. He built a wall around the entire area, and swore the workers to secrecy. They worked day and night. And the people of the town would gather around the walls, wondering what was inside.

Finally, the work was completed, and the people began to enter. What they saw astounded them. No one could remember so beautiful a synagogue anywhere in the world. They marveled at its magnificent windows, and admired its intricate designs. They stood in awe of its craftsmanship and attention to detail. 

But then, one of the crowd noticed a serious flaw. “Where are the lamps?” she asked. “What will provide the lighting?” The crowd looked around, and indeed, there were no lamps. They began to talk amongst themselves, “He’s built such a beautiful building, but forgotten to provide any light, so that we can see when we worship.” The murmuring grew louder and louder.

Until finally, the nobleman held up his hand to silence the congregation. He pointed to a series of brackets that hung all along the walls of the synagogue. And he handed a lamp to each family. “The lamps,” he said, “belong not to the synagogue but to you. Whenever you come here, you should bring your lamp, so that your light will fill this place of prayer. And, each time you are not here, a part of the synagogue will be dark. Your community is relying on your light.” https://www.kolami.ca/media-galleries/rabbis-messages?post_id=161618  

But this isn’t just some old story. My colleague and friend, Rabbi Jonathan Zimet, whose father was also a rabbi tells this story: “A week before Krystallnacht, it so happened that the Ner Tamid developed a short.   The custodian didn’t have time to troubleshoot and fix it, so he rigged up a battery to the light.  The next day or so, at Krystallnacht, the Germans smashed the stuff and cut the electricity to this shul.  (They couldn’t just bomb that shul because it was so close to the Telegraph office).  The next day, Germans came by and saw that the Ner Tamid was still burning!” 

Once here, at CKI, a member came to me all aghast. The Ner Tamid was out. What do we do? It is actually pretty simple. We change the bulb. Well, not me. Too high for me. Someone else changes the bulb, We all have an obligation to watch the lights. That is exactly what happened. The light bulb got changed. 

This coming week, we will have new lighting replacing the old florescent lighting, It shall save CKI lots of money and it is not costing us anything. We thank for Robin arranging for it.  This is part of how we build a kehila kedosha, a holy community. It is a very real way that we keep the lights on. So consider your half shekel tax and your gifts from the heart. And know that is how we build and maintain our kehila kedosha.