Last week we talked about “chesed” and building the world with love. This week we are going to talk about “ahavah” love.

In this week’s portion we begin to build the mishkan, the traveling tabernacle in the desert, the place where G-d will dwell. Mishkan, dwelling place is an interesting word. We derive Shechinah, the in-dwelling presence of G-d, the feminine aspect of G-d.

We are told that G-d wants us to bring gifts. G-d needs our gifts? Yes! Freewill offerings. Gifts from the heart. This is not the census tax or the membership fee. This is what you want to bring. Whatever the heart directs.

What are the gifts that we bring?

Our gifts of making the place beautiful, our artistry, our sense of beauty, the gift of time, our love of cooking and baking—just ask those who were gathered to bake challah this week. The text specifies to accept gifts of gold and silver and copper, linen in purple, crimson and blue and more. All to build a house so that G-d can dwell among them.

In short, we are to bring our whole selves.

Debbie Friedman, z”l wrote this song:

These are the gifts that we bring
that we may build a holy place.
This is the spirit that we bring
that we may build a holy place.
We will bring all the goodness
that comes from our hearts
And the spirit of God will dwell within…..

These are the colors of our dreams
we bring to make a holy place.
This is the weaving of our lives
we bring to make a holy place.
We will bring all the goodness
that comes from our hearts
And the spirit of love will dwell within…..

These are the prayers that we bring
that we may make a holy place.
These are the visions that we seek
that we may build this holy place.
Let our promise forever be strong,
let our souls rise together in song,
that the spirit of God
and the spirit of love,
Shechinah,
will dwell within.

This week we started a new class for Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the new month. Based on the book Spiritual Kneading we will gather to bake challah, some to take home and some for Shabbat at CKI and some to deliver to our shut-ins. I had the opportunity to take one of those loaves to one of our members in their new home at an assisted living facility. They were so happy to see me and to have a challah for their first Shabbat in their new home. That was a gift. That was love.

In the case, people asked why there are two challot on Shabbat. It is the tradition because when manna fell in the desert, there was a double portion on Friday so we didn’t have to collect on Shabbat. That manna was a gift. That was love.

The book Love and Knishes is an old Jewish cookbook that both Simon and I grew up with. I think we brought two copies into the marriage. The very first page says, “If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then knishes will get there faster…and stay longer.” While the sentiment may seem a bit dated now, the idea that way to anyone’s heart maybe through good cooking is not.

Shabbat at home is supposed to be filled with joy and peace. And that extra spice that is Shabbat. “Caesar asked Rabbi Joshua ben Chananya: Why do Shabbat foods smell so good? Said he to him: We have a special spice, ‘Shabbat’ is its name . . .” (Talmud, Shabbat 119a) Others have said that extra ingredient is love.

Our homes are to be a mikdash me’at, a little sanctuary. And the challah re-enacts the sacrifice that was offered in the Holy Temple for Shabbat. Our homes are to be filled with Shalom Bayit, peace of the house.

But sometimes, they are not. This weekend is dedicated as Shababt L’Amour by Jewish Women International. It is our hope that we use this time to focus on our homes being a little sanctuary, and building our world on love. That is the real gift. That is love.

Next week, on Valentine’s Day, we are helping to sponsor an event at Elgin Community College, Long Red Line—One Billion Rising which ties to an international movement started by Eve Ensler. Come join me at 10:00 at ECC to say that no woman should be beaten, that every person deserves to live in a house filled with shalom bayit and that extra spice of Shabbat. That too would be a gift. And love.

Cantor Julia Cadrain took the verse from our portion this week, to make for G-d a sanctuary so that G-d can dwell among us and combined it with a hymn that may be familiar to many:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W_XxCh2b30

“Ve’asu li mikdash veshachanti betocham,” which means “Build for Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” (Exod. 25:8) It says “them,” meaning God may dwell among them–the people, rather than it–the Sanctuary. This is the idea that God isn’t contained within any particular physical space, but rather exists in the spaces between people and in the relationships we have with each other. V’asu li mikdash V’shachanti b’tocham Va-anachnu n’varech Yah Me-ata v’ad olam! Lord, prepare me to be a Sanctuary Pure and holy, tried and true With thanksgiving I’ll be a living Sanctuary for You!”

She is correct…the real gift is not the building itself but the people in the building in relationship with each other. People facing each other, looking into each other’s eyes, just as the cherubim in today’s reading. It is about being in relationship with each other. The I-Thou relationship that Martin Buber talked about and that Ron Wolfson discussed in Relational Judaism.

In the haftarah, we learn that “There was shalom/friendship between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant, a treaty.” Another translation would be that there was peace between them. Without peace, it is hard to have friendship.

At the very end of the haftarah we learn that I will abide among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.”

That is the gift of this very building. The gift of G-d dwelling amongst us. The gift of peace. The gift of friendship. The gift of a challah—and maybe the extra spice of Shabbat.