Hard - And Worth It
In this morning’s parsha we read about two objects that were
impressively made from one single piece of metal.
At the beginning
of the Parsha, the Torah provides a one-pasuk description of the Menorah’s
construction.
“This is the workmanship of the Menorah:
hammered out of one piece of gold; from its base to its flowers it is hammered
out.”
The fact that the Menorah was sculpted out of one piece of gold was a
feat so impressive that (according to some commentators) even Moshe was stumped
as to how the Menorah was to be built.
Later in the
Parsha, we read about the Chatzotzrot. Moshe was commanded to make two silver
trumpets. Here again the Torah specifies that the trumpets must be “Miksha”,
shaped out of a single piece of silver.
Though not
mentioned in our Parsha, there is one additional ritual object that had to be
shaped from one piece. The Keruvim, which sat on top of the Holy Ark had to
also be Miksha. (Terumah: 25:18)
The word Miksha
comes from the word Kasha, which means hard or difficult. To sculpt
these elaborate objects can certainly be considered difficult. But why were
these three items singled out for Miksha treatment? Is there any common thread
between the Menorah, the trumpets and the Keruvim that can help shed light on
this shared construction requirement?
The key to
understanding the Miksha factor is by seeking the symbolism inherent in each of
the aforementioned items.
The Menorah
symbolizes Torah knowledge. The Talmud in Baba Batra learns from the position
of the Menorah in the Mishkan (on the southern wall) that Harotzeh
Sheyachkim Yadrim: one who wants to become wise must go south. Similarly
the Midrash recounts how Moshe would meditate by the light of the Menorah when
he was trying to figure out a particularly difficult lesson from Hashem.
Keruvim represent
children. Rashi in Parshat Teruma (25:18) quotes the Gemara in Sukah (5b) which
states that the Keruvim looked like children.
The Chatzotzrot
symbolize happiness. In this morning’s Torah reading, the last pasuk relating
to the trumpets sums up the instances in which they were to be blown (10: 10).
The sound of the Chatztzrot was supposed to both foster and express our
feelings of joy.
Torah, children
and happiness: three of the most fundamental and essential aspects of our
lives. Each stands on its own as an important pursuit, and yet they are
inextricably entwined one with the other. One might think that as fundamentals,
success in these areas should be easy. Comes the Torah and tells us in each
instance: “Miksha Hi.” They’re hard to accomplish and maintain. These three
goals seem to pull us in three different directions. Spending time learning
Torah versus time spent on maintaining the family. The financial stress of
paying for a Jewish education for our children, and how much happier we imagine
we could be without that expense.
Some people
believe that such tensions and questions are symptoms of a lack of faith and
that the Torah has a clear answer for every situation.
By examining the Menorah,
the Chatzotzrot and the Keruvim, we are better equipped to appreciate that at
times the Torah’s lesson is to embrace the challenge and the tension. By
specifying these three objects the Torah teaches us that even with goals as
essential as Torah, family and joy, it’s okay to say “Miksha Hi.” These things
are hard. But these things are worth it. If we prioritize them and work towards
these goals, then Hashem will help us enjoy the blessings of our successes.