Shabbat Vayakhel, 2025

“So, Rav Moses Arama links the call to observe Shabbat at the beginning of the Parsha to the necessity for the Mishkan to be built collectively. He posits that both to rest and to give require us to enter into a state of awe; that this world, this broken and beautiful and glittering world we are living within, has been created and continues to be created. This type of awe is required to snap us out of what Mordecai Kaplan calls our “ego isolation.” It allows us to know in our souls that more is possible than currently exists, and we need this type of awe because it’s actually quite difficult to be as generous as we could be to offer our skills in the face of the unknown, to ask for support when we don’t know if it will be answered. And this is why the Mishkan was collectively sourced, because it is vital that we know that we can and that we will rise to the occasion, because our ancestors did it before us.”

Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern Alana Krivo-Kaufman gave this drashah on Friday, March 21, 2025 / 22 Adar 5785. Watch the full talk above.

Be in community with CBST at Kabbalat Shabbat services, every Friday at 6:30pm EST, either in person or streaming live on CBST’s website at cbst.org/livestream.

CBST is an LGBTQ+ synagogue for people of all sexual identities and genders and a joyful, spiritual, proud community. All are welcome 🌈✨