In פרשת ויקהל we read about actual construction of the משכן. While all כלל ישראל had a part in donating its materials, it was only those artisans who had the unique talent to design and build who did the actual construction. As the פסוק says
וכל חכם לב בכם יבואו ויעשו את כל אשר צוה ה’
The תורה reveals the name of the man tasked with heading the entire project
ראו קרא ה’ בשם בצלאל בן אורי בן חור למטה יהודה
What is the תורה highlighting, by saying ראו קרא ה’ בשם? What was unique about Betzalel’s name? חז”ל say
יודע היה בצלאל לצרף אותיות שנבראו בהם שמים וארץ.
In creating the משכן, Betzalel used the same formula הקב”ה Himself used when creating the world. This unique ability that was hinted in his name, בצלאל, which means בצל קל. He had the special connection to Hashem which placed him at this great level. The מדרש notes:
בשעת הקמת המשכן הוברר שמו
When בצלאל was tasked with building the משכן, the meaning of his name became evident.
We now understand why the תורה is highlighting that Hashem called בצלאל by his name. The name he was given at his birth was chosen by Hashem Himself, since it symbolized the unique abilities that he was going to have in creating the house of Hashem.
בצלם אלוקים עשה את האדם
Every single person was created with unique G-dly talents and feelings. The ספרים הקדושים tell us that a parent, when naming their child, is given a spark of רוח הקודש so that the name they choose contains the essence of the child’s unique נשמה.
In our times, artificial intelligence is becoming very popular and useful, with many wondering if AI will one day take over the world completely. Yet, when we remind ourselves that humans are created בצלם אלוקים, with a unique נשמה that allows us to soar and grow, we can rest assured that no matter how powerful AI can be, it’s still only a man-made tool, without a נשמה, and without the ability to do more than it was programmed to. And the lessons of the פרשה can remind us that within each and every one of us, sits a great נשמה that has unlimited potential and abilities.
We’ll conclude with a story that highlights this point, as told by Rabbi Pesach Krohn שליט”א
A large Kollel family from Yerushalayim would go each summer on vacation up north. They would rent a Tzimer and enjoy a family week of hiking, boating and sightseeing. With the limited budget they had, the vacation did not include any eating out. Instead, all the food was packed in advance before leaving home. One year, on the drive up north, the family stopped at a park, where the kids spent an enjoyable hour. As they were about to head back to the rental car, one of the children said that they needed to use the restroom. The park did not have any facilities to use, so the father took the child to an adjacent restaurant. Upon entering he asked the waitress if they can use the restroom. She replied in the affirmative. Upon exiting, however, they were confronted by a very angry manager, who demanded to know how they had the audacity to use the restaurant’s facilities without ordering anything. Realizing that the waitress he spoke with might get into trouble, the quick thinking father replied:” Actually sir, we do plan on ordering food. In fact, I’m about to get the rest of the family and we will all enjoy dinner here.” The manager apologized and the entire large family sat down to eat. With this new, unexpected expense, the father informed everyone that they can each order just one item from the menu.
It was therefore very surprising that at the end of the meal, they were served an elaborate dessert. The very surprised (and alarmed) father looked up and saw the same manager and waitress approaching with a smile. ” The waitress told me how you went above and beyond to save her from embarrassment. I’m proud to have such special people eat here at the restaurant. And rest assured that the dessert and the entire meal are on the house.”Yes, we do normally charge. But that’s only for regular people. Not people who can rise to the level of a מלאך!”
Weekly Parsha Shiur 