By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum
אמתים וחצי ארכו ואמה וחצי רחבו (פרק כה פסוק י)
The Torah lists in detail all the objects needed in the משכן, starting with the ארון, the Ark. All the measurements given for the ארון are in “halves”- 2.5 cubits long, 1.5 cubits wide, and 1.5 cubits high. The Baal Haturim comments that the ארון represents the Torah. By telling us that all its measurements are “broken”, the Torah is teaching that for one to truly learn and appreciate Torah, one must break themselves- lowering themselves with proper humility.
ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה (פרק כה פסוק לא)
Hashem tells Moshe that he should make the מנורה, and the פסוק ends off, “so will it be made”, as if it is made by itself. Rashi explains that Moshe had a difficult time creating the מנורה, so Hashem had him throw the gold into a furnace, and the מנורה came out “on its own”. The Sfas Emes asks, if so, why did Hashem bother showing Moshe the מנורה in the first place? It will anyway be created through a miracle? The Sfas Emes answers that our responsibility is to do as much as we possibly can. Sometimes, there will be a מצוה that seems impossible for us to do. In that situation we must do our job, i.e. anything we possibly can do towards the fulfillment of the מצוה, and then Hashem will finish the rest “by itself”. That is why Moshe needed to be shown the מנורה- to do whatever he could, and only then would Hashem “step in” and miraculously finish the rest. This is encouragement for all of us to never give up when the task seems too big- we must do whatever we can and leave the rest for Hashem to take care of.
