A shule meeting – Vayakhel
The Torah reading commences with Moses gathering the congregation to make an announcement. According to Rashi, the gathering took place on the day after Yom Kippur.
What was so important that everyone had to be there? The observance of Shabbat.
Now transfer the whole scenario to the 21st century and imagine a shule meeting taking place straight after Yom Kippur. There would be plenty of grumbles – “Haven’t we already spent a day in shule? What’s so urgent today that we have to take another day out of our lives?”
The explanation is that most people think that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are all they need to give to God and religion. The weekly Shabbat, they think, is only for the meshugga froom.
Moses knew better; he told them that the test of their devotion to Judaism is not the annual assemblies but the regular weekly commitment.
