This week’s parsha, Parshas Vayakhel, focuses almost completely on the final stages of the creation of the Mishkan. Like so many of the parshios that came before, Vayakhel is very detail oriented and rather list-like. There are, however, repeated pasukim in these perakim that provide an interesting insight into a commonly recurring discussion of women in Judaism.

In Perek Lamed-Hey, the Torah describes how the people fulfilled the words of parshas Teruma…bringing gifts to the Mishkan. In describing their actions, however, the Torah does something unusual. It makes a distinct reference to both the women as well as the men.  “The men accompanied the women. All those who were generous of heart brought bracelets, nose-rings, finger-rings, and belts, as well as gold objects of all kinds, along with all those men who donated a wave-offering of gold to God” (Shemos 35:23). 

The most literal translation of the opening Hebrew phrase, “Vayavou ha’anashim al hanashim” is “and the men came on the women.” There are many different opinions on what this means, many of which are similar to the Daas Zkainim, who said: “And the men came to the women intending to deny them to offer their jewelry … however, the women were quite anxious to donate even these pieces of jewelry, seeing that it was for holy purpose.” 

Other commentaries, however, note that this is an indication of the women taking the lead. The word Al is translated as “with” rather than the traditional “on,” but their remains an implication of responsibility, perhaps one might even say, of carrying the men. Chizkuni notes: “A different interpretation: the word Al in this verse means: “with;” in other words, the men did not volunteer their own jewelry as gifts for the building the Tabernacle until after the women had already done so by removing their own jewelry.”

This might just be an interesting passing  point except that this rare occurrence of distinguishing the women from the men happens again first at the end of this subsection of perek lamed hey, when the Torah concludes: “Every man and woman among the Israelites whose heart compelled them to bring something for all the work that God had commanded to be done through Moshe brought a donation for God” and then as the Torah wraps up the description of the gifts of the people in perek lamed vav. The people’s generosity was so overflowing that Moshe had to stop the people, so “Moshe thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: ‘Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!’” So the people stopped bringing” (36:6).

It is a well-known concept that the righteous women of Israel have affected the salvation of Bnei Yisrael on numerous occasions. It is as frequently discussed as the idea that women are the ones who direct the spirituality of the home and that women have a different, more spiritual, connection to Hashem.

Here in Parshas Vayakhel, we have this subtle reminder or the power of the Jewish women. The women at Har Sinai refused to give their jewelry, but here at the Mishkan, they came flocking to do so. The women worked just as diligently as the men in preparing items for the Mishkan (as particularly noted with spinning wool in Perek lamed hey) and their enthusiasm noted at the outset never diminished, never eased into leaving the work to the men. Here, when it was necessary and important, they were front and center.

For most of the Torah, the women are folded into the general masculine grammar used for mixed multitudes. They don’t stand out. They don’t demand distinction… but that doesn’t make them weak followers. They are strong and dedicated, and they are the foundation to the building of klal Yisrael, of Jewish families, and of the Mishkan.  

Good Shabbas