Parashat Vayakhel/ Parah
by Rabbi Yaakov Haber
By way of introduction to the directive of building the Mishkan, Moshe tells the Jewish people that they must observe shabbat. He then continues with the details of the Mishkan.
Rashi explains the relevance of shabbat to the Mishkan’s construction: Moshe was indicating that one may not engage in any labor on shabbat in order to construct the Mishkan. In fact, all the activities that were needed to construct the Mishkan are forbidden on shabbat.
One wonders why we need a special directive to refrain from building the Mishkan on shabbat. Why would anyone think it would be permitted?
But then, one wonders how it can be forbidden. This was the Mishkan, the resting place for the Divine Presence, the heart of spirituality for the Jews in the desert. If we can desecrate shabbat to save one Jewish life, certainly it would stand to reason that we could desecrate shabbat to construct a Mishkan!
But that’s not how it works. The benefit does not justify the means. If something is forbidden, it is forbidden. It doesn’t matter how much we stand to gain if we do it; it doesn’t even matter how much we would gain spiritually by doing it. If it’s forbidden, it’s forbidden.
Even the greatest, most powerful deeds must bow to Torah law—even if it means postponing the very presence of the Shechinah from entering our midst.
Thus, we have learned that even one’s performance of mitzvot must follow the Torah.
And mitzvah performance that runs afoul of Torah law is nothing less than a sin.
This also includes the manner in which one performs a mitzvah. If doing a mitzvah might hurt someone in the process, it must be reconsidered. By the same token, if helping someone might compromise on certain religious standards, it may be advisable to do without.
Of course, each individual circumstance must be carefully weighed. But let’s remember that not many causes are as great as building a Mishkan—and even that great, historic spiritual endeavor had to step aside for the power of one Torah law.