Table Talk

Vayakhel means “And he gathered.”

Moshe gathered all of Bnei Yisrael and, after reminding them to keep Shabbat as a holy day, he asked everyone to make donations for the Mishkan, which was the portable sanctuary in the desert, and for the Ohel Moed, the Tent of Meeting.

He asked for gold, silver, copper, and jewelry, and he also asked them to use their skills so they can help build the Ohel Moed. Not only did Bnei Yisrael donate valuable objects, they also gave a lot of their time and skills to help Moshe.

Everyone was determined to help the community, and with great excitement they donated tzedakah and used their skills to make their world a better place.

In our own lives we try to act like Bnei Yisrael did in this week’s parsha. For example, before Thanksgiving my family and I volunteered with JAFCO and donated packages of food to people who don't have a lot of money so they could enjoy a meal with their family. This made me feel good because I knew I was doing the mitzvah of helping people in need.

When I attended my previous school in New York my class built dog beds and fetch toys with our own hands and donated to a dog shelter program called “Arf.”

I loved the “Arf” program, and so I started creating advertisements for “Arf” to put on their website and I also handed out flyers to convince people to give those dogs a loving home. Just like in this week’s parsha, my class gathered together to work hard to change things for the better. I'm glad I was able to help because when I go to sleep at night I know I did a great mitzvah.

We learned from this week’s parsha how important it is to help people in need. We also learned that there are different ways to help, and that you should always be generous towards the people who might need a little support.

Thank you and Shabbat Shalom!