In this discussion of Parshat Vayakhel (35:1-38:20, 30:11-16), we will explore our unique offerings to the divine. How can we feel that being queer is a blessing? How is being ourselves a gift?
Blessing for Torah Study
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la'asok b’divrei Torah. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, charging us to engage with words of Torah.
Beginning with Our Own Torah
1) Think of a moment when you felt cherished for your queerness or when you cherished the fact that queerness exists. You can imagine of a moment that has already happened or one you want in the future. You can think of feeling cherished by another person, by the earth, by yourself, by a pet, and more. How did you or would you respond to that feeling? How does this prompt make you feel?
2) What makes something a good gift or good art?
3) What are your natural gifts and how are they informed by queerness or aspects of your identity?
Gifts
Context
After Moses received commandments from God, he descended Mount Sinai and gathered all of the Israelites.
Questions to consider
What kinds of resources do the Israelites draw upon to create and offer gifts? Who is offering gifts? Why are there so many different types of gifts?
(5) Take from among you gifts to ה'; everyone whose heart is so moved (kol ni’div lebo) shall bring them—gifts for ה': gold, silver, and copper; (6) blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, and goats’ hair; (7) tanned ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood; (8) oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; (9) lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and the breastpiece.
(10) And let all among you who are skilled (v'chol chacham lev) come and make all that ה' has commanded: (11) the Tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps and its planks, its bars, its posts, and its sockets; (12) the ark and its poles, the cover, and the curtain for the screen; (13) the table, and its poles and all its utensils; and the bread of display; (14) the lampstand for lighting, its furnishings and its lamps, and the oil for lighting; (15) the altar of incense and its poles; the anointing oil and the aromatic incense; and the entrance screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle; (16) the altar of burnt offering, its copper grating, its poles, and all its furnishings; the laver and its stand; (17) the hangings of the enclosure, its posts and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; (18) the pegs for the Tabernacle, the pegs for the enclosure, and their cords; (19) the service vestments for officiating in the sanctuary, the sacral vestments of Aaron the priest and the vestments of his sons for priestly service.
The Power of Embodied Love (Parashat Vayakhel and Parashat Pekudei by Rabbi Jill Hammer, Keshet, 2006
The words in our parshiyot suggest that "wise-heartedness," the knowing that comes from inside, has something to contribute to the body of sacred knowledge. Queer people, like other marginalized people, have often spent a great deal of time becoming wise-hearted: knowing and skillful in understanding the workings of their bodies, hearts and spirits. They have had no choice: this skill is a necessary defense against the many people who misunderstand, demonize or ignore them. Only by knowing themselves can they accurately know which of the images others have thrust on them are false. The gifts they bring to communal understanding of self, sexuality, love and community are powerful. Their embodied wisdom is not simply an idea to take or leave, it is an expertise in being, one that the community needs in order to build. Indeed, one way all of us become wise-hearted is by learning how to love.
Art
Questions to consider
Why and how are certain people moved to offer or create art? How do their creations reflect their devotion and experience? What makes their artwork valuable?
(21) And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit (chol asher nadvah rucho) was moved came, bringing to ה' an offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral vestments. (22) Men and women, all whose hearts moved them (kol ni'div lev), all who would make an elevation offering of gold to ה', came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants —gold objects of all kinds.
(ל) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רְא֛וּ קָרָ֥א ה' בְּשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה׃ (לא) וַיְמַלֵּ֥א אֹת֖וֹ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֑ים בְּחׇכְמָ֛ה בִּתְבוּנָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכׇל־מְלָאכָֽה׃ (לב) וְלַחְשֹׁ֖ב מַֽחֲשָׁבֹ֑ת לַעֲשֹׂ֛ת בַּזָּהָ֥ב וּבַכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (לג) וּבַחֲרֹ֥שֶׁת אֶ֛בֶן לְמַלֹּ֖את וּבַחֲרֹ֣שֶׁת עֵ֑ץ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּכׇל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת מַחֲשָֽׁבֶת׃ (לד) וּלְהוֹרֹ֖ת נָתַ֣ן בְּלִבּ֑וֹ ה֕וּא וְאׇֽהֳלִיאָ֥ב בֶּן־אֲחִיסָמָ֖ךְ לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (לה) מִלֵּ֨א אֹתָ֜ם חׇכְמַת־לֵ֗ב לַעֲשׂוֹת֮ כׇּל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת חָרָ֣שׁ ׀ וְחֹשֵׁב֒ וְרֹקֵ֞ם בַּתְּכֵ֣לֶת וּבָֽאַרְגָּמָ֗ן בְּתוֹלַ֧עַת הַשָּׁנִ֛י וּבַשֵּׁ֖שׁ וְאֹרֵ֑ג עֹשֵׂי֙ כׇּל־מְלָאכָ֔ה וְחֹשְׁבֵ֖י מַחֲשָׁבֹֽת׃
(29) Thus the Israelites, all the men and women whose hearts moved them (kol ish v’isha asher nadav lebam) to bring anything for the work that ה', through Moses, had commanded to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to YHVH. ה'. (30) And Moses said to the Israelites: See, ה' has singled out by name Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, (31) endowing him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft, (32) and inspiring him to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, (33) to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of designer’s craft— (34) and to give directions. He and Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan (35) have been endowed with the skill to do any work—of the carver, the designer, the embroiderer in blue, purple, crimson yarns, and in fine linen, and of the weaver—as workers in all crafts and as makers of designs.
[The leaders] said, “Let people bring what they will bring, and we will fill in what is missing.” The entire Jewish people rejoiced and happily brought every gift...as they were pushing each other and men and women were coming mixed together.... Since the tabernacle was done and it was not lacking anything, [the leaders] said, “What can we bring?” They went and brought carts upon which the tabernacle could be carried. And who gave them this advice? The tribe of Yissachar. As this is what they told them, “Is this tabernacle that you made to fly in the air? Rather, donate carts that you should carry it in them.”
Ending with Our Own Torah
1) Return to imagining the time when you felt cherished for your queerness or for the fact that queerness exists. What gift and/or blessing could be contained in that feeling?
2) What gift or art can you offer to the divine in honor of queer people?
3) How can queerness be a form of sacred art?
Queer Jewish Art
God is all gender by M Jay Smith
Digital art
Nature Golem by Annaliese Rosa
Sand
Hybrid Ritual Object and Orienting actions: Displaying and mobilizing a hybrid ritual object by Arielle Tonkin
Salvaged cotton warp (sourced in Chicago) and linen weft (fibers from Kansas and Vilnius, Lithuania, in honor of the Vilna Gaon), 2016-2017
