A Thought for Shabbat

Rabbi Yossy Goldman, Sydenham Shul The Day After Some years ago, here in Johannesburg, the United Nations held the International Summit on Sustainable Development. The Summit was a great success. One wonders, though, whether all the wonderful decisions and resolutions that were adopted were ever implemented. In other words, were they themselves sustainable? Good ideas and worthwhile projects are suggested regularly. The question is, do they get off the drawing board? And if they do, how long do they last? What degree of permanence do they enjoy? Moses gathered the assembly of the Children of Israel – these are the opening words of Parshat Vayakhel. Rashi tells us that this day of assembly was the day after Yom Kippur. Moses came down from Mount Sinai on Yom Kippur bearing the message of G-d’s forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf. The next day, he gathered the people and commanded them to build the Sanctuary. Why is it important to know that this was the day after Yom Kippur? Perhaps it is because while on Yom Kippur everyone is holy, the challenge is to be good after Yom Kippur. It is relatively easy to be holy on the holiest day…