Living in the Shadow of God: The Art of Leadership (Vayakhel)
This morning, I woke to the news that my family — along with millions of others — in central Israel were sheltering from a ballistic missile fired from Yemen and missiles fired by Hamas in Gaza. This is the reality we live in, and if we are to speak of Torah, we must do so with eyes open and truth in our hearts. Torah is not an abstract exercise. It is a guide, a demand, a charge.
This week’s portion is about leadership, responsibility, and the sacred work of building a center that holds. It is about craftsmanship — not just in gold, silver, and copper, but in the way we craft society, the way we shape justice, the way we forge the future.
Parshat Vayakhel introduces Betzalel, the master artisan chosen by God to construct the Mishkan, the sacred dwelling place of the Divine.
“See, God has singled out Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and has endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft…” (Ex. 35:30–31).
Betzalel was given extraordinary gifts, but his greatest wisdom was knowing that he could not build alone. Immediately after his selection, he appoints Oholiav and Achisamach, artists from a different tribe, to share the work. The Mishkan, the heart of the Israelite camp, was not the product of one leader, one vision, one set of hands. It was a collective labor, a shared creation, a holy endeavor.
And so we ask: What does it mean to lead? What does it mean to build? It is not about personal power. It is not about control. True leadership means serving the common good. True leadership means elevating others. True leadership means knowing that no one, not even the most talented artist in a generation, builds a nation alone.
This is not just ancient wisdom — it is an urgent lesson for today. Who are our leaders? Do they share power, or do they hoard it? Do they build, or do they destroy? Do they honor those they serve, or do they leverage the power they wield for themselves? These are the questions we must ask, because leadership is not just about those in high office. It is about us.
Leadership is about influence. In this way, we are all leaders. The way we walk through the world, the way we respond to one another, the way we choose to act in moments of crisis — this is leadership. Betzalel was an artist, but he was also a leader. His gift was not just in sculpting and designing but in creating a system where others could effectively contribute their own gifts.
This is the lesson of Vayakhel. We are meant to build together. We are meant to hold each other up, to protect each other, to take responsibility for the structures — physical, political, moral — that shape our lives. The Mishkan was not just a sanctuary; it was the center of the camp. It was the place where people turned for answers. It was a reflection of the values of the people. And so it is with the institutions we build — and defend — today.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote that the land of Israel is not inherently holy — it is a testing ground for holiness. It is where we learn whether we can live up to our highest ideals. Today, Israel is being tested. The families of the hostages, who have marched, pleaded, and demanded action, are our modern-day Betzalels. They are fighting for their children, for our people, with a clarity and urgency that we must internalize. Their courage, their unwillingness to accept passivity, is the leadership we need.
What good is a Mishkan if it is not protected? What good is a nation if its leaders do not act for the good of the people? What good is power if it is not wielded with wisdom and justice? The Torah demands that we take responsibility — not just for our own survival, but for the moral compass of our society.
In the final interview before his passing, Rabbi Heschel was asked if he had a message for young people. He answered: “Remember to live your life as a work of art.” Betzalel was chosen because he understood this truth. He lived in the shadow of God — not seeking to shine alone but reflecting the divine light in the work he helped create. That is our calling. To build. To lead. To serve. To share. To make our lives, our leadership, and our world works of sacred art.
May we be blessed to remember our responsibilities. May we be strong. May we stand with the hostages and their families. May we stand with those who demand justice. May we stand as builders, as artists, as leaders who know that true power is shared power.
