A few times a year, the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, assembled all the students to urge them to look out for the needs of others. The yeshiva had thousands of students, so it was impossible to know everyone. He would usually close the assembly by asking each student to turn to his neighbor and introduce himself. It was the beginning of developing many close relationships.

Parshas Vayakhel opens with Moshe assembling the entire nation— men, women and children—instructing them regarding the mitzvah of Shabbos and building the Mishkan. Moshe always talked to the entire nation together, but why did he have to assemble them specifically now regarding these mitzvos?

Rashi says that this assembly occurred the day after Yom Kippur, the day after Moshe had just come down from Har Sinai with the second Luchos and successfully achieved forgiveness for the Jewish nation regarding their sin of the Golden Calf. At the time of that sin, the Jewish people also assembled, as it says, “Vayakhel…” and the nation assembled—and pressured Aharon to create an entity to lead them in place of Moshe, who they believed was not returning from the mountain. The Ohr Hachaim correlates these two assemblies, before and after the sin of the Golden Calf. The assembly immediately before the sin was for a negative purpose. The assembly of Klal Yisrael by Moshe after the sin was to rectify the sin of the entire assembly and achieve their forgiveness.

When Moshe descended from the mountain and saw the Golden Calf, he smashed the Luchos. Rav Shimon Schwab notes that when Moshe saw the nation dancing in a circle around the Golden Calf, he then threw down the Luchos. Seeing the Golden Calf alone was not enough cause for Moshe to smash the Luchos. It was the assembly of the nation, joining together in song and dance, that caused Moshe to smash the Luchos.

There are different types of assemblies. Some can be for the wrong reason and thereby cause disunity! Shlomo Hamelech said, “l’ta’avah yevakesh nifrad”—”for desire causes separation.” Rabbeinu Yonah says that pursuit of desire causes division. Rashi explains that the Golden Calf was a symbol which permitted the nation to pursue the pleasures of illicit relations.

Although the nation had gathered and danced around the calf holding hands in a sign of unity, that type of unity actually evidenced disunity, since individual desires divide people. For the moment they might be united in action, but in truth, each individual was interested in his own personal desiresTherefore, to rectify the sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe assembled Klal Yisrael and taught them the laws of Shabbos. Shabbos symbolizes unity of the klal, countering the disunity in which they had indulged.

One of the greatest expressions of the unity of our people is the observance of Shabbos. When Jews around the world stop their regular activity to enter the world of Shabbos, we unify.

It is interesting to note that many people define their social circles by where they daven on Shabbos morning. During the week, people may daven in many places based on work or chavrusa commitments. But their place for davening on Shabbos— that is their real shul. Shabbos creates unity.

The concept of unity is depicted by the one melacha (work activity) out of the 39 melachos of Shabbos that is mentioned specifically in the Torah: “Do not kindle a fire on Shabbos.” Why this melacha in particular? The Dinover Rebbe explains that fire alludes to anger, which flares up like a fire. The Torah is telling us that a person should be careful not to get angry on Shabbos. Anger divides people. Shabbos unites.

This month of Adar heralds the Yom Tov of Purim—the Yom Tov of unity. It’s a time when we think more about others and less about ourselves. We see this in the mitzvah of matanos l’evyonim, and mishloach manos. It’s also best to hear the Megillah reading in a large group.

Let us always keep unity with our fellow Jews in mind and utilize Shabbos and Purim to focus on the needs of others and assemble as a true Jewish nation. With these actions, may we merit our ultimate salvation and redemption!!

Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is the associate rosh yeshiva of Passaic Torah Institute (PTI)/Yeshiva Ner Boruch. Rabbi Bodenheim can be reached at [email protected]. For more info about PTI and its Torah classes, visit www.pti.shulcloud.com