This week’s parsha begins with the commandment to start construction of the Mishkan alongside the commandment not to do melacha on Shabbat. Our Sages tell us that this connection teaches that the specific way to keep Shabbat properly is to refrain from doing the activities used to build the Mishkan. These 39 categories of activity, along with their details, create a very specific way of “resting from work.” Why all the details? Why not leave the decision of how to rest up to each person or family?
Fred and George were brothers, best friends and business partners. Their company, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, was the world’s number-one provider of rubber snakes, whoopie cushions and stink bombs and had made them successful beyond their wildest dreams. However, running a company focused on jokes, pranks and silliness has its own unique challenges. In particular, Fred and George were having major problems with their employees not taking work seriously enough. The brothers did understand that joke and prank experts were going to act sillier at work than most employees, but it had recently gone too far.
For instance, last Tuesday, George arrived at work to find a moose in his parking spot. “Very funny,” thought George, as he was forced to park elsewhere. (A few of his workers had recently discovered that his childhood nickname was Moosie.) However, when George entered the building, he saw that it was full of what looked like one hundred moose. There was a moose in the elevator, two at the front desk, and three bathing in the fountain in the lobby. It took four hours for wildlife control to remove them all, requiring the company to cancel a meeting with one of its most important clients. This type of behavior needed to stop.
On Shabbat Parshat Tetzaveh, Fred realized what they should do. He was reading a parsha story in The Jewish Link that taught that what people wear can affect the way they act. After Shabbat, he called George, and the two decided to implement a company dress code. They felt that if their employees dressed more seriously, they would take their work more seriously as well. “What should we require them to wear?” asked George. “Jacket and tie for men? Business casual for women?” Fred shook his head. “We don’t need to treat them like students at school; they might resent that.” Let’s just tell them to dress more seriously. I’m sure they will be able to figure it out.
So that Monday, after spending two hours detaching their fingers from their keyboards and washing off the Super Glue, Fred and George called a company meeting. All 200 employees packed the meeting hall wearing their clown suits, inflated dinosaur costumes, and various masks and hair colors. “Ladies and gentlemen,” began Fred. “Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is on top of the pranking world for a reason: all of you. Since we started this company 11 years ago you all have created, invented and worked hard to make us who we are. We need that drive back. We will not remain on top if we don’t recommit to our craft and to not flooding the third floor with Kool-Aid. Looking at you, Carl!”
George then stepped to the podium and explained the new dress code. “If you can commit to dressing seriously, please raise your hands!” Not only did the entire crowd raise their hands, but they stood and applauded. The applause went on for five minutes, during which Fred and George had huge smiles on their faces. “We are so proud of you all, now get back to making magic!” the brothers concluded. The audience filed out and the brothers could do nothing but sit back and pray that the seriousness would continue.
The next day, the brothers arrive at work early in their new suits and optimism. The walk to their offices was spider-less, moose-less, slime-less, fake poop-less, and completely prank-less. This was a good sign. However, once the employees started arriving, the optimism turned into disappointment and the office turned into a costume party. Carl arrived in a suit of armor, followed by Carla in a wedding dress, and Curly in a tuxedo. Frank and Tina swooped into the room as a pair of vampires, followed by an army of 10 storm troopers. Fred and George had no idea what was happening. Was this whole thing another prank? However, instead of calling another full-company meeting, the brother just started asking people what they were thinking. Without exception, each costumed employee explained that they were dressed seriously. Vampires, Storm Troopers, a bride and groom, and a soldier in a suit of armor, could all be described as serious in some way. Laughing at themselves, Fred and George returned to their office, realizing that a real dress code was in order. They spent the rest of the week working on the new policy, with input from workers. This detailed dress code did lead to a more serious work environment and further success for Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes.
When learning about the halachot of Shabbat, it can seem overwhelming to see how detailed the laws of Shabbat are. Additionally, with the Torah saying the purpose of Shabbat is to “rest” from “work,” it might seem that we should each rest in our own way. However, the specific and detailed ways we are required to keep Shabbat allow Shabbat to be something that unites us as a community. If each person kept Shabbat differently, this goal would not be possible. Just like in the Weasley’s company, it would look like a bunch of individuals each “dressing up” in his or her own way. Baruch Hashem, we have been given the gift of Shabbat to keep us together as a community (even with each of us stuck in our separate homes). May Shabbat continue to light the way for Am Yisrael.
