Adina Roth – Director of Jewish Life

Tay-Tay Torah, Vayakhel

Over the last two weeks, I watched what can only be described as a profound expression of devotion and religiosity as Swifties prepared with love and excitement for the Eras concerts. The truth is, I am interested in most things that pull people away from Tik-Tok and Netflix. Although more of a Tori than a Tay-Tay fan myself (this gives away my age), when something moves people this much….I pay attention.

In this week’s Parsha Vayakhel, the Jewish people are pretty moved too! After their unfortunate debacle with the golden calf, they want to make good. It is time to build the house for God in the desert and the Israelites come forward with all kinds of offerings, jewellery, silver and copper, their finest yarns. They are so enthusiastic to make contributions to the Temple that eventually Moses has to say, “we are at our limit guys”. Then the builders get to work, using these contributions to construct this Ikea-type home for God in the desert. It contains a copper basin, a table and at its centre, a room called the Holy of Holies. In the Holy of Holies is the Aron, the epicentre of Jewish sacredness and above the Aron we are told, were two golden angels. These angels or keruvim were understood to reflect the moral and spiritual state of the Jewish people. Because Judaism is about cultivating relationships, both human and Divine, the angels were built to face each other. In the Talmudic tractate of Yoma, we read that when the Israelites would come to the Temple on holy days, the Kohanim would pull back the curtains and everyone would see the angels, looking at each other in an embrace. At the heart, of the heart of Judaism, are two beings looking at each other, in love.

While Judaism is not a naïve love story, it is powerful to consider that love is at the spiritual and physical epicentre of our tradition. But, as Taylor teaches us, love can be…well…complicated! In the Talmud we learn that sometimes the angels loved each other, and sometimes they didn’t. If the Israelites were being kind to each other and connected to God, the angels faced each other. But if we were being unkind to each other and completely disconnected from God, then the angels turned away. These angels were a kind of ancient phone app, reflecting to us our ethical and spiritual status.

We are told that loving your neighbour is the main principle of the entire Torah. These angels reflected that value. But what does it mean to love? The root of the Hebrew word Ahavah is Hav which means to give. From a Jewish point of view, love is not simply a feeling (even one described very eloquently in a Taylor Swift’s love song). Love is an action, love grows from giving. In our relationships, we can imagine how this works. But even in our relationship with Judaism or with God, the more we give, the more the relationship can grow or deepen. The more we show up, in our own ways, for Shabbat, for prayers, to visit the sick or learn about Judaism or Israel, the more we commit to Tikkun Olam, the more the love grows.  

Which takes me back to Tay-Tay. Tay-Tay inspired people to make bracelets, which they exchanged with complete strangers, at a massive gathering, in a spirit of friendship and love. Her songs are all about love, seeking love, losing love and finding it again. Her songs mirror the longing of a grand spiritual journey. Sometimes we will feel connected to an Infinite presence, to our tradition and our people, and there are times we may feel distant and alienated. But if we keep seeking, looking and longing, we may find one day, that our Jewish journey is a grand love story. Nothing more and nothing less. ‘It’s You and me, that’s my whole world…it’s You and me there’s nothing like this.’

Shabbat Shalom