In Israel, there is no elite

Moses assembled the entire community of the Israelites and said to them, “These are the things that G-d has commanded to do. [Exodus 35:1]

It is the day after Yom Kippur and Moses has descended Mount Sinai after learning the Torah with G-d. The prophet didn’t have to force the Jews to hear the word of G-d. They came by themselves — men, women and children.

Yet the language of the Torah appears unusual. The Hebrew word translated as “community,” is adat. In other contexts, adat refers to an elite group, whether the spies sent by Moses or the followers of Korach. But in this week’s Torah portion of Vayakhel, adat connotes the masses, specifically the Children of Israel. If so, what’s the point of adding the word “community,” and even more so, “the entire community.” It would have been sufficient to simply say, “Moses assembled all the Israelites…”

There’s something happening here.

Work may be done for six days, but the seventh day must be holy for you—a complete rest from work—unto G-d. Whoever does work on it must be put to death. [Exodus 35:2]

In Israel, there is no elite. The Talmud repeats the adage that every Jew is a prince. There is a king who must act with humility and must severely limit his possessions and relationships, whether horses or wives. Jewish law requires you feed your servants before you take the first bite at dinner. Slavery is permitted but only when it does not impede on the marital status or prospects of any subordinate.

The transformation of even the lowliest Jew into royalty takes place on the Sabbath. The phenomenon has struck even the greatest of self-haters, the Jews who had converted to Christianity and spent their entire lives justifying their betrayal of the faith of their fathers. Heinrich Heine converted to Christianity in 1825 for what he freely claimed was his lust for money and accolades. His portrait of the Jewish peddlers in the streets of Prussia is ugly, calling them dogs in search of a sale.

And then Sabbath comes, and the dog becomes transformed.

[Prinzessin Sabbath. Heinrich Heine. 1851]

How can the average Jew be lifted to the highest level of humanity? It’s quite simple. He must observe the Torah and maintain faith in G-d. When that happens the Jew acquires an intelligence that cuts through the noise of society and sees things clearly. In Vayakhel, this is known as Chacham Lev, or “wise of heart.” These are the people who built the Tabernacle, G-d’s house, and yet made sure they would not violate the Sabbath. The term “wise of heart” is employed at least five times in this week’s Torah portion. Their wisdom is based on their service to G-d and the greater their commitment the smarter they become.

The nations of the world cannot fail to see this. Some 22 percent — at least 216 — of all Nobel Prize winners since 1901 have been Jews. There is no other minority that has come close. And yet, this has not made the Jewish people accepted, let alone popular, in the Western countries that venerate the achievements of Nobel Prize winners.

There are numerous reasons for anti-Semitism, but there is clearly one that applies to the gentile elite: A devout Jew doesn’t believe in elites. In a Torah society, everybody observes the laws, everybody, even the poorest, contributes something to the community, particularly the Temple. Everybody learns Torah. In such a society, a judge must be mindful not to dismiss, let alone humiliate, the lower strata.

In contrast, the nations of the world are built on elites. Ancient Rome was based on slavery, with a large proportion of the empire composed of people who had no rights and no freedom. The elite saw little difference between slaves and those who worked for a living. Both were ordered to work and shut up.

The United States was also established on slavery. Millions were captured in Africa and brought in chains to the New World for a life under their new white masters. By 1860, there were four million slaves in the Union. That comprised nearly 13 percent of the total American population. Despite their formal emancipation in 1865, the blacks remained in servitude for at least the next century.

Today, the American elite has brought in tens of millions of new slaves through Mexico and Canada. They will be told where to work and for how much, where to live and who to vote for. The illegals will live in constant fear of capture and deportation.

That makes the Jewish influence on society threatening for the elite. The Jews were slaves in Egypt. They would not support this anywhere else, including America. On one hand, the elite needed the Jewish contributions to science, economy and anything to do with money. But the Jews would be kept out of any elite worried about survival.

After the command to observe the Sabbath, the Torah says Moses again “spoke to the entire community of the Israelites, saying, “This is what G-d has commanded me to say to you:” This time the message was of generosity. The Jews were asked to contribute to the Tabernacle. No amount was specified. That would no longer have constituted generosity rather a mandated tax. “Take contributions for G-d from among yourselves. Let every generous-hearted person bring the following contribution for G-d: gold, silver, and copper…”

When all the contributions arrived, there would be a need for people to build the components of the Tabernacle. No professional experience was required, rather those with faith in G-d and willing to learn. That’s what the Torah calls “wise-hearted,” and that includes wisdom in every field necessary. Enough said.

The entire community of the Israelites then left Moses’ presence. [Exodus 35:20]