The Midrash in Shmot Raba explains that the reason the Mishkan required so much gold was to atone for the sin of the golden calf.  But as the language of the Midrash tells a deeper story when it says that Hashem was angered at the time of the golden calf with “אלה אלוהיך” and now he has found favor in us with “אלה פקודי המשכן”.  The Midrash continues that just as Hashem has found favor in us in this world, so too in the future and the next world as the psukim in Yeshayahu state, (49:12)”הנה אלה מרחוק יבאו והנה אלה מצפון ומים ואלה מארץ סינים” and (60:8)”מי אלה כעב תעופינה וכיונים אל ארובותיהם”. Hashem will never forget the original “אלה” but thankfully through the “אלה” of the building of the Mishkan we rectified it.

Rav Kook explains that every generation is still plagued by the golden calf and the destruction of the first set of tablets.  But in what way?  Not only do we not see anyone bowing down to idols in today’s day in age, we also have a hard time even fathoming the concept of idol worship! In what way does the golden calf still haunt our society and lives?

It may not be the calf and idol itself that plagues us but rather the gold!

The Midrash in Bamidbar Raba tells of two wealthy individuals in history, Korach and Haman, who were ridden from the world, and their wealth was not given to them by Hashem but rather they took it for themselves.  We are left puzzled as to how it is possible for them to have taken something that Hashem did not will?!  Hashem will provide a person with everything they need to accomplish their mission in life and therefore the perspective towards all of our physical belongings is that they are tools granted to us by Hashem to utilize to reach our goals. However when an individual begins to approach and appreciate that which he has for their inherent value and separate them from the big picture, those items have now been stolen by the individual and not granted by Hashem.  This demise was not only that of Korach and Haman but also the two and a half tribes that were exiled first because they too focused on their material wealth as a value rather than seeing it in the context of avodas Hashem. 

We may not have the Mishkan or the Beit HaMikdash currently, yet we still have the ability to constantly and consistently realign ourselves with the monies of this world and the physical pleasures found in our society.  Know how we should handle the money that we are gifted by Hashem by firstly always remembering that it is a gift from Hashem.  Use the money for tzedaka, mitzvot, and chessed to help the inner Mishkan that we have deep within each and every one of ourselves.  Hashem has shown us, we are not destined to fail with the golden calf in every generation.  We will confront it always in our society but we have the ability to conquer it!

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