Live with Passion – Part 21 – Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei  

Everyone should know this by now. 'Live your passion' has become a mantra for motivational speakers around the world. Yet, somehow, we just don’t get it. We all know the phrase  'Do what you like and like what you do" but it can sometimes be challenging to translate that into real life.

Even leaders can get stuck and not be passionate. In the building of the desert Tabernacle, the Mishkan, the people were called upon to volunteer their time, money and belongings to the  building fund. The tribal leaders of the desert-bound Israelites decided to stand back and let the "average" Israelite give his donation and then they would supplement whatever was missing. However, the people were so generous that very little was left for these leaders to add. Rashi points this out and takes them to task. Because they were leaders, it was expected of them not to 'wait and see' but rather 'show the way'. Even if the gift they gave was the same that they offered afterwards, they would have been seen as those who pave the way rather than those who wait and see which way the wind is blowing.

My brother-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Flom z"l asked about this explanation – what was wrong with this plan? As a Rosh Yeshiva, he would have been thrilled if there had been a philanthropist who would wait until the end of each month to fill up the till. So why were these leaders castigated? His answer, as far as I remember, was their lack of passion. As leaders they should have been first in line to demonstrate their excitement over being able to donate for this cause. Yet they curbed that excitement. It may even have been for a good reason – but the damage was done.  The nation did not learn from this behavior – they themselves showed excitement and in fact over-donated to this project. They donated not only in deed but in spirit as well.

The opportunity presented itself to these leaders and they missed their chance to shine as examples of performing their task with excitement and passion.

We are constantly presented with situations which call upon us to come forward and show our passion. Passion has many different faces as well - whether as a spouse showing passion for their partner or as a worker showing passion for the most recent project.

In fact, passion is to be an integral part of our meaning-focused existence as Shane Lopez wrote, "the passionate pursuit of goals that matter to you and others is integral to a meaningful life."4 The pursuit of goals cannot and must not be a routine or mechanical activity performed by rote. It must be done with passion to be properly achieved.

It must be lived and felt.

Live with passion – reach your meaning!

 

Click here to read another logoParsha article on this Vayakhel-Pekudei

Notes

  1. 'Live with Passion - Part 1' was written for Parshat Lech Lecha. Click here to read it
  2. Shemot 35:4-29
  3. ibid. 27
  4. The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications (Personality and Clinical Psychology) . Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition, location 150. This book, was edited by Dr. Paul Wong, a leading logotherapist and follower of Dr. Viktor Frankl, the founder of logotherapy

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

For More Information On Logotherapy And How You Can Create A Fuller, More Meaningful Life, Or To Book An Online Session,

  1. Call Me At +972-54-589-3399, or in Israel 054-5893399
  2. Contact Me Thru my email at [email protected]