Impressions are so Fleeting

Ever wonder where the idea of sugar coating something came from? Possibly the term came from this week's parsha. Throughout the entire parsha which explains in immense detail how the Mishkan or Tabenacle, The Ark of the Covenant, menorah, altar and curtains and other instruments were created, in almost every case the Torah also says the items were overlaid in copper, silver or gold. Before you ask where did these nomads in the desert have all these jewels, metals and more, remember when they left Egypt they asked for their wages and personal belongings back from the Egyptians.

Why should everything be covered by these metals? And what is the Torah telling us for our needs and future?

In some cases, for the altar as one example, it makes sense as gold and silver would melt under the heat but copper, which was used to cover the altar has a much higher melting point. Science aside, we learn that in people's eyes, appearance is important.

When we go on interviews or meet someone for the first time, many decisions about the person met are decided unconsciously in under a minute. Appearance must be important and the grandeur which is alluded to for some of the items is even more pronounced when dripping in gold and jewels.

In time of course all of these items would disappear, through battles or lost in time or hidden as some speculate, but they were built to be temporary housing for Israel while they were in the desert. In time the Temples would be built, and destroyed, which would have greater items.

When you look at business methods and the choices which are made, there is so much effort put into the opening meetings and documents with the expectation we will "fill in the blanks" later. There is also the belief that as the project grows and strengthens we will produce better documentation and representation of ourselves.

That is the plan, but is not always the outcome. Just like in time all of the items designed in this parsha disappeared, so to will the desire to impress and eventually have us revert to a stronger foundation with less excitement. We should strive to maintain the magic of the early days of the project and keep up the appearances that remind our customers why they work with us.
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Parsha Vayakhel in the book of Shemot Exodus 35:1 - 38:20

It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

How do You Introduce Yourself?

Did you ever write your own introduction to give to someone before you were presented with an award or as a guest speaker so they could describe you to the audience or have you ever "just" been introduced? Presumably at one time we all have been in this situation. But what have we learned from it?

The first time you hear someone else introduce you in a way you feel did not properly express you or your role, your natural instinct is to not have that happen again. You sculpt a brief introduction of yourself for the next time.

We know that the first impression is the lasting one. Your introduction should be the best foot forward. Likewise when you introduce your team, do you portray them in the best light or just, Jack from Development?

When Moshe is tasked with building the Tabernacle for God, he is pitched, by God, to use Bezalel. As seen below:

Chapter 31

1. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:		א. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
2. "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,		ב. רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה:
3. and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship		ג. וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה:
4. to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper,		ד. לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּזָּהָב וּבַכֶּסֶף וּבַנְּחשֶׁת:
5. with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work.		ה. וּבַחֲרשֶׁת אֶבֶן לְמַלֹּאת וּבַחֲרשֶׁת עֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל מְלָאכָה:

This is a pretty strong introduction for Bezalel to get the work done. We should all be introduced this way, especially our staff who make us look better always.
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Parsha Ki Tisa in the book of Shemot Exodus 30:11 - 34:35

It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom

United We Stand, Divided We Probably Fall

Where did the ideas for teams logos, colors or emblems come from? Why of course, like most other things we have today, it came from the Torah. In this parsha there are descriptions of the precious and semiprecious stones used in the Choshen Mishpat or Breastplate of Judgement. here is an example from a auction house, clicking on the picture will take you to the auction website.

Each stone was to represent one of the 12 sons of Yaakov and as we know them the 12 tribes of Israel. As can be seen in 28:15-29 some of which is below:

15. You shall make a choshen of judgment, the work of a master weaver. You shall make it like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen shall you make it.		טו. וְעָשִׂיתָ חשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט מַעֲשֵׂה חשֵׁב כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֵפֹד תַּעֲשֶׂנּוּ זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ:
16. It shall be square [and] doubled; its length one span and its width one span.		טז. רָבוּעַ יִהְיֶה כָּפוּל זֶרֶת אָרְכּוֹ וְזֶרֶת רָחְבּוֹ:
17. And you shall fill into it stone fillings, four rows of stones. One row: odem, pitdah, and bareketh; thus shall the one row be.		יז. וּמִלֵּאתָ בוֹ מִלֻּאַת אֶבֶן אַרְבָּעָה טוּרִים אָבֶן טוּר אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וּבָרֶקֶת הַטּוּר הָאֶחָד:
18. The second row: nofech, sappir, and yahalom.		יח. וְהַטּוּר הַשֵּׁנִי נֹפֶךְ סַפִּיר וְיָהֲלֹם:
19. The third row: leshem, shevo, and achlamah.		יט. וְהַטּוּר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לֶשֶׁם שְׁבוֹ וְאַחְלָמָה:
20. And the fourth row: tarshish, shoham, and yashpheh; they shall be set in gold in their fillings.		כ. וְהַטּוּר הָרְבִיעִי תַּרְשִׁישׁ וְשֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה מְשֻׁבָּצִים זָהָב יִהְיוּ בְּמִלּוּאֹתָם:
21. And the stones shall be for the names of the sons of Israel twelve, corresponding to their names; [similar to] the engravings of a seal, every one according to his name shall they be, for the twelve tribes.		כא. וְהָאֲבָנִים תִּהְיֶיןָ עַל שְׁמֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עַל שְׁמֹתָם פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם אִישׁ עַל שְׁמוֹ תִּהְיֶיןָ לִשְׁנֵי עָשָׂר שָׁבֶט:

Once again, these are just found in the desert? No, they were given by the Egyptians to the children of Israel when Israel left as compensation for the 210 years of slavery. And you can imagine, among 2 million plus people, quite a few gem stones existed.

But why do it this way? Could God not ask everyone to inscribe a name on the gold plate? Why the colors/stones? Because in each son/tribe there existed their own brilliance and ability. Individually the tribes were uniquely built to sustain themselves but together they formed a stronger union than any nation that existed. When Israel is dispersed and unable to relate to each other as brothers, they are weaker and more susceptible to mishaps. However when everyone is together and acts as one, on one page then there is nothing which can stop them.

This was the message which Hashem tried to give to Israel and a reason why Moshe is not mentioned in this parsha. Because he knew the day would come when there would not be harmony among the tribes.

I never believed color war was useful at camp. It was always 2 sides and rarely were there ever mixed flags or color schemes, it was always us vs. them. Often times when the office has a plan or is divided into sub groups the focus, the company, is lost on the individual groups who become enamored with themselves as the one, or the leader. 

We are all part of a greater good, if we believe it and work to it, then good things will come to all of us.

Happy Purim everyone.
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Parsha Tetzaveh in the book of Shemot Exodus 27:20 - 30:10
It is said that the Torah or Bible could be interpreted in over 70 ways. More likely these days 100's of ways. In light of this idea, I am writing some posts that bring a business sense to what we can learn on a weekly basis. Enjoy, Shabbat Shalom