The Torah stresses that keeping Shabbat is more important that building the Tabernacle. That if we do not keep Shabbat then what is the Tabernacle for?
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Use Your God Given Talent
We all have to remember that we all have talents and they come from God. That after we return God will ask what we did with the gifts that He gave us.
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A Leader Must Lead
After the incident of the Golden Calf Moses rebukes Aaron for allowing the situation to get out of control. He reminds him that a leader is responsible for the actions of his subordinates.
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Idolatry is for Children
When Moses seems to be delayed coming back from Mt. Sinai the Jews build an idol. It seems strange until we remember that they were only recently freed from Egyptian bondage and the only society that they knew was Egyptian.
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Jewish Unity Defeats All
The main lesson of Purim is that we are required to have a festive meal with our neighbors, give charity, and give each other gifts. This is to promote Jewish unity. As Rabbi Kook mentions, the Temple will be rebuilt through senseless love.
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Our Fates Are In God’s Hands
Esther requests that the Jews fast due to the danger in her plan. She recognizes that without God’s guiding hand her plan to save them would fail.
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A Lesson in Bad Governance
The story of Purim tells us that the real danger to the Jewish people is not people who are evil. We can find them easily enough, but of leaders who are venal and corruptible. Without them the evil doers do not have a chance to do evil.
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Take a Stand
In the story of the Book of Esther all the action revolves around the fact that Mordechai refuses to bow down to Haman. What frustrated Haman was the opposition of Mordechai. That Mordechai stood against evil.
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Why an Inherited Priesthood
The institution of the Priesthood was an inherited position. Why? The idea was to take politics out of the service in the Tabernacle. When politics mix with religion it is usually bad for both. By making the priesthood inherited the Torah was accomplishing this goal.
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Moses & True Humility
True humility is not being quiet and living a sheltered life. True humility is that when we take on a leadership position, we remember that it not about me but getting the job done and not caring who gets credit.