The irony of this week’s double parsha is not lost on me. I am writing these words from the mamak—the merhav mugan komati, the safe room on my floor. Each floor in our building has three such shelters, which must make where I live one of the safest places in Israel. Here we are, “assembled” again and again—morning, night, and sometimes at four in the morning—each time the sirens send us running to the safe room. Over this week we’ve learned each other’s names, our children’s and grandchildren’s stories, what we did before retirement. There are no secrets here when you’re bonding under fire. And just as suddenly as we gather, the alert ends and we disperse—only to reunite hours later for yet another impromptu assembly.

With this in mind, the opening words of Va-Yakhel strike me as both deeply timely and painfully ironic:

“And Moses convoked/gathered/assembled (vayakhel) all the community of the Israelites and said to them: ‘These are the things that the LORD has charged to do. Six days shall tasks be done, and on the seventh day there shall be holiness for you, an absolute sabbath for the LORD. Whoever does a task on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in all your dwellings on the sabbath day’” (Exodus 35:1–3).

The Or HaChaim (Chaim ibn Attar,1696–1743) offers several reflections on these verses. He notes that work performed during the six days should not only be permitted but viewed as a mitzvah; that one who sanctifies the Sabbath can trust that their weekday labors will be blessed; and that the success of our work........

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