It's been a remarkable year for JCHS athletics with three teams, so far, earning spots in state sectionals (Boys Soccer, Girls Volleyball, and Boys Basketball). The journey of this year's basketball team is especially remarkable leveraging exceptional levels of teamwork to bring the school to a first-ever trip to the NorCal "Final Four."
The basketball team played with tremendous heart and resilience. Their achievement can be measured in several ways. For instance, they won more games than any basketball team in school history. They scored 1,308 points and made 462 assists (another school record). With five players on the court at a time, they achieved 1,775 (that is, 5 + 1,308 + 462). The 1,775 represents not only their accomplishment but also the amazing connection they had with each other.
Similarly, there are lots of numbers in this week’s Torah portion. Its name, Pekudei, could be translated as "audit" or “accounting.” In it, Moses accounts for and recounts the collection and donation of silver and other precious materials used to construct the Tabernacle in the wilderness.
One number reported by Moses has special resonance with JCHS basketball. In the parsha (Torah portion) this week, Moses seems to stumble when making his accounting. He comes up short 1,775 shekel worth of silver. Then Moses remembers (the rabbis of Midrash say that God reminded Moses) that each of those shkalim was turned into a giant hook used to hang the curtains of the tabernacle. (See, e.g., Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (13th century, Spain) on Exodus 38:28)
Those hooks (called in Hebrew "vavim") are shaped like the Hebrew letter vav (kind of like the shape of a crochet hook; or the silhouette of a person standing). Those vavim or hooks are literally what binds the tabernacle together; without their connection, the tabernacle would fail.
In Hebrew vocabulary terms, the vav is used to join one word or idea to another. It literally translates to the English word "and." In Creation terms, it seems no mere coincidence that humanity through Adam and Eve was created on the sixth day of creation because in Hebrew counting the sixth day is the vav day. [Every Hebrew letter has a numerical equivalent, with aleph equaling one, bet equaling two ... vav equaling six.] That is, humanity was created for the purpose of vavim -- being connected.
This also is demonstrated when Torah tells us about the sibling rivalry between Joseph and his brothers on account of their father favoring Joseph, Torah says the brothers cannot behave peacefully with Joseph because of their jealousy. When Torah brings the word "peace" to this description, the word "shalom" is missing the Hebrew letter vav, that is otherwise used nearly everywhere else in Torah to spell "shalom." (Genesis 37:4) In other words, the absent vav seems to symbolize the empathy and humanity that was lacking between the brothers.
May each of us be moved this week and always to seek opportunities for connection with others. May we have the wisdom to appreciate our connetions and the strength to deepen them.
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