In this week’s Parsha, Pikudei, the Torah gives us a reckoning of the amount of material that went into the construction of the Mishkon. The question is, of what significance is this information? Is there something to be learnt from this amount? Perhaps on a kabbalistic level there is much significance to those numbers but is there anything that we can take away on a practical level.

The Siforno points out that the amount of material used in the Mishkon was far less than the amount used in the construction of either of the two Temples that were built later in Jewish history. The irony is that those in spite of the extreme fortune that those Temples cost they nevertheless existed for only 410 and 420 years respectively. The Mishkon on the other hand still exists. It was never destroyed. Once the Temple was built it was placed in hiding and continues to remain hidden. It is further noteworthy that the intense spiritual sanctity of the Mishkon had no parallel. The second Temple did not even have the Holy Ark in which the Two Tablets were contained. And even then first Temple which had the Holy Ark still did not achieve the greatness of the Mishkon.

The lesson; bigger is not always better.  In fact, we find a fascinating verse in the Book of Devarim, in which HaShem tells His people “I have chosen you to be Mine because you are the smallest of the nations”. Behold! the choice of being His is specifically because we are small. The commentaries point out that the implication of the verse that we were chosen because we make ourselves small. By making ourselves small we allow HaShem’s Glory to shine through. Similar to the Moon and Sun. The reason the Moon is such a perfect reflector of the Sun’s radiance is specifically because she does not generate any light of her own.

Lesser physical material allows the more powerful spiritual energy to shine through. So that material existence is inversely proportionate to spiritual existence.

I think there is a great take-home lesson in this thought.

Every person carries within a them godliness that comes from their neshama, their soul. It is this godliness that radiates love, warmth encouragement and other spiritual energy. The way we transmit this energy is through our words and through our body language. The  Parsha’s lesson teaches us that very often we are more effective at transmitting this energy with fewer words and even less body language. So often we get more encouragement from subtleties than from long winded speeches.  When it reflects a deep seated love and affection a silent gentle kiss on child’s forehead can convey so much love and provide so much encouragement – much more than anything else.