Wisdom of the Heart = Intelligence + Motivation + Divine Assistance

Parshat Vayakhel

by Rabbi Avi Billet

There is a unique expression utilized several times in the Torah surrounding the creation of the Mishkan – חכם לב or חכמת לב. The first phrase references an individual who is “wise of the heart” while the second phrase references the “wisdom of the heart” that the person will either be gifted or already possesses. 

Certainly when we think of learning any trade in antiquity, we tend to imagine far less than a trade school: either apprenticeships or simply learning on the job. In either case, someone with a little ambition and a demonstrable readiness to learn could easily be taken under the wing of a willing teacher or professional who would train the novice in a particular skill or trade.

Having read a few Holocaust memoirs of late, it was apparently common for individuals to claim to be builders or craftsmen, the kind that might benefit the Nazi-efforts, for the purpose of staying alive. Once assigned to a particular work detail, they’d quickly learn on the job. One survivor pinned his survival on picking up the skill so well that when he was transferred to a different camp, his claim of being a builder was actually scrutinized and he was able to demonstrate his adeptness, through the skills he had learned in the previous concentration camp. 

In Egypt, however, we imagine that the skills picked up in slavery probably focused on building (with brick and mortar) and possibly on farming agriculture, and not on skilled artisanry in the realm of weaving and smithing (gold, silver, copper). Where did they pick up the skills for the work necessary to make the vessels, curtains, and garments for the Mishkan? 

Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin) has a number of comments specifically addressing how the people acquired these skills with Divine assistance. In 31:6, on the words “And in the hearts of all those ‘wise of heart’ I have placed wisdom” he writes, “on Brachot 55a they learn from this verse that God only gives wisdom to a person who already possesses wisdom (see also Daniel 2:21).” 

What kind of wisdom does a person already possess?

“There are two branches of wisdom: 

 A. Common sense and diligence 

B. Study and knowledge [of history]. 

 This is what Mishlei (4:7) means ‘The beginning of wisdom is acquisition of wisdom and with all your possession acquire understanding.’ The beginning of a person’s common sense comes from practicing what he has learned (similar to ‘practice what you preach’) First a person acquires an understanding of others, and then from all encounters one acquires understanding that raises an individual notch by notch. This is what the rabbis taught ‘A person should learn, and then explain…’ (ליגמר אינש והדר ליסבר) Through this he can help someone else who has sekhel, who knows how to guard his knowledge, so that the knowledge not be utilized in an unworthy direction.”

Wisdom is therefore a combination of nature plus experience. Experience is what helps a person utilize one’s wisdom and skills for good purposes, while not contributing to an environment in which said knowledge will be misused. 

Netziv continues: 

“But the phrase ‘every wise of heart’ is still difficult. The power of sekhel comes not from the heart but from the brain. Therefore “wise of heart” has two meanings: 

 A. Wisdom of fear of heaven. (see 28:3) 

 B. The strength of trust that he will receive the wisdom to complete the task at hand, even though he never learned the craft and never trained his hands for the job. (see 36:2) 

 Therefore, a person who is “Wise at heart” means he is God-fearing and trusting that I (God) gave him wisdom and capability.”

The idea that a person has faith that God will teach and provide the skill is certainly coming from a divine headspace, trusting that God will provide the ability no matter what. But does God really work or operate that way? 

Note his reference to 36:2! There Netziv has another lengthy comment which may clarify for us. There he tells us 

“the verse is telling us how it is possible to put wisdom in one’s heart. Everything is in the hands of heaven, except fear of heaven! That is why it says ‘Everything that moved his heart’ which includes the wisdom/confidence that he can fulfill the task and accept upon himself to come closer to the work, even though he never learned the trade. This is true of any secular line of work, when the heart needs to be attracted to it. This could refer to if someone wants to make a trade school to teach children a profession. He can bring many children, and give them a chance to decide what motivates them. Each says ‘I want to do this’ and this choice helps them pursue a line of training for years. With the Mishkan, things were done in such a way that a person could choose a profession without significant schooling – merely with help from God when one decides a specific field of focus.” 

Unlike in the memoirs mentioned above, Mishkan work is not about physical survival – a person can choose what kind of labor speaks to one’s heart. What is clear, however, is that labor is very important, and gives a person fulfillment. This may be one of the reasons why Shabbos is mentioned (yet again!) in the context of the Mishkan, simply to remind everyone that it is expected that we engage in labor for six days of the week, and to rest on the seventh. (Labor in our times can be defined very differently than in an agrarian society.)

Sha”ch on the Torah has this to add: 

“All the wise people came to do all the holy work. It does not say ‘[some of] the holy work’ but ‘all the holy work…’ which teaches us that each person knew how to do each job, but Moshe called them and saw (in Moshe’s own wisdom) who was a better weaver, or embroiderer, etc. This is what it means that each person was given a specific job – not that he was incapable of other jobs. This is what is meant by ‘a man from his work that they are doing’ when it should say ‘that he is doing.’ If it is meant to be plural, about what all of them are doing, why, then, does it say ‘from his work’? To teach us that as soon as each person began, the work itself would teach the individual (they received a calling). This should come as no surprise to us! God gave them wisdom to deal with animals as well, because as slaves, what did they know of anything other than hard labor, with mortar and bricks. All their artisan-skills and other survival skills came from God-granted wisdom.” 

We need many God-given gifts of wisdom today. The trick with anything that God gifts us is that we need to bring something to that gift-giving occasion. Whether it is our faith and trust in God, our general attitude of “we can accomplish,” or simply making an effort and asking God to carry us the rest of the way, it speaks to Man’s appreciation of the gift of life coming from a divine source that we want to a. get the most out of it, and b. put as much as we can into forging our own destiny because we know God has given us only one life to live. 

May we be blessed to live it to the maximum, always putting in our hishtadlus (effort) while falling back both on our innate God-given skills as well as our appreciation of His role in our lives, so we can look back at a life well lived and feel that we too are blessed to have become חכמי לב – people with a Divinely-graced wisdom because we did our part to build our own skills and talents trusting that God would take us the rest of the way.