This sheet on Exodus 25 was written by David Rotenberg for 929 and can also be found here
“If you build it, he will come.”
It is these now famous words that Ray Kinsella hears in his Iowa cornfield at the beginning of the 1989 film, “Field of Dreams,” initiating his journey of faith, effort, and sacrifice, first building a magnificent baseball field on his farm, and later travelling both across America and across time. They are also evocative of what God says at the beginning of his instructions to construct the Mishkan, the tabernacle (Ex. 25:8): “V’asu li mikdash, v’shachanti b’tocham” - “they should make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.” In other words, if they build it, I will come.
According to Rashi’s interpretation, this command was given immediately after God forgives the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf, suggesting that the reason for God commanding its instruction is for the people to atone for this grievous error. There are indeed several parallels between the two incidents, such as the nation freely donating valuables to the “Mishkan fund” (much like was done for the Golden Calf).
Following the Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish People experienced unprecedented closeness with God, their “Father in Heaven,” which reached its pinnacle at the revelation at Sinai. But after the Golden Calf, this relationship seemed headed toward irreversible estrangement. However, once the Mishkan is completed and all of its vessels are in place, God’s Presence fills the Mishkan, and a new opportunity for closeness emerges.
Similarly, Ray believes that his journey is as penance for a rift in the relationship with his father John, a former minor league catcher, which lasted from the time Ray was young until his father died. One of Ray’s greatest regrets is that, so turned off by John pushing baseball on him, that at age 14, he began refusing to play catch with him, denying John one of the pleasures of the father-son relationship.
At the end of the movie, Ray discovers what his entire journey was really about. Ray originally believed that the ‘he’ the voice was referring to was his father’s favorite player, Shoeless Joe Jackson, who does indeed wander out of the cornfield, and later brings the spirits of other former ball players with him to enjoy Ray’s field. However, in the final scene, as the catcher removes his mask, he is revealed to be a young version of John. After years of distance, Ray finally gets a chance to reconnect, and in a simple but beautiful moment of redemption, he invites John to play catch together. Ray's complex journey had the ultimate goal of bringing him back to that long-missed game of catch with his father.
By the same token, the people’s generosity and efforts regarding the Mishkan are fueled by that same desire to rebuild that bond with our own Father. The message for us to learn both from the Mishkan and from Ray’s Field of Dreams is that even though our actions may lead God to sometimes hide His face or temporarily distance Himself from that relationship, through it all, just like any father, He always wants to be close to us.
It is these now famous words that Ray Kinsella hears in his Iowa cornfield at the beginning of the 1989 film, “Field of Dreams,” initiating his journey of faith, effort, and sacrifice, first building a magnificent baseball field on his farm, and later travelling both across America and across time. They are also evocative of what God says at the beginning of his instructions to construct the Mishkan, the tabernacle (Ex. 25:8): “V’asu li mikdash, v’shachanti b’tocham” - “they should make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.” In other words, if they build it, I will come.
According to Rashi’s interpretation, this command was given immediately after God forgives the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf, suggesting that the reason for God commanding its instruction is for the people to atone for this grievous error. There are indeed several parallels between the two incidents, such as the nation freely donating valuables to the “Mishkan fund” (much like was done for the Golden Calf).
Following the Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish People experienced unprecedented closeness with God, their “Father in Heaven,” which reached its pinnacle at the revelation at Sinai. But after the Golden Calf, this relationship seemed headed toward irreversible estrangement. However, once the Mishkan is completed and all of its vessels are in place, God’s Presence fills the Mishkan, and a new opportunity for closeness emerges.
Similarly, Ray believes that his journey is as penance for a rift in the relationship with his father John, a former minor league catcher, which lasted from the time Ray was young until his father died. One of Ray’s greatest regrets is that, so turned off by John pushing baseball on him, that at age 14, he began refusing to play catch with him, denying John one of the pleasures of the father-son relationship.
At the end of the movie, Ray discovers what his entire journey was really about. Ray originally believed that the ‘he’ the voice was referring to was his father’s favorite player, Shoeless Joe Jackson, who does indeed wander out of the cornfield, and later brings the spirits of other former ball players with him to enjoy Ray’s field. However, in the final scene, as the catcher removes his mask, he is revealed to be a young version of John. After years of distance, Ray finally gets a chance to reconnect, and in a simple but beautiful moment of redemption, he invites John to play catch together. Ray's complex journey had the ultimate goal of bringing him back to that long-missed game of catch with his father.
By the same token, the people’s generosity and efforts regarding the Mishkan are fueled by that same desire to rebuild that bond with our own Father. The message for us to learn both from the Mishkan and from Ray’s Field of Dreams is that even though our actions may lead God to sometimes hide His face or temporarily distance Himself from that relationship, through it all, just like any father, He always wants to be close to us.
Rabbi David Rotenberg is the Director of Education for NCSY/Torah High Ottawa.
929 is the number of chapters in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, the formative text of the Jewish heritage. It is also the name of a cutting-edge project dedicated to creating a global Jewish conversation anchored in the Hebrew Bible. 929 English invites Jews everywhere to read and study Tanakh, one chapter a day, Sunday through Thursday together with a website with creative readings and pluralistic interpretations, including audio and video, by a wide range of writers, artists, rabbis, educators, scholars, students and more. As an outgrowth of the web-based platform, 929 English also offers classes, pop-up lectures, events and across North America. We invite you to learn along with us and be part of our dynamic community.
To join 929's listserv for new and dynamic content each week click here
To join 929's listserv for new and dynamic content each week click here
