There is a story told about a Chassidic rabbi from the town of Sokolov who visited a city in Poland with the desire to start a society or association of haredi Jews. There were people in the town who were opposed to the idea because they felt that making factions disintegrates the holiness of community. The rabbi responded with a midrash from this week’s parsha. Moshe tells Betzalel (בצלאל), the master craftsman, to make in this order the ark, utensils and tabernacle for containing Gd’s Torah. Betzalel says ‘where will the ark and utensils be placed if I make them before making the tabernacle? Perhaps Gd said to you: make a tabernacle, ark and utensils.’ Moshe’s response: 'Alas you were B’tzel El (literally: in Gd’s shadow בצל אל) and you know better!' The rabbi explained that Moshe was such a lofty believer that he could not fathom that anyone would dare cause damage to the Holy Ark and utensils even if left unguarded in the street. Thus, Moshe instructed to build the Holy Ark first, for it was the holiest of all. Betzalel knew the reality of the people better and that the way to insure the protection of the most holy was to have it contained within sheltering, strengthening parts. In this way, the rabbi argued that efforts to organize groups within a larger community in fact strengthen that community.
