The Cube of Gold in Central Park
There was some buzz on social-media about a pure gold cube placed in the snow in New York’s Central Park one day this week (first week in February 2022). It is said to weigh 400 pounds, be made of pure gold and be worth an approximate 11.7 million dollars, thereby requiring its own security detail. (As more details emerged, it turns out that this “art” by German artist Niclas Castello is actually a publicity stunt for his new emerging form of crypto-currency or an NFT of sorts).
Why this week of all weeks?
Perhaps it was for this week’s Parsha Terumah! This is the Torah portion about the donations of various materials (gold, included!) and the plans for the construction of the “Mishkan” the desert Tabernacle. Gold was used for many of its vessels including the Ark, the Showbread Table, the Inner Altar and the Menorah. Especially the Menorah, actually.
Why the Menorah more so than any of the other Mishkan/Temple vessels?
The Menorah had an added requirement that despite all of its intricate design it had to be “Miksha Achas” – made of one solid piece of gold. Why the need for this added requirement? And if it is so desired, why specifically for the Menorah over the Ark or any of the other vessels?
The Rebbe explains that (as the prophet says) the Menorah is symbolic of the Jewish people. We branch out from one extreme to another, we shine in different ways. Quite literally, from the far right to the far left. The requirement for the Menorah to be fashioned out of one big piece of gold reminds us that deep down, regardless of which branch we are on, we are all made of one piece. We all are rooted in the same place, all chips off the same ol’ block.
Did Castello have this in mind?
Very unlikely. He was focused on his stunt and promoting his crypto. Doubt that the Menorah and the Mishkan show up on his radar. But that doesn’t mean we can’t (or shouldn’t) derive a lesson and message from it! The Baal Shem Tov taught that we ought to learn a life message in our service of G-d from all things we hear or see around us. And as soon as I saw this block of gold online, got me thinking…