More AND Enough: Torah AND Mae West

More AND Enough(sm): Torah AND Mae West

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful

Mae West

            Exodus 36:7 states, “the work was sufficient for them for all they were to do, and more.” Keudshat Levi then raises the question of the disconnect between enough and more in the aforementioned stating, ‘there are two words here that seem to contradict one another.’     

How then to reconcile the para-orthodox of sufficient (enough) and more?

            The construction of the sanctuary (as both an external event and an internal metaphor (the sanctuary within) suggests – placing limits on the work (enough/sufficient) while leaving room for every generation (externally) to continue to build and add  (both externally and internally).

And the old shall dream dreams

And the youth shall see visions

We must live for today

We must build for tomorrow

Debbie Friedman’s lyrical version of Joel 3:1

            I am reminded of the story of the old man (70+) planting a fig tree. A neighbor thought it foolishness as by the time the tree would bare fruit – the old man would be long gone.

            The old man had benefited from the fruit of fig trees planted by others (enough so and sufficient) and thus he planted trees (on land otherwise that could presently yield) for others in the future more so that others would have enough and continue the cycle reconciling enough and more.

           

             Mae West would have countered the old man’s sacrifice of current yield for future generations stating, ‘too much (more) of a good thing is wonderful.’

            However, the reality is ‘more, better, now’ usually becomes ‘less, worse, later’ (wandering on their barren soil by de-fault accompanied by IF ONLYs.   )

            The LESSon

            Enough and more…..

            FIG-uratively speaking