Parashat Vayaqhel-P'kudei
Kohen - First Aliya - 20+9 p'sukim - 35:1-29 Observation Notice that when G-d speaks to Moshe, He instructions him concerning the Mishkan (236 p'sukim!) and then warns him that Shabbat is supreme. When Moshe gathers the people to instruct them, he puts the Shabbat warning up front. [SDT] In the opening three-pasuk portion about Shabbat, there are 40 words - 39 plus the word HaShabbat. This can be taken as a symbolic reference to the 39 categories of prohibited Melacha, which define the nature of HASHABBAT. The Baal HaTurim says that the word LA'ASOT in the phrase, "These are the things that G-d commanded TO DO them", is spelled with a LAMED (30) and an anagram for TEISHA (9) - another remez to the Melachot of Shabbat. He adds that a VAV is "missing" from LA'ASOT, representing the six weekdays when Melachot are permitted. MITZVA WATCH Lighting a fire is one of the 39 AVOT MELACHA (categories of creative activities forbidden on Shabbat). As such, we already have the prohibition from Commandment #4 - ...Thou shall not do any manner of MELACHA... Why is the Torah singling out FIRE here? The question is two-fold: Why single it out and why command it again. Sefer haChinuch says that the prohibition here is directed to Sanhedrin, not the individual. We have already been told that we may not kindle fire. The courts, says the Chinuch, may not carry out the capital punishment of burning (S'reifa) on Shabbat. Nor, by Biblical extension, may any capital punishment be carried out on Shabbat, nor may any punishment by the courts be carried be meted out on Shabbat. This allows Shabbat to be a day of respite and rest even for the condemned felon. We can also look at the Shabbat reminder in a different way. You may not kindle fire in YOUR DWELLINGS, wherever they may be, but you may - nay, you must - kindle fire (and do certain other Melachot) in THE DWELLING, the Mikdash. (That is, when specifically commanded to do so by G-d.) Some commentators say that the repetition of fire comes to emphasize that kindling a fire is a capital offense of no less strictness, despite the fact that on Yom Tov it is one of the few Melachot that is permitted (i.e. cooking with fire, lighting flame to flame). We might have gotten the impression that FIRE is not THAT major an offense, because of Yom Tov. Comes the Torah here to emphasize the prohibition for Shabbat. We are also taught that the singling out of one of the 39 categories of Melacha indicates that the categories have an identity of their own as far as Shabbat halacha goes. For example, planting, watering, fertilizing, grafting (the permitted kind), pruning are all forms of the AV MELACHA (category), planting. Picking a flower belongs to a different category, reaping. Without going into full details, let's just say that there are differences between the following two situations: [1] A person waters and prunes his rose bush on Shabbat, [2] A person who waters his rose bush and picks one of the roses. Without the concept of differentiation among the 39 categories of Melacha, the two situations would be the same, namely, a person doing two forbidden acts on Shabbat. So this is another "lesson" from the LO T'VA'ARU statement. Tif'eret Y'honatan suggests a novel reason for singling out FIRE. Since we are prohibited from doing Melacha on Shabbat because G-d rested from Creation on the first Shabbat, and since fire was not "in the picture" until the first Motza'ei Shabbat, perhaps kindling of fire is not an equal member of the family of prohibited Melachot. Comes the pasuk here to set the record straight. Fire is not only one of the 39 categories, it is the flagship of the LAMED-TET MELACHOT. Aside from the first three p'sukim, the rest of the sedra deals with the building of the Mishkan. Parshat T'ruma gave us the command and instructions, Vayaqhel tells us of the carrying out of the instructions. The different types of materials are named. It is made clear that donations are encouraged, but completely voluntary. Then each part of the Mishkan and its furnishings are mentioned in detail. After the people heard what Moshe had to say, they left the meeting (apparently enthused and anxious to get busy). One can speculate, based on the sequence we are presented with in the Torah, that there was a fair amount of guilt from the Golden Calf that was motivating the People. Many people are moved to give generously in response to Moshe's appeal. Men and women all give (there are different interpretations as to what the wording in the pasuk indicates). In addition to donations, men, and more so women, donated their talents in weaving, dyeing, woodwork, metalwork, etc. Repeated reference is made to the hearts of the people being in what they were doing. This was a genuine positive response to G-d's and Moshe's call to build the Mishkan. The leaders of the Tribes supplied the precious stones for the shoulder-pieces of the Eifod and for the Choshen of the Kohen Gadol, and spices and oil for the Incense and the Anointing oil. [SDT] Rashi quotes R' Natan who explains why the leaders of the tribes took the initiative on the occasion of the dedication of the Mishkan. He says that they learned their lesson from this original collection of materials. The leaders decided to wait until the people finished giving, and then they would give what was missing. It turned out that there was almost nothing left to give because the people had given so generously. For Chanukat HaMizbei'ach they went first. But for the initial T'RUMA they were mildly rebuked by the Torah in an inconspicuous way - the letter YUD was dropped from the word N'SI'IM (36:27). Leaders are supposed to lead, they are supposed to initiate. Jewish leaders say, "After me!
Levi - Second Aliya - 13+12+35 p'sukim - 35:30-37:16 [SDT] (based on a DT I heard from Rabbi Menachem Rottenberg, former exec. dir. of Yeshiva of Central Queens) Look at the greatness of Bezalel (and his crew). They were able to "think thoughts", formulate ideas, make plans, "work with the gold, silver, and copper". And also, to work with stone and wood. And to do all the various jobs. Picture a committee of some organization with a project to carry out. The most valuable members of the committee are those able AND ready to perform anything that is necessary. Not those people who have the ideas but are not willing to work on their execution. The ones who will work with the gold, but who consider it beneath their dignity to perform lesser tasks. When G-d commanded Moshe about the Mishkan, He first commanded the making of the Aron, Shulchan, and Menora. Then, the roofing layers - the Mishkan, the Ohel, and the Orot. Only then were the wall boards and foundation sockets brought into the picture. In the carrying out of the commands, a more "practical" plan was followed. The structure and then the furnishings. But how can Moshe and Bezalel deviate from the commands of G-d? You can't just do whatever you want in this kind of thing. In this portion, the three layers of ceiling are presented. Note that the first layer was a beautiful, multicolored weave and the fasteners were gold. Over that came the more practical, less attractive, less complicated, weather-resistant Ohel of goat hair. This layer was not seen from inside the Mishkan, and might not have been seen from the outside either, according to the opinion that the Tachash and Red-dyed sheep skin covering (which was also attractive) was not just on top. Next the Torah describes the construction of the wall-planks of the Mishkan from acacia wood. There were 48 planks - 20 each on the north and south walls, and 8 on the west wall. Each plank was covered with gold. Each was inserted into two foundation sockets. The Parochet to hang between the Kodesh and the Kodesh Kodoshim, the Masach for the front of the Mishkan, and the Masach for the front of the courtyard were similar in style and material to the first ceiling layer.
Next, the Golden Altar (a.k.a. Incense Altar, a.k.a. Inner Altar) is described. After this Mizbei'ach was made, the Anointing Oil and Incense were compounded.
The final vessel described is the Washing Basin and its Stand. It was made of copper. Tradition tells us that the copper came from the mirrors of the Israelite women. At first, Moshe did not want to accept them because of the vanity associated with mirrors. G-d, however, told Moshe how very precious this gift was in His eyes, because they reminded Him (so to speak) of the role Jewish women played in the redemption of the people from Egypt. Finally, the courtyard is described. P'kudei begins with an accounting of the materials collected for use in the construction of the Mishkan, its furnishings, and the garments of the Kohanim. [SDT] We are taught from the fact that Moshe Rabeinu gave a voluntary accounting of the materials he collected, that a person in the position of collecting monies for the community must conduct himself in such a way that he will always be above suspicion. Even if the individual is completely trustworthy, he should take measures to avoid the possibility of appearing improper. We learn similarly from the episode of the two and a half tribes that one must behave in such a way that he will be "clean before G-d AND Israel". The Talmud tells us that the family of Kohanim that was in charge of compounding the Ketoret (incense) did not allow its women to use perfume, lest someone suspect them of taking from the sacred ingredients of the Ketoret. Similarly, the bakers of the Lechem HaPanim did not eat fine bread, so that no one should even get an idea that they were taking the special flour of the Mikdash for their own use. [SDT] In the opening pasuk of the sedra, we find the word Mishkan twice in a row - ...HaMishkan, Mishkan HaEidut. Rashi says that this is an allusion to the two Batei HaMikdash. Chatam Sofer adds that the HEI of the first Mishkan is "missing" from the second. This alludes to the 5 special items missing in the second BeitHaMikdash - the ARON, the Holy Fire, the Divine Presence, the Holy Spirit, and the Urim V'Tumim. [SDT] Rashi teaches us that the description of the Mishkan as EIDUT, a Testimony, attests to the fact that G-d had forgiven us for the Sin of the Golden Calf. This is so because the SH'CHINA rested among us, in the Mishkan. The work of assembling and dismantling the Mishkan throughout the years of wandering in the Wilderness was the domain of the tribe of Levi, under the supervision and leadership of Itamar b. Aharon HaKohen. The chief artisans of the Mishkan, the Torah reminds us, were Bezalel from Yehuda and Aholiav from Dan. The Torah next details the amounts of gold, silver, and copper which was collected for the Mishkan and its vessels. The Torah also lists the uses of the different metals. Then the Torah mentions the different dyed wools (sky-blue, purple, red - the shades of color are debated - e.g. sky-blue? At what time of day?) that were used in the making of the sacred garments of the Kohen Gadol, and for the cloths that covered (and protected?) the sacred items of the Mishkan during the traveling from place to place in the Midbar. [SDT] Baal HaTurim says that the Mishkan was supported by a foundation of 100 silver ADANIM. So too, our daily lives are supported by 100 silver foundations - the 100 Brachot we strive to recite every day.
The KUTONET, a long-sleeved, floor-length garment was woven of white linen. Some say that the sleeves were woven together with the body of the garment, rather than made separately and then sewn together. All Kohanim wore a KUTONET. Each had it custom-fitted, since it is forbidden to do AVODA in the Mikdash if the garment was either two long or too short (or frayed or soiled). A turban of linen was worn by the Kohen Gadol in one style, to accommodate the TZITZ. Regular Kohanim wore their turban in a different style. The belt or sash, called AVNEIT, was woven from the three colors of wool and from linen. It was unusually long (32 AMOT, approx. 15 meters, about 50 feet long) and therefore needed to be wound around the kohein's waist many times. (Some say that the AVNEIT was worn above the waist.) The winding produced a prominent bulge aound his waist which the Kohen felt whenever his hands were at his sides. This served as a constant reminder to the Kohen of the seriousness of the service in the Beit HaMikdash. The AVNEIT was Shaatnez, as was the Choshen, Eifod, and Me'il. There are different opinions as to whether the regular kohen wore an AVNEIT of pure linen or of the same mixed weave of the Kohein Gadol's AVNEIT. Next comes the TZITZ, a.k.a. NEZER HAKODESH, made of pure gold and fastened around the KG's head with ribbons of T'cheilet wool. The TZITZ was embossed with the words KODESH TO HASHEM. There are many different opinions as to how the words were formed from the gold of the Tzitz, and in what order and orientation relative to each other. The TZITZ was like a royal crown for the Kohein Gadol, yet it was also meant to humble him greatly. Thus, all the work of the parts of the Mishkan and the garments of the Kohanim came to an end. (All that remained was to put everything together and in its right place.) [SDT] Talmud Yerushalmi notes that the phrase, "as G-d had commanded Moshe" appears 18 times in P'kudei. Correspondingly, we have 18 brachot in our weekday Amida (the connection between Service in the Mikdash and Davening is obvious, or should be). Thus says Sh'muel b. Nachmani in the name of Rabbi Yochanan. This does not include the first time the phrase is used: And Bezalel... did all the G-d had commanded Moshe. There are differences between the context of the phrase with Bezalel and contexts of all the other uses of the phrase that justify its not being counted together with the rest. On the other hand, our Amida does have a 19thbracha, so the "extra" phrase is accounted for. Interestingly, there are other "origins" for the 18 brachot of the Amida, and they too have a slightly different number 19, so that the "expansion" of the Amida is covered by them, too. For example, G-d's name is mentioned 18 times in Psalm 29, Mizmor L'David, Havu LaShem...which we say in Kabbalat Shabbat and when we put the Torah away on Shabbat morning. There is a 19th, but different Name of G-d, KEIL. (Among the 18 AZKAROT are 7 KOL HASHEM, corresponding to the 7 brachot of the Shabbat and Yom Tov Amida. All the components of the Mishkan, its vessels, and the sacred garments were brought to Moshe following the completion of the work by many men and women who voluntarily contributed their talents to the Mishkan. Moshe inspected all of the work and found it to be consistent with what G-d had commanded to be done. Moshe blessed the people: "May it be G-d's will that He will cause His Presence to settle upon your handiwork." (Rashi) Here's a thought... The emphasis upon the people doing as commanded stands in harsh contrast to the Golden Calf, which was not at all what G-d had commanded. We can see a rebuke every time the point is made that, "this time we listened, but what happened a couple of months ago..." (To be sure, it is complimentary, that we did as commanded, but we can also see an implied rebuke.)
Following all this, Moshe was to anoint all the components of the Mishkan and sanctify them. Then the Mizbei'ach and its vessels were anointed, and the Laver as well. Then the Kohanim were brought forward. After proper ablutions, they were clothed in their sacred garments and anointed. And it came to pass that on the first day of Nissan in the year out of Egypt, the Mishkan was completed. That is a bit less than a year out of Egypt. In this portion, the Torah spells out the step-by-step procedures of finally carrying out the commands of Parshiyot T'ruma, T'tzaveh, beginning of Ki Tisa, all of Vayaqhel. Continuing from the last portion, the Torah describes the final stages of the whole job of constructing the Mishkan. When Moshe place the Mizbei'ach where it belongs, he brings the proper korbanot on it. Imagine the mixed feelings that Moshe would have at this point. He has built the Mikdash and is basically serving as Kohen Gadol. But not for long. During the week-long inauguration of the Mishkan, Moshe did it all. See the mitzva of washing hands and feet before doing Avoda. The command goes to Moshe and Aharon and sons. Rashi says that on the 8th day of the dedication of the Mishkan, Moshe and Aharon were on equal status. But only on that day. After that, Moshe is "only" a Levi, and Aharon takes over the reins. It is said that Moshe would have been the Kohen Gadol, except for the way he spoke to G-d at the Burning Bush. It was then that G-d brought Aharon to Moshe, so to speak, to share the responsibilities and privileges of leadership. In the final 5 p'sukim of Sh'mot, the Torah tells us that Moshe was not able to approach the Mishkan because it was "covered by a Cloud". Only when the cloud lifted was Moshe able to approach. The Cloud was also that which signaled the people to travel or to remain encamped. The Cloud was there by day and the Pillar of Fire by night. In the course of the Book of Sh'mot, we started out as a family that was in Egypt, enslaved and oppressed there. We grew into a nation, were redeemed from Egypt, accompanied by great wonders and miracles. We received the Torah, and set up the two main aspects of our nationhood - the day-to-day rules of a Torah way of life and the building of the Mishkan to be the focus of our spiritual energies. G-d's plan for us is well underway. Everything is there except for our venue for Jewish Life at its richest - Eretz yisrael. But three books of the Chumash are still to come. We read of the mitzva to establish the Jewish Calendar (the first two p'sukim), followed by the commands concerning Pesach - the Korban Pesach, Matza, Chametz, etc. (the rest of the 20-pasuk maftir). The main theme of the Maftir is Korban Pesach. Except for the first two p'sukim, the rest of the Maftir (and beyond) deals with Chametz & Matza, the Seder night, and Korban Pesach. K.P. is different from all other korbanot. It is (sort of) a blend of the spiritual and the mundane. The purpose of bringing the K.P. is to eat it. As opposed to the other korbanot where the main feature is the offering of the korban on the Mizbei'ach; the eating, when that is the case, is secondary, though not unimportant. All korbanot were brought in the Beit HaMikdash between the two daily T'midim. Except for K.P. which comes AFTER the afternoon Tamid. K.P. can be brought and eaten in a state of ritual impurity. This can be seen as a "compromise" by G-d to facilitate our performance of this mitzva. (An individual is postponed until Pesach Sheni because of TUM'A, but the community brings and eats K.P. while TAMEI, rather than wait the month.) Unlike the portions of the Torah from B'reishit until Bo in which stories of our ancestors are the main themes, and unlike the books of Vayikra and D'varim, in which mitzvot are the main themes, in this portion (as in much of Sh'mot) we find a blend of story and mitzva. Where one ends and the other begins is not always easy to tell. That is, without the Oral Tradition. Do all future Korbanot Pesach have to be roasted? Or is that a requirement only for the original Exodus night? Do we have to eat K.P. with our belts tied and in haste? Or was that just then? The blood on the doorpost? Etc. Etc. The answers are clearly presented in the Talmud. The point is that the Written Word alone is not the whole Torah. this is another of many examples of this very important element of Judaism. MITZVA WATCH
Haftara - 28 p'sukim -Yechezkeil 45:16-46:18 [The
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