Pekudei – the completion of the Mishkan

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Pekudei – the weekly portion about the completion of the Mishkan. Alex Blend examines the account of the materials used, the acceptance of the work, the setting up of the tent and the theme “The Mishkan and Mashiach.” The stenogram includes the Torah text in Hebrew, a transliteration, a translation, the author's commentary and the haftara from the first book of Melachim.

Pekudei: on accounting

Shemot 38:21–31

אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל־פִּי מֹשֶׁה עֲבֹדַת הַלְוִיִּם בְּיַד אִיתָמָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן׃

élle fekudé hammishkán mishkán ha'edút ashér pukkád al-pí moshé avodát halviyím beyád itamár ben-aharon hakkohen

21 Here is the accounting with regard to the Mishkan, the Mishkan of testimony, the account that was prepared at the command of Moshe by the hand of Itamar, son of Aharon, the priest.

We have spoken about the amazing word pokéd. Pokéd – this is I manage, I visit, I check, I command, I take in pledge and in this case I give an account. A very difficult word to translate, precisely because its meanings spread out and change.

Twice we see the repetition of the word Mishkan, Mishkan. The commentators see in this a hint that the Mishkan will, as it were, be taken in pledge twice. When the people of God do not live up to their purpose, do not fully reveal the light of the Most High in this world, when the light is not fully revealed, then in this semi-darkness, pleasant for the enemies, they can attack and destroy, annihilate the Temple. The commentators say: “What does a man do who is at enmity with the king, who is angry at the king?” He cannot get at the king, the king is far away, and he is strong. Then the man goes to the square and sees a statue of the king there. But in fact he cannot destroy even the statue of the king, and so he simply scratches this statue. So the destruction of the Temples – this is like (that is how the midrash compares it) scratches on a statue. That is how the double repetition of the word Mishkan is understood. We, the readers, usually do not pass it by when this or that word is repeated twice in a row in the Torah. But one can put it down to this simply being a literary device here.

I would like to make another small lyrical digression here and say what such a midrash is needed for at all. Why did someone need to read the repeated word Mishkan in this way, in a historical perspective? In order to show us, to teach us, that for everything one has to give an account. Besides the fact that the Torah here gives a strict account, which Moshe charged Itamar, son of Aharon, to prepare, of all the material assets spent, of everything that was collected, what was spent and on what, in exactly the same way there is an account not for the creation of the Mishkan, but for the very existence of the Mishkan. To what extent does the Mishkan, the earthly Mishkan, the Temple that stood, or the Mishkan that is our body as the place of our service to the Most High, to what extent does it justify its existence, to what extent do we use our resources fully, correctly, honestly? For this, too, we must give an account – both the people of God as a whole, and each one of the people individually. And the midrash speaks, in fact, about this important theme, merely using here the double writing of the word Mishkan, the Mishkan of Moshe and our personal Mishkan. One can understand this doubling in different ways, but such a meaning is truly relevant for all of us.

By the hand of Itamar – what is meant is under the leadership, under the command. In Russian, too, the word for leadership comes from the words hand and to lead, to lead with the hands.

We have said that the word itamár in modern Hebrew is perceived in connection with the word tamár (date). In fact it has nothing to do with dates, but is connected with the Aramaic ítmar or memrá (in late Aramaic), or logos, word. That is, one of the sons of Aharon was called Word. One may suppose that this is a glorification of that very Word which will become flesh. At roughly the same time, much further north, in Lebanon, there existed a temple for the worship of the Word.

וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן־אוּרִי בֶן־חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה עָשָׂה אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

uvtzal'él ben-urí ven-chúr lematté yehuda asá et kol-asher-tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

22 And Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur, from the tribe of Yehuda (or from the camp of Yehuda), did everything as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וְאִתּוֹ אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן־אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה־דָן חָרָשׁ וְחֹשֵׁב וְרֹקֵם בַּתְּכֵלֶת וּבָאַרְגָּמָן וּבְתוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וּבַשֵּׁשׁ׃

ve'ittó aholi'áv ben-achisamách lematte-dán charásh vechoshév verokém battechélet uva'argamán uvtolá'at hashaní uvashésh

23 And together with him Oholi'av, son of Achisamach, from the tribe of Dan, who is engaged in carving and weaving, and embroidery on blue fabric, on purple, on scarlet fabric, and on fine linen.

כָּל־הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַיְהִי זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים כִּכָּר וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ׃

kol-hazzaháv he'asúy lammelachá bechól meléchet hakkódesh vayhí zeháv hattenufá tésha ve'esrím kikkár ushvá meót ushloshím shékel beshékel hakkódesh

24 All the gold that had been designated for the work, in all the holy service, was: gold of elevation, 29 kikars (talents) and 730 shekels in holy shekels.

If one takes into account the measures of weight given by one of the well-known Jewish commentators, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam), it turns out that 1228 kilograms of gold were collected. Many dispute this figure, although other figures will also be roughly in the same range, of the same order. It is also said that there should have been much more gold; nevertheless, if one goes by the notion of the measures of weight that existed at that time, roughly this kind of picture emerges.

וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה מְאַת כִּכָּר וְאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ׃

vechésef pekudé ha'edá me'át kikkár ve'élef ushvá meót vachamishá veshiv'ím shékel beshékel hakkódesh

25 And the silver that the community handed over – 100 kikars (talents) and 1775 shekels in holy shekels.

100 talents and 1775 holy shekels – that is roughly 4225 kilograms of silver. Much more silver was collected than gold.

And in verse 26 we read a mini-report on where the silver came from.

בֶּקַע לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְכֹל הָעֹבֵר עַל־הַפְּקֻדִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה לְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים׃

béka laggulgólet machatzít hashékel beshékel hakkódesh lechól ha'ovér al-happekudím mibbén esrím shaná vamá'la leshesh-meót élef ushlóshet alafím vachamésh meót vachamishím

26 A beka (a measure of weight of half a shekel) from each person, half a shekel of the holy shekel, from everyone of the sons of Israel who enters the count (and the Torah explains this), from 20 years and older – 603 thousand 550 (people).

Not long ago, during excavations on the Temple Mount, weights were found, and some of them bore the marking “beka.”

From 20 years and older – this is the age of the people included in the count at the census, that is, adults, people of age, people ready for service, the capable part of the people of Israel. It was precisely they who were obliged to bring half a shekel of silver each for the building of the Mishkan. And what was made from all this silver?

וַיְהִי מְאַת כִּכַּר הַכֶּסֶף לָצֶקֶת אֵת אַדְנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת אַדְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת מְאַת אֲדָנִים לִמְאַת הַכִּכָּר כִּכָּר לָאָדֶן׃

vayhí me'át kikkár hakkésef latzéket et adné hakkódesh ve'ét adné happaróchet me'át adaním lim'át hakkikkár kikkár la'áden

27 And it was: 100 kikars (talents) of silver were spent on casting the bases for the Holy and the bases for the curtain; from 100 kikars (talents) – 100 bases, a kikar (talent) per base.

וְאֶת־הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים וְצִפָּה רָאשֵׁיהֶם וְחִשַּׁק אֹתָם׃

ve'et-ha'élef ushvá hammeot vachamishá veshiv'ím asá vavím la'ammudím vetzippá rashehém vechishák otám

28 And from the 1775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops, and made them with framings.

וּנְחֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה שִׁבְעִים כִּכָּר וְאַלְפַּיִם וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאוֹת שָׁקֶל׃

unchóshet hattenufá shiv'ím kikkár ve'alpáyim ve'arbá-meot shákel

29 And of copper 70 kikars and 2400 shekels were collected (a little more than three tons).

וַיַּעַשׂ בָּהּ אֶת־אַדְנֵי פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְאֶת־מִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְאֵת כָּל־כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃

vayá'as ba et-adné petach óhel mo'éd ve'ét mizbách hannechóshet ve'et-michbár hannechóshet ashér-lo ve'ét kol-kelé hammizbéyach

30 And he made from it the bases for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and the copper altar, and its copper grating, and all the implements of the altar.

וְאֶת־אַדְנֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב וְאֶת־אַדְנֵי שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר וְאֵת כָּל־יִתְדֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת־כָּל־יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב׃

ve'et-adné hechatzér savív ve'et-adné shá'ar hechatzér ve'ét kol-yitdót hammishkán ve'et-kol-yitdót hechatzér savív

31 And the bases for the courtyard all around, and the bases for the gate of the courtyard, and all the pegs for the Mishkan, and all the pegs of the courtyard all around.

Why does the Torah give us this whole story, such a detailed account? Probably this is a lesson for us regarding donations collected in the community, when someone announces a collection for some event, for the building of something, for the creation of something. The people bring with one accord, and then down to the shekel (that is roughly 33 grams in the measurements given here) an account is given of what was used and how. Moshe appointed a man, Itamar, son of Aharon, to take care of the accounting, to count up and give an account to the community. It was not enough to say: “You handed it over to us – here is your Mishkan, everything is built according to the specifications.” No, besides that, a full and detailed account is given here of the work done and the materials spent (gold, silver and copper).

The acceptance committee

Shemot 39:1–43

We have already read that upon the completion of the work of building the Mishkan, Moshe appointed Itamar, son of Aharon, to prepare a full and thorough report on all the precious metals used, out of everything that the people collected. Itamar prepared this report and, in fact, we have also read the report itself. In our passage the Torah returns to the report on the garments made for the priesthood (we read the detailed instructions in chapter 28) and on the completion of all the work of arranging the Mishkan.

וּמִן־הַתְּכֵלֶת וְהָאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי עָשׂוּ בִגְדֵי־שְׂרָד לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לְאַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

umin-hattechélet veha'argamán vetolá'at hashaní asú vigde-serád lesharét bakkódesh vaya'asú et-bigdé hakkódesh ashér le'aharón ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

1 And from the blue fabric, from the purple fabric and from the scarlet fabric they made the service garments (covering garments, one could say, work clothes) for serving in the Holy, and they made the holy garments (separate garments for those who are designated to enter the Holy of Holies), which are for Aharon; they did this as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הָאֵפֹד זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר׃

vayá'as et-ha'efód zaháv techélet ve'argamán vetolá'at shaní veshésh moshzár

2 The master, the craftsman, made the efod (we called it a vest) of gold, blue thread, purple thread, scarlet thread and linen thread, twisted together.

How was the gold combined with the threads? Each thread was twisted sixfold: the blue thread, the purple thread, the scarlet thread and the linen. And then they were twisted around once more, a seventh – golden thread was woven into them. That is, we have techélet (blue thread), argamán (purple thread), tolá'at shaní (scarlet thread) and linen, each color was twisted from six threads and mixed with the golden thread. Altogether it comes to four times seven, such a “twenty-eight-fold” thread was obtained.

In verse 3 – a description of the making of the golden threads:

וַיְרַקְּעוּ אֶת־פַּחֵי הַזָּהָב וְקִצֵּץ פְּתִילִם לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּכֵלֶת וּבְתוֹךְ הָאַרְגָּמָן וּבְתוֹךְ תּוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וּבְתוֹךְ הַשֵּׁשׁ מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב׃

vayrakke'ú et-paché hazzaháv vekittzétz petilím la'asót betóch hattechélet uvtóch ha'argamán uvtóch tolá'at hashaní uvtóch hashésh ma'asé choshév

3 And they flattened, and cut from these golden sheets very thin threads, in order to weave these golden threads into the blue, into the purple, and the scarlet, and into the linen ones in a wise, skillful manner.

That is, they turned the gold into a hammered, thin-thin little leaf; today one would say – into gold leaf. The word ptíl (pl. ptilím) means thread, or little wick (the Russian word fitil comes from this same word). The masters flattened the gold into the thinnest sheets and from them, like noodles, cut thin-thin threads, which could be braided with other threads and in this way woven into a common fabric. They say that gold is very hard to work into fabric. All over the world in antiquity there existed, by and large, one method for creating fabric with gold, which was called samite or brocade, when the golden thread was mixed, braided with six other threads.

כְּתֵפֹת עָשׂוּ־לוֹ חֹבְרֹת עַל־שְׁנֵי קִצְווֹתוֹ (קְצוֹתָיו) חֻבָּר׃

ketefót asu-ló choverót al-shené ketzotáv chubbár

4 They made shoulders for it; they were attached on two sides and connected the front and the back part of the efod with each other.

If we return to the parallel of the efod with a bulletproof vest, then it is as if they made straps for it (probably this word will be more understandable). These are straps that are located on two sides and that connect the front and the back part of the efod.

וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו מִמֶּנּוּ הוּא כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vechéshev afuddató ashér aláv mimménnu hu kema'aséhu zaháv techélet ve'argamán vetolá'at shaní veshésh moshzár ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

5 And all the belts of the efod that are on it are made of it itself (that is, all the ties and all the straps of the efod are made as one whole with it), from all the threads listed: from golden threads, blue threads, purple threads, scarlet threads and from linen, interwoven, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם מֻסַבֹּת מִשְׁבְּצֹת זָהָב מְפֻתָּחֹת פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם עַל־שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

vaya'asú et-avné hashóham musabbót mishbetzót zaháv mefuttachót pittuché chotám al-shemót bené yisraél

6 And they made stones of onyx, in golden frames, on which, as on a seal, the names of the sons of Israel are engraved.

We said that the kohen wears on his shoulder boards, on his epaulettes (not only on the breastplate) the names of the sons of Israel according to their birth, in the order of their birth: six names on one side, six names on the other side.

וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָם עַל כִּתְפֹת הָאֵפֹד אַבְנֵי זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayásem otám al kitfót ha'efód avné zikkarón livné yisraél ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

7 And he put them on the shoulders of the efod, stones of remembrance of the sons of Israel, as God commanded Moshe.

We also already spoke about what this is needed for in chapter 28, when we examined the construction of the garments of the kohanim. Let us repeat that the priest must remember that he enters the Holy of Holies not on his own, not as some official, but enters as one who stands for the people of Israel. In the Holy of Holies or in the Holy (wherever he enters in the office of priest) he stands for all the tribes of Israel, therefore his shoulder boards – these are the sons of Israel.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַחֹשֶׁן מַעֲשֵׂה חֹשֵׁב כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֵפֹד זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר׃

vayá'as et-hachóshen ma'asé choshév kema'asé efód zahav techélet ve'argamán vetolá'at shaní veshésh moshzár

8 And he made the chóshen (or breastplate) of the same woven work as the efod (and again we see the listing of the same twisted threads): gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

רָבוּעַ הָיָה כָּפוּל עָשׂוּ אֶת־הַחֹשֶׁן זֶרֶת אָרְכּוֹ וְזֶרֶת רָחְבּוֹ כָּפוּל׃

ravú'a hayá kafúl asú et-hachóshen zéret orkó vezéret rochbó kafúl

9 It was square; the chóshen was made folded in two, the dimensions of the square zéret by zéret.

This was achieved by folding a rectangle of fabric in two; in this way a square was obtained with a side equal to a zéret. Zéret – this is a measure of length equal to three palms (or half a cubit), and a palm in turn is equal to roughly 8 centimeters. That is, the square came out with a side of 24–25 centimeters.

וַיְמַלְאוּ־בוֹ אַרְבָּעָה טוּרֵי אָבֶן טוּר אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וּבָרֶקֶת הַטּוּר הָאֶחָד׃

vaymal'u-vó arba'á túre áven tur ódem pitdá uvaréket hattúr ha'echád

10 And its filling they made of four rows of stones: the first stone ódem (carnelian), the second stone pitdá (emerald), the third stone uvaréket (and topaz), one row.

וְהַטּוּר הַשֵּׁנִי נֹפֶךְ סַפִּיר וְיָהֲלֹם׃

vehattúr hashení nófech sappír veyahalóm

11 The second row: nófech (garnet), sappír (sapphire), veyahalóm (and diamond).

וְהַטּוּר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לֶשֶׁם שְׁבוֹ וְאַחְלָמָה׃

vehattúr hashelishí léshem shevó ve'achláma

12 And the third row: léshem (zircon), shevó (agate), ve'achláma (and amethyst).

וְהַטּוּר הָרְבִיעִי תַּרְשִׁישׁ שֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה מוּסַבֹּת מִשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב בְּמִלֻּאֹתָם׃

vehattúr harevi'í tarshísh shóham veyashefé musabbót mishbetzót zaháv bemillu'otám

13 And the fourth row: tarshísh (aquamarine), shóham (onyx), veyashefé (and jasper); before being set into the chóshen, they are framed with gold (literally: overlaid with gold they are in their filling).

One can and must say that there are very many different opinions regarding the stones with which the efod was filled. This happens because many names of the stones have not been preserved. We do not have a tradition as to which stones are really being spoken of. A word such as, for example, pitdá is altogether impossible in Hebrew; this is clearly some non-Hebrew word. And when we use this or that method of reconstruction, we use it on the basis of the study of languages, on the basis of various deep studies. I deliberately cite different variants in order to show that there is no single variant, that there is no single tradition here, that we do not understand these very stones very well.

In the city of Jerusalem, on Jaffa Street, almost right by the Jaffa Gate, in such an amazing little stone shop, which in my youth seemed magical to me, there worked an old (or he seemed old to me then) Jew, whose shelves were lined with books about stones and with the stones themselves. He devoted his whole life to working stones and to writing books about stones, including about the stones in breastplates. And he told me that in his youth, in Algeria, he wrote a book where – well, absolutely precisely – he established the meaning of all the stones that were used in the breastplate. About 15 years passed, and he wrote another book, where he revised much, but this time he established absolutely precisely the stones that are in the breastplate. Another 20 years passed, and he understood that we do not know, cannot establish, which stones were in the breastplate. If one studies the nature of the stones, then many stones fit different tribes; and what do we know about the tribes anyway? If one studies the names, then the confusion with them is unbelievable. So, the man who in our time knew, probably, more about stones in the Jewish tradition than anyone else, told us, the young ones, that this is the riddle of the century, what stones are there on the breastplate. He gave us semi-precious stones, which for us was a touching of a mystery. And this has remained for me a riddle to which I would like to find the answer. But I understand that this is one of those numerous riddles to which I will not find a solution.

וְהָאֲבָנִים עַל־שְׁמֹת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵנָּה שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עַל־שְׁמֹתָם פִּתּוּחֵי חֹתָם אִישׁ עַל־שְׁמוֹ לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שָׁבֶט׃

veha'avaním al-shemót bene-yisraél hénna shetém esré al-shemotám pittuché chotám ish al-shemó lishném asár shávet

14 And the stones – according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to the number of their names, engraved as a seal, each on its own stone, for the twelve tribes.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ עַל־הַחֹשֶׁן שַׁרְשְׁרֹת גַּבְלֻת מַעֲשֵׂה עֲבֹת זָהָב טָהוֹר׃

vaya'asú al-hachóshen sharsherót gavlút ma'asé avót zaháv tahór

15 And on the breastplate they made special braided chains, of pure gold.

What is meant here is the upper edge of the breastplate, and the chains, we have already spoken about this, I will repeat: these are not the ones that consist of links, separate little rings, but braided, more expensive jewelry chains.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁבְּצֹת זָהָב וּשְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־שְׁתֵּי הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל־שְׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַחֹשֶׁן׃

vaya'asú sheté mishbetzót zaháv ushté tabbe'ót zaháv vayittenú et-sheté hattabba'ót al-shené ketzót hachóshen

16 And they made two sockets (cells) of gold and two golden rings, and placed the two rings on the two edges of the breastplate.

וַיִּתְּנוּ שְׁתֵּי הָעֲבֹתֹת הַזָּהָב עַל־שְׁתֵּי הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל־קְצוֹת הַחֹשֶׁן׃

vayittenú sheté ha'avotót hazzaháv al-sheté hattabba'ót al-ketzót hachóshen

17 And they threaded (literally: gave) the two chains braided of gold (which we have already spoken of) through the two rings that are at the edge of the chóshen.

וְאֵת שְׁתֵּי קְצוֹת שְׁתֵּי הָעֲבֹתֹת נָתְנוּ עַל־שְׁתֵּי הַמִּשְׁבְּצֹת וַיִּתְּנֻם עַל־כִּתְפֹת הָאֵפֹד אֶל־מוּל פָּנָיו׃

ve'ét sheté ketzót sheté ha'avotót natenú al-sheté hammishbetzót vayittenúm al-kitfót ha'efód el-múl panáv

18 And the two (other) ends of the two chains they connected to the two cells, and attached them to the shoulders of the efod on its face (front) side.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ שְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל־שְׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַחֹשֶׁן עַל־שְׂפָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר אֶל־עֵבֶר הָאֵפֹד בָּיְתָה׃

vaya'asú sheté tabbe'ót zaháv vayasímu al-shené ketzót hachóshen al-sefató ashér el-éver ha'efód báyta

19 And they made two golden rings, and put (attached) them on the lower edge (on the hem of the breastplate), which is on the lower side of the efod.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ שְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיִּתְּנֻם עַל־שְׁתֵּי כִתְפֹת הָאֵפֹד מִלְמַטָּה מִמּוּל פָּנָיו לְעֻמַּת מֶחְבַּרְתּוֹ מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד׃

vaya'asú sheté tabbe'ót zaháv vayittenúm al-sheté chitfót ha'efód milemátta mimmúl panáv le'ummát machbartó mimmá'al lechéshev ha'efód

20 And they made two more gold rings, and placed them on the two shoulder straps of the efod below, opposite its front side, there where its straps are joined, there where the belt of the efod is.

That is, they made another pair of rings and placed them at the back, opposite the front side of the efod, like buckles for the straps, at the place where they are joined to the efod above the belt.

וַיִּרְכְּסוּ אֶת־הַחֹשֶׁן מִטַּבְּעֹתָיו אֶל־טַבְּעֹת הָאֵפֹד בִּפְתִיל תְּכֵלֶת לִהְיֹת עַל־חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד וְלֹא־יִזַּח הַחֹשֶׁן מֵעַל הָאֵפֹד כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayirkesú et-hachóshen mittabbe'otáv el-tabbe'ót ha'efód biftíl techélet lihyot al-chéshev ha'efód velo-yizzách hachóshen me'ál ha'efód ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

21 And they tied the choshen by its rings to the rings of the efod with a blue thread, so that it would fasten the efod to the breastpiece and so that the breastpiece would not move on the efod, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

That is, they made one more fastening out of blue thread, so that the breastpiece would not move on the efod, would not shift around on the kohen's belly, but would stay all the time in one and the same place.

From verse 22 begins the description of another element of the garments – the me'íl (robe), the outer garment onto which the efod is put.

וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־מְעִיל הָאֵפֹד מַעֲשֵׂה אֹרֵג כְּלִיל תְּכֵלֶת׃

vayá'as et-me'íl ha'efód ma'asé orég kelíl techélet

22 And he made the me'íl (robe) entirely of blue fabric, to wear the breastpiece on it, the work of a weaver.

וּפִי־הַמְּעִיל בְּתוֹכוֹ כְּפִי תַחְרָא שָׂפָה לְפִיו סָבִיב לֹא יִקָּרֵעַ׃

ufi-hamme'íl betochó kefí tachrá safá lefív savív lo yikkaréya

23 And the edges of the neck opening of the me'íl are turned inward and stitched (finished as if with an overlock), so that it would not tear (would not come apart, would not fray).

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ עַל־שׁוּלֵי הַמְּעִיל רִמּוֹנֵי תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי מָשְׁזָר׃

vaya'asú al-shulé hamme'íl rimmoné techélet ve'argamán vetolá'at shaní moshzár

24 And along the edge of the me'íl pomegranates were made, of a mixture of blue, purple and scarlet.

We have spoken about the fact that under certain lighting the color red is refracted like blue. Therefore one can show a special redness by mixing the colors red and blue.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ פַעֲמֹנֵי זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־הַפַּעֲמֹנִים בְּתוֹךְ הָרִמֹּנִים עַל־שׁוּלֵי הַמְּעִיל סָבִיב בְּתוֹךְ הָרִמֹּנִים׃

vaya'asú fa'amoné zahav tahór vayittenú et-happa'amoním betóch harimmoním al-shulé hamme'íl savív betóch harimmoním

25 They made bells of pure gold and alternated the bells and the pomegranates along the edges of the me'íl, around the circumference, along the whole hem.

We have already spoken about the fact that the rimmón (pomegranate) symbolizes fullness, it is such a tightly packed fruit. Many say, there is such a legend, such a tradition, that it has 613 seeds in it (according to the symbolic number of the commandments). Others say that the people of Israel simply can be filled with commandments like a pomegranate, and therefore it is compared to a pomegranate. The bells, on the other hand, unlike the pomegranate, are empty. If the pomegranates symbolize the righteous of the people of Israel, then the bells symbolize the common people, even though they are made of pure gold. And who are the common people? These are people who are not so deeply acquainted with the Torah, who do not keep the commandments in such fullness. And just don't think anything bad: of these two types of the people, which are symbolized by the bells and the pomegranates on the skirts of the priest's garment, I am glad to be a bell. They have no mitzvót (commandments), they have no merits, but they too belong to the people of Israel. When the priest enters the Mishkan, he carries on himself both the one and the other, both the righteous and those who are not yet so righteous, who rattle and ring like a bell with only some one or two of their merits.

Verse 26 explains the whole technique:

ַּ
עֲמֹן וְרִמֹּן פַּעֲמֹן וְרִמֹּן עַל־שׁוּלֵי הַמְּעִיל סָבִיב לְשָׁרֵת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

pa'amón verimmón pa'amón verimmón al-shulé hamme'íl savív lesharét ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate along the hem of the me'íl all around, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

This verse, often repeated in this chapter – as the LORD commanded Moshe – is not as simple as it may seem. For the first time we see an example of how tradition is passed on. Something that Moshe received (he hardly had the possibility to write it down, to take it down in shorthand or to use a voice recorder), he was able to pass on to wise people. And the wise people, without seeing what Moshe saw, without hearing what Moshe heard, carried out what the Most High commanded Moshe. We see an example of high-quality communication, of high-quality transmission of information from the Most High to those who carry it out, and perfect execution. Therefore each such testimony – as the LORD commanded Moshe – is not there just like that, it is truly very important. Do we so often manage to do everything just as the LORD commanded us?

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־הַכָּתְנֹת שֵׁשׁ מַעֲשֵׂה אֹרֵג לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו׃

vaya'asú et-hakkotnót shesh ma'asé orég le'aharón ulvanáv

27 And he made shirts of linen, of weaver's work, for Aharon and his sons.

וְאֵת הַמִּצְנֶפֶת שֵׁשׁ וְאֶת־פַּאֲרֵי הַמִּגְבָּעֹת שֵׁשׁ וְאֶת־מִכְנְסֵי הַבָּד שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר׃

ve'ét hammitznéfet shesh ve'et-pa'aré hammigba'ót shesh ve'et-michnesé habbád shesh moshzár

28 And the headdress of fine linen (the turban for the kohen gadol), and the splendid headdresses for the sons of Aharon of linen, and the trousers (underwear) of linen fabric, all of twisted threads.

וְאֶת־הָאַבְנֵט שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

ve'et-ha'avnét shesh moshzár utchélet ve'argamán vetolá'at shaní ma'asé rokém ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

29 And the sash of twisted linen threads, and of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, the work of an embroiderer, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת־צִיץ נֵזֶר־הַקֹּדֶשׁ זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיִּכְתְּבוּ עָלָיו מִכְתַּב פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה׃

vaya'asú et-tzítz nezer-hakkódesh zaháv tahór vayichtevú aláv michtáv pittuché chotám kódesh ladonáy

30 And they made a plate of gold, and on it they wrote (engraved), as on a seal: “Holiness to the LORD.”

וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת לָתֵת עַל־הַמִּצְנֶפֶת מִלְמָעְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayittenú aláv petíl techélet latét al-hammitznéfet milmá'la ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

31 They made a hole in it, passed a blue thread through it, so that with its upper part it would be fastened to the turban, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

The gold plate on the turban of the high priest has to be fastened so that it hangs down from above, from the headdress onto his forehead, and on it there should be written: “Holiness of the LORD” or “Holy to the LORD.”

וַתֵּכֶל כָּל־עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה כֵּן עָשׂוּ׃

vattéchel kol-avodát mishkán óhel mo'éd vaya'asú bené yisraél kechól ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé ken asú

32 And all the work on the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting, was completed, and the sons of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moshe, so they did.

וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הָאֹהֶל וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו קְרָסָיו קְרָשָׁיו בְּרִיחוֹ (בְּרִיחָיו) וְעַמֻּדָיו וַאֲדָנָיו׃

vayavíu et-hammishkán el-moshé et-ha'óhel ve'et-kol-keláv kerasáv kerasháv bericháv ve'ammudáv va'adanáv

33 And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe: the tent and all its vessels, its hooks, its pillars, its bars, and its pillars, and its bases.

וְאֶת־מִכְסֵה עוֹרֹת הָאֵילִם הַמְאָדָּמִים וְאֶת־מִכְסֵה עֹרֹת הַתְּחָשִׁים וְאֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ׃

ve'et-michsé orót ha'elím ham'oddamím ve'et-michsé orót hattechashím ve'ét paróchet hammasách

34 And the covering of tanned skins of deer, and the covering of skins of techashím, and the curtain.

Táchash – this is an animal about which we said that we know nothing about it. Some say that it is a sea animal, a dugong. Others say that it is a giraffe. And such a spread of opinions says that we do not know what it is.

אֶת־אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת וְאֶת־בַּדָּיו וְאֵת הַכַּפֹּרֶת׃

et-arón ha'edút ve'et-baddáv ve'ét hakkappóret

35 The ark of the covenant, and its poles, and its lid.

אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְאֵת לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים׃

et-hashulchán et-kol-keláv ve'ét léchem happaním

36 The table, and all its vessels, and the bread of presentation.

אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה הַטְּהֹרָה אֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ נֵרֹת הַמַּעֲרָכָה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלֶיהָ וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר׃

et-hammenorá hattehorá et-nerotéha nerót hamma'arachá ve'et-kol-keléha ve'ét shémen hamma'ór

37 And the pure menorah, and the lamps to be set up, and all its vessels, and the oil for lighting.

וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֵת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים וְאֵת מָסַךְ פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל׃

ve'ét mizbách hazzaháv ve'ét shémen hammishchá ve'ét ketóret hassammím ve'ét masách pétach ha'óhel

38 And the golden altar, and the oil for anointing, and the burning of incense, and the screen for the entrance to the tent.

אֵת מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְאֶת־מִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ אֶת־בַּדָּיו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו אֶת־הַכִּיֹּר וְאֶת־כַּנּוֹ׃

et mizbách hannechóshet ve'et-michbár hannechóshet asher-ló et-baddáv ve'et-kol-keláv et-hakkiyor ve'et-kannó

39 And the copper altar, and the copper grating that is with it, and its poles, and all its implements, and its walls, and its base.

אֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר אֶת־עַמֻּדֶיהָ וְאֶת־אֲדָנֶיהָ וְאֶת־הַמָּסָךְ לְשַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר אֶת־מֵיתָרָיו וִיתֵדֹתֶיהָ וְאֵת כָּל־כְּלֵי עֲבֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃

et kal'é hechatzér et-ammudéha ve'et-adanéha ve'et-hammasách leshá'ar hechatzér et-metaráv vitedotéha ve'ét kol-kelé avodát hammishkán le'óhel mo'éd

40 And the meshes for the courtyard, the pillars of the courtyard, and the stands for its pillars, and the screen of the entrance to the courtyard, the guy ropes with which it is stretched, and the pegs, and all the tools for the work in the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting.

אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַשְּׂרָד לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵי בָנָיו לְכַהֵן׃

et-bigdé hasserád lesharét bakkódesh et-bigdé hakkódesh le'aharón hakkohén ve'et-bigdé vanáv lechahén

41 And the service garments, and the garments for the holy service of Aharon the kohen, and the garments of his sons, to serve.

כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה כֵּן עָשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־הָעֲבֹדָה׃

kechól asher-tzivvá adonáy et-moshé ken asú bené yisraél et kol-ha'avodá

42 In everything, as the LORD commanded Moshe, so the sons of Israel did all the work.

וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָה וְהִנֵּה עָשׂוּ אֹתָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה כֵּן עָשׂוּ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה׃

vayár moshé et-kol-hammelachá vehinné asú otá ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy ken asú vayvárech otám moshé

43 And Moshe saw all this work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD commanded, so they did, and Moshe blessed them.

Actually, there is little I can say in the commentary on chapter 39, because the chapter repeats what we have already said many times. But again one can pay attention to the thoroughness of the accounts, to the precision of the execution, even though there were no blueprints, there were no computer diagrams that can describe everything in three dimensions. It was impossible to show a sewing pattern and say: “This is exactly the breastpiece I want, this is exactly what I want.” But the Most High endowed the craftsmen with such incredible intuition, with such a sense for understanding what needed to be done, that they were able to carry out this work. And I am not sure that anyone today would be able to carry out this work precisely from these descriptions. Perhaps this is a lesson for us in sensing the will of the Most High where there are no blueprints, no thorough diagrams. We sometimes ask for a very detailed, very precise instruction. And we say: “Tell me exactly so, tell me, command me, reveal to me.” But here we see how the intuition of people works, people who burn with desire, people who are filled with the Spirit of God and want to serve the Most High.

We were building, building

Shemot 40:1–38

Today you and I are finishing reading the weekly portion Pekudei and the whole book of Shemot, the second book of the Torah. Our passage will speak about the events that take place after the craftsmen brought Moshe all the necessary materials, everything from which the Mishkan could already be assembled. Moshe accepted the work and blessed the people, and the continuation of this we read in chapter 40. Since here what was said earlier is repeated for the third time already, there will be very few comments, and for the most part we will simply read the text itself, without sprinkling it heavily with comments.

So, we begin reading with verse 1 of chapter 40.

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

vaydabbér adonáy el-moshé lemór

1 And the LORD addressed, and the LORD said to Moshe, saying:

בְּיוֹם־הַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ תָּקִים אֶת־מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃

beyom-hachódesh harishón be'echád lachódesh takím et-mishkán óhel mo'éd

2 “On the day of the first new moon, on the first day of the month, set up the Tent of Meeting.

וְשַׂמְתָּ שָׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת וְסַכֹּתָ עַל־הָאָרֹן אֶת־הַפָּרֹכֶת׃

vesamtá sham et arón ha'edút vesakkotá al-ha'arón et-happaróchet

3 And you will place there the ark of testimony, and screen it with the curtain.

וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְעָרַכְתָּ אֶת־עֶרְכּוֹ וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה וְהַעֲלֵיתָ אֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ׃

vehevetá et-hashulchán ve'arachtá et-erkó vehevetá et-hammenorá veha'aletá et-nerotéha

4 And you will bring the table there, and lay out everything that needs to be laid out on it, and you will bring the menorah, and raise (or set out in the right order) its lamps.

In modern Hebrew the word la'aróch means to organize, to prepare, to arrange. In Tehillim 23 David says, addressing the Most High: “The LORD, my Shepherd, set a table before me (ta'aróch lefanáy shulchán).” Here la'aróch shulchán means to set the table. One of the main compendiums of Jewish religious law, written in the 16th century by the most famous, authoritative sage Yosef Karo, is called Shulchán arúch (a set table), because, in the author's opinion, everything in the compendium is ordered in the needed, appropriate form, just come and take it.

וְנָתַתָּה אֶת־מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב לִקְטֹרֶת לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת־מָסַךְ הַפֶּתַח לַמִּשְׁכָּן׃

venatattá et-mizbách hazzaháv liktóret lifné arón ha'edút vesamtá et-masách happétach lammishkán

5 And you will place the golden altar for incense before the ark of testimony, on the outer side (behind the curtain, but opposite the ark), and you will make the screen of the entrance to the Mishkan.

וְנָתַתָּה אֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה לִפְנֵי פֶּתַח מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד׃

venatattá et mizbách ha'olá lifné pétach mishkán ohel-mo'éd

6 And you will make the altar of burnt offering before the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

וְנָתַתָּ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּר בֵּין־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּבֵין הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְנָתַתָּ שָׁם מָיִם׃

venatattá et-hakkiyor ben-óhel mo'éd uvén hammizbéyach venatattá sham máyim

7 And you will make the washbasin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and fill it with water.

וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת־הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב וְנָתַתָּ אֶת־מָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר׃

vesamtá et-hechatzér savív venatattá et-masách shá'ar hechatzér

8 And you will set up the courtyard all around, and make the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.

וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת־שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְהָיָה קֹדֶשׁ׃

velakachtá et-shémen hammishchá umashachtá et-hammishkán ve'et-kol-asher-bó vekiddashtá otó ve'et-kol-keláv veháya kódesh

9 And you will take the anointing oil, and anoint the Mishkan, and everything that is in it, and thereby you will sanctify it, and all its vessels, and it will be holy (all of this will be holy).

Moshe anoints the Mishkan and everything in it with the anointing oil, and this is the conclusion of the consecration. The oil, as it were, admits everything anointed into a special league, into the category of objects that belong to holiness. This also concerns people, and we will recall this a little later.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֶת־מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְהָיָה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים׃

umashachtá et-mizbách ha'olá ve'et-kol-keláv vekiddashtá et-hammizbéyach vehayá hammizbéyach kódesh kadashím

10 And you will anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, and this altar will be sanctified, and this altar will be holy for the holy.

This altar will possess great holiness, that is how it can be interpreted in this case.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּר וְאֶת־כַּנּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֹתוֹ׃

umashachtá et-hakkiyor ve'et-kannó vekiddashtá otó

11 And you will anoint the washbasin and its base, and sanctify it.

וְהִקְרַבְתָּ אֶת־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְרָחַצְתָּ אֹתָם בַּמָּיִם׃

vehikravtá et-aharón ve'et-banáv el-pétach óhel mo'éd verachatztá otám bammáyim

12 And you will bring near Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water.

We have already said that the word lehakrív means both to bring near, and to offer as a sacrifice. Kurbán (sacrifice) – this is what brings near to the Most High, it is a “bringer-near” here. It is precisely Moshe (although he is Aharon's younger brother, he nevertheless holds a very honorable position among the people of Israel) who washes the priests. The question arises: why can't the priests wash themselves? They can. But the task of the consecration is that they be washed, washed precisely by Moshe: this is Moshe's service to the priests. For his part, the priest, however humble he may be, as a kohen, must know how to accept such service. Here we see a clear parallel with what takes place at the Passover seder of Mashiach.

וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ אֶת־אַהֲרֹן אֵת בִּגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֹתוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֹתוֹ וְכִהֵן לִי׃

vehilbashtá et-aharón et bigdé hakkódesh umashachtá otó vekiddashtá otó vechihén li

13 And you will clothe Aharon in his holy garments, and anoint him, and consecrate him to the priesthood for Me.

Only the high priest receives anointing at his consecration, because he does not take up this office by inheritance. A kohen, a simple kohen, receives his priesthood by inheritance.

I, for example, belong to the family of kohanim, I am from the line of Aharon, because my father was from the line of Aharon, and my grandfather was from the line of Aharon, and so on. The priest as an office, the office itself, the participation in holiness, I receive when I put on the kohen's vestments. If I do not put them on, then I do not receive it either, but I do not need an additional anointing.

In exactly the same way (I have spoken about this) the king too. From the moment David was anointed to the kingship, his descendants did not need anointing, and when David's chain came to an end, they began to wait for Mashiach, the one who does not need to be anointed, because he carries upon himself the anointing of David. That they expected that this would be not the anointing of David, but the source of that anointing with which David was anointed, but that is already another story. Anointing in the sense of anointing to an office, royal or priestly, is passed on by inheritance.

וְאֶת־בָּנָיו תַּקְרִיב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ אֹתָם כֻּתֳּנֹת׃

ve'et-banáv takrív vehilbashtá otám kuttonót

14 And bring his sons near, and you will clothe them in simple cotton garments.

Kuttonót – these are undergarments made of cotton. From here the word kottón (cotton) came into various languages.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֹתָם כַּאֲשֶׁר מָשַׁחְתָּ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶם וְכִהֲנוּ לִי וְהָיְתָה לִהְיֹת לָהֶם מָשְׁחָתָם לִכְהֻנַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתָם׃

umashachtá otám ka'ashér masháchta et-avihém vechihanú li vehayetá lihyot lahém moshchatám lichhunnát olám ledorotám

15 And you will anoint them just as you anointed their father, and they will be priests to Me, and this anointing to the priesthood will be an everlasting anointing throughout their generations.”

That is, the next high priest after Aharon will need anointing, but the simple priests will not, as I have already said.

וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ כֵּן עָשָׂה׃

vayá'as moshé kechól ashér tzivvá adonáy otó ken asá

16 And Moshe did everything as the LORD commanded, so he did.

וַיְהִי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן׃

vayhí bachódesh harishón bashaná hashenít be'echád lachódesh hukám hammishkán

17 And it was: in the first month in the second year of the going out from Egypt, on the first day of the month the Mishkan was set up.

וַיָּקֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־אֲדָנָיו וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־קְרָשָׁיו וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־בְּרִיחָיו וַיָּקֶם אֶת־עַמּוּדָיו׃

vayákem moshé et-hammishkán vayittén et-adanáv vayásem et-kerasháv vayittén et-bericháv vayákem et-ammudáv

18 And Moshe set up the Mishkan, and made the stands under its beams, and set up the beams, and inserted the bars, and put up its bases.

וַיִּפְרֹשׂ אֶת־הָאֹהֶל עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־מִכְסֵה הָאֹהֶל עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayifrós et-ha'óhel al-hammishkán vayásem et-michsé ha'óhel aláv milmá'la ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshe

19 And he covered all this with a tent (made a covering for all this), laid this leather covering as the roof of the tent on it from above, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיִּקַּח וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הָעֵדֻת אֶל־הָאָרֹן וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־הַבַּדִּים עַל־הָאָרֹן וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הַכַּפֹּרֶת עַל־הָאָרֹן מִלְמָעְלָה׃

vayikkách vayittén et-ha'edút el-ha'arón vayásem et-habbadím al-ha'arón vayittén et-hakkappóret al-ha'arón milmá'la

20 And he took, and put the testimony into the ark, and inserted the poles into the ark, and covered the ark with the lid from above.

וַיָּבֵא אֶת־הָאָרֹן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וַיָּשֶׂם אֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ וַיָּסֶךְ עַל אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayavé et-ha'arón el-hammishkán vayásem et paróchet hammasách vayásech al arón ha'edút ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

21 And he brought the ark into the Mishkan, and hung up the screening curtain, and screened the ark of testimony, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן צָפֹנָה מִחוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת׃

vayittén et-hashulchán be'óhel mo'éd al yérech hammishkán tzafóna michútz lapparóchet

22 And he placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the Mishkan, behind the curtain.

וַיַּעֲרֹךְ עָלָיו עֵרֶךְ לֶחֶם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vaya'aróch aláv érech léchem lifné adonáy ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

23 And he set out on it the arrangement of bread (or the serving of bread) before the Most High, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד נֹכַח הַשֻּׁלְחָן עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן נֶגְבָּה׃

vayásem et-hammenorá be'óhel mo'éd nóchach hashulchán al yérech hammishkán négba

24 And he placed the menorah in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the Mishkan.

וַיַּעַל הַנֵּרֹת לִפְנֵי יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayá'al hannerót lifné adonáy ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

25 And he set up the lamps before the Most High, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִפְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת׃

vayásem et-mizbách hazzaháv be'óhel mo'éd lifné happaróchet

26 And he set up the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting, before the curtain,

וַיַּקְטֵר עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

vayaktér aláv ketóret sammím ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

27 And he burned on it the burning of incense, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־מָסַךְ הַפֶּתַח לַמִּשְׁכָּן׃

vayásem et-masách happétach lammishkán

28 And he made the curtain at the entrance to the Mishkan,

וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה שָׂם פֶּתַח מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד וַיַּעַל עָלָיו אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

ve'ét mizbách ha'olá sam pétach mishkán ohel-mo'éd vayá'al aláv et-ha'olá ve'et-hamminchá ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

29 And the altar of burnt offering he set up at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת־הַכִּיֹּר בֵּין־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּבֵין הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיִּתֵּן שָׁמָּה מַיִם לְרָחְצָה׃

vayásem et-hakkiyor ben-óhel mo'éd uvén hammizbéyach vayittén shámma máyim lerochtzá

30 And he set up the washbasin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing.

וְרָחֲצוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶם׃

verachtzú mimménu moshé ve'aharón uvanáv et-yedehém ve'et-raglehém

31 And Moshe and Aharon, and his sons washed in it their hands and their feet

Why did Moshe wash his feet and hands, what did Moshe have to do with this? We are speaking here about what took place during the seven days of the consecration of the priests, we read earlier that there is a certain procedure for this. This very procedure that is described here – that Moshe washed, clothed and anointed Aharon and his sons – went on for seven days in a row. During these seven days Moshe, although he is not a kohen but only a Levite, also had to do with this washbasin and washed from it, and that is why it says that both Moshe, and Aharon, and his sons washed their hands and feet in this washbasin.

בְּבֹאָם אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּבְקָרְבָתָם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ יִרְחָצוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

bevo'ám el-óhel mo'éd uvkorvatám el-hammizbéyach yirchátzu ka'ashér tzivvá adonáy et-moshé

32 When they entered the Tent of Meeting and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

וַיָּקֶם אֶת־הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב לַמִּשְׁכָּן וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־מָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר וַיְכַל מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָה׃

vayákem et-hechatzér savív lammishkán velammizbéyach vayittén et-masách shá'ar hechatzér vaychál moshé et-hammelachá

33 And he set up the courtyard around the Mishkan and around the altar, and made the screen of the entrance to the courtyard, and with this Moshe finished the work.

וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה מָלֵא אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן׃

vaychás he'anán et-óhel mo'éd uchvód adonáy malé et-hammishkán

34 And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled it.

וְלֹא־יָכֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד כִּי־שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה מָלֵא אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן׃

velo-yachól moshé lavó el-óhel mo'éd ki-shachán aláv he'anán uchvód adonáy malé et-hammishkán

35 And Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Mishkan.

Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting if the LORD did not call him. To enter the glory, the cloud of the glory of the Most High, is not all that safe, and even Moshe could not do this without a special invitation. But the invitation will come, and therefore the beginning of the next, third book of the Torah, its first weekly portion, bears the name Vayikra (And He will call).

וּבְהֵעָלוֹת הֶעָנָן מֵעַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכֹל מַסְעֵיהֶם׃

uvhe'alót he'anán me'ál hammishkán yis'ú bené yisraél bechól mas'ehém

36 And when the cloud rose from the Mishkan, the sons of Israel set out on all their journeys.

That is, the people of Israel stopped and made camp (from this moment on it was so), and the cloud filled the Mishkan. Moshe could not enter there, but the priests did enter there. And when the cloud rose, the people understood that it was time for them to set out on the way, it is like a locomotive's whistle.

וְאִם־לֹא יֵעָלֶה הֶעָנָן וְלֹא יִסְעוּ עַד־יוֹם הֵעָלֹתוֹ׃

ve'im-ló ye'alé he'anán veló yis'ú ad-yom he'alotó

37 And if the cloud did not rise, they did not move anywhere until it rose.

כִּי עֲנַן יְהוָה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹמָם וְאֵשׁ תִּהְיֶה לַיְלָה בּוֹ לְעֵינֵי כָל־בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶם׃

ki anán adonáy al-hammishkán yomám ve'ésh tihyé láyla bo le'ené chol-bet-yisraél bechol-mas'ehém

38 For the cloud of the LORD was over the Mishkan by day, and fiery it became by night, before the eyes of all Israel, in all their travels.

The midrash notes, and this can be seen in the plain text as well, that the people of Israel had no need of the luminaries. The fire gave way to the cloud – that means morning had come. The cloud gave way to fire – that means night had come. Constantly light, constantly warm, climate control and a calm, bright life. Israel walks in the light. As long as the cloud rests on the Mishkan, there is no need to go anywhere, but one must constantly watch that the cloud does not leave, that we do not stay behind, captivated by a deceptive cloudlessness, when the cloud has flown away, so that we do not fall behind our cloud.

The Mishkan and Mashiach

The Jewish calendar is distinctive in that a leap year is 1 month longer than an ordinary one. And in order to fit the reading of the Torah into one year, in some weeks two portions are read. And in our case we read the double portion Vayakhel and Pekudei.

In essence, these portions repeat what was already said earlier about the construction of the Mishkan. Sometimes they repeat it word for word. Since Moshe called the whole people to take part in the building of the Mishkan, now in the last chapters he gives a kind of financial report: he gives the people an account of what he has done. And since he did everything according to the word of the Most High, the portion repeats what the Most High commanded earlier.

When we read once more about how the Mishkan was built, we must reflect on the interesting point that in the whole description of the Mishkan there is no service of the kohanim, there is no priestly service. There are four things that must constantly be present in the Mishkan: these are the grain offering, the lampstand, the burning of fragrant incense and the burnt offering. And in order for all these four things to be there constantly, Moshe himself is enough. That is, the plain meaning of the Torah does not say that kohanim are needed for all this service. We need to understand what, then, the Mishkan was for at all.

In chapter 25 of the book of Shemot the Most High says: “I will appear to you there.” That is, the purpose of the whole creation of the Mishkan was that the Most High would appear there to Moshe. These four constant components were needed so that God could appear to Moshe.

The table and the lampstand are the ordinary components of a throne room. And the throne, the receptacle of the Shechina – that is the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant, which was in the Mishkan. Ark (arón) – cabinet. That is, the essence of all this: the Tent of Meeting is the throne room, where the people, in the person of Moshe, come to stand before the Most High.

Only later, after the fall of the people, did the need for sacrifices and for priestly service arise. When impurity entered, the kohanim had to be able to discern it. And because of transgressions the law was given (Galatians 3:19). Because of transgressions the Mishkan changed its purpose and began to serve the atonement of sin, and not communion with God.

After Yeshua entered the Heavenly (supernal) Temple, He entered there with an eternal sacrifice. And this is to restore the true purpose of the Mishkan. If we can rise together with Yeshua, enter the Heavenly Temple in the body of Yeshua, then we can stand before the Most High, as Moshe did. That is, to be in a state of holiness, when no atoning sacrifice is needed, but the LORD appears to us on the lid of the ark.

But for this we ourselves must be in a state of holiness. Yeshua gave us this possibility, but did not do it for us. Sanctifying ourselves, cleansing ourselves from every sin, constantly checking ourselves for purity in this, we can abide in the body of Yeshua and stand before the Most High. But if we still have sin, we cannot enter there. Faith calls us to holiness, but does not make us holy. But if we are cleansed, then we will return to that Mishkan which was before the golden calf. This is what we are called to.

What is the body of Yeshua? The whole community of the Most High, the whole people of God – this is the great body of Mashiach. That is, Mashiach includes all people who truly, genuinely believe in Him. Paul says (Colossians 1:24) that the Church, the community of God, the assembly of God – this is the body of Mashiach. And in the Epistle to the Ephesians, in chapter 4, from verse 11, Paul says that all our service is for the building of the body of Mashiach. And that our task, our service, is to enter this body. Mashiach is not only a man, but also a people, a kingdom. If we have Him as King, then we are part of His kingdom.

Haftara. 1 Melachim

Shemot 7:51–8:21

Together with our weekly portion a passage from the first book of Melachim is read, telling how King Shlomo finished building the Temple and how the presence of God descended into this Temple. Before we read this passage, I want to give a certain historical preface. The thing is that I am often asked a question precisely in regard to Shlomo's Temple: on what basis did Shlomo decide how the Temple should be built? Is this his own architectural design, some ideas of his, or is it a revelation of God? How did Shlomo decide at all what to build and how? This is an important question, and the answer to this question is contained in the Tanach itself, in the first book of Divrei haYamim. The books of Divrei haYamim have not been very lucky: not everyone gets around to reading them, and often their pages remain unopened, and yet these are very important books. You and I will read from chapter 28 of the first book of Divrei haYamim. Starting from verse 9 and up to verse 19, we read the instruction that David gives Shlomo when he is already almost dying, these are, perhaps, the last hours of King David's life. Here is what the king says:

9. And you, Shlomo, my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with an honest soul, for the LORD searches all hearts, and knows every offspring of thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, and if you forsake Him, He will forsake you forever.

10. See now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary, be firm and accomplish!

If one translates literally the command be firm and accomplish, then chazák va'asé, which is used here, means strengthen yourself and do.

11. And David gave Shlomo, his son, the pattern of the hall, and of its houses, and of its storerooms, and of its upper rooms, and of its inner chambers, and of the room for the lid (of the ark).

David hands over to Shlomo concrete drawings connected with the construction of the Temple, the pattern for everything that had been passed on to him by the Spirit. And David gives not simply drawings, but the most detailed drawings for everything that had been passed on to him by the Spirit, that he had received by revelation. Either he received it himself, or through the prophets who were with him (we do not know the details), but we read here that there is a revelation of the Spirit concerning the whole construction.

12. For the courtyards of the house of the LORD and all the rooms around, the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the holy (offerings);

13. And the divisions of the kohanim and the Levites, and for all the work of service in the house of the LORD, and all the utensils (needed) for the service in the house of the LORD.

14. And about the gold, with (indication of) the weight of the gold, about all the vessels for each service, about all the silver vessels with (indication of) the weight, for all the vessels, for each service.

15. And about the weight of the golden lampstands and the golden lamps, with (indication of) the weight of each lampstand and its lamps, and about the silver lampstands with (indication of) the weight of the lampstand and its lamps, for each lampstand.

16. The weight of gold for the tables of showbread, for each table, and silver for the silver tables,

17. And (for) the forks, and the sprinkling bowls, and the cups of pure gold, and the golden lids (of the sprinkling bowls) with (indication of) the weight of each lid, and for the silver lids with (indication of) the weight for each lid.

8. And for the altar of incense of (refined) gold with (indication of) the weight, and for the pattern of the chariot – of the golden keruvim, spreading (their wings), covering the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

19. All this (is set down) in writing from the LORD, who gave me (David) understanding of all the works of the pattern.

What great mercy and love of the Most High toward King David – to show him all the drawings, to show him in the drawings every specific detail of the Temple that David had dreamed of so much! What amazing mercy – to make him the one who will pass these drawings on to his son together with moral instructions! David was not found worthy to build the Temple, but he was found worthy to see it in all, all its details, perhaps even before Shlomo would see them. The whole revelation about the Temple was entrusted to David.

David leaves to his son Shlomo the most detailed drawings, concerning not only the whole arrangement of the House, but also every little lid, every little detail of what will be in this House. There is no personal fantasy of Shlomo, no personal creativity here. Therefore, when we ask: “But why did Shlomo do it this way, when in the Tent of Meeting it was not like that, how did he dare, how did he venture…” – here, probably, is the answer to our question.

After this preface we can begin to read our passage itself. We will read from the last, 51st verse of chapter 7 to verse 21 of chapter 8 of the first book of Melachim.

וַתִּשְׁלַם כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בֵּית יְהוָה וַיָּבֵא שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־קָדְשֵׁי דָּוִד אָבִיו אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָב וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִים נָתַן בְּאֹצְרוֹת בֵּית יְהוָה׃

vattishlám kol-hammelachá ashér asá hammélech shelomó bet adonáy vayavé shelomó et-kodshé davíd avív et-hakkésef ve'et-hazzaháv ve'et-hakkelím natán be'otzerót bet adonáy

51. And all the work that King Shlomo did in the house of the LORD was completed. And Shlomo brought into the Temple everything that David had dedicated to the LORD: the silver, and the gold, and the vessels he put into the treasury of the LORD.

The house of the LORD (bet Adonai) is built, it is completed, now it can be called the house of the LORD.

David, perhaps even already knowing that he would not build the Temple, and in the period when he thought that he was building the Temple, set aside, consecrated gold and silver for the building of the Temple. All this Shlomo brings into the Temple. In this way David, as it were, takes part in this Temple, takes part in the creation of this Temple.

With this the Temple is solemnly completed. What is missing in the Temple? The ark of the covenant must be brought into it. The ark of the covenant at this time is in the Tent in the city of David, we remember, David left it there. Now it must be brought into the Temple with all solemnity.

With this chapter 7 ends, and we continue reading from verse 1 of chapter 8.

אָז יַקְהֵל שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת נְשִׂיאֵי הָאָבוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה יְרוּשָׁלִָם לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה מֵעִיר דָּוִד הִיא צִיּוֹן׃

az yakhél shelomó et-zikné yisraél et-kol-rashé hammattót nesi'é ha'avót livné yisraél el-hammélech shelomó yerushaláim leha'alót et-arón berit-adonáy me'ír davíd hi tziyon

1 Then Shlomo gathered the elders of Israel, all the leaders of the camps, all the heads of the clans that are among the sons of Israel. All were ordered to gather to King Shlomo in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Tziyon.

וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה כָּל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיֶרַח הָאֵתָנִים בֶּחָג הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי׃

vayikkahalú el-hammélech shelomó kol-ísh yisraél beyérach ha'etaním bechág hu hachódesh hashevi'í

2 And every Israelite gathered to King Shlomo in the month of eitaním, at the feast, and this is the seventh month.

I said that several times in the Tanach we encounter ancient names of months. There is an opinion that these are pre-Babylonian names of months and they were simply lost after the Babylonian exile. There is also another opinion, which, perhaps, is not as beautiful, but it is closer to me. This is the Phoenician name of the month, international at that time. Every time this ancient name of the month is used, there is always an explanation of the number of this month: apparently, not everyone understood the names of these months.

The feast in the seventh month is most likely the feast of Sukkot. Sukkot is distinctive in that people come to it, making a pilgrimage, and one can stay for a long time, because the agricultural work is finished. A very convenient feast. So, in the seventh month (today it is called the month of tishréi, here it is called the month of eitaním) everyone gathered to King Shlomo in Jerusalem.

וַיָּבֹאוּ כֹּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׂאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת־הָאָרוֹן׃

vayavóu kol zikné yisraél vayis'ú hakkohaním et-

ha'arón

3. And all the elders of Israel gathered, and the kohanim carried the ark.

וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת־אֲרוֹן יְהוָה וְאֶת־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּאֹהֶל וַיַּעֲלוּ אֹתָם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם׃

vaya'alú et-arón adonáy ve'et-óhel mo'éd ve'et-kol-kelé hakkódesh ashér ba'óhel vaya'alú otám hakkohaním vehalviyim

4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent, and the kohanim and the Levites brought them up

We know, the Torah commands that the vessels of the Temple must be carried only by the Levites and the kohanim.

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל־עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנּוֹעָדִים עָלָיו אִתּוֹ לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן מְזַבְּחִים צֹאן וּבָקָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִסָּפְרוּ וְלֹא יִמָּנוּ מֵרֹב׃

vehammélech shelomó vechol-adát yisraél hanno'adím aláv ittó lifné ha'aron mezabbechím tzon uvakár ashér lo-yissaferú velo yimmanú meróv

5 And King Shlomo and the whole assembly of Israel receive them (that is, they rise and joyfully meet this procession) before the ark, and they offer sacrifice from the small and the large livestock, a countless amount, so much that it cannot even be counted, because there is so much.

וַיָּבִאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה אֶל־מְקוֹמוֹ אֶל־דְּבִיר הַבַּיִת אֶל־קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים אֶל־תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרוּבִים׃

vayavíu hakkohaním et-arón berit-adonáy el-mekomó el-devír habbayit el-kódesh hakkodashím el-táchat kanfe hakkeruvím

6 And the kohanim brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner part of the house, into the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the keruvim.

The first question that may arise – could the kohanim and the Levites enter the Holy of Holies? Yes, for repairs, in order to restore or do something, or build something, of course, it was possible to enter the Holy of Holies.

The second question concerns the keruvim. In chapter 6 of the first book of Melachim we read the story of how Shlomo made keruvim of olive wood 5 meters high, large keruvim, which were to spread their wings over the ark. We also know that on the lid of the ark, as part of the lid, there are two golden keruvim: they are not screwed on, not bolted on, not stuck on, they are part of the lid. And it seems logical to suppose that in the Temple there turn out to be two golden keruvim, which are on the lid of the ark, and two wooden keruvim, which are even higher, above these keruvim. That is, in the Holy of Holies of Shlomo's Temple there are two pairs of keruvim. There are disputes about this, but this is what can be supposed when reading the text. It is precisely the wooden keruvim that are spoken of further on.

כִּי הַכְּרוּבִים פֹּרְשִׂים כְּנָפַיִם אֶל־מְקוֹם הָאָרוֹן וַיָּסֹכּוּ הַכְּרֻבִים עַל־הָאָרוֹן וְעַל־בַּדָּיו מִלְמָעְלָה׃

ki hakkeruvím poresím kenafáyim el-mekóm ha'arón vayasókku hakkeruvím al-ha'arón ve'al-baddáv milmá'la

7 Because the keruvim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the keruvim cover (make a roof) over the ark and over its poles from above.

וַיַּאֲרִכוּ הַבַּדִּים וַיֵּרָאוּ רָאשֵׁי הַבַּדִּים מִן־הַקֹּדֶשׁ עַל־פְּנֵי הַדְּבִיר וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ הַחוּצָה וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׃

vaya'arichú habbadím vayeraú rashé habbadím min-hakkódesh al-pené haddevír veló yeraú hachútza vayíhyu sham ad hayom hazzé

8 And the poles were long, and the heads (or tips) of these poles were visible, from the Holy one could see them inside the Holy of Holies, but they did not go outside.

The commentators explain it this way: the poles themselves did not, of course, stick out of the Holy of Holies. They pressed against the curtain and, as it were, pecked through it to the outside. And the imagination of the commentators and sages pictures that they looked like a woman's breast. The two ends of the poles, pressing against the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the Holy, looked like a breast on the other side of the curtain. This symbolized that the Most High feeds the people of Israel as if with his breast. Meanwhile, these poles themselves did not go beyond the bounds of the Holy of Holies.

אֵין בָּאָרוֹן רַק שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הָאֲבָנִים אֲשֶׁר הִנִּחַ שָׁם מֹשֶׁה בְּחֹרֵב אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יְהוָה עִם־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃

en ba'arón rak shené luchót ha'avaním ashér hinníach sham moshé bechorév ashér karát adonáy im-bené yisraél betzetám me'éretz mitzráyim

9 And in the ark there is nothing except the two stone tablets, which Moshe put there at Chorev, when the Most High made the covenant with the sons of Israel at the going out from Egypt.

There was a little jar of man, which stood beside the ark, there was Aharon's staff, which stood beside the ark. Here Scripture says that only the tablets are there.

וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת הַכֹּהֲנִים מִן־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהֶעָנָן מָלֵא אֶת־בֵּית יְהוָה׃

vayhi betzét hakkohaním min-hakkódesh vehe'anán malé et-bét adonáy

10 And it was, when the kohanim came out of the Holy, and the cloud filled the house of the LORD.

וְלֹא־יָכְלוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לַעֲמֹד לְשָׁרֵת מִפְּנֵי הֶעָנָן כִּי־מָלֵא כְבוֹד־יְהוָה אֶת־בֵּית יְהוָה׃

velo-yachelú hakkohaním la'amód lesharét mippené he'anan ki-malé chevod-adonáy et-bét adonáy

11 And the kohanim could not stand and serve because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the House of the LORD.

This is, of course, a clear parallel with how, upon the completion of the building of the Mishkan in the wilderness, the glory of the LORD descended into the Tent of Meeting.

אָז אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה יְהוָה אָמַר לִשְׁכֹּן בָּעֲרָפֶל׃

az amár shelomó adonáy amár lishkón ba'arafél

12 And then King Shlomo said: “The LORD said that He would dwell in the mist.”

The LORD will dwell in the mist, in cloudiness, in some kind of gloom. The revealing of His glory is also connected with its concealment. It is not fully revealed, it is revealed in gloom, in the cloud, in the mist. The cloud is a very frequent form in which the Most High gives a revelation of His glory. Further on Shlomo turns to the Most High and says:

בָּנֹה בָנִיתִי בֵּית זְבֻל לָךְ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ עוֹלָמִים׃

banó vaníti bet zevúl lach machón leshivtechá olamím

13 Behold, I have built for You a House of propitiation; this will be the place of Your constant dwelling.

This word zevúl deserves special attention. When Lea bore a son, whom she named Zevulun, she said: “Now my husband will dwell with me.” Zevulun is something that gives favor in the eyes of another, that attracts another, that makes one lovely in the eyes of another. That is: “I have built You a House through which we will be able to become dear to You, which will dispose You toward us.” This is how one can translate this rather complex concept. Besides that, Shlomo says here that the place on which this Temple is built is a place chosen by the Most High forever. If the Mishkan walked and wandered through the wilderness and then the ark traveled through the land of Israel, here Shlomo says – that's it, here is the place where Your ark will have its constant dwelling. Even if the Temple is destroyed, even if Jerusalem is destroyed, even if the whole land lies desolate, this place will be precisely that place to which the people will return.

וַיַּסֵּב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־פָּנָיו וַיְבָרֶךְ אֵת כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֹמֵד׃

vayassév hammélech et-panáv vayvárech et kol-kehál yisraél vechol-kehál yisraél oméd

14 And the king turned his face and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, and the whole assembly of Israel is standing before him.

וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּפִיו אֵת דָּוִד אָבִי וּבְיָדוֹ מִלֵּא לֵאמֹר׃

vayomer barúch adonay elohé yisraél ashér dibbér befív et davíd aví uv'yadó millé lemór

15 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, Who spoke with His mouth to David, my father, and with His hand fulfilled His promise (the LORD gave a promise, and the LORD fulfilled it):

מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶת־עַמִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם לֹא־בָחַרְתִּי בְעִיר מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם וָאֶבְחַר בְּדָוִד לִהְיוֹת עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

min-hayom ashér hotzéti et-ammí et-yisraél mimmitzrayím lo-vachárti ve'ír mikkól shivté yisraél livnót báyit lihyot shemí sham va'evchár bedavíd lihyot al-ammí yisraél

16 “From the day when I brought My people, Israel, out of Egypt, I did not choose any city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house there on which My Name would be called, and I chose David to be over My people, Israel.

וַיְהִי עִם־לְבַב דָּוִד אָבִי לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

vayhí im-leváv davíd aví livnót báyit leshém adonáy elohé yisraél

17 And there was in the heart of David, my father, the desire to build a house for the LORD God of Israel.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־דָּוִד אָבִי יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם־לְבָבְךָ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי הֱטִיבֹתָ כִּי הָיָה עִם־לְבָבֶךָ׃

vayomer adonáy el-davíd aví yá'an ashér hayá im-levavécha livnót báyit lishmí hetivóta ki hayá im-levavécha

18 And the LORD said to David, my father: “That it was in your heart to build a House for Me – this was good for your heart.”

רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבָּיִת כִּי אִם־בִּנְךָ הַיֹּצֵא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ הוּא־יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי׃

rak attá lo tivné habbáyit ki im-binchá hayotzé mechalatzécha hu-yivné habbáyit lishmí

19 But you will not build the House; rather your son, the one who will come forth from your loins – he will build the House for Me.

Shlomo tells a testimony. A testimony that the Most High knew the intention of the heart of his father David, knew David's desire to build a House for the LORD. We have already read that the Most High gave the thorough instructions for building the House precisely to David, let him see all the drawings, all the tiniest details, but said to him: “Not you will build the House, but the one who will come forth from your loins, your son will build the House.” Shlomo tells the people about this promise in order to testify that the Most High is faithful to His promises.

וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר וָאָקֻם תַּחַת דָּוִד אָבִי וָאֵשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה וָאֶבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

vayakém adonáy et-devaró ashér dibbér va'akúm tachát davíd aví va'eshév al-kissé yisraél ka'ashér dibbér adonáy va'evné habbáyit leshém adonáy elohé yisraél

20 And the LORD fulfilled this word that He spoke, and I took the place of my father, and sat on the throne of Israel, as the LORD said, and built the House in the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

וָאָשִׂם שָׁם מָקוֹם לָאָרוֹן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם בְּרִית יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִם־אֲבֹתֵינוּ בְּהוֹצִיאוֹ אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃

va'asím sham makóm la'arón asher-shám berít adonáy ashér karát im-avoténu behotzió otám me'éretz mitzráyim

21 And I set up there a place for the ark, on which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with our Fathers when bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

This is how Shlomo builds his account: “The Most High gave a promise to my father, who wanted so much to build the Temple, that I built this Temple; this came true in me. I really did take the place of my father, sat on the throne of Israel, built the Temple and set up there a place for the ark, whose path begins from the very exodus from Egypt. I have completed an entire historical stage – the stage of the ark's journey from the desert of Sinai to its permanent place.” This too is the fulfillment of the LORD's promise. In the small promise which the LORD gave David (although it is at the same time also a great promise), there is also the fulfillment of a greater promise, which begins already with the exodus from Egypt. And Shlomo speaks of the greatness of the Most High, Who fulfilled such a long-lasting, such a great plan, speaks of the greatness of the feast which is taking place now, and of how faithful the LORD is to his promises. We read that the glory of the LORD fills the House. Shlomo blesses the Most High, blesses the people and says that the promise which the Most High gave David has been fulfilled, and the Temple is built.

We began with the fact that the building of the Temple in full accordance with all the drawings, with all the tiniest instructions – is the fulfillment of the will of the Most High. But we also know that the existence of this Temple (however precisely, however thoroughly it was built) depends on the relationship between Israel and the Most High, on the purity that there will be in the people of Israel. So the Most High told Shlomo. And we already know that, unfortunately, this Temple did not stand.

Pekudei: on accounting

The acceptance committee

We were building, building

The Mishkan and Mashiach

Haftara. 1 Melachim

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