This week we read the double parsha of Vayakhel/Pekudei, it's also Shabbos mevorchim in which we bless and start to bring in the holy month of Nissan. Pesach is coming and like our holy rabbi's said "Just like we were redeemed in Nissan so too in the future we will be redeemed in Nissan." So be ready everyone, pack your bags .....
After much discussion in Terumah, Tetzaveh, and part of Ki Sisa about the building of the Mishkan , all of it's parts, and how they go together, we finally get to the end of Sefer Shmos, which like many "ends" in the Torah is really only the begining. We finally get to build the Mishkan. The holy Or Ha'Chaim says that the Torah's frequent repetition of the parts of the Mishkan and mention of the nation's role in its construction indicates Hashem's love of Israel and His regard for it's activities and efforts, and even desires to serve Him.
Ok, so how do we do it? We know the Torah isnt a history book, but rather an instruction book for each and every generation for eternity. Well it starts with getting it together like we spoke about last week. "Vayakhel Moshe es kol adas Bnei Yisroel va'yomer aleihem eleh ha'devarim aher tzivah Hashem la'asos osam/Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and said to them: These are the things that Hashem commanded, to do them." It doesnt say the wise, the elders, the men, the woman, the young. It says the entire assembly. All of the Jews. Until we could get it together we can't build the Mishkan bottom line.
"These are the things...." This refers to the categories of labor that were needed to build the Mishkan, and our holy sages derive homiletically from this term that there were 39 such categories. From the juxtaposition of the work of the Mishkan to the next 2 pesukim that deal with Shabbos, the gemara (Shabbos 97:) derive that these 39 categories of work are the ones that are forbidden on Shabbos. So the whole basis of the Mishkan is Shabbos and we know that Shabbos is Emunah. We can see the connection in a few other ways as well. Reb Nachman z"ya says that the word Mishkan comes from the word moshaych/to draw, this indicates that the Mishkan had the spiritual power to draw Hashem into the bounds of its structure, wherever the Mishkan happened to be. (Likutei Moharan 1:70) The holy Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev z"ya taught that the root of the word Shabbos is the Hebrew word shuv/return. This indicates that the observance of Shabbos has the ability to bring a man back to his source, which is Hashem. (Kedushath Levi: Beraishith p.5) Therefore, the Mishkan and Shabbos both have the ability to connect man to Hashem. The Nesivos Shalom gives a beautiful parable for what Shabbos is to us. It's like being out in the rain and cold all week, trecking through the mud from one strange place to another just trying to make ends meet. Then as the week comes to an end you see a light on the horizon. You keep going, just trying to make it to the light. You finally make it to the light and you find a nice quaint inn. You go in and are welcomed with open arms, given dry clothing a warm bed, good company, good food and most of all no worries about the storm outside. That is Shabbos. The memory of the warmth and the inspiration from each passing Shabbos keeps us going till the next Shabbos. This is why we say in the Shir shel Yom everyday "Hayom yom _____ b'Shabbos" Because it is only with the power of Shabbos that we can make it through the week. There is yet another connection. Just as great effort was put into the construction of the Mishkan, in order that it would become a place where man could become connected to Hashem, so too man must work six davs each week in preparation for each Shabbos, which is the day that connects him to Hashem. Both the preparation that went into the Mishkan's construction and the work performed weekly in preparation for Shabbos involves the thirty-nine forms of malacha. Shabbos is Emunah. By not doing the 39 melachos on Shabbos we are zoche to do the 39 melachos during the week and succeed. But only if we have true Emunah and see everything through the eyes of Emunah. Anyone that hasn't yet read The Garden of Emunah, must, must, must. Nuff said.
And finally "Hookam ha'Mishkan/and the Mishkan was erected." Hookam can be literaly translated as "raised." Hashem did it in the end. After all those details, all of those instructions, it's Hashem who puts up the Mishkan. So too after all of our toil, all of our efforts all that we do from big to miniscule is really Hashem doing. That is true Emunah. When we accept that and try to live our live like that then "Hookam ha'Mishkan" and then "The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan......When the cloud was raised up...., the children of Israel would embark on all their journeys. If the cloud would not rise up, they would not emabark, until the day it rose up." Once again we see the diffierence between us and them. For us its not a matter of getting there, doing it, and thats it. Even after the Mishkan was built every move was still based upon what Hashem did, what Hashem wanted. Let us start to see it like that and maybe then we will merit to seeing the building of the final Beis Ha'Mikdash! Speedily in our days!!! Amen!!!
Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Peace & joy,
Etan
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