Parshat Pekudei

If you’ve been following the parshiot weekly, you probably feel a sense of déjà vu when reading Parshat Pekudei. This week’s parsha speaks about the building of the mishkan (tabernacle), and the sewing of the service garments for the priests in the temple. It is the fifth parsha in a row on this subject. The entire story of the creation of the world is written in a single chapter of the Torah; the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, in three chapters; and eleven chapters are used to recount the story of the exodus from Egypt. In contrast, the Torah devotes thirteen chapters to the building of the mishkan!

There is a commonly known rule that the Torah is written in the shortest form possible and there is not even an extra letter in the Torah. Yet, when it comes to the mishkan, the Torah describes the process in detail; not once, but twice! The Torah recounts every detail when G-d commands Moshe to build the mishkan, and yet again when it is actually being built. There is also a very exact account of the materials brought and used in the construction.

• · What does the mishkan represent?
• · What is so incredibly important about the mishkan that the Torah feels a need to recount the process of the building in such detail?
• · Why didn’t the Torah tell us that G-d commanded Moshe to build the mishkan, and that he did so? Do we really need to be told about it twice?

The mishkan was a dwelling place for G-d here on earth. Although G-d can really be wherever He wants, He decided that He wanted a set place where He can “live”. By taking a part in the building of the mishkan, the Jews were creating a home for G-d.

Imagine you are moving to new country. You need your house set up before you move, and cannot travel yet. You ask your friend or partner to set up the home for you. You probably have a lot of ideas about what you want the place to look like; the color of the walls, style of the furniture, the setup of each room. You have a picture in your head of what the finished product should look like and you relay your wishes to your friend.

Your friend goes ahead and finds the right house and starts setting it up to become your home. There are so many details to worry about! There are a couple ways s/he could work on the house. S/he could make sure to do an adequate job or try to get into your head with every single detail to try to make sure that this home feels like yours. Which takes more effort?

The building of the mishkan was not done in a way of “filling the requirements”. When the Jews worked on the mishkan, they did so with G-d in mind every single step of the way! They wanted to make sure it was done in a way that G-d would want, even in the smallest of details. That’s why all the various aspects of the construction were written about, in detail, twice-once as G-d telling Moses exactly what he wanted, and once as the Jews doing everything they could to make sure that Hashem’s will was being fulfilled even in the smallest details.

The mishkan is really a parable for our relationship with another; be it a friend, significant other, spouse, parent or child. Is it enough to say “I love my daughter, and that’s enough; I really don’t need to do anything for her.”? Of course not! The Torah tells us that feelings are not enough. The Torah is explaining to us that it’s the details that matter. It’s the little things that count and show how much we are aware of the other’s needs.

What can you do for the people that are most important in your life to make them feel cherished?

Shabbat Shalom!

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