Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei 5780

Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them: These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the sabbath day. Moses said further to the whole community of Israelites: This is what the LORD has commanded:

These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do...: On six days work may be done: He said, "These are the things that the Lord commanded to do for the work of the Tabernacle, all of its vessels and and all of its service." And he had Shabbat precede, to say that you shall do work for these things on six days, but not on the seventh day - which is holy to the Lord. And it is from here that [we learn that] the work of the Tabernacle does not override Shabbat; and not from the midrash, [relating to the word], "ach (however)," - as I have explained in Seder Ki Tissa (on Exodus 31:13).

ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל, “Moses assembled the entire congregation of the Children of Israel;” he did so as soon as he had descended from the Mountain with the second set of Tablets.

אלה הדברים, “these are the words;” he wished to tell them that he had authorization to proceed with the building of the Tabernacle in which G-d would have his residence on earth. He warned them that in spite of what appears to be a task of the highest priority, even that task must not interfere with the regular observance of the Sabbaths and the restrictions to perform creative activity on that day. The rationale of this was to teach the people that just as the Tabernacle is G-d’s, so the Sabbath is G-d’s, i.e. it is the holiest day in the universe, and that is why on occasion the Day of Atonement is called שבת שבתון, “the Sabbath in its ultimate degree.” The Torah applies that same definition to the Sabbath here. Work on the Tabernacle cannot override the sanctity of the Sabbath.

ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל ויאמר אליהם אלה הדברים אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותם “Moses assembled the entire community of the Children of Israel and said to them: “these are the things that Hashem commanded.” If you take a good look at the order of these things you will find that the construction of the Tabernacle and all its appurtenances have been mentioned many times over. G’d mentioned it to Moses on two separate occasions. The first time it has been mentioned in detail occurred in Exodus 25,2 where the Torah commanded that Moses should accept a contribution from the people, listing the various materials needed for its construction. The second time this commandment is phrased more generally in Ki Tissa (31,2). The third time it is mentioned by Moses at this point in a general way when he commanded them that every wise-hearted person amongst them should get involved and not only donate materials but participate in the conversion of these materials for the construction. The fourth time the Torah reports that the instructions had been carried out (36,8). The Torah mentions the word ויעש, “he constructed” in connection with every stage of the building of the Tabernacle and its components. The fifth time the Torah mentions the Tabernacle and all its components is in Exodus 39,33-42 where separate mention is made of all the components handed over to Moses after they had been completed. The reason the Torah troubles itself to mention all this on five separate occasions is to demonstrate how beloved the Tabernacle and its construction was to G‘d. In Numbers 8,19 where the name בני ישראל occurs five times in the same verse in which the Torah warns that the Israelites must avoid becoming victims of G’d’s retribution, the reason for using the name בני ישראל five times in a row when pronouns would have sufficed is also in order to demonstrate how beloved the people were in the eyes of G’d at that time.
Our sages (Vayikra Rabbah 2,5) comment by illustrating the matter with a parable. A father who had an only son of whom he was extremely fond sent him off to school. When the son would come back, the father would ask him: “did you eat my son, did you drink my son, do you want to go to sleep my son?” We find a similar demonstration of how G’d reports matters which He liked when looking at the conversations conducted by Eliezer, servant of Avraham when he went to secure a wife for Yitzchak. Eliezer’s words are repeated by the Torah in great detail (Genesis, chapter 24). This prompted the sages in Bereshit Rabbah 60,8 to say that the mundane conversations of an Eliezer were more pleasing to G‘d than even the Torah-inspired discourses of later Torah scholars.” The truth of this is best illustrated when we reflect on the fact that the Torah devoted only a single word, or even letter, in order to inform us of some of its commandments. This is so in spite of the fact that the principal function of the Torah is to teach us the commandments.

A Midrashic approach to the verses ויקהל משה: The commandment for Moses to assemble all the people at this point was to compensate for the time Aaron had assembled all the people at the time of the golden calf. This new assembly was to atone for the previous assembly which had such tragic results. Similarly, the words Moses spoke at this time were intended to diffuse the impression Aaron’s words had left behind when he addressed the people at that ill-fated assembly (32,1). The wording אלה הדברים, “these are the words,” were meant to counteract the words אלה אלוהיך ישראל, “these are your gods O Israel,” spoken at the time when Aaron assembled the people. The gold donated for the construction of the Tabernacle was to atone for the gold donated for making the golden calf.

אלה הדברים אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותם, “these are the things G’d commanded to do them.” These words are followed by the instruction to work during six days. This teaches that construction work of the Tabernacle was not to override the work prohibitions of the Sabbath and should be carried on only on the six weekdays (Mechilta Vayakhel 1).The reason that the Torah writes the verb תעשה in the passive form, i.e. te-asseh instead of ta-asseh, is to teach the Jews that if they observe the laws of the Torah faithfully, the work to be performed on the six days of the week will be performed for them by Gentiles. If, however, the Israelites would not observe the commandments of the Torah, not only will they have to perform their own menial tasks but they will also have to perform menial tasks for others (Mechilta Ki Tissa 1).

And he set up the enclosure around the Tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the enclosure. When Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift. For over the Tabernacle a cloud of the LORD rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.

ויכס הענן את אהל מועד, “the cloud enveloped the Tent of Meeting.” At the revelation at Mount Sinai the Torah also reported that the mountain was enveloped in a cloud. Concerning the Tabernacle, the Torah writes that the attribute of Hashem called כבוד filled the Tabernacle, i.e. that this attribute was within the cloud which in turn was within the Tabernacle. When reporting on what happened at Mount Sinai, the Torah had written (Exodus 20,21) that Moses approached the dark cloud within which G’d (Elohim) was present. In our verse (35) the Torah explains Moses’ inability to enter the Tabernacle because the cloud rested upon it and the attribute of כבוד filled the Tabernacle. This means that unless G’d called to Moses inviting him to enter he could not do so. As soon as he would be called the fact that the cloud enveloped the Tabernacle was no impediment preventing Moses from entering. This is the meaning of the verse in Leviticus 1,1 where G’d called to Moses, and Exodus 24,18 where Moses entered the cloud because he had been called (24,12). The call: “Moses, Moses,” did not mean that Moses was to share the “space” with G’d’s attribute of כבוד; rather it was an indication to him that this attribute had departed from the Tabernacle or the mountain (as the case might be) so that Moses could now enter. The only part of G’d’s Shechinah which remained when Moses was called was the part which filled the space between the expanded wings of the cherubs on top of the Ark. Although the experience at Mount Sinai and the experience at the completion of the erection of the Tabernacle were almost nine months apart in time, you could view what happened here as “history repeating itself.” [This had become necessary due to the sin of the golden calf after which the Presence of G’d had left the vicinity of the encampment of the Israelites. Ed.]

Nachmanides writes that it is quite possible that the second verse which speaks about the attribute כבוד filling the Tabernacle (compare verses 34 and 35) alludes to His glory which resides within that attribute. Thus far Nachmanides.

I believe I should draw your attention to the fact that we are dealing with five verses (34-38) in each of which the ענן, “cloud” is mentioned. I believe these five are allusions to the five emanations, i.e. references to the five times the Torah speaks of קולות, sounds, thunder, at the time G’d revealed Himself at Mount Sinai (compare Berachot 6).The Talmud there stated that the Torah was given by means of five קולות, “sounds, voices.” Even though we have pointed out in that connection that Moses achieved an understanding of seven emanations, i.e. seven קולות, as I explained on my commentary on Exodus 20,1, the sages in the Talmud meant the five “hidden” קולות whose identities the Torah did not reveal at the time. The other two emanations which were spelled out, i.e. תפארת and כבוד, were not mentioned by the Talmud, as they have been mentioned in our verses, i.e. in Exodus 20,2 as ה' אלוקיך in connection with the revelation at Sinai, and as the words וכבוד ה' twice here in connection with the Tabernacle, in order to hint at the presence of the attribute תפארת which resides within the attribute כבוד.
This is what Nachmanides had in mind when he wrote that the Torah repeated the words וכבוד ה' another time. We find something very similar in connection with the Temple where we are told in Chronicles II 7,1-2: “it was when Solomon had completed to pray (during the consecration ceremonies) that the fire descended from the heavens and consumed the burnt-offering and the meat-offerings, and the attribute כבוד of the Lord filled the House; as a result the priests were unable to enter the House of the Lord as the attribute כבוד had filled the House of the Lord.” You have learned from all this that in our instance seven emanations, attributes, are referred to; the five times the Torah mentions the word ענן and the two occasions when the Torah speaks of the כבוד ה'. Just as seven emanations were part of the Sinai experience of the Jewish people, so seven emanations were part of what the people experienced during the inauguration of the Tabernacle. In both instances mention of these seven emanations is testimony to Moses’ spiritual attainments.

ולא יכל משה לבא אל אהל מועד AND MOSES WAS NOT ABLE TO COME INTO THE APPOINTED TENT — But another verse says, (Numbers 7:89) “And when Moses came into the appointed tent [to speak with Him then he heard the voice]”! There comes, however, a third verse and reconciles these apparently contradictory verses, for it says here כי שכן עליו הענן “For (or when) the cloud abode thereon (on the appointed tent)”. Hence you may say: so long as the cloud was upon it “he was not able to come into the appointed tent”, but as soon as the cloud disappeared he entered it and spoke with Him (Sifra, Braita d'Rabbi Yishmael 18).

ולא יכול משה לבא אל אהל מועד, “and Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting,” at the time he had erected it. כי שכן עליו הענן, “for the cloud of glory of G-d rested above it;” it did so immediately, to demonstrate G-d’s fondness of the Jewish people. Subsequently, the cloud moved from being above the Sanctuary and took up its position above the Holy Ark which stood in the Holy of Holies. We know this from Exodus 25,22, where the Torah wrote: ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפורת, “I will meet with you there and I will impart to you from above the cover of the Ark.”“Then Moses could enter the Sanctuary;” this is what is meant when the Torah wrote: 'ובבא משה אל אהל מועד וגו, “and when Moses used to enter the Tent of Meeting;” (Numbers 7,89). When Solomon consecrated his Temple something similar occurred as reported in Kings I 8,11. The priests were not able to enter and perform their duties as long as G-d’s cloud was hovering above the Sanctuary. Subsequently, that cloud was visible only above the Holy of Holies.

ולא יכול משה לבא אל אהל מועד, at the time it was standing, assembled.

כי שכן עליו הענן, immediately after it had been put up. This was a way of G’d demonstrating His love for the people of Israel. Later on, the cloud moved from being over the Tabernacle and filling the whole Tabernacle with its presence and concentrated on being above the Holy Ark. This has been explained in Exodus 25,22 where the Torah defines the site of the Shechinah as being between the two cherubs on the kapporet, the lid of the Holy Ark. Moses is described as hearing the voice of G’d originating from the area between the extended wings of these two figurines. (Numbers 7,89) We find something similar when the Temple Solomon had built was inaugurated (Kings I 8,11) that the priests could not enter due to the presence of G’d which filled the Temple. G’d also had appeared in a cloud, much as He had in the desert. Subsequently, He reduced His presence to the area we just described, enabling the priests to perform their duties. Anyone who pays careful attention to the words of our Creator will not depart in his exegesis from that of my grandfather Rabbi Shlomoh (Rashi). Most of the laws of the Torah which have been attributed through exegesis as being derived from the text of the written Torah are very close to the plain meaning of the written text. The basic approach to his exegesis was to derive meanings from superfluous words or letters, or from missing words or letters in the text of the written Torah. It would be well if you also accepted what I have explained and you would do well not to ignore it. [the author paraphrases Kohelet 7,18. Ed]

לעיני כל בית ישראל בכל מסעיהם [THE CLOUD WAS ON THE TABERNACLE] … IN THE SIGHT OF ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THROUGHOUT ALL THEIR JOURNEYS — At every מסע which they made (according to Rashi this means: at every station at which they stopped) the cloud rested upon the Tabernacle in the place where they encamped. A place where they encamped is also called מסע (the literal meaning of which is “journey”). Similar is, (Genesis 13:3) “And he went on to his resting places (למסעיו)“ (cf. Rashi on this verse); similar also is, (Numbers 33:1) “These are the מסעי” — “the places of encampment”. Because from the place of encampment they always set out again on a new journey therefore all the different stages of their journeys (including the places where they encamped) are called מסעות.

לעיני כל בית ישראל בכל מטעיהם, “in view of all theChildren of Israel during all their journeys.” According to Rashi, the meaning of this line is that while the Israelites were encamped as opposed to when they were journeying.

כי ענן ה' על המשכן יומם ואש תהיה לילה בו, “for the cloud of the Lord would be over the Tabernacle by day, whereas by night fire would be above it.” We would have expected the Torah to write: ענן ה' ביום ואש (ה') תהיה בלילה. Why did the Torah mention the word “fire” in front of the word “night” when describing the presence of heavenly attributes as manifest in connection with the Tabernacle? The reason is that the Torah wanted to use both “day” and “night” as divine attributes, respectively. (The word “day” is an alternate name for the attribute of Mercy, whereas the word “night” is an alternate name for the attribute of Justice).
It is well known that the name of the attribute of Mercy often appears with the letter מ being repeated, such as in the word יומם, [usually translated as “by day.” Ed.] The basic letters in the word לילה are ליל, the letter ה at the end being the allusion to the attribute of Justice which is most active at night.

You know that this attribute had been particularly active at night when it was applied to the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12,29). This is part of the mystical dimension of the words used in Scripture. When we read in Joshua 1,8 that G’d told Joshua to be busy with Torah both by day and by night, the wording is והגית בו יומם ולילה instead of והגית בו ביום ובלילה.

The message is that the Torah, the subject of the instruction is composed of both the attribute of Mercy and the attribute of Justice. The Torah is divided between the written and the oral Torah, the former symbolizing the attribute of Mercy whereas the latter symbolizes the attribute of Justice.

This gives you an idea of the Shechinah cleaving to the Jewish people. Both the Shechinah and the people dwelled in tents while the people were in the desert. This is part of what is meant in 33,8 ונצבו איש פתח אהלו, “they each stood at the entrance to his respective tent.” Bileam already praised the tents of the Jewish people in the desert as being something out of the ordinary when he said (Numbers 24,8) “how goodly are your tents O Yaakov.”
In verse 36 in our chapter here the Torah speaks of the Children of Israel adjusting their journeys in the desert to the movements of the cloud representing the Shechinah. This is only one more example of what we called the דבקות, the cleaving to one another of the Jewish people and the Shechinah. Here in our verse (38), the cloud is associated with כל בית ישראל לכל מסעיהם, “the entire house of Israel in all their journeys.” The Children of Israel were again mentioned twice in close succession seeing that the Torah had mentioned both the cloud and the fire.
How beautiful were the flags of the people of Israel in the desert, drawing attention to holy encampments equal to camps of holy angels in the celestial regions which surround the manifestation of the Shechinah in their domain. The very fact that this manifestation of G’d’s presence was visible equally to men and women testifies to the purity and sanctity of the whole people at that time.
When discussing Psalms 85,10: “His help is very near those who fear Him, to make His glory (attribute כבוד) dwell in our land,” our sages (Tanchuma, end of our portion) write that G’d said that whereas in this world He manifested His Presence amongst the Jewish people in the Holy Temple, a Presence which had to be withdrawn due to the sins of the people, in the world to come the manifestation of G’d’s presence would never again be withdrawn. This is based on Leviticus 26,11: “I will establish My abode in your midst; and My spirit will not reject you. I will remain as your G’d.” The meaning of these words is that in the future prophecy will be restored to the people of Israel as in former times, and the Shechinah will once more be in its regular place. All the people will learn intimate information about G’d in those days. The verse of the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel promising both the elimination of war (Isaiah 2,4) and the gift of a new heart from G’d (Ezekiel 36,26) will then be realised. The “heart of stone” attributed to the Jewish people by Ezekiel will be replaced by a heart of flesh (ibid.). There will neither be a Satan nor an evil urge (the view of Nachmanides that man will be naturally good in those days, compare Rabbi Chavell).
These words have to serve as our solace and comfort during these long days of our exile. Hopefully, we shall all return to our former glory in the near future. Isaiah promised all this in the concluding chapters of his book (chapters 60-66) If, during the period after the Exodus we loved G’d and appreciated that His goodness was superior to the heady feeling one experiences after having drunk wine (Song of Songs 1,2), how much more intimate will our relationship with the Lord be after we experience the last and ultimate redemption! At that time G’d will extend His personal supervision of our fate to an even greater degree than had been the case in the past. We will then be able to see that attribute of כבוד with our own eyes, i.e. עין בעין נראה אתה ה' (Numbers 14,14), “You Hashem appeared eye to eye, etc.” The meaning of these words is this that there will no longer be an artificial barrier to our obtaining deep insights into the workings of G’d’s providence. Isaiah 52,8: proclaims: “Hark! Your watchmen raise their voices, as one they shout for joy; for every eye shall behold the Lord’s return to Zion,” will then finally be realized.