(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כָּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃ (ג) וְזֹאת֙ הַתְּרוּמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּקְח֖וּ מֵאִתָּ֑ם זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ד) וּתְכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ וְעִזִּֽים׃ (ה) וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּֽים׃ (ו) שֶׁ֖מֶן לַמָּאֹ֑ר בְּשָׂמִים֙ לְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃ (ז) אַבְנֵי־שֹׁ֕הַם וְאַבְנֵ֖י מִלֻּאִ֑ים לָאֵפֹ֖ד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ (ח) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
(א) ויתן אל משה וגו'. אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֹחָר בַּתּוֹרָה – מַעֲשֶׂה הָעֵגֶל קוֹדֶם לְצִוּוּי מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָמִים רַבִּים הָיָה – שֶׁהֲרֵי בְי"ז בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלֻּחוֹת, וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים נִתְרַצָּה הַקָּבָּ"ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְמָחֳרָת הִתְחִילוּ בְנִדְבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהוּקַם בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן (תנחומא):
(א) כאשר דבר השם עם ישראל פנים בפנים עשרת הדברות, וצוה אותם על ידי משה קצת מצות שהם כמו אבות למצותיה של תורה, כאשר הנהיגו רבותינו עם הגרים שבאים להתיהד (יבמות מז:), וישראל קבלו עליהם לעשות כל מה שיצום על ידו של משה, וכרת עמהם ברית על כל זה, מעתה הנה הם לו לעם והוא להם לאלקים כאשר התנה עמהם מתחלה ועתה אם שמוע תשמעו בקולי ושמרתם את בריתי והייתם לי סגולה (לעיל יט ה), ואמר ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש (שם יט ו), והנה הם קדושים ראוים שיהיה בהם מקדש להשרות שכינתו ביניהם ולכן צוה תחלה על דבר המשכן שיהיה לו בית בתוכם מקודש לשמו, ושם ידבר עם משה ויצוה את בני ישראל:
וסוד המשכן הוא, שיהיה הכבוד אשר שכן על הר סיני שוכן עליו בנסתר וכמו שנאמר שם (לעיל כד טז) וישכן כבוד ה' על הר סיני, וכתיב (דברים ה כא) הן הראנו ה' אלקינו את כבודו ואת גדלו, כן כתוב במשכן וכבוד ה' מלא את המשכן (להלן מ לד).
(1) When God spoke the Ten Commandemnts to Israel face to face, and He commanded them through Moshe a few of the commandments, which are like the principles of the Torah's commandments - as the rabbis practice with the converts that come to be Jewish (Yevamot 47b) - and Israel accepted to do all that He would command them through the hand of Moshe, and He made a covenant with them about all of this; behold, from then they are His as a people, and He is for them a God, as He made a condition with them from the beginning - "And now if you will listen to My voice and and keep My covenant and you will be a treasure to Me" (Exodus 19:5). And He [also] said (Exodus 19:6), "And you will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." And behold, they are holy and it is fitting that there should be a temple among them for His presence to dwell among them. And hence He first commanded about the matter of the tabernacle that He should have a house among them that would be dedicated to His name - and there would He speak with Moshe and [continue to] command the Children of Israel.
And the secret of the tabernacle is that the glory of God that dwelt on Mount Sinai, [also] hiddenly dwells upon it. And it is like it is written there (Exodus 24:16), "And the glory of the Lord dwells upon Mount Sinai," and it is written (Deuteronomy 5:21), "Behold, the Lord, our God, has shown us His glory and His greatness." And so [too] was it written about the tabernacle, "and the glory of the Lord, filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40: 34)."
(ד) עַד שֶׁלֹּא הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, הָיוּ הַבָּמוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת, וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת. מִשֶּׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, נֶאֶסְרוּ הַבָּמוֹת, וַעֲבוֹדָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים. קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים, נֶאֱכָלִים לִפְנִים מִן הַקְּלָעִים. קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים, בְּכָל מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(4) Before the Tabernacle was constructed, the Bamot [personal altars, permitted only during certain periods of Jewish history, and then, only for certain types of offerings] were permitted, and the services were performed by the first-borns. Once the Tabernacle was constructed, the Bamot were forbidden, and the services were performed by the Kohanim [the priestly caste, a subgroup of the tribe of Levi, uniquely responsible for maintaining and carrying out the sacrificial services in the Temple]. Kodshai Kodashim were eaten within the [Tabernacle] curtains, and Kodashim Kalim [were eaten] anywhere in the camp of Israel.
(כז) כִּ֚י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם יֵשֵׁ֥ב אֱלֹקִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הִ֠נֵּה הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּשְׁמֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א יְכַלְכְּל֔וּךָ אַ֕ף כִּֽי־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנִֽיתִי׃ (כח) וּפָנִ֜יתָ אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֧ת עַבְדְּךָ֛ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּת֖וֹ ה' אֱלֹקָ֑י לִשְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶל־הָֽרִנָּה֙ וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ מִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל לְפָנֶ֖יךָ הַיּֽוֹם׃ (כט) לִהְיוֹת֩ עֵינֶ֨ךָ פְתֻח֜וֹת אֶל־הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם אֶל־הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְתָּ יִהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמִ֖י שָׁ֑ם לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (ל) וְשָׁ֨מַעְתָּ֜ אֶל־תְּחִנַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽתְפַּֽלְל֖וּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְ֠אַתָּה תִּשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מְק֤וֹם שִׁבְתְּךָ֙ אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ וְסָלָֽחְתָּ׃ (לא) אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶחֱטָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וְנָֽשָׁא־ב֥וֹ אָלָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲלֹת֑וֹ וּבָ֗א אָלָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ֖ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃ (לב) וְאַתָּ֣ה ׀ תִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַ רָשָׁ֔ע לָתֵ֥ת דַּרְכּ֖וֹ בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וּלְהַצְדִּ֣יק צַדִּ֔יק לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ כְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃ (ס) (לג) בְּֽהִנָּגֵ֞ף עַמְּךָ֧ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י אוֹיֵ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֑ךְ וְשָׁ֤בוּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהוֹד֣וּ אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֧וּ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֛וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ בַּבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃
(א) הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אָמ֑וֹץ עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (ב) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־ה' בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ג) וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְאָמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־ה' אֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־ה' מִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (פ)
(יא) וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־ה' אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יב) הַבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה בֹנֶ֗ה אִם־תֵּלֵ֤ךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתַ֖י לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־דְּבָרִי֙ אִתָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיךָ׃ (יג) וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א אֶעֱזֹ֖ב אֶת־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)
Know, my child, that any commandment that God requires of humankind comes only out of God's desire to benefit us... God's command to build the Tabernacle, for us to offer therein our prayers and sacrifices, comes not out of God's needs to dwell in an earthly dwelling among humankind, but rather [out of God's awareness that we need] train our own selves...
...Each one of us needs to build God a Tabernacle in the recesses of our hearts, by preparing oneself to become a Sanctuary for God and a place for the dwelling of God's glory.
In order to understand the significance and purpose of the Tabernacle, we must realize that the children of Israel, after they had been privileged to witness the Revelation of God on Mount Sinai, were about to journey from there and thus draw away from the site of the theophany. So long as they were encamped in the place, they were conscious of God's nearness; but once they set out on their journey, it seemed to them as though the link had been broken, unless there were in their midst a tangible symbol of God's presence among them. It was the function of the Tabernacle (literally, 'Dwelling') to serve as such a symbol. Not without reason, therefore, does this section come immediately after the section that describes the making of the Covenant at Mount Sinai. The nexus between Israel and the Tabernacle is a perpetual extension of the bond that was forged at Sinai between the people and their God. The children of Israel, dwelling in tribal order at every encampment, are able to see, from every side, the Tabernacle standing in the midst of the camp, and the visible presence of the Sanctuary proves to them that just as the glory of God dwelt on Mount Sinai, so too God dwells in their midst wherever they wander in the wilderness. This is the purpose of Scripture (25:8), when it states: 'And let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.'
אבות דרבי נתן
שמעיה אומר: שמעיה אומר - ׳אהוב את המלאכה׳ (אבות א:י) וכו׳. רבי טרפון אומר אף הקב״ה לא השרה שכינתו על ישראל עד שעשו את המלאכה, שנאמר ׳ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם׳
The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan
Rabbi Tarfon says: Even God does not cause God's Presence to dwell upon Israel until they do the labor [of building the Mishkan], as it says, 'Build me a holy place and [then] I will dwell amongst them.'
(יג) דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁהוּא שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד הָעוֹלָם שֶׁקָּרוּי אֹהֶל, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמִּשְׁכָּן קָרוּי אֹהֶל, כֵּיצַד, כְּתִיב (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים וגו' וּכְתִיב (תהלים קד, ב): נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב (שמות כו, ז): וְעָשִׂיתָ יְרִיעֹת עִזִּים לְאֹהֶל עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וגו', כְּתִיב בַּשֵּׁנִי (בראשית א, ו): יְהִי רָקִיעַ וגו' וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל וגו', וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב (שמות כו, לג): וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרֹכֶת לָכֶם, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי (בראשית א, ט): יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות ל, יח): וְעָשִׂיתָ כִּיּוֹר נְחשֶׁת וְכַנּוֹ נְחשֶׁת לְרָחְצָה וגו'. בָּרְבִיעִי (בראשית א, יד): יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כה, לא): וְעָשִׂיתָ מְנֹרַת זָהָב טָהוֹר וגו'. בַּחֲמִישִׁי (בראשית א, כ): וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ וגו', וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כה, כ): וְהָיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם. בַּשִּׁשִּׁי, נִבְרָא אָדָם, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כח, א): וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ. בַּשְּׁבִיעִי, כְּתִיב (בראשית ב, א): וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו', וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות לט, לב): וַתֵּכֶל כָּל עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן וגו'. בִּבְרִיאַת עוֹלָם כְּתִיב (בראשית ב, ג): וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקִים, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות לט, מג): וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם. בַּשְּׁבִיעִי (בראשית ב, ב): וַיְכַל אֱלֹקִים, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן: וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת משֶׁה. בַּשְּׁבִיעִי (בראשית ב, ג): וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ, וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן (במדבר ז, א): וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ, הֱוֵי: אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן.
Why Was Moshe's Leadership Necessary? (Yitro)
The Mishkan was able to create a direct, continuous relationship between the nation and their God, which in fact came to complement the partial encounter that had taken place at Sinai. The verses describing the completion of the construction of the Mishkan are reminiscent, in their style, of the verses describing the descent of the Divine Presence onto Mount Sinai (compare especially Shemot 24:16-18 with Shemot 40:34-38). God's word to His nation is conveyed from between the keruvim in the Kodesh Kodashim – the resting place of the Tablets, representing God's word to His people as presented to them because of their desire to cleave to God and His Torah.
(16) The Presence of the LORD abode on Mount Sinai, and the cloud hid it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. (17) Now the Presence of the LORD appeared in the sight of the Israelites as a consuming fire on the top of the mountain. (18) Moses went inside the cloud and ascended the mountain; and Moses remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
The Home We Build Together (Terumah (5774)
It is then that God said: Let them build something together. This simple command transformed the Israelites. During the whole construction of the tabernacle there were no complaints. The people contributed, some gold, some silver, some bronze, some brought skins and drapes, others gave their time and skill. They gave so much that Moses had to order them to stop. A remarkable proposition is being framed: It is not what God does for us that transforms us. It is what we do for God.
So long as every crisis was dealt with by Moses and miracles, the Israelites remained in a state of dependency. Their default response was complaint. For them to grow to adulthood and responsibility, there had to be a transition from passive recipients of God’s blessings to active creators. The people had to become God’s “partners in the work of creation.” That, I believe, is what the sages meant when they said, “Call them not ‘your children’ but ‘your builders.’” People have to become builders if they are to grow from childhood to adulthood.
Judaism is God’s call to responsibility. He does not want us to rely on miracles. He does not want us to be dependent on others. He wants us to become His partners, recognising that what we have, we have from Him, but what we make of what we have is up to us, our choices and our effort. This is not an easy balance to achieve. It is easy to live a life of dependency. It is equally easy in the opposite direction to slip into the mistake of saying “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Deut. 8: 17). The Jewish view of the human condition is that everything we achieve is due to our own efforts, but equally and essentially the result of God’s blessing.
The building of the Tabernacle was the first great project the Israelites undertook together. It involved their generosity and skill. It gave them the chance to give back to God a little of what He had given them. It conferred on them the dignity of labour and creative endeavour. It brought to closure their birth as a nation and it symbolised the challenge of the future. The society they were summoned to create in the land of Israel would be one in which everyone would play their part. It was to become – in the phrase I used as the title of one of my books – “the home we build together.”
When a central power – even when this is God Himself – does everything on behalf of the people, they remain in a state of arrested development. They complain instead of acting. They give way easily to despair. When the leader, in this case Moses, is missing, they do foolish things, none more so than making a golden calf.
There is only one solution: to make the people co-architects of their own destiny, to get them to build something together, to shape them into a team and show them that they are not helpless, that they are responsible and capable of collaborative action. Genesis begins with God creating the universe as a home for human beings. Exodus ends with human beings creating the Mishkan, as a ‘home’ for God.
Hence the basic principle of Judaism, that we are called on to become co-creators with God. And hence too the corollary: that leaders do not do the work on behalf of the people. They teach people how to do the work themselves. It is not what God does for us but what we do for God that allows us to reach dignity and responsibility.