Shabbat Table Talk

Parashat Pekudei
Erev Shabbat, 07 March 2008
Week of 02 to 08 March 2008
Torah portion: Ex. 38:21-40:385
Haftarah: I Kgs 7:51-8:21
Sunday Readings for 09 March: Ezek. 37:12-14, Rom. 8:8-11, Jn. 11:1-45

The Book of Exodus is indeed a narrative of great drama for in it we reach the heights of glory and the depths of shame and remorse. The three central themes are the exodus itself under the direction of Moses, the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle (or, Mishkan).

The Israelites, enslaved for centuries in Egypt and freed from their bondage, now sojourn in the desert. They have come to know many tender moments with their God, and it is now that God summons them to construct a tabernacle. It would be a portable sanctuary designed by God. Actually it is described as designed by God, firstly, because it is God’s desire to be among God’s People, and secondly, it is God who gives the detailed description of how the Tabernacle is to be constructed. “I shall set my Meeting with the Children of Israel, and it shall be sanctified with My glory. I shall rest My Presence among the Children of Israel, and I shall be their God” (Ex. 29:43, 45). Having being commissioned with this awesome task, Moses strongly advises the Israelites that every wise-hearted person shall come and make everything that God has commanded.

This week’s parashah, Pekudei, refers to the ‘counting’ by Moses of the donations for the Tabernacle, but it also has a second meaning of ‘remembering’ in relation to the sin of the Golden Calf (Perspectives on the Parashah). “Still, when I remember (pakdi) I will bring them to account for the sin of theirs (Ex. 32:34). Every detail in the design, the construction, the materials to be used, the furnishings and utensils, right down to the colors of the curtains and the vestments—God gave Moses the instructions so all was to be done according to a certain procedure and order.

The choice of persons to fulfill these various tasks was artistry itself—the Levites who had proven their greatness by their loyal response to Moses after the sin of the Golden Calf labored under the authority of Issamar, son of Aaron. Bezalel, son of Uri was chosen for his righteousness and for his significant lineage (his grandfather was Chur, the son of Miriam) to be the master craftsman in the construction of the Tabernacle. Bezalel (bitzel El) actually means ‘in the shadow of God.’ He was filled with a godly spirit and a wise heart. Among other workers were the skilled artisans who worked with gold, silver, and copper. Countless other artisans worked as carvers, weavers, and embroiderers, in whatever area they could contribute. The whole endeavor was one of great organization and skill which relied on both the ability and the devotion of the Israelites.

No longer is God’s presence restricted to the top of a high mountain to which one ascends. Now the Presence of God has become portable, accompanying the Israelites through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. What happened at Sinai is now continued in the Tabernacle. God’s visible presence will lead them, by day and by night, in all their journeys. It is obvious that God is deeply involved in human affairs and history. God chooses to enter a covenant with the Children of Israel. As they moved further away from Sinai the Israelites needed a visible, tangible symbol of God’s ever-abiding Presence in their midst. Through the whole exodus experience, what is paramount is the concept of a single God who demands exclusive service and fidelity.

With the completion of the Tabernacle we see a close parallel with the initial Creation as recorded in Genesis. These parallels suggest what is evident in many cultures that human building—especially of sanctuaries—was viewed as an act of imitating God (Fox). On completion of the Tabernacle, as the Israelites stood before this grandeur, they must have experienced such awe and wonder! Moses was right when he took all the possible steps to ensure that this first sanctuary was a thing of beauty, truly a work of art! In such a wilderness, the people needed something to open for them the possibilities of a better existence.

"Moses saw the entire work and behold! – they had done it as God had commanded, so they had done! And Moses blessed them" (Ex. 39:43). Rashi notes that this is the third time that the words ‘so they had done’ were used. Perhaps this repetition refers to the three elements of the Golden Calf for which the Israelites had atoned by making the Tabernacle. Rashi states that their denial of the Torah was expressed in deed (by worshiping the calf), in speech (by calling it a god), and in thought (by believing it to have divine power). With the building of the Tabernacle the Israelites now expressed their loyalty to God; in deed, (by contributing); in thought (by dedicating their intelligence to this task); and in speech (by declaring throughout the work that it was for the sake of Heaven) [Chumash].

In the whole account of this construction there is an absence of women. All the roles referred to were performed by men. Miriam had no apparent role in the building of the mishkan in the wilderness! While the word mishkan is frequently translated as tabernacle, it does have as its root a word that also means ‘dwelling.’ Both the mishkan in the wilderness, and likewise the Temple in Jerusalem, were the dwelling places of the Divine Presence. In Hebrew that is known as ‘Shekinah,’ a feminine word which comes from the same root as mishkan. The Hebrew word for altar is mizbei'ach and this makes an important distinction with the traditional role of women. On Sabbath when the bread is broken, this action serves as a reminder that every table is a mizbei’ach and further that every home can be viewed as a mishkan. Truly the home as much as the synagogue service became a focal point for Jewish ritual and spirituality (Women’s Haftarah Commentary).

In the concluding verses of the book of Exodus, we hear the words, “For the cloud of God would be on the Tabernacle by day, and fire would be on it at night, before the eyes of all of the House of Israel throughout their journeys” (Ex. 40:38). The term ‘House of Israel’ connotes a community with a common destiny. The use of beit, ‘house,’ is very significant because the most important Jewish institutions are all referred to as houses: beit sefer is school, beit k’neset is synagogue, and Beit HaMikdash is the Temple. The word, ‘house’ signifies both the unity within the community, but also it has a sense of timelessness for it includes every generation.

Haftarah: As Solomon completed the Temple he addressed the people with these words: “The Lord has chosen to abide in a thick cloud; I have now built for You a stately House, a place where You may dwell Forever”(I Kgs. 8:12).

Gospel: In the raising of Lazarus from the dead Jesus reminds Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you would see the glory of God?” The reality of God’s presence expressed by the mishkan is echoed in the prologue to John’s Gospel, “And the Word became flesh and pitched his tent in our midst.”

For Reflection and Discussion: [1] Have you been transformed since we began reading the Book of Exodus? Think of some ways you may have been affected. [2] The Israelites made a poor decision in the building of the Golden Calf. We too have made poor choices. Are we not all in ‘recovery’ from the results of choosing those things that are not good for us? Can you think of examples from your own life? [3] Are we wise-hearted? What can each of us bring from the heart to create a holy space in our life?

Bibliography: Fox, The Five Books of Moses, (New York, 1995); Goldstein, (ed.), The Women’s Haftarah Commentary (Woodstock, VT., 2004); Milevsky, Perspectives on the Parashah (Targun/Feldheim, 2002); Scherman, The Chumash (ArtScroll, Mesorah, 2000).

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This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by
Rita Kammermayer, NDS, B.A, B.ED, M. Pastoral Studies, Jerusalem.
Bat Kol alumna 2001