Pekudei - The Tent Of Not Giving
By Rabbi Aron Tendler
Why is it that there is never enough time on Erev Shabbos (Friday)? More
so, the length or shortness of Friday does not make any difference; when it
comes time for candle lighting all work must stop. Whether or not the
chicken is ready or the soup hot, the kneidelach (matzah balls) too hard
and the desert a perceived disaster, the suits and dresses still at the
cleaners and you have no cash for the housekeeper, you forgot to wish your
parents good-Shabbos and you forgot that guests were coming for lunch, too
bad! The time has run out and what is - is, and what is not - will not be.
The Friday experience is not new. Last week's Parsha began with the divine
injunction of Shabbos. "Labor for six days but the Seventh day is holy.
Anyone who labors on the Seventh day will die." Rashi 35:2 referenced the
Mechilta that states, "G-d commanded the Jews not to labor on Shabbos
before commanding them to build the Mishkan to teach that the construction
of the Mishkan did not take precedence over the restrictions of Shabbos."
That means that while in the desert the Jews were already being told to
stop working on Friday early enough to get home in time for Shabbos.
Every student of Halacha and Talmud knows that the 39 prohibited Melachos -
labors are derived from an analysis of the Mishkan's construction. Anything
that was required for the construction of the Mishkan was by definition
forbidden to do on the Shabbos. We can assume that the connection between
the building of the Mishkan and not doing so on Shabbos has greater meaning
than identifying the basic 39 prohibited acts of labor. Let's take a closer
look at the relationship between Shabbos and the Mishkan.
The Jews sinned with the Golden Calf and G-d withdrew behind the veil of
nature. Moshe descended from Mt. Sinai on the first Yom Kippur bearing the
second set of Luchos (Tablets) and was set apart from all others by the
radiance of his countenance. Like G-d, he too symbolically withdrew from
the people and hid behind his veil. The Mishkan was presented to the nation
as a sign of G-d's love and a sign of the irrevocable changes imposed by
the sin of the Golden Calf. True, G-d still dwelled in their midst but He
was closeted behind the beams and tapestries of the Tabernacle.
When Moshe stood before the nation on the 11th day of Tishrei (the day
after returning with he second Tablets) the trepidation was palatable. Yes,
Moshe had returned with a new set of Luchos, but what would be the nation's
relationship with G-d? Looking back to Parshas Ki Sisa the Torah recorded
Moshe's ascent carrying the blank Luchos that he had personally hewed from
stone. Upon reaching Sinai's summit, G-d descended upon the mountain in a
cloud cover and stood with Moshe. Moshe immediately called out to G-d
evoking the formula for Divine mercy and forgiveness. Moshe then prostrated
himself upon the mountaintop and made his request. (34:8) "If I have found
favor in Your eyes… let G-d go among us…" This was Moshe's one and only
requequest. He summed up the nation's shame, regret, and fear of
retribution in the words, "…let G-d go among us…"
Forty days later G-d dispatched Moshe with the second Luchos and His
message of forgiveness and love; yet, the people did not know what that
really meant for their relationship with G-d. When the next day they heard
Moshe's command, "Make for Me a Mishkan and I will dwell in your midst,"
the nation understood that regardless of the irrevocable changes in their
relationship with G-d, G-d would still be among them. Their relief in
knowing that G-d was giving them a second chance galvanized them into
immediate and frenzied action. As the Parsha records, "Moshe commanded… No
one is to bring any moore donations for the construction of the Mishkan!"
(36:6) However, the verse adds a statement about the attitude of the people
to Moshe's command to stop the flow of donations, "And the people were
restrained from bringing" It is clear that the Torah is describing the
reluctance of the nation to listen to Moshe's instruction! Had it not been
for Moshe's directive, the flow of precious metals, materials, and talent
would have continued unabated!
The desire of the nation to participate in the construction of the Mishkan
was born out of desperation and fear coupled with an intense desire to
regain G-d's love. For them it was like a spouse tottering on the brink of
divorce scared that his or her "betrayal" had caused irrevocable damage to
the marriage. Not knowing what the outcome of the deliberations would be,
the perpetrator of the betrayal fearfully waits to find out his or her
spouses decision. Will there be forgiveness or not? Imagine the relief when
the "hurt" spouse grants forgiveness! The relief and the determination to
be righteous should be palatable!
We would not be surprised if the forgiven spouse launched a frenzied
campaign to regain his or her spouses trust. We would expect concerted
concern for all things big and small, attention to details and nuance of
instruction, and a real attempt at romance and courting. Flowers would be
brought, gifts beautifully wrapped, and cards carefully worded and
presented. It might even reach a point where the "forgiving spouse," would
say, "Enough! No more flowers, gifts, and cards! Give me some space!"
So it was with the Jews. Desperately afraid of loosing their relationship
with G-d, the command to build the Mishkan was their reprieve. They could
not do or give enough; yet, Moshe told them to stop! The order to stop
giving demanded a degree of self-control and obedience that had been proved
lacking at the time of the Golden Calf. It demanded that they impose
control over desire, logic over emotion. Had they only done so when they
thought Moshe was late in returning the sin of the Golden Calf would have
never happened. Their inability at that time to keep their emotions and
needs in check brought them to the brink of disaster.
It was similar to the original sin of Adam and Chava. They did not just eat
from the forbidden fruit; they were enticed to do so by the serpent. The
serpent convinced Chava that excess in the pursuit of G-d's truth was a
virtue and a sign of love. It was therefore a real possibility that the
nation's desperation to regain G-d's favor would motivate them to ignore
Moshe's instructions. (The deaths of Nadav and Avihu) The fact that they
listened and stopped donating to the construction of the Mishkan indicated
that their Teshuvah (repentance) was real and not just momentary.
The same was true with regards to Shabbos and the Mishkan. Their
desperation and determination to build the Mishkan could not take
precedence over listening to G-d's wishes. Therefore, every Friday the
builders and craftsman of the Mishkan had to control their enthusiasm,
desperation, determination, and devotional frenzy, and listen to the word
of G-d.
The same is true every Friday. Many people will transgress the Shabbos from
the mistaken belief that excess in serving G-d is desired by G-d. They will
go past the final time for cooking and cleaning because they wish to show
greater respect for Shabbos by making sure that everything is in order.
Warm food on Shabbos day is possible if one knows the proper way for
warming food on Shabbos; however, the desire to enhance Shabbos with warm
food does not allow for Halacha (Jewish law) to be compromised, regardless
of who's coming for dinner!
I would like to suggest that G-d's imposition of control on the
construction of the Mishkan was one reason why He did not allow it to be
assembled until Rosh Chodesh Nissan (the first day of the month of Nissan).
Although it was completed almost three months earlier on the 25th day of
Kislev, it was not assembled until Nissan. Imagine the frustration of the
people! Such desperation and hope had been infused in the donation of the
materials and dedication of the talent; yet, they would not realize their
objective until G-d would say so and Moshe himself would assemble it! It
forced each participant in the construction to accept that their
contribution of time, materials, and talent were not for personal
aggrandizement, pleasure, or accomplishment; instead, it was solely as an
expression of individual and national subjugation to G-d's will and intent.
In doing so, the people infused the Mishkan with the greatest and most
basic purpose and sanctity - that of serving G-d.
May the coming months of Adar and Nissan herald the long awaited redemption
with the coming of Mashiach and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash!
Copyright © 2003 by Rabbi Aron Tendler
and Project Genesis, Inc.
The author is Rabbi of Shaarey Zedek Congregation,
Valley Village, CA.
