Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

  • Reset
Category

Back to Home -> 5784 ->


Home -> Pekudei -> 5784

והלבשת את אהרן את בגדי הקדש ומשחת אתו... ומשחת אתם כאשר משחת את אביהם

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Pekudei

You shall dress Aharon in the sacred vestments and anoint him… You shall anoint them as you anointed their father. (40:13,14)

Was something unique about the process of Aharon HaKohen’s anointing that compelled the Torah to emphasize “as you anointed their father”? The meshichah, anointing, was the same for the Kohen Gadol, High Priest (Aharon HaKohen), as it was for the Kohen Hedyot, common Kohen (Aharon’s sons). What might have catalyzed changing the process of the anointing? In his Meshech Chochmah, Horav Meir Simchah, zl (Dvinsk), offers a novel insight. When Moshe Rabbeinu anointed his brother, Aharon, as Kohen Gadol, he felt no jealousy. After all, Moshe was undeniably the Navi, Prophet, manhig, leader, Melech, king, Kohen Gadol, High Priest. (He…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5784

ככל אשר צהו ד' את משה כן עשו בני ישראל את כל העבודה. וירא משה את כל המלאכה והנה עשו אותה כאשר צוה ד'... ויברך אותם משה

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Pekudei

Like everything that Hashem commanded Moshe, so did Bnei Yisrael perform all the labor… Moshe saw the entire work; and behold! They had done it as Hashem had commanded… And Moshe blessed them. (39:42,43)

Noticeably, the first pasuk which relates Bnei Yisrael following instructions and building the Mishkan uses the word avodah to describe the work performed. When Moshe Rabbeinu looks at the finished results, the Torah refers to it as melachah. While, on the surface, melachah and avodah are synonyms, a marked difference exists between them. Horav Avigdor HaLevi Nebentzhal, Shlita, explains that the word melachah has a close tie with melech, king, royalty. Avodah, on the other hand, is derived from eved, slave – clearly a salient difference. The fact that avodah, labor/work is connected to eved, slave, is quite understandable. A…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5784

ובצלאל בן אורי בן חור למטה יהודה עשה את כל אשר צוה ד' את משה

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Pekudei

Betzalel ben Uri ben Chur of the tribe of Yehudah, did everything as Hashem commanded Moshe. (38:22)

In a well-known exposition, Sforno comments that, in addition to Betzalel, all the men who occupied themselves with the construction of the Mishkan were men of stature, sincerity and piety. This is in contrast to the workmen who built the First and Second Batei Mikdash; those work forces included people from various strata of society. Basically, they did not possess the appropriate spiritual and moral characteristics that would have imbued the project with eternal values. Furthermore, the First Bais Hamikdash built under the leadership of Shlomo Hamelech, was not the same as the Mishkan, built by Moshe Rabbeinu. They were…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5784

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדת

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan – the Mishkan Ha’Edus (Testimony). (38:21)

Rashi comments that, since Hashem’s Presence was upon the Mishkan, it attested to the fact that He had forgiven the sin of the Golden Calf. (Otherwise, why would the Divine Presence be connected with the Mishkan?) It would appear from Rashi that the purpose of the Mishkan was as testimony to the world that Hashem had forgiven Klal Yisrael’s sin. In Parashas Terumah, however, the stated reason for the Mishkan is hashroas HaShechinah, the Divine Presence resting among us. We sinned – repented and were (to an extent) forgiven. The fact that the Mishkan is among us is proof that…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5783

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדות

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony. (38:21)

Horav Tzadok, zl, m’Lublin indicates that the name of the structure where the Shechinah reposed changed from the wilderness, where it was the Mishkan, to Bais Hamikdash, the permanent Temple in Yerushalayim. The varied names are indicative of their individual roles vis-à-vis the people. The Mishkan was a temporary structure, since it accompanied the nation on its journey through the wilderness. It was as temporary as the encampment. When they moved, it moved. The Mishkan was referred to as Mishkan Ha’Eidus, the Testimony, referring to the Torah. The Mishkan was notably the receptacle that received the Torah, for which it…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5782

ויכס הענן את אהל מועד... ולא יכל משה לבא אל אהל מועד כי שכן עליו הענן וכבוד ד' מלא את המשכן

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Pekudei

And the cloud covered the Ohel Moed… and Moshe was unable to enter the Ohel Moed because the cloud resided there, and the glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan. (40:34,35)

Sefer Shemos concludes with a description of Hashem’s Shechinah, Divine Presence, entering the Mishkan. All of the work of Klal Yisrael in planning, gathering the materials and building the Mishkan achieved fruition at that moment. They had succeeded in building a “home/Sanctuary” for Hashem in this world. The first pasuk of Sefer Vayikra begins with Hashem calling/summoning Moshe Rabbeinu from within the Ohel Moed. Our quintessential leader, who was involved in every aspect of the creation of the Mishkan, remained outside its environs. He would not yet enter. Chazal (Vayikra Rabbah 1:15) explain that juxtaposition of the closing words of…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5782

אלה פקודי המשכן משכן העדות

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony. (38:21)

Rashi notes the double use of the word Mishkan. He explains that it alludes to the two Mishkanos which were taken as a mashkon, collateral, until that day in which we repent and become deserving of having our collateral returned to us, with the building of the Bais Hamikdash Ha’Shilishi, Third Temple. Horav Yosef Chaim Sonenfeld, zl, asks a powerful question. The Torah provides for a lender to take collateral from someone to whom he lends money. Otherwise, he has little to no assurance that his money will be returned. The Torah, however, presents one stipulation: If the debtor is…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5782

אלה פקודי המשכן

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan. (38:21)

Building a “home” for the Shechinah, Divine Presence, here on earth was apparently top priority for the nascent Jewish nation. They had received the Torah at Sinai amid a Revelation unparalleled in history. The Mishkan was to be the continuum of that Revelation, a place where Jews could relate to Hashem “dwelling” in their midst. Hashem commands us to make a Sanctuary for Him, after which He will reside within us. If our lives outside the Temple environs are consecrated by the understanding, purity and devotion taught within the Sanctuary, then the Mishkan serves as the source for the Mishkan…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5782

אלה פקודי המשכן

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Pekudei

These are the reckonings of the Mishkan. (38:21)

What appears to be a sad commentary on the nature of people is actually Hashem’s way of rewarding the righteous. The parsha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu’s accounting of all the precious metals and jewelry that Klal Yisrael donated for the construction of the Mishkan. Why did Moshe do such an accounting? Was he not trustworthy? Unquestionably, Hashem trusted Moshe, knowing that his integrity and devotion were impeccable. Some disturbed people in every community have nothing else to do but denigrate their leaders. This is, unfortunately, the product of envy which is espoused by insecure individuals who look at themselves and…

Continue Reading

Home -> Pekudei -> 5781

ביום החדש הראשון באחד לחדש תקים את משכן אהל מועד

Sruly Schnair
In 5781, Pekudei

On the first day of the first month, you should set up the Mishkan of the Ohel Moed. (40:2)

Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma, Pikudei 11) teach that the construction of the Mishkan was completed within three months. Tishrei, Mar Cheshvan, Kislev. The people did not set up, however, until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, because Hashem wanted the festivities surrounding the erection of the Mishkan to be combined with the celebration of the birth of Yitzchak Avinu. What is there about Yitzchak Avinu’s birth, his entrance into the world, connects with the Mishkan? How do these two celebrations mesh, and what is the message for us? Let us focus on Yitzchak’s name, it source and what it represents vis-à-vis our nation. The…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!