We are embarking on what could be called "the Shechinah unit" (and is, by r. Menachem Leibtag). The unit spans two parshiot, Terumah and Tetzaveh. The section is introduced with וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר (Ad-nai spoke to Moshe, saying), and this expression will not appear again until 30:11. Another interesting bookend is the idea of Shechinah, "God's Presence", that is found on both 25:1-8 and 29:44-46. The one outlier is the description of the Altar for Incense (Mizbach HaKetoret) at 30:1-10.
Today we will be using Tabernacle/Mishkan and Mikdash interchangeably.
(ב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־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 מְאׇדָּמִ֛ים 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׃
(2) Tell the Israelite people to take for Me an offering; you shall accept an offering for Me from every person whose heart so moves him. (3) And these are the offerings that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper; (4) blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair; (5) tanned ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood; (6) oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; (7) lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. (8) And they will make for Me a Mikdash and I will dwell among them.
~ What is needed, who needs it and what for?
~ Who gives? Why?
(מד) וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וְאֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְאֶת־אַהֲרֹ֧ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֛יו אֲקַדֵּ֖שׁ לְכַהֵ֥ן לִֽי׃ (מה) וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹקִֽים׃ (מו) וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י ה' אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֧אתִי אֹתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְשׇׁכְנִ֣י בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ {פ}
(44) I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests. (45) I will abide among the Israelites, and I will be their God. (46) And they shall know that I the LORD am their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, for My dwelling among them, I the LORD their God.
~ What is the purpose of the Mishkan?
(א) וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי ד, ב): כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ, אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ אֶת הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם, יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח, יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב אֵין בּוֹ כֶסֶף, יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף אֵין בּוֹ זָהָב, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יב, ז): אִמְרוֹת ה' אֲמָרוֹת טְהֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף צָרוּף. יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב. יֵשׁ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ שָׂדוֹת אֲבָל לֹא כְרָמִים, כְּרָמִים וְלֹא שָׂדוֹת, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח הַזֶּה יֵשׁ בּוֹ שָׂדוֹת וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּרָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, יג): שְׁלָחַיִךְ פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח וּבְנֵי אָדָם אֵינָן יוֹדְעִין מַהוּ, אֲבָל מִשְֹּׂכַר הַסַּרְסוּר נִתְוַדַּע מַה לָּקַח. כָּךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ מַה הִיא, אֶלָּא מִשָֹּׂכָר שֶׁלָּקַח משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ מִקָּח שֶׁמִּי שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ נִמְכָּר עִמּוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מָכַרְתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי, כִּבְיָכוֹל נִמְכַּרְתִּי עִמָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בַּת יְחִידָה, בָּא אֶחָד מִן הַמְּלָכִים וּנְטָלָהּ, בִּקֵּשׁ לֵילֵךְ לוֹ לְאַרְצוֹ וְלִטֹּל לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: בִּתִּי שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ יְחִידִית הִיא, לִפְרשׁ מִמֶּנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לְךָ אַל תִּטְלָהּ אֵינִי יָכוֹל לְפִי שֶׁהִיא אִשְׁתֶּךָ, אֶלָּא, זוֹ טוֹבָה עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ קִיטוֹן אֶחָד עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁאָדוּר אֶצְלְכֶם, שֶׁאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, לִפְרשׁ הֵימֶנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לָכֶם אַל תִּטְלוּהָ אֵינִי יָכוֹל, אֶלָּא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים בַּיִת אֶחָד עֲשׂוּ לִי שֶׁאָדוּר בְּתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה, ח): וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ.
(1) "And they shall take [vayikechu] for Me an offering" (Exodus 25:2) - here it is written, "for I have given you a good portion [lekach], do not forsake My teaching" (Proverbs 4:2); do not forsake the purchase [mikach] that I gave to you. When people buy things, their purchase has gold but no silver, or silver but no gold, but the purchase that I have to you has silver, as it is said "The sayings of God are sayings pure like smelted silver" (Psalms 12:7). It has gold, as it is said "More lovely than gold and than much fine gold" (Psalms 19:11). People buy fields but not vineyards, vineyards and not fields, but this purchase has in it both vineyards and fields, as it is said "Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates" (Song of Songs 4:13). Someone makes a purchase and others do not know what it is, but the inebriation [or: reward] of the brewer [or: middleman] makes clear what he bought. So it is with the Torah - a person doesn't know what it is except from the inebriation/reward that Moshe took, as it is said (Exodus 34:29) "Moshe did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with Him." And there are purchases that the one who sells them is sold along with them - the Holy Blessed One said to Israel, 'I sell to you My Torah, and (as if such a thing could be) I am sold along with it,' as it is said "And they shall take for Me an offering" (Exodus 25:2). This is similar to a King who had an only daughter. One of the kings came and took her and sought to go back to his land to marry her. He said to him, "My daughter who I have given to you is my only one. I cannot bear to separate from her, but to tell you that you cannot take her is also impossible since she is your wife. Rather, do me this favour, that everywhere you go make me a small room [kiton], so that I can live with you, for I cannot leave my daughter." So said God to the Israel: 'I have given you the Torah. I cannot bear to separate from her, and to tell you not to take her is also impossible. Rather, everywhere you go make me one house so that I can live within it' as it is said "And make me a Mikdash" (Exodus 25:8)
~ What is the connection between our text and Torah?
~ Who is the king, and who is the daughter?
~ What is the reason and purpose of the Tabernacle/Mikdash according to this midrash?
~ Note that this midrash accepts the chronology proposed by the straight reading of the Torah.
But my heart was wakeful.
Hark, my beloved knocks!
“Let me in, my own,
My darling, my faultless dove!
For my head is drenched with dew,
My locks with the damp of night.”
(ג) דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ה, ב): אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר, אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי יָשַׁנְתִּי לִי מִן הַקֵּץ, אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עג, כו): צוּר לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹקִים לְעוֹלָם. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַמִּצְווֹת, אֲבָל זְכוּת אֲבוֹתַי עוֹמֶדֶת לִי וְלִבִּי עֵר. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, וְלִבִּי עֵר, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַרְתִּיק עָלַי, הֱוֵי: וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה. (שיר השירים ה, ב): פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחֹתִי רַעְיָתִי, עַד מָתַי אֶהְיֶה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּלֹא בַּיִת, (שיר השירים ה, ב): שֶׁרֹאשִׁי נִמְלָא טָל, אֶלָּא עֲשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁלֹא אֶהְיֶה בַּחוּץ.
(3) Another interpretation: "And they shall take for Me an offering": this is the meaning of the verse (Song of Songs 5:2) "I was sleeping but my heart was awake." The people Israel said: "I have been asleep in regard to the end, however the Holy One is awake" as it is written: "the Rock of my heart and my portion is E-lohim, forever" (Ps. 73:26) I am asleep in regard to mitzvot, but the merit of my ancestors stands for me, and my heart is awake. I am asleep from the story of the calf but my heart is awake and the Holy Blessed One knocked at it, that is "and they shall take for Me an offering". "Open up for me, my sister, my friend" (Song of Songs 5:2). For how long must I travel without a home? "My head is drenched in dew", rather, make Me a Mikdash so that I need not be on outside.
~ What is the reason and purpose of the Mikdash, according to this midrash?
(א) פְּסָל לְךָ. אֵימָתַי יָרַד מֹשֶׁה מִן הָהָר? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שַׁלּוּם, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כֵּיצַד? בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ' (שמות יט, א). בְּשִׁשָּׁה בַּחֹדֶשׁ נָתַן לָהֶם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ: וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים (שמות יט, ב). וְעָשָׂה שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה מִסִּיוָן וְשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר מִתַּמּוּז, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. יָרַד בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז, רָאָה אֶת הָעֵגֶל וְשִׁבֵּר אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת, וְרִדָּה אֶת הַסְּרוּחִין שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר וְתִשְׁעָה עָשָׂר. וְחָזַר וְעָלָה בְּעֶשְׂרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה' וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב: וַיָּשָׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וְגוֹ', עָשָׂה שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה מִן תַּמּוּז וְכָל חֹדֶשׁ אָב, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. עָלָה בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ פְּסָל לְךָ וֶהְיֵה נָכוֹן לַבֹּקֶר וְגוֹ', וַיִּפְסֹל וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מֹשֶׁה בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעַל. עָשָׂה שָׁם אֱלוּל כֻּלּוֹ וַעֲשָׂרָה מִתִּשְׁרֵי וְיָרַד בֶּעָשׂוֹר. וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִים בִּתְפִלָּה וְתַעֲנִית, וּבוֹ בַּיּוֹם נֶאֱמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה: סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ (במדבר יד, כ). וּקְבָעוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סְלִיחָה וּמְחִילָה לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר (ויקרא טז, ל). וּמִיָּד צִוָּה לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה, וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ.
(1) Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). When did Moses descend from the mountain? R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Moses remained on the mountain with the Holy One, blessed be He, for one hundred and twenty days. How did he arrive at this conclusion? From the verse In the third month after the children of Israel were gone out of the land of Egypt (Exod. 19:1). On the sixth day of that month He gave him the Ten Sayings, as it is written concerning him: And Moses went up into the mountain of God (ibid. 24:13). He remained there for forty days, that is, the twenty-four days of the month of Sivan and the sixteen days of the month of Tammuz—totaling forty days in all. He descended from the mountain on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, and on the eighteenth day and nineteenth day he saw the calf, broke the tablets, and halted their revelry. On the twentieth day he turned and ascended once again, as is said: And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said to the people: “Y'all have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord” (Ex. 32:30). And it is written: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin” (Ex. 32:31). He remained there the ten days of the month of Tammuz and the entire month of Av, totaling another forty days. He went up on the first day of the month of Elul when He told him: Hew for yourself these two tablets … and be ready by the morning (Ex. 34:1–2). And he hewed … and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai (Ex.34:4). He stayed there throughout the month of Elul and until the tenth day of Tishri (another ten days). On the tenth day of Tishri he descended while the Israelites were praying and fasting. On that day He said to him: I have pardoned according to your word (Num. 14:20). Then the Holy One of Blessing established that day as the day of forgiveness and pardon for the future generations (Yom Kippur), as it is said: For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you (Lev. 16:30). Thereupon He commanded Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).
~ What is the reason and purpose of the Mikdash, according to this midrash?
~ Note that this midrash is proposing a different chronology than the straight reading of the Torah.
ויתן אל משה וגו'. אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה – מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל קֹדֶם לְצִוּוּי מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָמִים רַבִּים הָיָה – שֶׁהֲרֵי בְי"ז בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת, וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים נִתְרַצָּה הַקָּבָּ"ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְמָחֳרָת הִתְחִילוּ בְנִדְבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהוּקַם בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן (תנחומא):
ויתן אל משה וגו׳ AND HE GAVE TO MOSES etc. — There is no “earlier” or “later” in the events related in the Torah: in fact the incident of the golden calf (related in ch. 31) happened a considerable time before the command regarding the work of the Tabernacle was given (ch. 25 and the following chapters). For on the seventeenth of Tammuz were the Tablets broken (when the people were worshipping the calf) and on the Day of Atonement God became reconciled with Israel (80 days later) and on the next day, the eleventh of Tishri, they began to bring their contributions for the Tabernacle which was set up on the first of Nisan. (From the seventeenth of Tammuz until the eleventh of Tishri are almost three months — ימים רבים).
ושב אל המחנה AND HE RETURNED INTO THE CAMP — After God had conversed with him, Moses used to return to the camp and teach the elders what he had learned. Moshe did this from the day of Atonement until the Tabernacle was set up, but no longer. For on the seventeenth of Tammuz the tablets were broken, on the eighteenth he burnt the calf and punished the sinners, on the nineteenth he ascended the mountain, as it is said (Exodus 32:30) “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said to the people”, [y'all have sinned a great sin and now I will go up to the Lord]”. There he spent forty days and sought mercy, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 9:18) “And I threw myself down before the Lord [as at the first, forty days and forty nights]”. On the first day of the New Moon of Elul it was said to him, (Exodus 34:2) “And be ready in the morning] and go up in the morning unto mount Sinai” — to receive the second tablets. He again spent there the forty days of which it is stated, (Deuteronomy 10:10) “And I stayed in the mountain, just like the first days, forty days and forty nights”. The words “like the first days” [imply that] just as the first days were in God’s good-will so, too, the last forty days were passed in God’s good-will — from which you must admit that the intervening forty days were passed in God’s anger. On the tenth of Tishri God became reconciled with Israel in joy and perfect affection and said to Moses: “I have forgiven!” and handed him over the second tablets, whereupon Moses went down and began to command them concerning the work of the Tabernacle. They were occupied in its construction until the first of Nisan and from the time when it was set up God did not converse with him any more except from the tent of meeting.
~ With which midrash does Rashi seem to side?
AND MOSES ASSEMBLED ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The expression all the congregation of the children of Israel includes the men and women, for all donated to the work of the Tabernacle. Thus Moses, after having commanded Aaron, and the rulers and all the children of Israel — the men — all that the Eternal had spoken with him in Mount Sinai, following the breaking of the Tablets, and after he had put the veil on his face [as all this is narrated in the preceding section], again commanded that the people be assembled, whereupon the whole congregation gathered to him — men, women, and children. It makes sense that this occurred on the day following his descent from the mountain, and he told all of them the subject of the Tabernacle which he had been previously commanded, before the breaking of the Tablets. For since the Holy One of Blessing became reconciled with them and gave Moses the second Tablets, and also made a new covenant that Hashem would go in their midst, God thereby returned to the previous relationship with them, and to the love of their “wedding,” and it was obvious that God's Shechinah would be among them just as God had commanded him at first, as God said: And let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Therefore Moses now commanded them all that he had been told at first.
~ With which midrash does the Ramban seem to side?
In the words of Nehama Leibowitz, scholars like the Ramban "reject the idea that the Sanctuary was in any way an afterthought, a cure for their [the Israelites’] sickness, atonement for sin, or compromise between the idea of spirituality and the reality of man’s material conceptions, demanding a form of worship limited to a definite space-time dimension. On the contrary, the institution of the Sanctuary was there from the beginning, a deliberate act of divine grace and thoughtfulness designed to strengthen the immanence of His presence"
ויהי משה בהר בכל פעם שעלה שם מכאן ואילך שהה ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה כימי יצירת הולד, לקנות תחתיו שם הויה נכבדת, ראויה לשמוע מפי הרב מה שלא ישיגהו זולתו, כמו שהעיד באמרו כי קרן עור פניו בדברו אתו, וקלקל זה חטאם בסוף ארבעים יום ראשונים, בעת שהיה ראוי להשיגו, כאמרו לך רד כי שחת עמך ובאמצעיים כפי הקבלה שהיו בכעס ולא זכו ליהנות מקרני הוד, והושג זה בארבעים יום אחרונים, ובהם נצטוה על מלאכת המשכן, כמו שבאר כאמרו ואל הארון תתן את העדות אשר אתן אליך וזה לא נתקיים בלוחות ראשונות שלא באו לשום ארון אלא שבריהם בלבד בלתי עדות, כאמרם ז''ל לוחות נשברו ואותיות פרחו וזה בעצמו באר באמרו ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם לא כמו שיעד קודם לכן, כאמרו מזבח אדמה תעשה לי בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבא אליך אבל עתה יצטרך לכהנים, וזה בעצמו התבאר באמרו ואתה הקרב אליך את אהרן אחיך. והנה לא נבחר שבט לוי לשרת עד אחר מעשה העגל, כמו שהעיד באמרו בעת ההיא הבדיל ה' את שבט הלוי לשרתו ולברך בשמי. ואמר אם כן שבכל פעם שעלה משה להר שהה ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה, והפעם אשר בה הושג זה התכלית היתה הפעם האחרונה לכלם, שבה צוה על מלאכת המשכן, ואחר שסיים מלאכת המשכן ובגדי כהונה והקטרת ושמן המשחה, באר שבסוף הראשונים נתן האל יתברך הלוחות הראשונות ולא סבב הוא יתברך שום איחור, כי לא ענה מלבו אלא שישראל השחיתו ענינם כאמרו כי שחת עמך, ובאמצעיים כפי קבלת רבותינו ז''ל היתה פרשת ראה אתה אומר אלי ופסל לך, ובשלישית היה כל הענין שספר באמרו ויהי שם עם ה' ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה ויכתוב על הלוחות וירד אז עם קרני ההוד וצוה על מלאכת המשכן:
And Moshe was on the mountain - each time Moses ascended the mountain from this point on he remained on it for a period of 40 days and forty nights. This period corresponds to the time it takes for a fertilised egg in a woman’s womb to achieve a critical status that permits us to refer to it as a fetus. [Moshe's stay on the mountain was] to grasp the glorious Name Havayah, having heard from the mouth of the Teacher what he wouldn't have been able to understand alone. The evidence lies in the fact that eventually Moshe's face radiated so much spiritual illumination that the people were frightened by this phenomenon and Moshe had to veil his head. (Exodus 34:29) This was foiled by the people’s making the golden calf and worshiping it at the end of the first 40 days. God Godself told Moses to descend: "your people have become corrupt"(Exodus 32:7). According to our tradition, Moses’ second stay of forty days on the mountain was a period when God’s anger at the people had not yet abated, so that he could not be rewarded with the rays of glory. He attained that distinction only during his third stay on the mountain when he was also instructed concerning the construction of the Tabernacle seeing that he was told to place the second set of Tablets in the Holy Ark (Exodus 25:21). This did not refer to an ark within which to place the shattered first set of Tablets. In fact, according to tradition, seeing that the letters written by God on the first set of Tablets had “flown” away, the remnants of those Tablets which were eventually placed in another ark are not referred to as “The testimony,” seeing they did not contain any writing anymore at that point. God had been equally accessible anywhere but now the kohanim were necessary. This is the message of Exodus 28:1 “and you bring close (to Me) your brother Aaron.” Actually, the tribe of Levi had not yet been selected until after the affair of the golden calf. In light of all this the fact that Moses spent 40 days and nights on the mountain each time he ascended there is very significant. The stage at which Moshe's face radiated these rays of light was not achieved until the end of Moses’ third stay on the mountain after he had been commanded to erect the Tabernacle. After the building of the Tabernacle had been completed, as well as the making of the priestly garments, and the incense and oil anointing, Moses revealed the stages that preceded it, telling the people that at the end of the first forty days on the mountains he received the first set of Tablets. Any delay in the carrying out of God’s original timetable for these events was not due to God delaying but to the conduct of the people in the interval that had forced God to revise the timetable. Had the episode of the golden calf not intervened, Moses’ second and third stay on the mountain would have been totally superfluous. The episodes described in Exodus 32:7, 33:12 and 34:1 until 34:28-29 were only caused by the repercussions of the sin of the golden calf.
~ How long did Moshe stay on Mount Sinai? Why?
~ What is the reason and purpose of the Mishkan, for Sforno?
~ With which camp do you side, and why?
~ Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin (Kreisburg, 1823 – Lublin, Poland, 1900) was a famed master of Chassidic thought and prolific author in all areas of Judaism: Halakhah, Hasidut, Kabbalah, and ethics. He also wrote scholarly essays on astronomy, geometry, and algebra. He eventually became the rebbe of Lublin. He authored "Pri Tzadik" on the Torah, "Tzidkat HaTzadik", "Resisei Layla", and many other works on various topics.
(א) [רנא] ע"י החשק הוא כלי קבול להשראת שכינת הש"י בקרב לבו. וזהו תרומת המשכן מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו דנדיבות הלב דבנ"י עי"ז הוא בנין המשכן דשכינת הש"י בתחתונים ובזה הוא כל חד לפום מה דמשער בלבי' שאינו דומה הרגשת א' משכן הר"י בלבו לחבירו. כי כפי נדיבת לבבו בתגבורת חשקו להשיג כך הוא שכינת הש"י. ויש עוד תרומת האדנים ודקרבנות שנא' בה העשיר לא ירבה וגו' שבין העשיר בדעת ובהרגשת הלב ותגבורת החשק ובין העני שוים בחלקים כי הוא לכפר על נפשותיכם כמפורש בכתוב וכמשז"ל בירושלמי דשקלים (פ"ב ה"ד) דלכפר אעגל. פי' לקנח לכלוך דחשקות רעות מן הלב. וכן בקרבנות ציבור אז"ל (מ"ר פנחס) תמיד של שחר מכפר כו' ובענין הרחקה מן הרע כל ישראל שוים שכולם יוכלו לינקות מן הרע בתכלית רק חילוק המדריגות הוא בהשגת הטוב. וגם דמצד הנקיון מהרע באמת מגיעים למדריגה דשוה ומשוה קטן וגדול. כידוע דיש עיגולים ויושר וחילוק המדרגות מעלה מטה הוא מצד היושר משא"כ בעגול הכל שוה....
(1) [251] Through desire [a person] can become a vessel for the resting of God's Presence in his heart. This is the the reason for the offerings for the Tabernacle from "Each person according to the giving of his heart" (Exodus 25:2), that through the giving of the heart of the Israelites comes the building of the Tabernacle, bringing God's Presence below. Thus it is according to what each person develops in their heart, as one person's feelings are not comparable to their fellow's. For according to the giving of the heart and strength of their desire to grasp is the dwelling of God. And this is also the offerings of the bases and the sacrifices, of which is said "the rich will not add etc" (Exodus 30:15), in which rich and poor are similar in awareness, and feeling, and force of desire, since this is to atone for their souls as explained in the Text, and as the sages z"l explained in the Jerusalem Talmud (Jerusalem Talmud, Shekalim 1:1:6) that is to atone for the Golden Calf. Meaning, to clean the soiling of the evil desires from the heart. And so too, regarding the communal sacrifices, they z"l said "the Tamid offering of the morning atones etc" (Midrash Tanchuma Pinchas 13:1). And regarding the issue of distancing from evil all Israel are the same, that all are able to cleanse from evil in practice, the separation of levels is only applicable for the reaching out for good. And also, regarding the true cleansing of evil we arrive to the level of "the one who makes great and small equal" (Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, Musaf, First Day of Rosh Hashana, Kedushah 35). As it is known, there are circles, and directness, and separations on the levels to go from lower to higher, from the side of directness, but this is not so on the circle of "all are equal." ...
(א) ויקחו לי תרומה. במ"ר הה"ד כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם אמר הקב"ה לישראל מכרתי לכם תורתי כביכול נמכרתי עמה שנאמר ויקחו לי תרומה משל למלך כו' נתתי לכם את התורה לפרוש הימנה איני יכול כו' בכ"מ שאתם הולכים בית א' עשו לי שאדור בתוכו כו'. יש להבין דפתח כביכול נמכרתי עמה דדרש ויקחו לי ואחר כך מסיק שיעשו לו קיטון א' ועשו לי מקדש. אך הענין שבאמת בשעת מתן תורה שכששמעו ישראל דיבור אנכי נתקע ת"ת בלבם וכששמעו לא יהיה נעקר יצר הרע מלבם (כמ"ש שהש"ר פ' ישקני) אז לא היה כלל חילוק מחנות רק כל מחנה ישראל שהיה מוקף בענני כבוד היה נקרא מחנה שכינה שהשי"ת שוכן בלב ישראל בלב כל אחד ועל זה נאמר ויקחו לי כביכול נמכרתי עמה ועל דרך מ"ש בזוהר הקדוש (ח"ב ס א) דקודשא בריך הוא תורה איקרי ואין תורה אלא קב"ה. ומטעם זה נדרש (ברכות כא.) לברכת התורה מלפניה מדכתוב כי שם ה' אקרא וגו' דתורה נקרא שם הוי"ה דכל התורה שמות הקב"ה. וכתוב כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם והיינו לכל אחד מישראל כש"נ מורשה קהלת יעקב ובמד' (ויקרא רבה פ' ט) קהלת ינאי אין כתיב אלא קהלת טוב וכל הדברי תורה שרשם מאמר אנכי וגו' וכל תרי"ג מצות נקראו בזוהר הקדוש (שם פב ב) תרי"ג זיני עיטא שהם עצות איך לזכות שיאיר בלב מאמר אנכי ה' אלקיך ועל זה ההכרה אמר שנתקע ת"ת בלבם במאמר אנכי ושם השי"ת שוכן בלב ועל זה נאמר ויקחו לי כנ"ל אבל לאחר שחזר יצר הרע למקומו אז אמר השי"ת ועשו לי מקדש שבכ"מ שאתם הולכים בית אחד עשו לי שאדור בתוכו שיהיה מקום מיוחד לשכינה. וכבר אמרנו דהוא בעולם שנה ונפש מקום המקדש בעולם. ויום שבת בשנה שאז השי"ת שוכן בלב ישראל ונעשה הלב הר קדשי שהשי"ת משפיע דברי תורה בלב כל אחד מישראל וכתוב לא ירעו ולא ישחיתו בכל הר קדשי דא לבא דמדוריה דיצר הרע ביה (כמ"ש זח"א קלח א במה"נ) שבשבת שנעשה הלב בחינת בית המקדש הר קדשי ניצול מקטרוג היצר הרע. ות"ח דמשתדלי באורייתא אתקריאו ודמיין לשבתות כמו"ש ברע"מ (זח"ג כט ב קכד סע"ב) והיינו שבלב המשתדלין באורייתא משפיע השי"ת דברי תורה תמיד דברי אשר שמתי בפיך ולית לך מלה לתברא יצר הרע אלא אורייתא (כמ"ש זח"א רב א) ונעשה הלב הר קדשי. והם מקדש בנפש. ועל אלו השלשה כתיב ועשו לי מקדש שכל אחד מישראל יש לו חלק בזה שהעשייה מצד ישראל דהמקדש ומשכן נעשה מנדבות לב ישראל ...
And take for Me an offering - And see the midrash [above, Shemot Rabbah 33:1] about the king. And the issue is that when Israel heard [the first commandment], the Torah became embedded in their hearts, and when they heard "there shall be no other" the yetzer hara was plucked out from their hearts, as the midrash says [Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2]. At that point, there was no distinction between their various camps, rather every camp in Israel was enveloped by the clouds of glory, and it was all called the encampment of the Shechinah since God dwells in the heart of every Israelite. Regarding this, it is said "[vayikechu li] take Me” — as it were, I am purchased together with [the Torah], just as the Zohar says "The Holy One of Blessing is called Torah, and whenever you read Torah you should read the Holy One of Blessing". And this is also in the reason given for the blessing before the Torah "when I call the Name of Ad-nai, give y'all glory" (see Brachot 21a), since Torah is called by the name Havayah since all of Torah is names of the Holy One of Blessing. And it is written "I gave y'all a good portion [lekach tov]" meaning, to each and every person in Israel, as it is written 'the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob'. ... And in the Zohar (Zohar 2:82b:8) it is written that the 613 mitzvot are a mode of counseling, giving advice on how to merit that in your heart the light of Anochi can shine, and it is this recognition is the idea of that Torah is embedded in their hearts through the word Anochi. And so the Name of the Holy One of Blessing dwells in the heart, and this is why it is written "take Me". However, after the evil inclination returned to its place, then God said, “make Me a sanctuary,” that wherever you go make Me a house where I will dwell, that there should be a singular place for the Shechinah/Divine Presence. And we have said that [God is] in the world [space], the year [time], and in the soul, all those are the place of the Sanctuary. The Shabbat, in the year, when God dwells in the heart of of Israel and the heart becomes "My Holy Mount". It is from there that God pours words of Torah in the heart of every person in Israel” and ... there is no space for the accusation of the Yetzer hara. And a Torah scholar, who deals with Torah is called as, and is similar to Shabbat … and so when we deals with Torah, the Holy One of Blessing pours words of Torah, 'the words that I put in your mouth will never leave your mouth nor the mouths of your children' [Amidah, Shabbat Minchah], and so the heart becomes 'My Holy Mount'. And these are the Sanctuary in the soul.
Regarding these three it is written “Make Me a sanctuary,” since every Jewish person has a portion in it as it is constructed by Israel, since the Mikdash and the Mishkan were made by the generosity of the hearts of Israel...
Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, Esh Kodesh (The Holy Fire), Parashat Pekudei, Shabbat Shekalim, year 5700 (1940), p. 25-26
[The Divine is not revealed] through prophetic revelation alone, but only accompanied by the revelation by means of worship. Even if there are meditations for each mitzvah, nonetheless, any good comes only with the physical fulfillment of the Mitzvah, and for instance, should one just think of the meditations to put tefilin, and not put them, nothing was really done...
The same was the case in the construction of the Tabernacle. Betzalel made it, for Moses only commanded it, and Israel gave gifts for Betzalel and his men to construct it in actuality. Therefore, more was revealed to [Betzael regarding the details of the Tabernacle [than Moses]...
...It is taught in the holy Zohar, "fortunate is the one who makes a dwelling for [the Divine Presence] in his heart..." And as it is explained in parashat Terumah, "I will dwell amongst them [betokham]" (Exodus 25:8). And the rabbis z"l explain "it does not say 'in it [betokho]" since the Holy One of Blessing dwells amongst each and every person, not only for the benefit of the Jewish person, but also for the sake of the Divine Presence as well because of God's great love for Israel. However it is God's will to be revealed, and revelation is through action, as explained...
And this is also the issue of the souls after they were in this world, they go to a higher level in the Gan Eden than they were in this world, because the essence of private revelation of the Holy One of Blessing is through this world and through the action of mitzvot, in practice, and therefore besides saying Kaddish and learning Mishnayiot for their passing, it is also good for the souls when we remember them at the time of doing the mitzvah and of learning Torah, not only remembering them but also when we connect them while we do the mitzvah of learning Torah together ... and if the Holy One of Blessing wants to, as it were, dwell inside every single Jewish person, all the more so it is beautiful for the souls, after their departing, that they are able to see and to be part of God's dwelling, and that Torah and mitzvot are being done with them.
~ Kalonymus Kalman Shapira , 20 May 1889–3 November 1943 was the Rebeb of Piaseczno, Poland. He wrote several books, among them Esh Kodesh, which has his homilies for the years he was living inside the Warsaw Ghetto.