Quick Summary
This parsha ends the Book of Shemot / Exodus, which began with the subjugation of a people under Pharaoh (worshipped as a god) and recounts the peaks and depths that are part of a relationship with the Divine.
Pikudei describes the making of priestly garments worn in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the completion of its construction. At God’s command, Moses erects the Mishkan and puts its vessels in place, and God's presence fills the Mishkan.
- Accounts are made of all the parts of the Mishkan. Numerous times in the parsha we are reminded of the fulfilled commandments in the building of the Mishkan.
- Betzalel and Oholiav, (and assistants) make the garments worn by the Kohanim: apron, breastpiece---with all the stones and their placement, cloak, crown, hat, tunic, sash and breeches.
- The Mishkan is completed and brought to Moses.
- Moses erects it and annoints it with oil.
- Aaron and his sons are initiated into service as Kohanim.
- A cloud, signifying God's presence, appears over the Mishkan and will 'dwell' there.
פָּקַד (v) heb : to attend to, to visit upon, punish, to pass in review, to appoint, look after, care for. [יהוה took note of Sarah as promised, and יהוה did for Sarah what had been announced. וַֽיהוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־שָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמָ֑ר וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוָ֛ה לְשָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃ Genesis 21:1]
אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר פֻּקַּ֖ד עַל־פִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה עֲבֹדַת֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
These are the records of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Pact [Testimony], which were drawn up at Moses’ bidding—the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
Re: פְקוּדֵ֤י / Accountings "The word that we use today to describe such an accounting is 'transparency'. The Torah teaches us how integral to Torah values honesty is." ~Rabbi Yechiel Perr
משכן העדת THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY — The Tabernacle was a testimony to Israel that God had shown Himself indulgent to them in respect to the incident of the golden calf, for through the Temple He made His Shechinah dwell amongst them (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 6).
המשכן משכן OF THE TABERNACLE, EVEN OF THE TABERNACLE — The word משכן is mentioned here twice in allusion to the Temple that was taken in pledge (משכן) — as it were — (as a security for Israel’s repentance) by being twice destroyed for Israel’s iniquities (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 5).
The sages taught: Always appoint at least two people together as trustees over public funds. Even Moses, who enjoyed the full trust of G‑d—as it is written (Numbers 12:7), “In all My house he is trusted”—figured the accounts of the Sanctuary together with others, as it says, “By the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron.”
אלה פקודי המשכן, all the individual components described previously are the ones concerning which the Torah wrote ובשמות תפקדו את כלי משמרת הקדש...ביד איתמר, “you shall list by name the objects that are their porterage tasks.” (Numbers 4,32-33) The meaning of the line is that each and everyone of these items was important enough to be known by its specific name. In other words, one did not refer to it only by the name of the category of utensils it belonged to, such as “fork,” but one had a name for each fork. This method of naming each item individually contributed to their being of permanent significance.
(כב) וּבְצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֑ה עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (כג) וְאִתּ֗וֹ אׇהֳלִיאָ֞ב בֶּן־אֲחִיסָמָ֛ךְ לְמַטֵּה־דָ֖ן חָרָ֣שׁ וְחֹשֵׁ֑ב וְרֹקֵ֗ם בַּתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וּבָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן וּבְתוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וּבַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃ {ס}
(22) Now Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, had made all that יהוה had commanded Moses; (23) at his side was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, carver and designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and in fine linen.
ותכל...ויעשו בני ישראל, the work in its totality was attributed to all the people of Israel seeing that each one of them had a direct or indirect share in it, whether by contributing material, labour, or skill. ~Sforno
On the seventh day of creation, the universe is described as having been completed (Genesis 2,1); we find a similar expression when the Torah describes the construction of the Tabernacle as having been completed (Exodus 39,32). When the universe was completed G–d blessed it (Genesis 1,28-2,3), whereas when the Tabernacle was completed Moses blessed it (Exodus 39,43). When the universe was completed the Torah uses the term ויכל to describe the completion (Genesis 2,2); when the Tabernacle was completed the Torah uses the same expression (Exodus 40,33 and Numbers 7,1). When the universe was completed G–d sanctified it (Genesis 2,3); when the construction of the Tabernacle was completed the Torah also relates that Moses anointed and sanctified it (Numbers 7,1). Shnei Luchot HaBerit, Torah SheBichtav, Terumah, Torah Ohr 14
אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּרַבִּי אַסִּי, לָמָּה הוּא אוֹמֵר, ה' אָהַבְתִּי מְעוֹן בֵּיתֶךָ וּמְקוֹם מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ (תהלים כו, ח), בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד בְּרִיאַת עוֹלָם...וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב: וַתֵּכֶל כָּל עֲבוֹדַת בִּבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם כְּתִיב וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקִים וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה. בִּבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם כְּתִיב: וַיְכַל אֱלֹקִים. וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת (במדבר ז, א). בִּבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם כְּתִיב: וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ. וּבַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב: וַיִּמְשַׁח אֹתוֹ וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ (במדבר ז, א). וְלָמָּה הַמִּשְׁכָּן שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. אֶלָּא מַה שָּׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הֵם עֵדִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּכְתִיב הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ (דברים ל, יט), אַף מִשְׁכָּן עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: ה' אָהַבְתִּי מְעוֹן בֵּיתֶךָ וּמְקוֹם מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ וְגוֹ'.
R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells? Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself.... Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1).
Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness on behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).
וַיַּ֨רְא מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־כׇּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֗ה וְהִנֵּה֙ עָשׂ֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה כֵּ֣ן עָשׂ֑וּ וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹתָ֖ם מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {פ}
And when Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks—as יהוה had commanded, so they had done—Moses blessed them.
(טז) וַיַּ֖עַשׂ מֹשֶׁ֑ה כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה׃ {ס} (יז) וַיְהִ֞י בַּחֹ֧דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֛וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הוּקַ֖ם הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
(16) This Moses did; just as יהוה had commanded him, so he did. (17) [And so it came to pass] In the first month of the second year, on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was set up.
Whenever the Torah uses the word vayehi (“it came to pass”), this connotes a woeful event. What woe was there in the Mishkan’s completion? This is comparable to a king who had a contentious wife. So he said to her: “Make me a purple cloak.” As long as she was preoccupied with it, she did not quarrel. When her work was completed, she brought it to the king. The king saw it and was pleased with it, and began cry out, “Woe! Woe!” Said his wife: “What is this, my lord? I have labored to do your will, and you cry, ‘Woe, woe’?” Said he to her: “The work is beautiful and favorable in my eyes. But as long as you were preoccupied with it, you did not anger or provoke me; now that you are free of it, I fear that you will again anger me.”
So too said G‑d: “As long as My children were occupied with the Mishkan, they did not grumble against Me. Now they will again begin to provoke Me.” Therefore it says vayehi—implying vai hi, “woe is it.”~ Midrash Tanchuma
וַיָּ֨קֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲדָנָ֔יו וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־קְרָשָׁ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֖ן אֶת־בְּרִיחָ֑יו וַיָּ֖קֶם אֶת־עַמּוּדָֽיו׃ וַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וַיָּ֜שֶׂם אֶת־מִכְסֵ֥ה הָאֹ֛הֶל עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {ס}
Moses set up the Tabernacle, placing its sockets, setting up its planks, inserting its bars, and erecting its posts. He spread the tent over the Tabernacle, placing the covering of the tent on top of it—just as יהוה had commanded Moses.
"The mandatory multiple cycles of building and tearing down...powerfully hint at a crucial realization. Any human being will fail. He may fail many times. Each time he fails, without exception, he cannot lose faith or motivation. He must pick himself up and immediately try again. He may build his sanctuary, and then see it not only threatened or breached, but toppled completely. When that happens, he should not fall into depression or melancholy, but once again begin the process of building the next Tabernacle. Moses did this twice a day, morning and evening. ... The serial assemblings and dismantlings of the Tabernacle point as well to another important part of our spiritual work. We must be prepared to inspect the quality of what we have built, constantly reevaluating all details of its construction, looking for small flaws we may have been unaware of in the original construction. There is no end to the upgrading work we can do to make our personal Sanctuary even more effective."
From the Netivot Shalom of the Slonimer Rebbe (Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky)
Seven times [in seven places] Moses erected the Mishkan and then dismantled it, presaging the seven Sanctuaries that would serve the Jewish people: the Tabernacle in the desert, those at Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov and Givon, and the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Seven times Moses dismantled the Tabernacle and then set it up again, so that the future falls of these Sanctuaries should not be permanent, but be followed by a rebuilding. Thus we are guaranteed that the destruction of the seventh Sanctuary will be followed by the building of the Third Temple, which shall never be destroyed. ~ Rabbi Avraham Mordechai of Gur
There is much record keeping, accounting and accountability occurring here. What do we learn about the moral responsibility of leaders in collecting funds and accurately noting them? What special issues might have been involved since Moses was acting
alone? [a later law requires at least two people be involved in the accounting, and the Talmud notes that a committee/witnesses be involved. [Baba Batra, 8b; Peah 8:7]
וַיָּ֣קֶם אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֗ר סָבִיב֙ לַמִּשְׁכָּ֣ן וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּתֵּ֕ן אֶת־מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֣עַר הֶחָצֵ֑ר וַיְכַ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ {פ}
וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃ וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃ כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כׇל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכׇל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃
And he set up the enclosure around the Tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the enclosure. When Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift. For over the Tabernacle a cloud of יהוה rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.
The word 'journeys' at the end of Exodus connects the Israelites' travels with the broader Torah narrative, emphasizing divine guidance on their path to the land of Israel. The conclusion of the book of Exodus marks a pivotal transition from slavery to freedom, underscoring God's enduring presence with the Israelites. ~Sefaria.org
Thus, the word “journeys” situates the entire Exodus narrative within the larger story of the Torah. Just as important, the concluding verse of Exodus proclaims that the Israelites will not be alone on their long and difficult journey to the Promised Land. Rather, they are to be guided night and day by the luminous cloud of God’s presence. —Carol Meyers