The Mishkan (in English, Tabernacle) was the temporary, portable Temple that the Jews were commanded to build after the revelation at Mount Sinai. It had all of the furnishings of the future Temple and served the same functions, but it was smaller and used fabrics and animal skins for its walls and roof.
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Make Me a Sanctuary That I May Dwell Among ThemTANAKH
Make Me a Sanctuary That I May Dwell Among Them
TANAKH
The mishkan, or Tabernacle, was a portable sanctuary where God dwelled among the Israelites before the Temple was built. In the book of Exodus, God gives Moses detailed instructions for its construction.
Before or After the Golden Calf? MIDRASH
Before or After the Golden Calf?
MIDRASH
The book of Exodus relates the detailed instructions for the construction of the mishkan before the story of the Israelites’ sin of the golden calf. The early medieval Midrash Tanchuma, though, argues that the instructions for the mishkan were only given until after the sin of the golden calf and that the construction of the mishkan was itself a response to the Israelites’ transgression.
Leaving Egypt for a Divine DwellingCOMMENTARY
Leaving Egypt for a Divine Dwelling
COMMENTARY
While some commentators argue that the mishkan was necessary only because the Israelites wanted a tangible way to worship God, some argue that it was always crucial to the Israelite religion. Ibn Ezra, in his 12th-century commentary on the Torah, argues that the mishkan was part of the plan even before the exodus from Egypt.
A Meeting Place for God and the IsraelitesJEWISH THOUGHT
A Meeting Place for God and the Israelites
JEWISH THOUGHT
The mishkan, which was the site of sacrificial worship for the Israelites, was also a place for God’s presence to reside. In her contemporary book In the Narrow Places, Dr. Erica Brown describes how the mishkan allowed for a more direct relationship between God and the Israelites.
Divine Dwelling in the TabernacleCOMMENTARY
Divine Dwelling in the Tabernacle
COMMENTARY
The divine presence, referred to in the Torah as the “glory of God,” was said to reside in the mishkan. In his 13th-century commentary on the Torah, Ramban explores the relationship between the mishkan and the divine presence, explaining why a sanctuary was necessary to contain it.
Atonement through the SanctuaryCHASIDUT
Atonement through the Sanctuary
CHASIDUT
Commentators debate the purpose behind the mishkan, and some argue that it was created at least partly to atone for the sin of the golden calf. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel of Apta, a 19th-century Chasidic rabbi, emphasizes this explanation and argues that it accounts for the connection between the mishkan and the commandments of Shabbat.
Inside the MishkanTALMUD
Inside the Mishkan
TALMUD
The mishkan was a site of constant activity, wherein priests carried out sacrificial rituals using special equipment. The Jerusalem Talmud in tractate Shekalim describes the oil used to anoint the Temple priests and the vessels that were used there.
The Role of the PriestsCOMMENTARY
The Role of the Priests
COMMENTARY
The service in the mishkan was performed by the priests, descendants of Moses’s brother Aaron, who served as the first high priest. Rabbi Jerucham Fischel Perla, a 20th-century commentator, discusses the role of the priests and the process of their inauguration into the life of the mishkan.
From Mishkan to TempleTANAKH
From Mishkan to Temple
TANAKH
The mishkan existed in its portable form even after the Israelites arrived and settled in the land of Israel, and it was not until after the establishment of the monarchy that the Israelites built the Temple in Jerusalem. In the book of Samuel, King David expresses his desire to build a permanent house for God, to which God responds.
A Replica of CreationMUSAR
A Replica of Creation
MUSAR
In the kabbalistic tradition, the mishkan is understood to be a microcosm of the universe. Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz, in his 17th-century work, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, traces the parallels between the creation of the world and the construction of the Tabernacle.
When Was the Mishkan Completed?COMMENTARY
When Was the Mishkan Completed?
COMMENTARY
The construction of the mishkan took many months to complete. Rashi, in his renowned 11th-century commentary on the Torah, lists the date of the completion of the mishkan as a day of great importance in Jewish history.
The Metaphor of the Mishkan in LifeCOMMENTARY
The Metaphor of the Mishkan in Life
COMMENTARY
The structure of the mishkan, with its outer and inner chambers and divisions between them, can serve as a metaphor for a person’s mind or soul. Rabbi Chaim Jachter, in his contemporary commentary on the book of Kings, recalls how his teacher Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik imagined his own emotional life using the image of the mishkan.
Betzalel, the Mishkan’s ArchitectTALMUD
Betzalel, the Mishkan’s Architect
TALMUD
The construction of the mishkan was led by an Israelite named Betzalel, appointed by God and described as possessing unparalleled wisdom and understanding. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Berakhot elaborates on what made Betzalel so extraordinary.
The Sanctuary and the SabbathMIDRASH
The Sanctuary and the Sabbath
MIDRASH
The construction of the mishkan, and the rituals performed within it, can come in conflict with observance of Shabbat. The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, a third-century midrash from the land of Israel, explores the tension between the construction of the mishkan and Shabbat observance.
A Collective EffortMIDRASH
A Collective Effort
MIDRASH
The mishkan was built out of materials that were donated by Israelites eager to help with the project. The medieval midrashic work Bamidbar Rabbah provides an account of the Israelites’ contribution to the mishkan’s construction.
The Only Site for Communal SacrificeMISHNAH
The Only Site for Communal Sacrifice
MISHNAH
Before the Temple was built, the mishkan was the only place where Israelites were permitted to offer communal sacrifices to God. Tractate Zevachim of the Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law, from the early third-century land of Israel, explains which offerings were brought only in the mishkan and which could be offered elsewhere.
A Bridge Between WorldsKABBALAH
A Bridge Between Worlds
KABBALAH
The Jewish mystical tradition understands the mishkan to have an important metaphysical function. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, views the mishkan as a bridge between the upper and lower realms of the universe.
The Mishkan’s InaugurationCOMMENTARY
The Mishkan’s Inauguration
COMMENTARY
The Torah describes a week-long process of inauguration of the Mishkan. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Judah Berlin, in his 19th-century commentary, Ha'amek Davar, describes the inauguration process and the purpose that lay behind it.
