Parashat Peḳudei (Exodus 38:21-40:38) פָּרָשַׁת פְּקוּדֵי
INTRODUCTION:
Parashat Peḳudei (Ex. 38:21-40:38) contains the following sidrot:
Seventy-Seventh Sidra՚, the accounting, the making of the vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the making of the vestments for the kohanim, and the diadem;
Seventy-Eighth Sidra՚, the finished work is presented to Moses, the erection of the Mishkan, the cloud and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan.
ANALYSIS:
Seventy-Seventh Sidra՚ (Ex. 38:21-39:32): The accounting, the making of the vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the making of the vestments for the kohanim, and the diadem.
Parashat Peḳudei opens with an account being taken by Moses of the work done on the Mishkan Haՙeduth [מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת - literally; Dwelling of the Testimony] by the Levites under Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen, Beṣal՚el son of ՚Uri son of Ḥur of the tribe of Judah - who made the Mishkan and the vessels, as well as ՚Aholi՚av son of ՚Aḥisamakh of the tribe of Dan - carver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet and byssus. The total amount of gold used in the making of the Mishkan, its implements and their vessels was; 29 kikkar [כִּכָּר - about 34.2 kg or 75 lbs] and 730 sheḳel [שֶׁקֶל - 11.4 grams or 0.4 ounces]. The total amount of silver used - being raised from the census - was; 100 kikkar and 1,775 sheḳel; that is half a sheḳel for every male aged twenty years and upward - equals 603,550 men. The total amount of bronze used was; 70 kikkar and 2,400 sheḳel.
The vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) are the next items to be made. First the ՚Efod which was made from gold, twisted byssus of blue, purple and scarlet yarn; where the gold had been beaten into thin sheets before being cut into threads. Then its two shoulder pieces and the two stones of shoham engraved with the tribes of Israel and set in chequered settings of gold, which were placed on the two shoulder pieces of the ՚Efod. Then the Ḥoshen (breastplate), with four rows of precious and semi-precious stones set in gold, three stones per row and on each one was engraved the name of one of the tribes of Israel. For the two ends of the Ḥoshen was made twisted chains of gold and two gold rings for the chains. The Ḥoshen was then bound to the ՚Efod by the chains and a thread of blue. After the Ḥoshen the blue byssus robe for the ՚Efod was the next vestment to be made. On the skirt of the robe all around its circumference was attached pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and bells of gold; alternating between pomegranate - bell - pomegranate - bell.
Then the vestments for the kohanim, which are worn by all the kohanim including the Kohen Gadol who wears them under the blue byssus robe: the tunics of byssus, wound turban of byssus for the Kohen Gadol and conical hats of byssus for the kohanim, linen breeches, and sashes of twisted byssus of blue, purple and scarlet yarn.
Lastly the Ṣiṣ of gold was made for the wound turban of the Kohen Gadol, upon which was engraved 'Holiness to YHWH'. The Ṣiṣ was attached to the wound turban by a thread of blue. The making of the Mishkan its vessels, implements, and all its components, including the vestments for the Kohen Gadol and the kohanim is now completed.
Seventy-Eighth Sidra՚ (Ex. 39:33-40:38): The finished work is presented to Moses, the erection of the Mishkan, the cloud and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan.
Once the work on the Mishkan is completed the people bring the tent and everything related to the Mishkan that they have made to Moses for inspection. Moses inspects each individual item to make sure that it has been made in accordance with YHWH's instructions. After he had finished inspecting the Mishkan and all its components Moses blesses the people.
YHWH tells Moses that the Mishkan is to be erected on the first day of the First Month; it is now almost a year since the Children of Israel left Egypt, they have been camped at Mount Sinai for almost ten months. YHWH tells Moses where each vessel is to be positioned in the Mishkan. The Ark/Chest of the Testimony is to be behind the veil [פָּרֹכֶת] in the Holy of Holies. The table, menorah and incense altar are to be in the Holy section of the Mishkan. In the courtyard of the Mishkan (also called here; אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - Tent of Appointed Times) is to be placed the altar of ascent-offerings and the basin. The basin is to be filled with water and placed between the Tent of Appointed Times and the altar. Once the Mishkan and its courtyard has been erected, and all the vessels have been placed into position, Moses is to take the anointing oil and anoint the Mishkan and all its vessels; thus making holy the Mishkan and its vessels. Moses is to bring Aaron and his sons to the Tent of Appointed Times and there he is to wash them with water. Aaron is to be clothed in "the holy garments" (Ex. 40:13) and then anointed; thus hallowing him to serve as a priest to YHWH. Next, Aaron's sons are to be clothed in their vestments and are also to be anointed so that they too will be priests to YHWH. Each successive generation descended from Aaron and his sons are also to be anointed for the priesthood. Moses does as YHWH commands him, and the Mishkan is erected, "On the First Month of the second year on the first of the Month" (Ex. 40:17). It is written in the Torah that Moses erected the Mishkan and placed the coverings over the structure etc, however, this does not mean that Moses did these things all by himself but that he oversaw the erection and setting out of the Mishkan.
Once the work of erecting the Mishkan is completed the cloud covers the Tent of Appointed Times and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan. Moses is not able to come into the Tent of Appointed Times because of the cloud dwelling on it and the Glory of YHWH filling it. Whenever the cloud ascended from the Mishkan the Children of Israel would pack-up camp and march on, if the cloud did not ascend they would not proceed with their journey, "For the cloud of YHWH (was) upon the Mishkan by day, and fire, was on it by night; before the eyes of all the House of Israel in all their marches" (Ex. 40:38).
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
Sefer Shemot began with Jacob and his family going down to Egypt. They settle and prosper, but become too complacent in their new life-style and within a couple of generations the Age of Bondage and Servitude takes its hold. The Age of Bondage and Servitude is shattered by YHWH's wonders and great judgments which bring about the Age of Redemption, bringing with it a new life and a new way of being to a battered and oppressed people. The Age of Redemption is but a fleeting moment, a corridor to an even greater age. At Mount Sinai the Glory of YHWH was revealed - heralding the Revelation at Mt. Ḥorev which in turn inaugurates the Age of the Covenant. The Creator of history and Master of all enters into a covenant with a single people - the Children of Israel. The Children of Israel were freed from bondage by the Glory of YHWH, it was the Glory of YHWH that descended upon Mount Sinai, and it was the Glory of YHWH that took up residence in the Miskhan. The cloud by day and fire by night which was upon the Mishkan indicated the presence of the Glory of YHWH. Sefer Shemot concludes with the Glory of YHWH residing in the midst of Israel. However, through the transgressions and iniquities of a later generation the Glory of YHWH departed from the Temple of Jerusalem at the moment of its destruction. Now the Glory of YHWH no longer resides amongst us, for He cannot abide our wanton ways. Nevertheless, when this Age of Divine Disfavour passes and He establishes the Age of Redemption and the Messianic Age, the splendour and Glory of YHWH will once again reside amongst the Children of Israel who will truly become the Children of YHWH:
In that day there shall be a shoot of YHWH, for beauty and for honour; and the fruit of the earth for excellence and for splendour, for the survivors of Israel. And it shall be those that remain in Zion and the residue in Jerusalem, holy they will call him; all who are written for life in Jerusalem. When my Lord shall wash (away) the filth of the daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem He shall cleanse away from its midst; in a spirit of judgement and in a spirit of burning. And YHWH shall create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her places of proclamation a cloud by day and smoke, and brightness of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the honour a canopy. And there shall be a booth for shade by day from heat; and for a shelter and for a hiding place, from downpour and from rain. (Isa. 4:2-6)
Parashat Peḳudei (Ex. 38:21-40:38) contains the following sidrot:
Seventy-Seventh Sidra՚, the accounting, the making of the vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the making of the vestments for the kohanim, and the diadem;
Seventy-Eighth Sidra՚, the finished work is presented to Moses, the erection of the Mishkan, the cloud and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan.
ANALYSIS:
Seventy-Seventh Sidra՚ (Ex. 38:21-39:32): The accounting, the making of the vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the making of the vestments for the kohanim, and the diadem.
Parashat Peḳudei opens with an account being taken by Moses of the work done on the Mishkan Haՙeduth [מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת - literally; Dwelling of the Testimony] by the Levites under Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen, Beṣal՚el son of ՚Uri son of Ḥur of the tribe of Judah - who made the Mishkan and the vessels, as well as ՚Aholi՚av son of ՚Aḥisamakh of the tribe of Dan - carver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet and byssus. The total amount of gold used in the making of the Mishkan, its implements and their vessels was; 29 kikkar [כִּכָּר - about 34.2 kg or 75 lbs] and 730 sheḳel [שֶׁקֶל - 11.4 grams or 0.4 ounces]. The total amount of silver used - being raised from the census - was; 100 kikkar and 1,775 sheḳel; that is half a sheḳel for every male aged twenty years and upward - equals 603,550 men. The total amount of bronze used was; 70 kikkar and 2,400 sheḳel.
The vestments for the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) are the next items to be made. First the ՚Efod which was made from gold, twisted byssus of blue, purple and scarlet yarn; where the gold had been beaten into thin sheets before being cut into threads. Then its two shoulder pieces and the two stones of shoham engraved with the tribes of Israel and set in chequered settings of gold, which were placed on the two shoulder pieces of the ՚Efod. Then the Ḥoshen (breastplate), with four rows of precious and semi-precious stones set in gold, three stones per row and on each one was engraved the name of one of the tribes of Israel. For the two ends of the Ḥoshen was made twisted chains of gold and two gold rings for the chains. The Ḥoshen was then bound to the ՚Efod by the chains and a thread of blue. After the Ḥoshen the blue byssus robe for the ՚Efod was the next vestment to be made. On the skirt of the robe all around its circumference was attached pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and bells of gold; alternating between pomegranate - bell - pomegranate - bell.
Then the vestments for the kohanim, which are worn by all the kohanim including the Kohen Gadol who wears them under the blue byssus robe: the tunics of byssus, wound turban of byssus for the Kohen Gadol and conical hats of byssus for the kohanim, linen breeches, and sashes of twisted byssus of blue, purple and scarlet yarn.
Lastly the Ṣiṣ of gold was made for the wound turban of the Kohen Gadol, upon which was engraved 'Holiness to YHWH'. The Ṣiṣ was attached to the wound turban by a thread of blue. The making of the Mishkan its vessels, implements, and all its components, including the vestments for the Kohen Gadol and the kohanim is now completed.
Seventy-Eighth Sidra՚ (Ex. 39:33-40:38): The finished work is presented to Moses, the erection of the Mishkan, the cloud and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan.
Once the work on the Mishkan is completed the people bring the tent and everything related to the Mishkan that they have made to Moses for inspection. Moses inspects each individual item to make sure that it has been made in accordance with YHWH's instructions. After he had finished inspecting the Mishkan and all its components Moses blesses the people.
YHWH tells Moses that the Mishkan is to be erected on the first day of the First Month; it is now almost a year since the Children of Israel left Egypt, they have been camped at Mount Sinai for almost ten months. YHWH tells Moses where each vessel is to be positioned in the Mishkan. The Ark/Chest of the Testimony is to be behind the veil [פָּרֹכֶת] in the Holy of Holies. The table, menorah and incense altar are to be in the Holy section of the Mishkan. In the courtyard of the Mishkan (also called here; אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - Tent of Appointed Times) is to be placed the altar of ascent-offerings and the basin. The basin is to be filled with water and placed between the Tent of Appointed Times and the altar. Once the Mishkan and its courtyard has been erected, and all the vessels have been placed into position, Moses is to take the anointing oil and anoint the Mishkan and all its vessels; thus making holy the Mishkan and its vessels. Moses is to bring Aaron and his sons to the Tent of Appointed Times and there he is to wash them with water. Aaron is to be clothed in "the holy garments" (Ex. 40:13) and then anointed; thus hallowing him to serve as a priest to YHWH. Next, Aaron's sons are to be clothed in their vestments and are also to be anointed so that they too will be priests to YHWH. Each successive generation descended from Aaron and his sons are also to be anointed for the priesthood. Moses does as YHWH commands him, and the Mishkan is erected, "On the First Month of the second year on the first of the Month" (Ex. 40:17). It is written in the Torah that Moses erected the Mishkan and placed the coverings over the structure etc, however, this does not mean that Moses did these things all by himself but that he oversaw the erection and setting out of the Mishkan.
Once the work of erecting the Mishkan is completed the cloud covers the Tent of Appointed Times and the Glory of YHWH fills the Mishkan. Moses is not able to come into the Tent of Appointed Times because of the cloud dwelling on it and the Glory of YHWH filling it. Whenever the cloud ascended from the Mishkan the Children of Israel would pack-up camp and march on, if the cloud did not ascend they would not proceed with their journey, "For the cloud of YHWH (was) upon the Mishkan by day, and fire, was on it by night; before the eyes of all the House of Israel in all their marches" (Ex. 40:38).
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
Sefer Shemot began with Jacob and his family going down to Egypt. They settle and prosper, but become too complacent in their new life-style and within a couple of generations the Age of Bondage and Servitude takes its hold. The Age of Bondage and Servitude is shattered by YHWH's wonders and great judgments which bring about the Age of Redemption, bringing with it a new life and a new way of being to a battered and oppressed people. The Age of Redemption is but a fleeting moment, a corridor to an even greater age. At Mount Sinai the Glory of YHWH was revealed - heralding the Revelation at Mt. Ḥorev which in turn inaugurates the Age of the Covenant. The Creator of history and Master of all enters into a covenant with a single people - the Children of Israel. The Children of Israel were freed from bondage by the Glory of YHWH, it was the Glory of YHWH that descended upon Mount Sinai, and it was the Glory of YHWH that took up residence in the Miskhan. The cloud by day and fire by night which was upon the Mishkan indicated the presence of the Glory of YHWH. Sefer Shemot concludes with the Glory of YHWH residing in the midst of Israel. However, through the transgressions and iniquities of a later generation the Glory of YHWH departed from the Temple of Jerusalem at the moment of its destruction. Now the Glory of YHWH no longer resides amongst us, for He cannot abide our wanton ways. Nevertheless, when this Age of Divine Disfavour passes and He establishes the Age of Redemption and the Messianic Age, the splendour and Glory of YHWH will once again reside amongst the Children of Israel who will truly become the Children of YHWH:
In that day there shall be a shoot of YHWH, for beauty and for honour; and the fruit of the earth for excellence and for splendour, for the survivors of Israel. And it shall be those that remain in Zion and the residue in Jerusalem, holy they will call him; all who are written for life in Jerusalem. When my Lord shall wash (away) the filth of the daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem He shall cleanse away from its midst; in a spirit of judgement and in a spirit of burning. And YHWH shall create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her places of proclamation a cloud by day and smoke, and brightness of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the honour a canopy. And there shall be a booth for shade by day from heat; and for a shelter and for a hiding place, from downpour and from rain. (Isa. 4:2-6)
