After all the instructions and
descriptions and collections, the Mishkan is finally ready to be constructed.
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Pekudei, we are given an accounting of all the
materials used in the Mishkan and how they were used. Afterwards, Hashem
instructs Moshe to construct the Mishkan on his own, and precisely details each
step in the process. The pesukim continue showing Moshe following every step to
the letter; and with that, the Mishkan is built and Sefer Shemos ends.
The simple explanation of how the Torah
is broken down is there are 54 weekly portions, what we know as the weekly
parsha. However, there are in reality many more parshiyos, which are divided
into two categories: open and closed. Without going into too much of a detailed
explanation, these smaller parshiyos show us how the episodes of the Torah
should be viewed in terms of their connection to each other. With this
understanding, we can now move on to this week’s question.
When Moshe builds the Mishkan, he works
from the inside-out. He starts with the Mishkan building itself, placing the Aron
in the Kodesh Kedoshim and the other utensils in the Kodesh, and then the (mini)
parsha ends before he moves on to the courtyard. Now, the Mishkan had three
walls plus a little bit more on the fourth side. In order to block the opening
to the Kodesh, there was a screen/curtain placed in front of the fourth side.
You would expect this screen to be a part of the construction of the Mishkan
building, but this is seemingly not the case.
In Perek 40 Pasuk 27, we see Moshe place
the last of the utensils, the Golden Mizbe’ach, in the Kodesh. This ends a
closed parsha. The Torah then begins a new parsha, “וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת
מָסַךְ הַפֶּתַח לַמִּשְׁכָּן. וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה שָׂם פֶּתַח מִשְׁכַּן
אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד” “He placed the screen for the entrance of the Mishkan. The
alter of the burnt offering he placed in front of the entrance of the Mishkan of
the Tent of Meeting…” (Shemos 40:28-29). This parsha begins a series of
pesukim and parshiyos where Moshe sets up the courtyard of the Mishkan. But the
parsha begins in a strange way, with the placing of the curtain hiding the
entrance to the Mishkan. Why would this pasuk be here? We would expect it at
the end of the previous parsha where Moshe finishes setting up the Mishkan; why
is it part of the construction of the courtyard?
I believe this pasuk
placement teaches us a wonderful idea. There are two ways to look at a front
door. Either it’s for the people inside to protect themselves against the
outside, or it’s for the people outside to protect what is within. Not everyone
could go inside the Mishkan structure. In order to protect its’ purity and
holiness, only the Kohanim could go inside, and only to take care of the day’s
chores. But what was the attitude towards this protection? Was it meant to keep
the ‘less-pure’ out? Or perhaps it was meant for the people to appreciate the
holiness among them, and keep that purity…pure.
This is what the Torah
is teaching us by placing the hanging of the curtain of the Mishkan together
with the setting up of the courtyard. Moshe is standing outside the Kodesh.
When he looks in from the courtyard, he sees the holy utensils used every day
to bring kedusha into this world. Looking past them, he sees the entrance to
the Kodesh Kedoshim with the Aron HaKodesh behind the curtain, the holiest room
in the world; the place where Hashem brings His Shechinah down in this world
and dispenses blessing upon us. This building, this holy structure and its even
holier contents must be kept pure. So the curtain is put up, cutting off the
visual of the Mishkan, while also allowing that holiness to begin and continue
to shine on the Bnei Yisrael.
Shabbat Shalom!
Chazak Chazak V’Nischazek!
Click here for last year's Dvar Torah & Podcast for Parshas Pekudei
Click here to listen this this week's Podcast (Also available on Apple Podcasts)
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