Shalom everyone and thank you for joining me for the study of Parashat Pkudei, the last Parshah in Sefer Shmot in the book of Exodus. So, what I would like to do today is to try to understand really how the Mishkan, the tabernacle, is in a way the model that was revealed to us on Har Sinai, on Mount Sinai. But in order to do it, in order to build this idea, let's start with the following Pasuk. The Torah says, all the commandments that Hashem commended Moshe, can Asubne Israel et kol Aavoda. So the Jewish people, Am Israel, the nation of Israel, did exactly what Hashem told Moshe to do, kol a avoda. So look at this word avuda, which means work, W-O-R-K. And Moshe saw the entire melacha, not avuda, we will translate it in a second. So they did it exactly the way he commended them. So immediately, when we see this pasuk, we see that there seems to be that there is some kind of difference or discrepancy between the first verse and the second pasuk, the second verse. In the first pasuk it says avoda, which means walk. The second verse it says melacha. What is the difference between avoda and melacha? So before we even continue to start discussing it, there is something that we need to know regarding the Hebrew language. The Hebrew language can, in a way, define an object or a phenomena or a reality with using a specific word that described it. For example, the word avvoda, which means walk, is come from the word avdut, more like a physical labor that a person does without too much thinking. However, the word melecha comes from the word melch, king, someone who is more creative, someone who can think. So not necessarily walking labor, physical labor, but it might be more of a spiritual creativity or some kind of a vision. So if that's true, and let's have it in mind, so it seems to be that the two psukim, the two verses are talking about two different things, even though they are talking about the same object, which is the Mishkan, the tabernacle. You can look at the Mishkan from the physic, the physicality of it, the technical details, the way it was structured, and then you can look at the Mishkan, at the tabernacle, as a melecha, as a project, as something that has much more than just the details and the materials that were used. So let's see how the commentators deal with these two psukim. So the Ramban Nachmanadis said the following, Vi ikraena avodah. So the first verse talked about avoda, which we will call it physical labor, Lomar come to teach you, ki asur talatasheman, that the nation of Israel completed the Mishkan in order to serve God. Similar to the avadetem et ashemokeem, the otota avodu, which means God says to you, I ask you, I demand of you to do A, B, and C, and we do A, B, and C, which means Avodah, it's something very specific, very rigid. You do it, you do exactly what I say, no creativity on your end, no thinking, no vision, just do what I told you. Vitahenshiomaban cola avoda al-a keilim. And he says, the Ramban, maybe the word avoda refers to all the kailim, all the utensils, all the vessels that really had to be followed to the end result of it, which means if I told you two meters by one meter, if I told you it needs to be copper, you cannot change anything. But after that he mentioned, meaning the narrative mentioned, so according to Ramban Nachmanadis, it seems to be that you need to look at the Mishkan from two different perspectives. The first aspect or the first perspective is the details, the importance of details. Everything needs to be exactly like what God said to Moshe, and Moshe told the Jewish people. However, there is an additional component to the Mishkan, the entire project. How do you take all those little details? How do you take all these little thoughts that Hashem had and you put it as a melha, as a big project, and you see the big picture? Moshe was able to see the big picture. The nation of Israel were able to raise themselves to see the details, but they couldn't really raise themselves to the level of Moshe yet. So that's according to Ramban. Rashi says, and Moshe gave them a blessing. Amalahemi told them, Yehira Tzon, may it be God's will. Which means what you did with your hands, the vessels, the utensils, the mishkan that you built with your own hands, may it be that it will not just be details, but it will have the meaning, which is Ashra'achina, to have the divine presence dwell among us. The Khatam Sufeo, Rabbi Moshe Sufe has a different take on these two psukim. And he says the following. So he has a totally different perspective than Ramban and Rashi. He claims that the melacha, which was mentioned in the second Pasuk, is basically about the people who built the Mishkan. The melacha, the work that they did. So what is Avoda? The Avodah, the physical labor, was the donations, were the contributions that the Jewish people gave towards building the Mishkan. This is something that you need to work on yourself. To give charity, to give tzdaka, to give a donation. This is some kind of work that you need to do, not externally, rather internally. And therefore he says, Shundava before. This is an incredible insight into the thought of the people who brought the donations, which means Moses saw all the melechah. He was able to see, says the Khatam Sophail, the entire project being built, but he could not know what was in the heart of hearts of the people who brought the donations, who contribute towards the Mishkan. Did they give their money, their donation with a full heart, with a pure heart? Or just that people will say, Oh wow, did you see how much this Mr. So-and-so gave, or how much Mrs. So-and-so gave? Moshe was not able to see the purity of each donation. And therefore he says, So Moshe was not able to really recognize and to identify if this donation was pure and this one was not. But then, when the narrative itself testifies that the Mishkan was built exactly like God's intent and will, Mizemuhach, Sheha Nidvata Mint Nadvim Bilibama Tahoe. The Ilav Hy, Loyuzahimose Amelacha, Shem Shlucha Zibur, Ligmo, Kolamelacha, Blipik Puck, which means if it was not, if the reality was that the donations were not given with pure heart and pure intent, God would not allow the completion of the Mishkan. From the fact that the Mishkan, the tabernacle, was completed and God says, That's exactly what I wanted, Moshe knew retroactively that all the donations and all the contributions that were given to the Mishkan were given with a pure heart. And then he says, Otam moshe. So take a look. I will go back to the Psukim. And it says, Now let's read the Psukim based on Ramban, Rashi, and then Khatam Sophir. So Ramban and Rashi says, everything that Hashem commanded Moshe. This is exactly what the nation of Israel did at Kola Avoda, which means all the details, all the vessels, all the utensils, the table, the menorah, the altar. And then Moshe sees the entire project, and then he gave them a blessing. That's Ramban and Rashi. Chattam Sophel says no. The Jewish people brought all the donations. That was the Avoda. That's how they initiated the project. If you remember from previous Parashot, Hashem asked the Jewish people, the Khulli Trumah, they should take for me a trumah, a donation. And most of the commentators basically suggested the idea that it took some time and efforts to give money, to depart from your own money and to give it to something else. That's called avoda. You had to work on yourself. And then, says Khatam Sufer, Moshe sees the entire melacha, which is the project of the tabernacle, but he is not sure. He's not sure if it was really built with pure heart. Because Moshe, who is a very insightful sage, he basically looks at the Mishkan and says, I know the purpose of the Mishkan. The purpose of the Mishkan is to have the divine presence dwell among this project, this item. Because if not, it's just a building. But I, says Moshe, I cannot know if those donations were given with pure heart. But then, says the Khatam Sopha, where the Pasuk, when the verse says, and they did it, when Moshe sees that Hashem gives his kosher certification, meaning he says, This is exactly what I meant, then Moshe gave a blessing to the Jewish people and says, Now I know that the divine presence will dwell within this tabernacle, within this Mishkan. I think that the Khatam Sufer's explanation, unlike Ramban and Rashi, gives us a different insight into the dedication of the Jewish people. There is one way to give a donation with seeking a little bit of honor or maybe recognition. But the Jewish people, everyone, not only the elite group, every person of Am Israel, of the nation of Israel who gave a donation, basically did it for only one purpose. And one purpose alone. God asked me to do it. We are going to build something amazing for us. We need to give donation with a pure heart. Not that I will get any recognition or any cavod honor or a plaque. I'm doing that because that's what God wants for me to do. Which means Am Israel, the nation of Israel, were able to raise themselves to be people who have no agenda, but doing that for Shem Shamaim for the sake of heaven. Then after the Mishkan was completed, the Torah states the following Elef Kudehan Mishkan Edut Asha Pukadal Pimoshea Vodataleviim beyadi itamarben a harona koyen. Which means this are Pkudeha Mishkan. Pkude means to count, meaning Moshe is going to give you a count of an account of what was done with all the donations. But it says if you look carefully at this Pasuk, there is something, there is one word which means which seems superfluous, which is Mishkan. This is the account of the Mishkan. The Pasuk could have said, Elef kude mishkan aidut. Why do I need Mishkan Mishkan twice? So Rashi, one of the most famous commentators on the Torah, Rabish Lamoitzhaki from France in the 11th century, says the following. So Rashi, on behalf of our sages, he quotes what our sages said. He says it says Mishkan twice, because it's not really about this Mishkan, it's about the Beit Mikdash, the temple that we're going to build. And we're going to build the first one in the time of King Solomon, and it will be destroyed by the Babylonians. And then we will build another one, starting with Ezra, the scribe, and it will be destroyed by the Romans. So that's why the Torah says Mishkan twice, to give us a hint of what will happen later on in the future. What does it mean? The Mishkan of testimony, testimony for what? Says Rashi, Edutli Israel. It's a testimony for the Jewish people. Now, according to Rashi, we have something very interesting. Elef Kudeha Mishkan, Mishkan, that's how he reads the Pasuk. This is the account of the Mishkan, Mishkan twice. This Pasuk, this description, does not talk really about this Mishkan that we are building. Because this Mishkan was never destroyed, it was just hidden. We are talking really about the temples, the Betamiddash. One in the time of King Solomon was built and later destroyed, and one with Ezra described that was built and then later destroyed. So what about this Mishkan? Ah, this Mishkan serves as a testimony that God would love to dwell among us despite what we did with Chetahegel, with the golden calf, immediately after receiving the Torah on Harsinai. Think about it. And in a way, after we read Parashat Kitisa and we read about the golden calf, we ourselves were a little worried what kind of relationship God would like to have with us. And the Mishkan, according to Rashi, is in a way a testimony that not only that Hashem forgave us, he wants to be again with us. This is a tremendous comfort. Because the golden calf was a terrible desecration of the name of God. Terrible transgression. But Hashem not only forget, Hashem that not only forgave us, he would love to continue to be with us. So that's according to Rashi, which means if we take it one step further, Hashem revealed himself on Hal Sinai on Mount Sinai once. After the Golden Kh, after the sin of the Golden Kh. Hashem is going to reveal himself to us on a daily basis within us to everyone. The Mishkan is a continuation of Hars Sinai, of the revelation on Mount Sinai. Little bit less uh, I will say, less uh beautiful or less wonderful, like on Hars Sinai, that you have the smoke and the voices and the sounds and the shofar. Things are going to be a little bit more quiet, but they are going to be constant. They are going to be really on a daily basis. Just imagine that. You are in a camp, you are journeying in the desert, you have the Mishkan in the middle of the camp, and in that Mishkan, you know that Hashem himself, his divine presence, is within you. Everything you do, you just raise your eyes and you see the Mishkan and you see God. You don't need to have emotion climbing up and down Mount Sinai. You don't need the voices and the sounds and the shofar. It's in front of you. That's according to Rashi. However, Rashi, based on our sages, created something that needs to be analyzed. That basically he says Mishkan, which is the tabernacle, can also be used or interpreted as the Mikdash, the temple that was built many. years later. What is the difference between Mishkan, the Tabernacle, and Mikdash? Rabbi Ovadi Asfono, an Italian commentator from the 16th century, says the following. Rabovadias Fono says the Torah describes, delineates the uniqueness of the tabernacle. And this is why the tabernacle was never destroyed. After the Beta Mikdash, the temple was built, it was hidden, but it was never destroyed. Why? What's the uniqueness of the Mishkan? So first says the Sfono, Shaya Mishkana edut, Shayubo Luchotaed. The first thing is it's because that the tablets of testimony, which means the tablets that Moshe received on Halsinai, the broken one and the complete one, that's what the Talmud, the Babylonian Talmud says in tracted Baba Batra, page 14, that the broken tablets and the complete tablets were in the ark in the Mishkan. So that was a testimony that God gave us something, Moshe broke it and God again gave us the same thing. Just imagine how much love God has for us. Second, that this Mishkan was a commandment by God to Moshe, Moshe to the people. Moshe is the ultimate prophet. So that's a second uniqueness or second component of the uniqueness of the tabernacle. And the third one is the first one, the third one is that the one in charge was Itamar ben Aharona Kohen, Itamar ben Lazar ben Aaron He was Aaron's grandson and he was a very special personality. And who were the builders of the Mishkan? Betzal from the tribe of Yehuda. All other special people, some special women, all of them joined together and they were people with wisdom, with insight that when they did something it was not just doing it. They didn't just create a cup, a glass they created something much more meaningful than that. They were able to imbue meaning in the vessels, in the utensils. So there are four components to the uniqueness of the Mishkan. First, the tablets and the broken tablets were inside it was commanded by Moshe. The manager was Itamal and the people who walked in the Mishkan were all tzadikim, all righteous special people. Aval Mikdash Lomo however King Solomon's temple, that the workers were not the most righteous people. They were workers from Lebanon King Solomon brought foreign workers to build the the Mikdash even though the divine presence dwelt dwelt in the Mishkan in the Miqdash that King Solomon built. And he says when you look at the first temple they always had to fix something something was broken, something didn't work they need to fix something. And also at the end it was destroyed the Mishkan never. The Mishkan stood for 40 years in the desert and then later on until the first temple was built hundreds of years and you didn't need to fix anything. There was some kind of ness some kind of a miracle in the Mishkan and the Sfono attributes it to what we said before to the four components that made the Mishkan so unique. And what about Baitcheni? What about the second temple? In the second temple we know that really the tablets were not there. And also who made the commandment to build the second temple? And the Levites were not involved and therefore the second temple also was destroyed. So let's pause here for just a second there is something very interesting in what Rabbi Ovadias Forno said he compared the Mishkan and the Mikdash and he basically says look there is a difference even though the Mishkan is a little tent not that impressive definitely like not unlike what King Solomon built or later on Hordus Herod built something that even the rabbis commented that if you didn't see the temple that Herod built you'd never saw a beautiful building in your life. It's all true but this is the uniqueness of the Mishkan it's not about the external beauty. It's not about even the aesthetics the colors of the Mishkan were very it was very colorful. Not necessarily to everyone's taste but it's not about the external appearance it's about the content it's about how it was built and here I am going to merge the Khatam sofer from Hungary and Rabbovadia Sfono from Italy. The Khatam Sofel spoke about the purity of heart when you give a donation to the Mishkan the Sforno spoke about the uniqueness of the Mishkan because of who built it people with pure heart. When the Torah was given at Sinai I'm sure that there were people who were smarter than the others but it was not about wisdom it was about your heart it was about all the people saying with pure heart. Basically what Ravavadya's forno says King Solomon's Bet Migdash was larger nicer much more beautiful even had the tablets and the broken tablets and the ark and the cherubim and everything but still it was destroyed the Mishkan never because the divine presence which was muddled after what was revealed to us on Hal Sinai it will never cease will never cease will never stop it's eternal for Am Israel for the nation of Israel forever basically the Mishkan is almost like reaccepting the Torah every day not on Halsinai even not in the Mishkan but in the Mishkan in our hearts the Mishkan that dwells in our hearts the Torah continues anannet oil mued the cloud God's glory covered the entire tent of meeting which is oil muhed which is the tabernacle and the glory of God fills up the Mishkan to what extent Moshe cannot enter the tabernacle because the glory of God the cloud the glory of God dwells in the Mishkan and there is no space even for Moshe Mishkan again twice in the same in two verses the glory of God fills up the entire Mishkan there is no space now before we see the Ramban I need to pause here digress here for a second and comment a little bit about what does it mean that Moshe couldn't go in. Moshe is the ultimate prophet he talks to God face to face the thing is the idea is that in order for a human being to have some kind of communication with God so to speak in a way God needs to take a little bit of a step back to allow a human being to raise himself to a level that he can communicate with Hashem I will give you an example of something totally different. When you have a person who is a very overwhelming person it's like incredible personality comes into the room most of the people become very shy it's very hard for them to express themselves because this person is he's filling up the room with his personality that's the that's the statement we say that's that's what we say about people like that. People feel that they don't have a space so in order for that great personality to be in a room what does he or she needs to do they need to take a little bit of a step back to allow others to express themselves that's exactly what's going on here. Even Moshe couldn't enter the temple the tabernacle the Mishkan the glory of God filled it up and therefore Moshe is waiting. Says the Ramban says Nahmadiskan and the glory of God filled up the Mishkan kitohoma kavod the inner entity of the Mishkan is filled with God's glory. Now take a look at what the Ramban says it's very similar to what it was said when Moshe went to Mount Sinai to receive the Torah El A'Arafel Asher when Moshe climbed up the mountain he went to what? To the Arafel what is Arafel Arafel is fog meaning you are not clear you are like almost going into a cloud and you don't see and you are not being seen and you fade away for a second you disappear and Moshe did the same thing when he went to Mount Sinai he went into the cloud so why here he couldn't he couldn't even go into the entrance to the doortoay anan because now at this time unlike Hal Sinai Mount Sinai that Hashem called Moshe up and he says to him climb up the mountain and come into the cloud here Hashem wants to send a message he basically blocks the tent the tent of meeting he blocks the entrance and Moshe cannot go in the atam and the reason sheloya shut Hashem wanted to send a message even to Moshe no one comes here without permission very much like Harsinai in order to come up there I called you here we build a Mishkan the glory of God covers the Mishkan but Moshe was not called yet when Moshe will be called when Moshe is going to hear this announcement Moshe please come in not this week next week in Parshat Vaikra when we're going to read Vaikra then it will say and Moshe was called by God come into the Mishkan a valikrauto viavobetohanan kaasher asabe harsinai it's going to be exactly like harsinai which means when Hashem thinks that Moshe is ready he's going to call him come in. So Harsina is come up climb the mountain with the tent of meeting with the tabernacle is come in moshe bayomashvimi to anan and that's exactly what happened after the seven days of serving and preparing to be in the Mishkan Hashem is going to call Moshe and say you can come in according to Ramban the similarity between Har Sinai and the Mishkan is very clear and it's not the first time that the Ramban comments on it. The Ramban already comments on it in the beginning of Sephalshmot. He says that the completion of Exodus is not just to get out of Mitzraim get out of Egypt it's not only just to get rid of the slavery and the enslavement it's to receive the Torah it's to have the divine presence dwell among us which is the Mishkan and the last thing is to enter Erat Israel to enter the land of Israel that will be the completion of Exodus and that's when Am Israel the nation of Israel will reach the level of his forefathers Avram Isaac Jacob Sarar Rifkara Kelveleah so according to Ramban the entire idea of the Mishkan the glory the cloud everything even asking Moshe to wait until he hears you can come in it's all basically re-experiencing it's to rejuvenate it's to renew harsinai but not as a one-time event but rather as a constant daily event that every Jew will fill in his and her heart the Orachai Makadosh gives an additional insight male etam the glory of God fills up the mishkan massinai he says when you compare the Mishkan it says it fills it up it's full there is not even one millimeter one centimeter one inch of a space which is free from God's glory and divine presence however he says in harsinai on harsinai near um dash ochelet beroshahar the samuhle vaya vomoshebetokhe anan vayale lahar perush ma kom shamshochen k vodasem. The Orachaim unlike the Ramban says something so creative he says on Hansinai how come that Moshe was able to go into the cloud answer there is the fire and the fire is God's revelation but the Anan the cloud is dafka is specifically a place when God basically left free of divine presence so Moshe can stand there. So Moshe can be there because you can't be at the same time at the same moment with God at the same place. On Harsinaid there was a space for Moshe to be at there was a space without a full glory of God dwell among that space. How large was the space I I don't know but there was an empty space for Moshe to stand at to stand on. However the Mishkan is the highest level of revelation not even one centimeter of empty space which means the Mishkan is the ultimate revelation of God more than Hars Sinai and think about it according to the commentators that claims that the Mishkan the commandment to build the Mishkan was after the Golden Khad think about it. Before the Golden Kh the revelation on Hars Sinai is incredible but still there is an empty space after the Golden Kterish people went through repentance and Hashem saw that they are doing something from a pure heart God's revelation basically was maximized no empty spaces the Rashbam Rash's grandson gives yet an additional component and it says the following what does it mean that the glory of the cloud of Hashem rested upon the tabernacle miyad immediately in order to show how much Hashem loves us. And after that after God had like a maximum revelation to show how much he loves us then the Shinah was basically narrowed down only above the ark. Basically Hashem spoke to Moshe from within the two cherubim the Azba Mushel O El Muedaman Kimalek Vodashem at Betashem Bishatabit Ayaka doshbachobe anan Vakak metsam shinatoala at the time of King Solomon and if you want to see the entire story you can look at Kings chapter 8 the building of the temple by King Solomon and you see that the glory of God fills up the Mikdash the temple and no one can get in until Hashem decides to narrow himself to allow others to come and I think that there is a tremendous lesson in this last Parsha Parashat if you look at the book of Exodus at the beginning we spoke about the Jewish people being enslaved and the ten plagues and then the Exodus all of that was just a premiere for the purpose of Exodus the purpose of Exodus was to convince Am Israel that they are the chosen people they are the chosen nation they receive the Torah they have responsibility they have responsibility for themselves they have responsibility for the other nations what's their responsibility to bring the divine presence into this universe to show everyone first and foremost to themselves and then to the entire world that you can live a daily life with Hashem and Hashem from quote unquote his end he shows once that he can basically leave no space empty from his glory but in order to allow us to partner with him he narrows himself down. So we will have more space so we can Partner with him. When we will recite at the end of Parashat Kudai, as we do at the conclusion of every Khumash, Khazak Chazak Venit Chazak. Maybe be strong and we will get stronger. I think we should have in mind this idea. The Mishkan was not a beautiful building, but the Mishkan had a beautiful lesson. God would love to dwell among us. God would love to have this revelation on Sinai, not only a one-time event, but a daily event that happens in our hearts. Something that we recognize and internalize forever. God. God dwell among us. And more we would love to partner with Him, He will allow us, He will empower us to do it. So once, even Moshe cannot go in. But after that, immediately, God calls Moshe. Now it's your turn. And now it's our turn. Thank you.