The sequence of the next few parashot outlines the construction of the Tabernacle. Why so long? why is the making of the Mishkan in the book of Exodus at all?
The Moody Blues said it well: “And when you stop & think about it, you won’t believe it’s true: That all the love you’ve been giving, has all been meant for you". But they weren’t the first to say it...
Human beings are very possessive when it comes to money. Heaven therefore placed a great burden on our teacher Moshe when it required him to ask the Jewish people to part with their wealth to build a holy Tabernacle.
In this week's Parsha, we are commanded to build the temple. According to the Rambam, we should first appoint a king, then destroy Amalek, and then build the temple.
Our haftara begins with the statement that Hashem gave wisdom to Shlomo as he had promised (Melachim I, 5:26). The navi actually mentions Shlomo’s wisdom in several p’sukim in this section, stating that he was wiser than other famous wise men and that his wisdom was well-known throughout the world (ibid. 9-11). The wisdom being discussed is “universal” wisdom (the word being connected to the institution of a university), which was studied in the leading academic centers throughout the Middle East.
What was the goal of the building of the Mishkan and the means of reaching it? We see clearly from the crucial pasuk (Shemot 25:8) that the means is “You shall make for Me a sanctuary” and the goal is “and I shall dwell in their midst,” with the stress on their midst and not just the midst of the sanctuary. We propose the assertion that the Mikdash serves to unite the nation, especially those who came thrice annually to visit it. One could argue that the reason for visiting Yerushalayim is just to take part in the goings-on in the Mikdash. However, we posit that the unity reached is that which made it possible to have the Divine Presence dwell on the people. Unity is an ends and not just a means.
