PARSHAS VAYAKHEL:

This week’s Sedra opens by telling us that Moshe Rabeinu assembled all of Klal-Yisroel. Moshe Rabeinu did so in order to instruct Am-Yisroel to give for the building of the Mishkan. The Ramban points out that when the Torah stipulates that the nation was assembled it is indicating that the entire nation was present – men and women alike (and it would stand to reason the children as well). Moshe Rabeinu first instructs them to work for six days on constructing the Mishkan and then to refrain from all work on the seventh day. After this minor interlude of Shabbos Moshe Rabeinu continues to list all the various materials needed for all the objects that need to be constructed and all the objects that need to be constructed.

Why did Moshe Rabeinu’s instructions need to be relayed at a moment of Hakehel – Assembly? Furthermore, why does the Torah need to make mention of the fact that this was said when the entire nation was present?

Why does the not go into a detailed list of how precisely all the vessels were to be made, and instead has Moshe Rabeinu merely listing all the objects? One would think that the Torah would either once again delve into all the detail or, alternately, just list the materials needed – and then follow that up with an explanation that all these items are necessary to construct all the objects and vessels of the Mishkan. What is the meaning of this compromise of mentioning everything, but without any detail?

The Meiri (in his preface to Tractate Midos) explains that every vessel and every inch in the Mishkan – and later in the two temples – served somehow to influence Klal-Yisroel through their being able simply to see them. The Meiri goes further in saying that even discussing their dimensions influenced people.

We know that hearing something is generally considered by the Torah as if the ‘hearer’ himself utters whatever was said. Thus perhaps the mere mention of each vessel and each part of the Mishkan had an impact on Klal-Yisroel. It is therefore for that reason that the Torah stressed the importance of the entire Am-Yisroel being assembled to hear Moshe Rabeinu’s mere rendition of all the parts and props of the Mishkan.

Talking about holy things has a holy impact on a person and so too even hearing holy things has equally as great an impact. As such it is really important to make sure that everything we even listen to should be appropriate for us to hear.

PARSHAS PEKUDEI:

Parshas Pekudei starts off by imparting the instructions of the Mishkan that were given by Moshe Rabeinu. Why does the Passuk need to specify that these were the instructions given by Moshe Rabeinu, why doesn’t it just say these are the instructions of Hashem given by Moshe Rabeinu? Or better yet, these were the instructions of the Mishkan? What does the Torah need to specify that these instructions were given by Moshe Rabeinu at all? (See Targum Yonosson that seems to be bothered by this issue.)

It seems very clear that the Torah is emphasizing that Moshe Rabeinu – and he alone – relayed to us the instructions of the Mishkan. Perhaps this is precisely what the Torah is trying to tell us. Sometimes it’s not a question of what or how something is said, but of who said it.

Klal-Yisroel donated generously to the building of the Mishkan – but they had also done the same for the Eigel Hazahav. Moshe Rabeinu hadn’t. Moshe Rabeinu always stayed entirely pure, and Moshe Rabeinu’s intentions were always entirely pure.

Had anyone else instructed Klal-Yisroel as to how to build the Mishkan it may have sounded right, but it could also have resulted in another Eigel.

We may be offered advice from all sorts of people and the advice may sound right, but we still have to evaluate if the advice is coming from the right person.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski