Please note: Candle Lighting and Shabbat Ending information are at the bottom of this messageParsha Summary Parshas Pekudei begins with an accounting of the gold, silver and copper that theJewish people contributed to the building of the mishkan (tabernacle). The Torah details the making of the bigdei kehuna - the priestly vestments worn by the kohanim (priests) while serving in the mishkan. After all the vessels and garments are completed, G-d tells Moshe where to place each item in the mishkan. Moshe sets up the mishkan, and G-d's glory rests upon it. This completes the book of Exodus. It chronicles the formation of the Jewish Nation, from our enslavement in Egypt to our miraculous redemption when we became G-d's chosen nation. We received the Torah - documenting our personal and national missions - at Mt. Sinai, and built the mishkan, a resting place for G-d's glory in the midst of the Jewish Nation. We read an additional passage this week, called Parshas Shekalim, found in the opening verses of Parshas Ki Sisa. The Torah details the commandment that each person donate a half-shekel coin to the Temple,a process that took place at this time of the year when the Temple stood in Jerusalem. Doing as Told When the Jewish artisans completed the mishkan, Moshe made one last inspection. When he ascertained that they had completed it exactly as G-d wished it, he blessed them. It’s interesting that the Torah finds it especially noteworthy that the artisans constructed the mishkan exactly as G-d willed. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch comments that ordinarily, when artisans work on a project they are inclined to add their own flair to it – a personal touch that tells everybody exactly who worked on it. While that may be standard fare, it wasn’t acceptable in the mishkan. The mishkan was to be G-d’s house; therefore, it was to be built according to G-d’s specific expectations. And the Jews who built it were to follow His plan to the letter. For giving up the opportunity to impose their personal aesthetic and instead, exactly following the plan given to them, these craftsmen received a special blessing. This highlights an important aspect of Judaism. We don’t perform the mitzvos in the manner that we personally see fit, but rather as G-d sees fit for us. We follow His plans, and we receive eternal reward for doing so. The mishkan was the place where Jews came for spiritual elevation. Each time they entered and noticed its unique structure, they were once again reminded of this lesson. Just as the Jewish artisans who worked on it followed orders, not adding anything of their own, our adherence to Judaism must follow that same pattern: fulfilling the mitzvos as G-d has commanded, not according to our own whims. Suppose someone would want to use a different type of matzah to enhance the upcoming seder menu. Rather than the standard flour and water, this matzah would have more ingredients. True, it might taste better and be more enjoyable to eat, perhaps making for a better seder experience, but it wouldn’t allow us to fulfill the Biblical obligation of eating matzah. The same rule applies to all mitzvos. We perform them as G-d wishes, not as we see fit. May we all possess the wisdom and fortitude to follow the Torah’s dictates of how to perform the mitzvos, so we can all benefit from the infinite reward that G-d has promised to us.
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