VOLUME 109 NUMBER 10
Adar 2 5, 5784
March 15, 2024
PARSHAS PEKUDEI
Candlelighting Time 6:49 PM
Chasam Sofer cites Rabbeinu Bachya that the length of duration of the first and second Beis Hamikdash is alluded to in the beginning of this parsha. The opening verse states that these are the accountings of ‘the Mishkan’ the ‘Mishkan of Testimony.’ The words ‘the Mishkan’ in Hebrew is one word ‘HaMishkan’ which using ‘Gematriya’ the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters equals 415 and since there are five letters in that word that total sum is 420, the span of time of the second Beis Hamikdash. The next word ‘Mishkan’ has a numerical equivalent of its Hebrew letters totaling 410, the period of the first Beis Hamikdash. The word ‘Testimony’ has a numerical equivalent of its Hebrew letters that is 489 (without the vav in that word) which is the amount of the time after the construction of the Mishkan until the building of the first Beis Hamikdash. Chasam Sofer questions why in alluding to the second Beis Hamikdash we have to add the five letters in addition to the numerical equivalence of the word. He answers that it indicates that there were five special components missing in the second Beis Hamikdash. Certainly, an incredible display of the hidden meanings in words of the Torah. However, there is another question that needs to be posed. Why is this allusion mentioned here in this week’s parsha and not earlier when the Torah discusses the building of the Mishkan? Both this parsha and earlier we were discussing the Mishkan so why not allude to this before? Furthermore, why is the second Beis Hamikdash referred to before the second one? Shouldn’t these allusions have followed a chronological order?
Sforno describes in great detail that the different vessels in the Mishkan were everlasting. They were never destroyed or captured by the enemy which did occur to the vessels of the Beis Hamikdash. He opines in great length the reason for this. The tablets that Moshe brought down from Mt. Sinai were contained in the Aron and great, noble people such as Moshe and Betzalel were involved in the minutiae of the building of the Mishkan. He also stresses that the vessels used in the Mishkan were independently detailed when the Mishkan is discussed in the Torah. That denotes the special quality of these important components of the Mishkan and authenticates their significance. Hence, their exalted prominence promoted their ongoing existence. The first Beis Hamikdash was not built exclusively by our nation but rather we employed non-Jews to construct it. This absolutely diminished the prominence of the Beis Hamikdash. Therefore, when the enemy came they were able to destroy and actually withhold certain vessels of the Beis Hamikdash. Although the craftsmen produced the vessels to be used in an extremely sanctified manner which certainly upgraded the status of those vessels, nonetheless, their creation under conditions which were not as hallowed as in the Mishkan led to their termination. We see the significance of participation when we build a structure which is to ‘house’ the Divine Presence. And the second Beis Hamikdash was lacking five vital components which, of course, served to further moderate its distinction. That’s why this lesson was imparted now and not before as the Torah in this parsha stresses those who impacted the construction of the Mishkan.
Possibly the second Beis Hamikdash is alluded to first because the Torah wanted to demonstrate the contrast between the Mishkan, the most fully spiritually equipped repository of the Divine Presence and the second Beis Hamikdash which was deficient in that the Divine Presence was not extant during its tenure. This provides us with a glimpse of the glory of the Mishkan and its superiority when compared with the two Batei Mikdash. Certainly, this provides us with a glimpse of the extraordinary importance of our actions and how we can focus on improving them.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS’
The Mishkan was referred to as the ‘Testimonial’ structure because it demonstrated the generosity of the nation that they gave willingly to build this important edifice and their donations were exactly what was needed. Their munificence was the real building block of the Mishkan.
S’FAS EMES
GOOD SHABBOS
ALTHOUGH THIS SHABBOS HAS NO PARTICULAR NAME AS THE PREVIOUS ONE OR THE FOLLOWING. HOWEVER, PERHAPS WE MAY SUGGEST IN VIEW OF THE DIFFICULT SITUATION OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL, THAT WE KEEP IN MIND THE CONCEPT OF DONATION, WHICH WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THE HALF-SHEKEL CONTRIBUTION OF LAST WEEK, AND THE FORTHCOMING SHABBOS BEFORE PURIM WHICH REMINDS US OF THE ATTACK ON OUR NATION COORDINATED BY HAMAN THAT OUR SALVATION WILL COME AS WE STAND TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE NEEDY AND ESPECIALLY OUR PEOPLE IN ISRAEL.