|
| Home » Writings, Speeches, Broadcasts » Covenant & Conversation » 5770 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Top of Page |
| Vayakhel-Pekudei 5770 |
| 13/3/2010 |
|
Where does the Divine Presence live?
Finally the long narrative of the construction of the Tabernacle - to which the Torah devotes more space than any other single subject - is at an end. The building, its frame, drapes and sacred furniture, were complete. Moses inspects the finished project. We then read:
The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses saw all the work, and behold - they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Mose... |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ki Tissa 5770 |
| 6/3/2010 |
|
This week's sedra begins with a strange command:
When you take a census [literally, “when you lift the head”] of the Israelites to determine their number, each one is to give to the Lord an atonement offering for his life when they are counted, so that they will not be stricken by plague when they are counted. (Exodus 30: 12)
Evidently, it is dangerous to count Jews. This is confirmed by an episode in II Samuel 24. On one occasion, King David decided to take a ... |
|
|
|
|
|
| Tetzaveh |
| 27/2/2010 |
|
As I have mentioned before in these studies, Tetzaveh is the only sedra from the beginning of Exodus to the end of Deuteronomy, that does not contain the word "Moses". For once Moses, the hero, the leader, the liberator, the lawgiver, is offstage. Instead our focus is on his elder brother Aaron who, elsewhere, is often in the background. Indeed virtually the whole sedra is devoted to the role Moses did not occupy, except briefly - that of priest in general, high priest in part... |
|
|
|
|
|
| Terumah 5770 |
| 20/2/2010 |
|
This week's sedra and those that follow it to the end of the book of Exodus, describe the great collective project of the Israelites in the desert: building a mikdash, a portable Sanctuary, that would serve as the visible home of the Divine presence. It was the first collective house of worship in the history of Israel.
The opening command, however, emphasizes an unusual dimension of the project:
G-d spoke to Moses saying: "Speak to the Israelites and have them bring Me an... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|