B"H
Tuesday, Adar1 21, 5782 / February 22, 2022
This week’s Parsha, Vayakhel, is all about the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Parsha gives a detailed accounting of everything that was needed and collected for the construction of the Mishkan and what was done with it.
Yet, the very beginning of the Parsha is about the observance of Shabbat; “And Moshe gathered the entire community of the children of Israel and said to them, ‘These are the things which G-d commanded to be done. Six days work may be done, but the seventh day should be holy for you, a day of complete rest to G-d.” Then Moshe proceeds to tell the people about the construction of the Mishkan.
Q. Why is the observance of Shabbat mentioned here in connection with the building of the Sanctuary when G-d had already commanded about Shabbat in the Ten Commandments?
A. Moshe tells the people about the mitzvah of observing Shabbat in order to stress to them that even for the purpose of constructing the Holy Temple, a House for G-d, Shabbat may not be desecrated and the building of the Mishkan was not done on Shabbat.
Q. On what day did this gathering take place?
A. The day after Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the Second Tablets. One day later he told them about the building of the Mishkan.
Q. In the previous Parsha, Ki Tisa, G-d commanded Moshe about the building of the Mishkan first, and then about Shabbat. Yet, in this Parsha, when Moshe relates G-d’s instructions to the people, he reverses the order, beginning with the observance of Shabbat and then about constructing the Mishkan.
A. G-d’s instruction to build for Him a sanctuary, where He will dwell amongst the Jewish people, was a sign that their sin of worshipping the Golden Calf, was forgiven. Thus, the Mishkan attests to the merit and importance of the Jewish people in G-d’s eyes. The observance of Shabbat attests to the greatness of G-d, that He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.
G-d mentioned first about the building of the Mishkan to show His love for the Jewish people, for the Mishkan symbolizes G-d’s forgiveness to them. But Moshe spoke first about observing the Shabbat, for this is about G-d’s greatness, attesting to the fact that He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
Q. Speaking of Shabbat: Why is it customary to eat fish on Shabbat?
A. Shabbat is the seventh day of the week. The numerical value of Dag (fish in Hebrew), is seven (4+3= 7). Every Jewish custom and tradition is rooted in Torah.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY