From: Menachem Leibtag To: all@tanach.org, parsha@tanach.org, par-new@tanach.org Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 23:07:40 +0200 Subject: PARSHAT PEKUDEI - shiur Reply-to: tsc@isdn.net.il CC: yhe-parsha.ml@vbm-torah.org Priority: normal Reply To: Menachem Leibtag Error-To: Listproc Error X-ListMember: cypess@ymail.yu.edu [all@tanach.org] NOTE for NY area subscribers. 1) Yeshivat Har Etzion's 19th annual dinner will be held on Tuesday 28 Adar (March 16th) at the Grand Hyatt. Iy"h, I'll be there, so if you're able to make it, I'd be delighted to meet you. If you haven't made reservations yet, contact gush@panix.com or call 212-732-4874. It's a nice way to show your support for the Yeshiva and its projects (such as the VBM & TSC). 2) On Sunday March 21st at 10 AM, I'll be giving a shiur on MAGID at Congregation Ohab Tzedek (OZ) 118 West 95th st (212-749-5150). You're invited to attend. I'll also be giving a shiur at the Young Israel of Scarsdale on Thursday the 18th at 8:30 pm. *************************************************************** THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org] In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag *************************************************************** PARSHAT PEKUDEI A 'sour note' appears to accompany the triumphant conclusion of Sefer Shmot - even though the SHCHINA returns, Moshe Rabeinu CANNOT enter the Mishkan! [See 40:34-35.] Did something go wrong? Was Moshe not worthy? To answer this question, this week's shiur examines a textual parallel between the conclusion of Parshat Pekudei and Parshat Mishpatim that will help us understand the thematic connection between Sefer Shmot, Sefer Vayikra, and Sefer Bamidbar. INTRODUCTION The concluding psukim of Parshat Pekudei provide irrefutable support for the Ramban's explanation of the Mishkan as a perpetuation of Ma'amad Har Sinai (see Ramban on 25:1). To explain how, we begin this week's shiur by comparing the Torah's description of how the SHCHINA rested upon the Mishkan to the almost identical description of how the SHCHINA that rested upon Har Sinai (in Parshat Mishpatim). THE PARALLEL The final chapter of Parshat Pekudei describes how Moshe Rabeinu assembles the Mishkan on the first day of Nisan (in the second year /see 40:1-33). Once all the pieces are together, Sefer Shmot concludes its description of these events as follows: "the ANAN (cloud) covered the OHEL MOED and KVOD HASHEM (God's glory) filled the MISHKAN. " (see 40:34) In Parshat Mishpatim, when Moshe ascends Har Sinai, we find a very similar description of Har Sinai: "And Moshe ascended the HAR, and an ANAN covered the HAR, and KVOD HASHEM dwelled upon HAR SINAI..." (24:15-16) Note how the OHEL MOED replaces the HAR, and how the MISHKAN replaces HAR SINAI. The reason why is quite simple, for the essence of both Har Sinai and the Mishkan are the same - they both serve as medium wherein Bnei Yisrael can 'encounter' the SHCHINA. Furthermore, as we discussed in our shiur on Parshat Tezaveh, in both instances we find how this encounter cannot be direct. Instead, man must be shielded from God's Presence by an ANAN. Despite the beauty of this comparison, the next pasuk in each of these two sources seems to 'ruin' this parallel. Notice, that at Har Sinai Moshe actually ENTERS the ANAN: "And KVOD HASHEM dwelled on Har Sinai and the cloud covered it for six days, and GOD CALLED TO MOSHE on the seventh day... and Moshe came INSIDE the ANAN and ascended the Mountain"(24:16-18) While in Parshat Pekudei, Moshe CANNOT enter: "And Moshe was unable to enter the OHEL MOED, because the ANAN was dwelling upon it..."(40:35) Certainly, our thematic parallel would have been much stronger had Sefer Shmot concluded in a similar manner, i.e. with God 'CALLING' upon Moshe to enter the Mishkan, just as he 'CALLED' upon him to enter the ANAN at Har Sinai. Instead, Moshe cannot enter. Has Moshe gone down a level; or possibly, has the Mishkan gone down a level? In case you didn't figure it out yet, to solve this problem we simply need to 'turn the page' and take note of the opening pasuk of Sefer Vayikra: "And [God] CALLED OUT to Moshe, and God spoke to him from the OHEL MOED saying..." (Vayikra 1:1) [See commentaries of Rashbam, Ramban, & Ibn Ezra on Shmot 40:35 and Vayikra 1:1!] Thus, in order to complete the parallel between the Mishkan and Har Sinai, we must take the FIRST PASUK of Sefer Vayikra and 'attach it' to the end of Sefer Shmot. As the table below illustrates, by doing so, our parallel now becomes complete: HAR SINAI (24:15-18) MISHKAN (Shmot & Vayikra) ---------- --------- the ANAN covers the HAR the ANAN covers the Mishkan KVOD HASHEM dwells upon it KVOD HASHEM fills the Mishkan Moshe must waits until called Moshe cannot enter (Shmot 40:35) God calls Moshe ("vayikra el...") God calls Moshe (Vayikra 1:1) Moshe enters the ANAN Moshe enters the Mishkan God speaks to Moshe God speaks to Moshe But if this parallel is indeed correct, then the first pasuk of Vayikra actually belongs at the end of Sefer Shmot! Why then does the Torah begin a new "sefer" in the middle of a story? To answer this question, we must return once again to the closing psukim of Sefer Shmot. A DOUBLE FINALE Our explanation that Vayikra 1:1 should be understood as the logical continuation of Shmot 40:34-35 would make sense if those were indeed the final psukim of Sefer Shmot. However, Shmot 40:35 is not the end of Sefer Shmot! Instead, three more psukim follow (i.e. 40:36-38) that appear to interrupt this logical flow. Let's take a closer look at them: "And when the ANAN lifted from the Mishkan, Bnei Yisrael would travel, and if it would not lift up, they would not travel... for ANAN was on the Mishkan during the day and fire would appear in it by night before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael whenever they travelled." (40:36-38) Even though these three psukim (40:36-38) thematically relate to the first two psukim (40:34-35), they do discuss a very DIFFERENT topic - specifically, how this ANAN on the Mishkan affected Bnei Yisrael's journey through the desert. Furthermore, not only are these three psukim 'in the way', they also appear to be OUT OF PLACE - for we know exactly where they DO belong in Chumash. As those of you familiar with Parshat Bha'alotcha must have noticed, these psukim are repeated almost word for word in Sefer BAMIDBAR when the Torah describes how Bnei Yisrael are to travel through the desert: "On the day that the Mishkan was set up, the ANAN covered the MISHKAN... and in they evening it appeared as fire... And when the ANAN lifted from the OHEL [MOED], then Bnei Yisrael would travel, and at the place where the ANAN rested Bnei Yisrael would set up their camp... " (see Bamidbar 9:15-23) [Note how the opening pasuk points us directly the Shmot chapter 40, i.e. the day of "hakamat ha'Mishkan".] These psukim surely BELONG in Sefer Bamidbar for they describe Bnei Yisrael's journey through the desert. [Note how the next chapter in Sefer Bamidbar (10:1-36) describes the actual journey of Bnei Yisrael from Har Sinai. Nevertheless, it is still reasonable for Sefer Shmot to conclude with these three psukim for these special 'travel rules' are a direct result of the dwelling of the ANAN upon the Mishkan. TWO POINTERS Our analysis thus far has shown that the final five psukim of Sefer Shmot divide into two distinct topics, while each of these two topics points us to a different book of Chumash: (A) 40:34-35 describes the ANAN dwelling upon the Mishkan, and continues directly into SEFER VAYIKRA; (B) 40:36-38 describes how Bnei Yisrael journey through the desert following this ANAN, and continues directly into SEFER BAMIDBAR. A very interesting structure emerges from this analysis. Sefer Shmot concludes with two 'pointers': one to Sefer Vayikra (A) and one to Sefer Bamidbar (B)! From a thematic perspective, this double pointer is quite significant. Recall that after the Exodus, God's original plan was for Bnei Yisrael to: (A) - receive the TORAH at Har Sinai. (B) - Travel to (and conquer) the Land of Israel However, due to the events of "chet ha'egel", the BRIT [covenant] of Har Sinai had been broken, and God had threatened to take His SHCHINA away from His people. Had it not been for Moshe Rabeinu's intervention, Bnei Yisrael would not have received the remaining mitzvot [A], nor would they have been worthy of God's direct assistance in conquering the Land [B] (see 33:1-7 and last week's shiur on Parshat Kitisa). Now that Bnei have built the Mishkan, and God SHCHINA has returned, God can return to both aspects of His original plan: (A) In Sefer Vayikra, Bnei Yisrael receive the MITZVOT (B) In Sefer Bamdibar, Bnei Yisrael travel with the SHCHINA. Hence, this 'dwelling of the SHCHINA' has a DOUBLE effect: (A) First and foremost it affects the Mishkan itself. This affect is explained in Sefer Vayikra. Because the SHCHINA dwells upon the Mishkan - man can now approach God and offer korbanot (Vayikra/Tzav); one who is "tamey" cannot enter the Mishkan (Shmini, Tazria, Metzora); the Mishkan requires a special KAPARA ritual every Yom Kippur and korbanot are not permitted outside its confines (Acharei Mot). Finally, this "kedusha" emanates into all three realms -"kedushat ADAM" (Kedoshim) - "kedushat ZMAN" (Emor) - and "kedushat MAKOM" (Behar). [Iy"h, we'll discuss this in our shiurim on Vayikra.] (B) Secondly, it affects the "machaneh" - the camp of Israel. This affect is explained in Sefer Bamidbar. Because the SHCHINA dwells upon the Mishkan, the entire camp of Israel rises to a higher level as God travels with them. The CAMP is organized surrounding the Mishkan (Bamidbar, Naso), as Bnei Yisrael travel through the desert following the ANAN over the Mishkan (Bha'alotcha). Had Bnei Yisrael not sinned, Sefer Bamidbar would have concluded with the story of Bnei Yisrael's conquest of the Land (Matot, Masei). However, instead it explains WHY that generation didn't enter the land (Shlach, Korach), as well as the events that take place in the fortieth year (Balak, Pinchas). ONE DAY IN THREE BOOKS This structure also explains why the events that take place on the first of Nisan, the day when the Mishkan is first erected, are detailed in THREE different books instead of one. (1) In Sefer Shmot (40:1-35), we find the commandment to put all the segments of the Mishkan together on the first of Nisan. This concludes the commandment to build the Mishkan as explained in Terumah, Tezaveh & Vayakhel. Likewise, Shmot concludes with the dwelling of the SHCHINA upon the MISHKAN, a sign that the SHCHINA has indeed RETURNED, despite the events of Chet ha'Egel, as explained in Ki-tisa. (2) In Sefer Vayikra (9:1-10:7), we find the detail of the special korbanot offered on YOM HA'SHMINI. [According to most commentators, this day coincides with the first of Nisan.] Those special KORBANOT and the other tragic events which took place at that day (the death of Nadav and Avihu) are related to many of the mitzvot found in Sefer Vayikra. Therefore, that narrative is recorded in that sefer. (3) In Sefer Bamidbar (7:1-89), we find the story of the special gift which the NSIIM brought to the Mishkan on the day of its dedication - six wagons and twelve oxen (see 7:1-4). These wagons were used by the Leviim to transport the Mishkan as Bnei Yisrael travelled through the desert on their journey. Therefore, this story is recorded in Sefer Bamidbar (as well as the psukim mentioned earlier describing the ANAN /9:15-23). Hence, even though all of these events took place on the very same day - the first of Nisan - the Torah prefers to record them in three different books, corresponding to the theme of each Sefer. Iy"h, in our study of both Sefer Vayikra and Sefer Bamidbar, we will return to this theme. Till then, shabbat shalom menachem ================= FOR FURTHER IYUN A. Note the importance of the date of the first of Nisan in Shmot chapter 40. Relate God's choice of specifically this date to Parshat ha'Chodesh / Shmot 12:1-20. Relate this as well to the importance of this date in II Divrei Ha'yamim 29:1-17. B. Relate the main points of the above shiur to Shmot 29:45-46, noting purpose of Yetziat Mitzraim (to worship God in the desert, or to inherit the Promised Land / see also Shmot 3:6-12). [Relate your answer as well to the main point of the shiur on Parshat Tezaveh.] ********************************************************* To SUBSCRIBE or to UNSUBSCRIBE to this shiur: send e-mail to: lists@tanach.org with the following message in first line of TEXT: join all or leave all ********************************************************* Previous shiurim are available on the TSC WEBSITE: http://www.tanach.org *********************************************************** If you would like to support the TSC Project or dedicate a shiur, please e-mail: ml@tanach.org *********************************************************** Internet & e-mail list hosting for the TSC provided courtesy of: The Yerushalayim Network (http://www.yerushalayim.net) a Centennial Project of the Orthodox Union (http://www.ou.org) *********************************************************** Copyright (c) 1999 Menachem Leibtag. All rights reserved.