As the Book of Exodus comes to a close, the Torah completes the discussion of the erection of the Tabernacle. After all the materials were collected, Moshe made an exact accounting of what was collected, and how each donation was used in the construction in order to avoid suspicion. A person must behave in a way that is beyond reproach.
After each vessel of the Tabernacle was made, the Torah informs us that it was made exactly in accordance with G-d’s instructions to Moshe. This is repeated eighteen times throughout the portion. The reason this point is reiterated so many times in the Torah is to emphasize the importance of every detail. Every vessel, and every piece in the Tabernacle, had some kind of meaning attached to it. If even one detail would have been missing, the Tabernacle could not achieve what it was meant to accomplish. It is therefore emphasized that every task was fulfilled in exact accordance with G-d’s command to Moshe.
Another interpretation is that the Tabernacle was meant to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, where the people had jumped to their own conclusions. They had ignored Moshe’s words to them about his return from atop the mountain, when they should have trusted him. The atonement for this sin required the people to follow every detail of G-d’s instructions to Moshe, without omitting one thing. That is why the Torah repeats the refrain that they followed Moshe’s every order regarding each item of the Tabernacle.
After the Tabernacle was finally completed, Moshe blessed the nation for all their efforts. He offered a prayer that G-d grant success to their efforts and allow His presence to dwell on the nation’s handiwork.
The special Haftara of Shekalim this week serves as a reminder of the half shekel that was collected each year in the times of the Temple at the beginning of the month of Adar. This tax was used to purchase the daily communal offerings and to repair the roads after the winter months, in preparation for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in honor of Pesach.
“These are the accountings for the Tabernacle...” (Exod. 38:21)
Rav Manis Mandel of the Yeshiva of Brooklyn was exemplary for his honesty. The NYC lunch aid program once audited the yeshiva and found that not enough milk was being ordered for the number of children in the school. Rabbi Mandel explained that since not all the milk was drunk each day, they would serve the remaining containers the following day, thus reducing the need to order additional milk. The inspector informed Rabbi Mandel that to receive the aid they yeshiva had to order the requisite amount of milk, even if it meant disposing the remaining containers.
“You can keep the aid, then,” Rabbi Mandel responded, “I must educate the children properly that we must not waste food.”
The inspector was so impressed with the rabbi’s integrity he allowed the yeshiva to remain on the program.
Did You Know...
Both men and women are obligated to listen to the Megillah twice on Purim, once in the evening and once in the morning of Purim. When the reader recites the blessings before the Megillah reading, one should keep in mind that he wants to fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Megillah.
It is important to listen carefully to every word of the reading. If a person misses even one word he/she has not fulfilled the obligation, and must listen to it a second time. If one missed a word, or a few words, he/she may read the word(s) from a text, even if it is not a parchment Megillah, and quickly catch up to the reader. One must be especially careful when the children make noise at the mention of Haman’s name that the succeeding words will not be missed in the din.
