The Sedrah of Pekudei

by

Drew Geoffrey Kopf

December 28, 2023

Hebrew: 'פְקוּדֵ‎

The Sedrah of Pekudei is the 23rd weekly Torah portion or Parsha. It is the 11th and last reading or Parsha of the Book of Exodus. It tells of the time the Jewish People were still wandering in the desert with specific enumeration of the details relating to the setting up of the Holy Tabernacle also known as the Mishkan  מִשְׁכַּן

The Sedrah of Pekudei includes Exodus Chapter 38 Verse 21 to Chapter 40 Verse 38.

Please Note: The weekly Sedrahs to be read in synagogues each Shabbas morning were established by the leaders of the Jewish community not by Moses our Teacher. It was apparently the practice and objective of those who set up the Sedrahs or Parshas to end each one or at least to try and end each one on a positive note.

The Sedrah of Vayakhel, which is the Sedrah previous to our Sedrah if Pekudei, ends with a few verses that deal with the embroidered screen of the gate of the courtyard to the Holy Tabernacle giving the colors of the wool, the size of the curtain itself and the size and the number and location of the holes for the silver hooks to hold the screen up.  The Sedrah of Vayakhel ends by telling us that all the pegs belonging to the Mishkan and to its courtyard all around it are (to be) made of copper. It is almost like an invitation at the entrance to the Holy Temple or the Holy Tabernacle itself, which certainly seems to be a very upbeat and positive way to end the Sedrah.

There is something about the Sedrah of Pekudei that makes it very special indeed; maybe a few things actually. The title, or how we refer to the Sedrah means “accounting of ..” or “elements of …” or even “weights of …”.
The Sedrah enumerates and describes in some detail all of the elements that were formulated, built, assembled or created for use in, or to be a part of, the Holy Tabernacle, which is referred to as the Mishkan מִשְׁכַּן      in Hebrew, including the adornments that were to be worn by the priests (the Kohanim) when they preformed their duties and services.

The elements from which each item that is mentioned are to be made are listed and, in respect to the metals like silver and gold or copper, they are defined down to their very weights so that we might better appreciate and know just how very important the Holy Tabernacle really was intended to be.
One very interesting thing about how the Torah presents this entire subject of the Holy Tabernacle that was to be created within the camp when the pilgrimage would come to rest in the desert and would be packed up and transported to the next place of encampment and set up again, was that all the elements are described in great detail but the structure of the Holy Tabernacle itself is not.

As certain Biblical commentators point out, people usually buy or build a home and then they buy or make the elements that they will use and live with and enjoy in those homes. In the Sedrah of Pekudei the elements that were to make up the parts and pieces of the Holy Tabernacle are described before the structure of the Holy Tabernacle itself is delineated.

Of course, that is not to say that the L-rd did not have a plan for how things would be deployed or arranged in the Holy Tabernacle. He surely did. It is just that in relating the details of the story to us, the Torah does not include the structure of the Holy Tabernacle itself while enumerating the elements of everything that would be in the Holy Tabernacle.

Another interesting thing about the Sedrah of Pekudei is at every juncture after we are informed as to the details of what one of the elements in the Holy Tabernacle is to be including what it was to be made of, its size and orientation, the Torah notes that this, what we have just read, it was what the L-rd had commanded Moses.  The Torah states that every single time. One might think the Torah could say it once at the beginning of the list of items or once at the end of the list of items. But, no. It is stated and restated after every item on the list of Holy Tabernacle components. So, we take this to mean or to indicate to us that this list of items must be very important indeed.

We could certainly focus on each of the elements of the Holy Tabernacle that the Torah describes in our Sedrah but the ones that come to mind as being particularly significant are the parts and pieces that relate to the Ark of the Testament or the Ark of the Covenant.

Chapter 39 Verse 35: “The Ark of the Testimony and its staves, and the lid, Verse 36:
“and the Shulchan (the table) and its implements are the Bread of Surfaces – the lamps of the Menorah (candelabra), its lamps – the lamps of the arrangement – and all of its implements and oil of illumination;”
Verse 38:
“And the golden Mizbayoch and the anointing oils; and the incense and spices and the screen of the entrance of the tent,”
Verse 39:
“And the copper Mizbayoch and the copper lattice that was on it, its staves, and all its implements, the Kiyyor and its pedestal,”
Verse 40:
“the curtains of the Courtyard, its pillars and its sockets, the screen of the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and its pegs and all the implements of the service of Mishkan, of the Tent of Meeting,”
Verse 41:
“The mesh garments to serve in the Sanctuary, the garments of sanctity for Aaron the Kohain (Priest), and the garments of his sons to be Kohanim (Priests).”

Wow!

It is so complex, and yet, so simple. Everything has been thought of and thought through to make the overall effect of the experience of the Holy Tabernacle as meaningful and as memorable as possible.

It is important and we therefore need to remember that all of the elements of the Holy Tabernacle are surrounding and protecting and enclosing the Ark of the Covenant which has within it the two Tablets of the Covenant engraved with the Ten Commandments that were made after the first set of Tablets of the Covenant that had been engraved with the Ten Commandments by the L-rd were dropped or were thrown in anger to the ground by Moses when he (Moses) descended Mount Sinai and came upon those who were dancing around and worshiping the Golden Calf, which was an absolute “No No” and which resulted in the immediate destruction of the Golden Calf and of all those who were worshiping it.

The Ark also contained the pieces and parts of the two Tablets of the Ten Commandments that had been dropped or thrown to the ground by Moses and smashed to pieces.

We need to keep this in mind as we continue to read through the remainder of our Sedrah of Pekudie and we are informed in Chapter 40 Verses 34 to 38 that:

“(When) the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of Hashem (“HaShem,” which translates as “The Name” is another way of referring to the Almighty without actually using the name of the L-rd) filled the Mishkan.”

Verse 35:
“And Moses was not able to come to the Tent of Meeting for the cloud rested upon it, and the Glory of HaShem (The L-rd) filed the Mishkan.”

Verse 36:
“When the cloud was raised up from the Mishakan, the Children of Israel would journey on all their journeys.”

Verse 37:
“If the cloud did (was) not raised up, they would not journey, until the day it (the cloud) rose up.”

Verse 38:
For the cloud of HaShem (the L-rd) would be on the Mishkan by day and fire would be on it (seen in it) at night, before the eyes of all the House of Israel in all their journeys’ (through the desert).”

If we are completely honest and upfront about things, today, in our day and age, it is more than likely that most adults would look at what we are told of with regard to the Holy Tabernacle and the cloud and the fire within at night as nothing short of supernatural. It would be neigh on to impossible for anyone today to look at this as any more than a “Bible Story” like for kids and leave it at that. (We say this with all due respect.)

Today there is and we have no Holy Tabernacle. The Jewish People are no longer wandering in the desert. So, the closest we might come to appreciating what the Torah is sharing with us in the Sedrah of Pekudie is when we attend religious services at a synagogue; and in this respect it could be in absolutely any synagogue; i.e. Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Super Orthodox, Reconstruction, where ever there is an Aron Kodesh (A Holy Ark) with a “Safer Torah” (a Hand Written Torah Scroll) inside of the Aron Kodesh.

When the Jewish People were wandering through the desert the Torah was still to be written by Moses. So, the only things that were contained in the Holy Tabernacle were the pieces and parts of the original Tablets of the Ten Commandments and the second set of Tablets of the Ten Commandments.
The Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, z”l, (Born: February 27, 1903, Pruzhany, Belarus Died: April 9, 1993, Boston, MA) addressed this very issue which is detailed in the book “The Rav - Thinking Aloud on the Parsha – Sefer Shemos; Transcripts of Shiurim from Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik” by David Holzer (© 2011).

The Rav notes that in the Book of Shamos, (Exodus) Chapter 40 Verse 20, that it says, “and he (Moses) took and he placed the “Eidus” (the Testimony) into the Aron.”

Then the Rav noted that in Parshas Truma (Shamos a/k/a Exodus) Chapter 25 Verse 16, that we are informed that Moses was told by the L-rd “And thou shalt put into the Ark (HaAidus) the Testimony which I shall give thee.”
HaAidus is translated as “the Testimony.” 

The Rav then asks his audience (he was speaking in front of a live audience in a lecture hall at the time) “What is meant by “the Testimony (HaAidus)?” Everyone in the room responds (responded) “Luchos” (which means the two Tablets of the Ten Commandments). Then the Rav reminds us that Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, z”l, February 22, 1040 to July 13, 1105) says that “Luchos” could also refer to the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) itself when it would finally be written down completely.

The Rav sums up the situation by posing the following question:
“In Parshas Pekudei the verse says “take and place the Eydos (HaAidus) into the Ark.” How does Rashi translate that over here? “the Eydos (HaAidus) is the Luchos (the Tablets) of the Ten Commandments. What does Rashi mean to say? Both times it (the Torah) uses the Lashon (the language) of the “Eydos. (HaAidus)” What made Rashi say that in Parshas Truma it (Eydos) means the Torah and in Parshas Pekudei it (Eydos) means the Luchos (the Tablets of the Ten Commandments)? Why did the Torah refer to it as Eydos, why not say directly the Sefer Torah or the Luchos?

The Rav’s answer is interesting:

“The Aron’s (the Ark of the Covenant’s) function was to hold the Eydos. Initially the Luchos (the Tablets of the Ten Commandments) served as the Eydos. But, as soon as the Sefer Torah was completed, it filled that role.”
Only at the end of the forty years wandering in the desert did the Almighty tell Moses that the Safer Torah should be or was to be written and should be used (then) as an “Eyd” i.e. the Eydos in the Ark.

The Rav explains that the Luchos (the Tablets of the Ten Commandments) represented the Mitzvos (all of the commandments) of the Torah and until the Torah was completed (written) they (the Luchos) would serve as the Eydos (the witness) of the L-rds relationship with the Jewish People, i.e. the Covenantal Community. When the written Safer Torah was complete it (the Safer Torah itself) would then serve that purpose.

The Rav helps us understand and better appreciate the value system that is the basis for or upon which our everyday life in the Covenantal Community is built and anchored. The Rav explains the need that people have for something “physical” that would or could serve as a kind of focus for or a symbol of their belief system. The Rav reminds us that when Moses climbed up Mount Sinai the first time those in the community who had Aaron make the Golden Calf did so because they lacked a strong enough faith in the L-rd. We must recall that their faith in the L-rd, or their lack of it, had already been demonstrated when they sided with the ten spies who had testified against the L-rd regarding the Land of Canaan and did not believe that the Jewish People would be able to win against the people who were currently living there so that the Jewish People could live there instead.

The L-rd was going to start all over again and just kill everyone who lacked faith in the L-rd. Moses begged the L-rd not to kill them and to just let them die off naturally and to let their progeny grow to adulthood and to take their places.

That was when the plan to have the Jewish People wander through the desert for forty years until that generation that lacked the needed faith in the L-rd had died off.

Those who were dancing around and worshiping the Golden Calf were of that doomed generation with very weak if any faith in the L-rd at all. Not all were so weak in or lacking in faith in the L-rd, but those who were so lacking were killed on the spot and the Golden Calf they had been worshiping was destroyed as well.

The Rav compared the Golden Calf, which satisfied the need that those with very weak if any faith in the L-rd had for an object to worship to the Holy Tabernacle, which in itself was a kind of object that would serve as a way for the Jewish People to symbolize where the L-rd would be from time-to-time which must have helped them stay faithful.

The thing that the Rav points out though is that when, along the way in the desert, that the Jewish People wandered away from the L-rd the L-rd did not destroy them as he did the worshipers of the Golden Calf. He destroyed the distraction but the people were saved alive to remain the Covenantal Community but without the Mishkan; the Holy Tabernacle.

The Rav also helps us by reminding us that the key focus of all the items described as being part of the Holy Tabernacle are the pieces of the items worn by the Kohain and everything is focusing on that. Why? Because the Kohain and what he does is what the Tabernacle is all about.

“Consistency and discipline, epitomized by the Kohain, are the hallmarks of our hallowed Mesorah.”  (מסורה ) i.e. the Jewish religious tradition.

A couple of interesting side notes:

One, the Paroches was the screen or fabric like curtain that was used to separate the Kodesh (Holy) from the Kodesh Ha Kadoseem (the Holy of Holies). We use one in our current day Holy Ark in our synagogues with the curtain in front of the Torah scrolls and behind the doors to the Ark itself.
Two, the commandment by the L-rd to Moses to place the various elements around the Holy Tabernacle (the Ark) was made to Moses and not to anyone else. So, it is not a commandment that is included in the 613 commandments. Therefore, no one else has to do it.

Shamos (Exodus) Chapter 40 Verse 34:

“… and the glory of the L-rd filled the Mishkan,”

The Rav helps us here as the Sedrah and the Book of Exodus approaches its conclusion. Judaism is known for its way of bringing the L-rd closer to mankind by its way of using all of our G-d given abilities to “feel” and to “know” the presence of the L-rd in a very convincing way to where we are able to do as we are described as doing by King Solomon in the Song of Songs as a bridegroom would greet his bride. Very special indeed. It is what we chant each Friday evening at synagogue when we chant the 500 year old poem Lecha Dodee. (See: the following URL address for a detailed appreciation of that piece:

http://www.echelonartgallery.com/artists/dgk/paintings/jewish/prayers/lecha-dodi/intro.html

Also, it shows there are sanctuaries; one – the Holy Ark; the other – The Shabbas (the Sabbath). One is physical the other is time oriented. Similarly fire, we light Shabbas candles but not on the Sabbath. It exemplifies the difference between Judaism and Idolatry. Just like during the pilgrimage through the desert the Tabernacle was only set up during the week days but never on the Sabbath. So, it had to be set up and ready to serve when the Sabbath began.

That kind of sums up the Sedrah of Pekudei for us except for one question that we have not been able to find a response to among any of the Biblical commentators.

The Torah was written by Moses. The Torah is written in Hebrew. Moses was raised in the Court of Pharaoh and, though his mother, Jochebed, which translates to “Glory,” was able to raise him; she did not apparently teach him to speak Hebrew. When we learn in the Torah that Moses would speak to the Jewish People we are told that Moses would speak but what he said was “respoken” (by which we take it to mean) translated by his brother Aaron into Hebrew and who then translated it and delivered it to the Jewish People.

So, if Moses did not speak Hebrew, who wrote the Sefer Torah which was and which is still written in Hebrew? Was it written in Egyptian by Moses or dictated in Egyptian to Aaron and then translated by Aaron into Hebrew and then transcribed into Hebrew giving us the Sefer Torah as we know it today?

We are guessing that that is the case. It is not stated as such anywhere that we can find in the Torah. But, maybe that is because it is so obvious to the Almighty that including such an obvious fact is and was considered simply unnecessary.

We understand that the Torah does not actually report to us that the L-rd commanded Moses to write the Torah until the end of the Torah and we understand that we learn of the death Aaron, Moses’ brother way before that commandment was given to Moses. However, since it is generally accepted that the Torah doss not maintain a strict timed order of occurrences, it can still be understood that Moses knew that we was to “write” the Torah and that the writing of the Torah was, indeed, done as we explained it had to have been done, i.e. that  Moses either wrote the Torah in his native language, which was Egyptian, or he dictated it in Egyptian to his brother Aaron who then translated it and wrote it in Hebrew, which gave us the Torah that we have today.

And now, please, just a few moments to focus on the Sedrah Painting that accompanies this commentary. In most every artistic rendering I could find relating to this Sedrah of the Torah, the one thing or perhaps the two things that always seem to be missing to our view are the all important Stone Tables with the Ten Commandments carved into them and the pieces of the broken Stone Tablets that had also had the Ten Commandments carved into them but which had got broken when Moses having just descended from the top of Mount Sinai either dropped them out of shock or threw  them to the ground out of anger when he saw members of the Covenantal Community, the Jewish People, dancing around and praying to the Golden Calf, an idol.

Not worshiping idols is “kind of” what Judaism is all about. Members of the Covenantal Community commit themselves to belief in the Almighty and never to worship idols. It is as simple as that.

So, the Stone Tablets with the Ten Commandments carved into them and the broken pieces of the original set of Stone Tablets with the Ten Commandments carved into them would, in our opinion, certainly be worthy of somehow being “on view” in a respectful way when we are focused on the portion of the Torah where we learn how these Holy Elements were to be both protected and transported as the Jewish People of the day were wandering through the desert until all those who had demonstrated their almost complete lack of faith in the Almighty had died and their offspring remained to carry on in their stead.

Those, to whom I am referring as having demonstrated an almost complete lack of faith in the Almighty, were the former slaves in Egypt who were led to freedom by Moses after the Tenth Plague when Pharaoh finally permitted the Jewish People to leave Egypt as free people.

When those newly freed Jewish People were led first to Canaan and were faced with having to engage in some kind of armed conflict with the people who were then currently inhabiting that land, the Spies, twelve princes of the tribes of the Jewish People who had been deployed to see what the situation was in the land of the Canaanites, came back with a mixed report.
Two spies told Moses that all would be well and the Jewish People would be successful in driving out the current occupants. The other ten spies reported that the current occupants would defeat the Jewish People and that it would be unwise to engage in such a conflict.

The Jewish People harkened to the report give by the ten spies and would not mount the attack. The L-rd was going to start all over again with Moses and just kill that entire group of non-believers. But, Moses pleaded for them and the L-rd chose, instead, to have the Jewish People, who had been recently slaves in Egypt and who had demonstrated a lack of belief in the Almighty, to wander through the desert for forty years until that entire generation had died.

I put a representation of both the pieces of the broken Stone Tablets with the Ten Commandments carved into them and the second set of Stone Tablets with the Ten Commandments carved into them on the outer edge of the painting. I understand that they would be in the Holy Ark but, for our purposes, I thought that things could be a little “inside out” for the purpose of our better understanding and appreciation of what was what and just how very important this Sedrah and the story it is sharing with is really is. Giving those very special and important elements that are almost never seen a brief moment in the spotlight is what I was trying to accomplish.
I hope it makes sense to you my dear reader.

Haftarah of Pekudie

Book of Kings, Chapter 7 Verse 51 to Chapter 8 Verse 21

King David wanted to build the Holy Temple but, after a long time, he finally was informed that he was not to do so because of all the blood he had to cause to have been shed. Rather, his son, who would eventually be born, would be the one to build the Holy Temple.

The Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, z”l, points out that it all comes down to holiness which comes from two things:  “sacrifice” and “intent.” The Rav points out that if a scribe who is writing a Safer Torah does not have holy intent while writing the name of the L-rd or the word of the L-rd, the writing will not be considered holy. Instead the writing becomes profane. So, it is not the L-rd but rather who else is the or at least who else is a major participant in the establishing of holiness and that makes something holy.

So, now to the Holy Temple built by King Solomon. The Rav helps us understand that even though it was King Solomon, the son of King David, who actually built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the sanctity of the Holy Temple came from King David because the Bais HaMigdash was built by Solomon while in a state of prosperity and tranquility. So, he could not have been the one to sanctify it. That sanctity came from David’s worry, his concern and his uncertainty.  The person who built the Temple did not bestow it with sanctity. The sanctity came from the previous person, the person who had conceived of the idea to build the Bais HaMigdash (The Holy Temple) at all and where to build it; King David.