Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I n this week’s parshas, Vayakhel and Pekudei, the Torah repeats the entire process
mentioned earlier in Parashas Terumah and Tetzaveh, detailing the construction of
the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, and the fashioning of the vestments of the Kohen
Gadol, the High Priest. Surprisingly enough, the Midrash and the commentators do not
address why it was necessary for the Torah to expend numerous verses in what appears at
The hallmark of a professional slaughterer is
that he has the requisite sensitivity and
focus that allow him to detect even the
slightest jerk in the chicken’s neck during
the slaughtering process. One who does
not wear a yarmulke while slaughtering has
first glance to be unnecessary repetition. What could be the reason for this redundancy? not invalidated the act of slaughtering.
Nonetheless, the lack of proper sensitivity
In his introduction to the Book of Exodus, as the slaughterhouse where he worked could render the chicken not kosher.
Nachmanides explains that prior to the was open and unheated. However, the Reb Mendel said to himself, “If I couldn’t
construction of the Tabernacle, there was a slaughterhouse had a small cubicle where feel whether or not I was wearing a
void among the Jewish people. G-d’s Divine one or two people could sit and warm yarmulke, how could I tell if I had
presence, which existed to such a high themselves by a small stove. The slaughtered the chickens properly?”
degree during the time of the Patriarchs, slaughterers would go out to work, but they
was no longer present. A primary goal of would hurry back as soon as they could to A lesser man may have hesitated, but Reb
building the Tabernacle, he explains, was to avoid frostbite. Mendel was a chassid through and through.
restore this lofty level that had existed He walked straight back to the cubicle, laid
during the time of the Patriarchs. The One cold winter evening, while he was down his knife, and told his startled boss
Patriarchs, through selfless devotion to G-d waiting in the cubicle for the truck to come that he was resigning from his position.
and uncompromising beliefs, merited to in, Reb Mendel dozed off. When it finally When his boss questioned him regarding
having the Divine Presence resting on their arrived, the air was filled with the wake-up his plan for earning a livelihood, Reb
tents. The Torah therefore repeats many of call for the slaughterer. Reb Mendel jumped Mendel responded that he would find a
the details of the Tabernacle’s construction up and ran to his place. The boss and six or different way to earn a living. Reb Mendel
to reinforce the idea that the Tabernacle seven workers were already there and ultimately found a job which paid him
was meant to be exact to the last detail – ready to start. handsomely.
that there’s no such thing as, “it’s just a
detail.” Reb Mendel quickly recited the blessing and The construction of the Tabernacle was a
began to slaughter the chickens, one... two... microcosm for the life of a devout Jew.
Rabbi Yitzchok Levi Horowitz (otherwise three. He then checked his knife to make Uncompromising attention to the little
known as the The Bostoner Rebbe), of sure that it was still perfectly sharp and free details is what sets the standard for true
blessed memory, recalled an incident with from nicks. As he was getting ready for the devotion and is what allows the Divine
Reb Mendel, a chassid from Jerusalem, next batch of chickens, he happened to run Presence to rest on our homes.
who came to America and worked as a his hand across his head and was stunned
ritual slaughterer in New York. His job was to discover that he was not wearing a Rabbi Adler can be reached at:
particularly hard during the freezing winters, yarmulke! rabbiadler@partnersintorah.org
Talking Points VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI
)ב
It would seem from the wording of the verse (26:6)
that the people wished to continue giving – even The parsha details the construction. It specifies The Cloud of Glory covered the Tent of
after they were told that no more contributions were
the measurements of the curtains and beams, Meeting, and His Glory filled the Mishkan.
needed – but they were restrained from giving any more. If
they genuinely wanted to give, why were they restrained?
which formed the inner and outer structures. It Whenever the Cloud lifted, Moses could enter
Couldn’t their donations be accepted and stored away for also describes the material of the cover, the to speak with G-d. The Cloud served during the
later use? planks, the parochet (partition), and the screen. years in the desert as a signal for the Jewish
Betzalel constructed the Ark, its cover, the table, people to travel to a new location. A fire
)ג
The verse (26:7) cryptically says that “the work had
been enough… and there was extra.” How could there
the menorah, incense altar, elevation-offering indicated G-d’s presence at night. The entire
be “extra” if there was (just) “enough”? altar, washing basin, courtyard, and screen of Jewish people witnessed this miracle
the gate of the courtyard. throughout their journeys.
Rabbi Lam can be reached at: rabbilam@partnersintorah.org