Vayakhel/Pekudei - Day #7

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Haftarah: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18

Shabbat: Exodus 40:1-38

40:1 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “On the first day of the first month, you shall raise up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. 3 You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4 You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. You shall bring in the lampstand, and light its lamps. 5 You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.

6 “You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. 7 You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein. 8 You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.

9 “You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its furniture, and it will be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar, and the altar will be most holy. 11 You shall anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it.

12 “You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water. 13 You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 14 You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” 16 Moses did so. According to all that Hashem commanded him, so he did.

17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. 18 Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19 He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as Hashem commanded Moses. 20 He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark. 21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as Hashem commanded Moses. 22 He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the veil. 23 He set the bread in order on it before Hashem, as Hashem commanded Moses. 24 He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 25 He lit the lamps before Hashem, as Hashem commanded Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil; 27 and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as Hashem commanded Moses. 28 He put up the screen of the door to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as Hashem commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. 32 When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Hashem commanded Moses. 33 He raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and Hashem’s glory filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses wasn’t able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and Hashem’s glory filled the tabernacle. 36 When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys; 37 but if the cloud wasn’t taken up, then they didn’t travel until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Hashem was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Today’s Meditation:

They finish the Tabernacle, and Hashem’s cloud descends, and glory fills the entire place (verse 37). Can you even imagine the excitement, the awe, and the amazement of all of this? They have been traveling with the cloud and fire, but as the cloud fills the Tabernacle, the glory arrives. So much so that Moses could not even enter it. I don’t think we have any idea what this would be like, but we can imagine it all. When we read the Torah, we have life. When we read about the glory, we experience this life. Take a moment today to meditate on this particular incident.

Today’s Challenge:

The cloud by day and fire by night. They don’t move and travel until the cloud does. They only want to be where Hashem is. My challenge today is, do we move with the glory of Hashem? Do we watch where He is manifesting Himself daily? Meditate on this today. And see if you can move and follow Hashem wherever He is traveling. You will get a sense, as your spirit is stirred. It may simply be an encouragement to someone, or helping someone to do something, or giving of time and money to a good cause. Just check in with the Father and see if it is from Him.

This Week’s Haftarah: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18

45:16 “All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the prince in Israel. 17 It shall be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the meal offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

18 “‘Hashem says: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without defect; and you shall cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it on the doorposts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple. So you shall make atonement for the house.

21 “‘“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 On that day, the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23 The seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to Hashem, seven bulls and seven rams without defect daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24 He shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

25 “‘“In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the feast, he shall do like that for seven days; according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meal offering, and according to the oil.”

46 “‘Hashem says: “The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 3 The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Hashem on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince shall offer to Hashem shall be on the Sabbath day, six lambs without defect and a ram without defect; 5 and the meal offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon, it shall be a young bull without defect, and six lambs, and a ram. They shall be without defect. 7 He shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by its way.

9 “‘“But when the people of the land come before Hashem in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate. He shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go out straight before him. 10 The prince shall go in with them when they go in. When they go out, he shall go out.

11 “‘“In the feasts and in the solemnities, the meal offering shall be an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince prepares a free will offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a free will offering to Hashem, one shall open for him the gate that looks toward the east; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out; and after his going out one shall shut the gate.

13 “‘“You shall prepare a lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering to Hashem daily. Morning by morning, you shall prepare it. 14 You shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to Hashem continually by a perpetual ordinance. 15 Thus they shall prepare the lamb, the meal offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt offering.”

16 “‘Hashem says: “If the prince gives a gift to any of his sons, it is his inheritance. It shall belong to his sons. It is their possession by inheritance. 17 But if he gives of his inheritance a gift to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince; but as for his inheritance, it shall be for his sons. 18 Moreover, the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance, to thrust them out of their possession. He shall give inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that my people not each be scattered from his possession.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

We are reading about the future Temple in these verses. We can read about this Temple in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and other prophetic books. The point is that there will be a future Temple, and in it we will make offerings to Hashem. If you have been taught that there will be no more Temples and offerings, I believe from Scripture, you have been taught in error. Study the future Temple and determine its design. It is our future. It is eternity. Heaven on earth, the Mashiach ruling and reigning from Jerusalem, and Hashem’s glory once again filling the Temple.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

The challenge today is to start studying the future Temple and its implications. You can go to the Temple Institute website for more information: www.templeinstitute.org

Book of Shemot (Exodus) Completed 

After completing the reading of a book of the Torah, it is tradition to say, "Chazak, chazak, venitchazek!" which means "Be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened!" This is a customary expression of encouragement to continue studying the Torah and to return to it in the future. And that is just what we hope you will do. 

Now, I would like to invite you to the next book of the Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus). I encourage you to study it just like you did this devotional. Spend a few minutes every day reading the portion and thinking about the daily meditation and challenge. I assure you that your life will be changed. You will grow closer to Hashem and deepen your faith.

Blessings and shalom, shalom.

Nancy Kujawa

Michigan, USA

Vayakhel/Pekudei - Day #6

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Exodus 39:22-43 

39:22 He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 The opening of the robe in the middle of it was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn. 24 They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen. 25 They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates; 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Hashem commanded Moses.

27 They made the tunics of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons, 28 the turban of fine linen, the linen headbands of fine linen, the linen trousers of fine twined linen, 29 the sash of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Hashem commanded Moses.

30 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO HASHEM”. 31 They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as Hashem commanded Moses.

32 Thus, all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that Hashem commanded Moses; so they did. 33 They brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, 34 the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of sea cow hides, the veil of the screen, 35 the ark of the covenant with its poles, the mercy seat, 36 the table, all its vessels, the show bread, 37 the pure lamp stand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light, 38 the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent, 39 the bronze altar, its grating of bronze, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base, 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting, 41 the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. 42 According to all that Hashem commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as Hashem had commanded. They had done so, and Moses blessed them.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 30, we read that they make a crown for the priest, and on the crown are the words “Holy to Hashem”. This is not to be taken lightly. Think if you were wearing a crown and going into the Tabernacle of Hashem, that said you were holy to Hashem. What a privilege, but what a responsibility too. The priests had special garments to wear and had to be washed and anointed for service. They had to be fully prepared to serve Hashem, precisely as He had instructed. They had to become holy to come before and serve Hashem. Something to think about for us today. When we meet Hashem for prayer and/or worship, do we prepare to become holy? We could repent for our sin, cleanse our hearts, and even wear nice clothing. We could make it all very special. When we meet with Hashem, it could be extraordinary.

Today’s Challenge:

At the end of today’s reading, we see that the people finished all the work they had to do, as Moses instructed them, and they were blessed. My challenge to you today is to reflect on a service you have been performing for Hashem and ask yourself whether you have completed what He asked of you. Make sure you actually complete any special project for someone else. Often, we start things and do not finish them. Just as He blessed the Israelites for completing the Tabernacle, so will He bless us for completing the tasks He asks us to do.

Vayakhel/Pekudei - Day #5

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Exodus 39:2-21 

39:2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3 They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman. 4 They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends. 5 The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, as Hashem commanded Moses.

6 They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel. 7 He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Hashem commanded Moses.

8 He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its width a span, being double. 10 They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row; 11, and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 12, and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13, and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings. 14 The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15 They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 16 They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17 They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 18 The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front. 19 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward. 20 They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21 They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Hashem commanded Moses.

Today’s Meditation:

The breastplate was an attachment with 12 beautiful stones bearing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. This breastplate is placed over the heart of the priests as they enter the Tabernacle. They are there as a sign to Hashem of His special people who love Him and serve Him. He knows their names. He knows our names. We matter to Him just like the original 12 tribes of Israel. He cared enough for them to have their names written on the priest’s breastplate. And He cares for us.

Today’s Challenge:

My challenge to you today is to take a few minutes and think about how Hashem knows your name. Picture what it would be like if He were sitting next to you (or more realistically, you were bowing at His feet) and He called you by name. It would be a super-sweet, wonderful sound. “Hey Nancy,” He might say. It would just be too amazing. Take a moment to imagine what that would sound like.

Vayakhel/Pedudei - Day #4

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Exodus 38:1-39:1

38 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its width was five cubits, and its height was three cubits. 2 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3 He made all the vessels of the altar: the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of bronze. 4 He made for the altar a grating of a network of bronze, under the ledge around it, beneath, reaching halfway up. 5 He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles. 6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.

8 He made the basin of bronze, and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

9 He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits; 10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11 For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of bronze; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12 For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 13 For the east side eastward fifty cubits, 14 the hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three; 15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17 The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands. 18 The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height along the width was five cubits, like the hangings of the court. 19 Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of bronze; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. 20 All the pins of the tabernacle, and around the court, were of bronze.

21 These are the amounts of materials used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. 22 Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Hashem commanded Moses. 23 With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.

24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred thirty shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 The silver of those who were counted of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary: 26 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were counted, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men. 27 The one hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil: one hundred sockets for the one hundred talents, one talent per socket. 28 From the one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them. 

29 The bronze of the offering was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels. 30 With this, he made the sockets to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, all the vessels of the altar, 31 the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins around the court.

39 Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as Hashem commanded Moses.

Today’s Meditation:

Each man 20 years of age or older was instructed to give a half shekel to the sanctuary. I received an email this week from the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, stating that it is a tradition to give a half-shekel each year toward the building of the Temple (or a local synagogue). I thought about it and concluded that it would be an awesome tradition to do each year.

Today’s Challenge:

We can infer from the instructions for building the Tabernacle that we serve a God who is orderly and precise. There is chaos with disorder; there is peace with order. We need to follow His example. Today, I challenge you to take a closer look at your life. Is your daily lifestyle clean and orderly? Or do you wake up without a plan, disorganized, and/or live with chaos? If you are not organized, it is time to become so. If we want to be lights for Hashem, we must reflect His way. And He is a G-d of order. Let’s work hard to be more like Him.