Parashat Vayakhel-Pekude

Exodus 35:1 - 40:38

Portion Outline

The commandment concerning the Sabbath is recounted.
How to collect donations for the building of the sanctuary.
The selection of the head builders.
Making the priestly garments.
How records of the building materials and supplies are to be kept.
Dedicating the sanctuary.

Main Concept - The Sanctuary

The sanctuary was an important symbol for the people. It represented:

Standardization of of religious practice

There were to be no more private sacrifices, such as those made by the Patriarchs
The priests become important in the life of the people, as they are placed in charge of religious life
Moses is no longer responsible for all of the congregational relationship with God

Symbol of common purpose and common ownership of the cult

Because everyone contributed to the building of the sanctuary, everyone had a personal stake in it
A place to come together as a people to experience God
Private worship was not stressed so the people experienced God as a people
The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob becomes the God of the people in a more concrete way. Because the people contributed directly to the very first building fund in the history of our people, the sanctuary becomes for them "our sanctuary" and the "God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob" draws a bit closer to the hearts and minds of the people.

A nation building experience:

A project undertaken by the people in the formative days of peoplehood the act of contributing to, and building, the sanctuary becomes part of the common history of the people. (In Egypt they really had little concept of peoplehood or nationhood beyond their own tribe.)
Up until this time there are 4 nation building acts experienced by the people:
1. The act of leaving Egypt
2. (Some may say the making of the Golden Calf, because the people experienced, or at least witnessed, punishment as a people
3. Standing together at Sinai
4. The building of the sanctuary

Questions to Discuss

The passage concerning the Sabbath is placed as an opening for this portion. Does it seem out of place here? Why?

At first glance it may. The bulk of the portion might be called boring. It looks like a dry lifeless listing of measurements, supplies, etc. The opening, on the other hand seems to belong to a listing of commandments.

Why was it placed here?

Some of the most dedicated of the people would have spent seven days a week working on this worthy project, after all it was for their God, not for Pharaoh. Because of this everyone was reminded, from the start, that there are things more important than the sanctuary. This helps them to keep things in perspective.

Compare the following:
Genesis 2:1, Exodus 20:8-9, Exodus 35:1-3, Deut 5:12-16

How are these passages the same?
How are they different?
What are the reasons for the differences?
This commandment is presented to the people, by God, in slightly different form at different form at different times in history. Why?

Some commentators say that we are not to be adding to, or taking from, the world on the Sabbath. Does this have anything to do with the placement of the Sabbath passage at the start of this portion?

At the dedication, the presence of God fills the sanctuary so that no one can come into it. Why can they not see the face of God?

Remember, the days of the idols of Egypt are fresh in the minds of the people. If they could see, or think they see, the face of God, someone may be tempted to create a physical representation of that face. But then even Moses was not permitted to see in the burning bush.

For More Advanced Discussion and Comment

One of our modern commentators states that the significance of the presence of God coming to the sanctuary, is really the start of an I-Thou relationship between God and the people.

(Read about the concept of the I-Thou relationship in the book, I-Thou, by Maritn Buber.)