Torah Study Pekudei -5785

Shemot/Exodus 38:21-40:38, Ezekiel 45:16-46:18, Luke 22:1-13

Torah Portion Shemot/Exodus 38:21-40:38

Exodus 38:24–25 “All the gold used for the work in everything needed for the sanctuary, the gold of the offering, weighed 29 talents 730 shekels [1,930 pounds], using the sanctuary shekel. The silver given by the community weighed 100 talents 1,775 shekels [6,650 pounds], using the sanctuary shekel.”

1. The gold and silver used in the creation of Moshe’s tabernacle is far less than what was used in Solomon's Temple and Especially Herod’s Temple, yet the Shekhinah was far more present, nearly constantly, in Moshe’s tabernacle, what might be the reasoning for this?

a. The presence of the Shekinah is tied to the trust of the people manifested through their obedience more than any structure or artifice crafted by man.

b. What does it mean that it is completely absent from the church today and synagogues have to create a representation of it?

Exodus 39:3 “They hammered the gold into thin plates and cut them into threads in order to work it into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen crafted by the skilled artisan.”

2. This is the only place we read about the process of manufacturing the part of the garment of the Cohen, why? #1

a. It was a novel thing that had never been done.

b. This reveals either a process that was literally provided by HaShem or the genius of B’tzal’el and Oholi’av

RASHI They hammered out. As Onkelos translates it, they “stamped” or “flattened” out these sheets, just as God “spread out the earth over the water” (Ps. 136:6), which uses the same verb. They hammered out the gold into thin strips. The verse is explaining how they were able to spin the gold with the other materials. They hammered it into thin strips and cut them into threads the length of the strip. These threads could be combined with each of the other materials needed for the breastpiece and the ephod, which were to be made “of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen” (28:6,15). One thread of gold was spun with six of blue yarn and so forth, so that six strands of each kind of material were spun with a seventh of gold. IBN EZRA They hammered out sheets of gold. The text explains how they managed to use gold in making the fabrics—they hammered it into sheets. NJPS translates the same verb as “crush” in 2 Sam. 22:43. It was then cut into threads. NAHMANIDES They hammered out sheets of gold. This is the only place in the entire passage that describes how a particular craft was done. One might have expected the text to proceed directly from v. 2 to v. 4, as with all the rest. But perhaps the innovative method of making gold thread was described here because they found it so surprising that gold could be spun and twisted like wool or flax. For nothing like it had ever been heard of up to that time. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS They hammered out sheets of gold. Those who contributed the gold did this, so that it would be ready for the artisans to cut threads (Sforno). Michael Carasik, ed., Exodus: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2005), 329.

Exodus 39:25–26 “and they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all the way around the hem of the robe—between the pomegranates, that is, bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe for service—as Adonai had ordered Moshe.”

3. What is a purpose the bells serve on the robe for Aharon the Cohen Gadol?

a. More than decorative

b. people would hear it if they could not see him and make room so they would not touch him and cause him to become unclean.

4. What is the significance of the pomegranates? #2

Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness because it is said to have 613 seeds, which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, of the Torah. For this reason and others, it is customary to eat pomegranates on Rosh Hashanah. Moreover, the pomegranate represents fruitfulness, knowledge, learning and wisdom.

https://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/3768633/jewish/Pomegranate-613-Mitzvot.htm

Exodus 39:32 “Thus all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished, with the people of Isra’el doing everything exactly as Adonai had ordered Moshe.” Exodus 39:43 “Moshe saw all the work, and—there it was!—they had done it! Exactly as Adonai had ordered, they had done it. And Moshe blessed them.”

5. In both verses we read the people did everything exactly, or some versions may say just so. The implication is the people precisely obeyed HaShem. Does this mean anything to you? #3

a. I understand this to mean they completely did HaShem’s will in these tasks or perfectly.

b. it challenges me to not settle but to try and completely execute HaShem’s will.

NAHMANIDES So the Israelites had done all the work. All the work of constructing the Tabernacle. But the word used for “work” here is not melakhah (as when work is prohibited on the Sabbath), but avodah, the word used for the “service” of God. For that was why they made the Tabernacle, to follow the commandment, “You shall serve the Lord your God” (23:25); “serve none but Him” (Deut. 13:5). It could be that “all the work” here refers to the utensils, comparable to “all the furnishings for the service [avodah] of the Tabernacle” (v. 40). This would imply that, even with the smallest details, the Israelites took great care; afterward, in v. 43, “Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks” (reverting to the standard word melakhah) to refer to the completion of the entire project. Michael Carasik, ed., Exodus: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2005), 332.

6. We also see wording here in verse 43 indicating that the blessing was tied to the finishing of the work of the Tabernacle. Where else do we see this pattern of completion of work results in blessing? #4

a. Genesis 2:3 “God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.”

b. Traditional blessing that is part of daily prayers is to “Bless the work of our Hands”

RASHI Moses blessed them. He said to them, “May it be God’s will that the Shekhinah rest upon the work of your hands, and ‘May the favor of the Lord, our God, be upon us; let the work of our hands prosper’ (Ps. 90:17).” This is one of the 11 psalms in the section “A prayer of Moses.” ADDITIONAL COMMENTS When Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks as the Lord had commanded … Moses blessed them. We learn from this that a leader ought to bless those under his direction when they obey him, so that they will be the readier to do his will (Gersonides). He was astounded that not a single mistake had been made and not a single detail forgotten, which demonstrated both their skill and their eagerness to serve God (Abarbanel). Michael Carasik, ed., Exodus: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2005), 332.

This finale is patterned after the Creation narrative of Genesis, in which the completion of the work evoked divine approbation followed by a blessing. A rabbinic tradition formulates Moses’ blessing as follows: “May the divine spirit rest upon the work of your hands.” Nahum M. Sarna, Exodus, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1991), 235.

Exodus 40:13–15 “Put the holy garments on Aharon, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. Bring his sons, put tunics on them, and anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me in the office of cohen. Their anointing will signify that the office of cohen is theirs through all their generations.””

7. What is the significance of Aharon and his son’s have the office of Cohen for eternity?

a. verse 15 literally reads עוֹלָ֖ם olam this means eternity.

b. They Cohen alone have the service among man kind of serving HaShem in the Tabernacle/Temple directly.

8. What does it mean then if a group that does not have a Cohen (literal descendant of Aharon) among them, yet still call their place of worship a tabernacle or temple and their leader a Cohen or Priest?

a. They are liars and thieves or they are ignorant, but they cannot be trustworthy.

Haftorah Portion Ezekiel 45:16-46:18

Shabbat Ha-Hodesh is the last of the four special Sabbaths prior to Passover. It is typically observed on the last Sabbath of Adar. The Sabbath derives its name from the opening phrase of the passage from Exodus (12:1–20), which supplements the regular parashah: “This month [ha-hodesh] shall mark for you the beginning of months” (Exod. 12:2). Both the passage from Exodus and the haftarah were chosen because they anticipate the upcoming celebration of Passover—one from the perspective of the past, one anticipating the messianic future. Laura Suzanne Lieber, Study Guide to the JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot, ed. Janet L. Liss and David E. S. Stein, First edition, JPS Tanakh Commentary (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2002), 87.

A large part of the Haftorah is detailing the activities of the Prince or Ruler.

Ezekiel 45:16–17 “‘All the people in the land are to present this offering to the prince in Isra’el. The prince’s obligation will be to present the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the feasts, on Rosh-Hodesh, and on Shabbat—at all the designated times of the house of Isra’el. He is to prepare the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Isra’el.’”

9. How do you understand the people of the land will present or give this offering to the prince and the prince will present or give this offering?

a. The prince is responsible for making sure everyone can bring their offering. Clear safe roads, places to rest, no one is held back.

b. They provide the resources the Cohen/Levites provide the process.

Ezekiel 46:1–2 ““This is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘The east gate of the inner courtyard is to be shut on the six working days, but on Shabbat it is to be opened, and on Rosh-Hodesh it is to be opened. The prince is to enter by way of the outer vestibule of the gate and stand by the support of the gate. The cohanim are to prepare his burnt offering and peace offerings. Then he is to prostrate himself in worship at the threshold of the gate, after which he is to leave; but the gate is not to be shut until evening.” Ezekiel 46:8–9 ““ ‘When the prince enters, he is to go in by way of the vestibule of the gate, and he is to leave the same way. But when the people of the land come before Adonai at the designated times, whoever comes in to worship by way of the north gate is to leave by way of the south gate, and whoever comes in by way of the south gate is to leave by way of the north gate; he is not to go back out through the gate by which he entered but is to exit straight ahead of him.”

10. Why does the prince have a different set of responsibilities and actions than the rest of the people at specific times?

a. He is different from them. The prince is a ruler not a commoner.

b. The monarch is the agent of HaShem in the civil functions of the kingdom.

Ezekiel 46:18 “The prince is not to take over any of the people’s inheritance, thereby evicting them wrongfully from their property; he is to give his sons an inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be driven off their property.’ ””

11. Why is this limitation specifically placed upon the prince in Yisrael?

a. Though the Prince is appointed by HaShem he does not replace HaShem. Though the Prince is the guardian of the land he does not own the land. Though the Prince is the leader he is still an inheritor of the promise and the land just as all the other people.

Basorah Portion Luke 22:1-13

Luke 22:2 “and the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers began trying to find some way to get rid of Yeshua, because they were afraid of the people.”

12. Who are or what group do the chief priests and scribes belong to?

a. Chief Priests where Sadduccees.

b. Scribes where the lawyers and government officials. Mostly Hellenized.

13. Who is not included in this group?

a. The pharisees

b. The Essenes

c. The common Jew.

Luke 22:3 “At this point the Adversary went into Y’hudah from K’riot, who was one of the Twelve.”

14. How do you understand the mean of “At this point...”

a. at the Least Y’hudah’s action up to this point where of his own choice and control

b. he had choices before now.

15. What warning can one derive from this verse?

a. We can participate in sin so much that it takes us over.

16. What is the significance of the timing of most of the Talidim are planning the seder and Y’hudah from K’riot was planing betrayal?

a. A Pesach Seder is usually a small private affair described as a family and perhaps another family if both are small. b. it is a great Honor to host a Rabbi at your seder.

c. Yet instead of focusing on this Y’hudah focused on betrayal.