Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
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About the Mishkan
The Levites, under the auspices of Aaron’s son Itamar were held responsible for carrying, dismantling and setting up the Mishkan each time the Israelites traveled. In so doing, the were required to taken an accounting and measure all of the gold, silver and copper which were given as donations towards the Mishkan’s construction. Each Levite family was assigned a particular job in this regard.
This opening verse contains the word Mishkan twice. The second one is an allusion to the temple. With different vowels, the same word משכן (Mashkon instead of Mishkan) can mean “collateral”. Due to the sins of the Jewish people, the 2 temples were “taken as collateral” by G-d in its destruction and once the Jews fully repent, it will be returned to them as the 3rd temple.
The verse refers to this second Mishkan as the “Mishkan of the Testimony” (משכן העדות). This is in reference to another idea, that the Mishkan served as a testimony that G-d had forgiven the Israelites from the sin of the golden calf and was resting among them.
Betzalel (son of Uri son of Chur) constructed together with Oholiab (son of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan) the Mishkan exactly in the way that G-d had commanded Moshe. There were even some things which Betzalel did which were not in line with what Moshe had commanded him, however they were in accordance with the will of G-d. As an example, Moshe told Betzalel to first make the implements and then the Mishkan, however Betzalel thought that it made more sense to make the Mishkan and then the implements, which is in fact the order by which G-d had commanded Moshe that things be built.
The reason that Moshe reversed the order is because he correctly understood that the implements of the Mishkan were more important than the Mishkan itself. This could be seen from the fact that while the esteemed Levites, namely those from the family of Kehot were put in charge of carrying the implements of the Mishkan, the less prestigious Merari family was put in charge of carrying the actual Mishkan. Nevertheless, Betzalel understood that practically the Mishkan should be constructed first as it was the Mishkan which protected the Mishkan’s implements. Moshe was thinking on a theoretical level, while Betzalel (and G-d) were thinking on a practical level.
The Gold
In total, 29 talents and 730 shekels worth of gold were used to construct the Mishkan.
All the gold that had been used in the Mishkan was twenty nine kikar*, seven hundred and thirty shekels, according to the holy shekel.
*Side note: 1 kikar usually equals 60 manehs however the “holy” manehs were worth double that amount (i.e 120 manehs). Each maneh = 25 selas. So 1 “holy” talent = 120×25 = 3000 selahs (AKA shekels). This is why the 730 shekels are listed separately as they weren’t enough to add up to 1 talent.
The Silver
In total, 100 talents and 1,775 shekels were used to construct the Mishkan.
As discussed in last week’s parsha, each person of the age of 20 or older donated a 1/2 shekel of silver (otherwise known as a “bekka” towards the construction of the Mishkan. This donation was used to count the populace. The total amount which came in was 301,775 shekels, corresponding to the 603,550 total count of people. With each Talent equaling 3,000 shekels, this came out to 100 talets + 1,775 shekels.
The 100 talents of silver were used to make the sockets for the planks of the Mishkan (48 planks in total = 96 sockets) as well as the 4 sockets of the dividing curtain. These 100 sockets were the only ones made out of silver. All the others were made from copper.
The 1,775 shekels of silver were used to cover the tops of the pillars and band them, as well as to make their hooks.
The Copper
In total, 70 talents and 2,400 shekels worth of copper were donated towards the Mishkan.
This copper was used to make: the sockets at the entrance to the Ohel Moed, the copper altar, its grating and its implements as well as the sockets all around the Courtyard and at the gate of the Courtyard as well as all of the pegs of the Mishkan and Courtyard.
The Coverings for the Implements
While the Israelites journeyed, they covered all of the implements of the Mishkan with material woven from blue, purple and red wool*.
*Side note: Notice how this material was similar to the material used for the priestly garments, except that it did not include twisted linen.
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