The final Torah portion reading from the Book of Exodus is parsha “Pekudei” (the ‘Accounts’, Exodus 38:21 through the end of the Book) and it begins with exactly that: a recounting of the gold, silver, and brass that were used to complete the mishkan, or tabernacle in the wilderness.

Again, too, there is much detail, almost to the point of redundancy, but for what appears to be an important reason. Almost word-for-word, what we had been told they WERE to do, is now recounted that they did. And, over and over again, it was “as Yahuah commanded Moses.” Surely there is a lesson there.

The Erev Shabbat reading:

This parsha seems to give an answer to the question, “Why?” Why build that ‘mishkan’ together? Why is that phrase “as Yahuah commanded Moshe,” repeated eighteen TIMES in this parsha alone?

Why does this still matter? Especially now?

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