Chizuk and Idud

Chizuk & Idud - Vayakhel-P'kudei

In the opening verse of Pikudei (Sh’mot 38:21) the word Mishkan (Tabernacle) is written twice in succession. To explain this redundancy, Rashi comments: “the word mishkan is repeated as an allusion to the “Mishkan” (here referring to the Beit HaMikdash) that was forfeit twice as collateral for the sins of Israel.” Rashi seems to connect the two concepts with a simple play on words. In Ivrit, Tabernacle is “mIshkAn” and collateral is “mAshkOn.” Of course, one would not expect Rashi to base his commentary on a linguistic trick.

We can better understand the connection that Rashi is making by placing events in context. Just forty days after Revelation at Sinai, the Jews sinned by worshiping the Golden Calf. They should have been destroyed. Instead, Hashem forgave them and commanded them to build the Mishkan. However, the Mishkan was not a mere symbol - it was collateral. If the Jews would ever again commit such great sins, Hashem would destroy the Mishkan - retake the collateral - taking out his anger on wood and stone rather than flesh. This happened twice with the destruction of the two Temples.

A parable presented by the Dubno Maggid reinforces this concept of Mishkan as collateral at the beginning of our parsha. When a wealthy person purchases a diamond and gold bracelet, he comes home, gives it to his wife and smiles. When a person who has previously endured financial difficulty makes such a purchase—he counts the diamonds, he weighs the gold and then he nervously gives it to his wife. He does so because he fears that his fortunes may once again fall and he will then need to give the bracelet as security for a loan. The opening sections of Pikudei present a detailed accounting for the Mishkan; all of the materials donated and used. The Torah thus treats the Mishkan more like the second man would - the one who fears that the precious possession will be forfeit as collateral. Ultimately, it was collected - twice, in fact.

Two thousand years after collecting His collateral by destroying the Second Beit HaMikdash, Hashem restored the Land of Israel to His people. When we give in to our political opponents and enemies and count and limit each settlement and each hilltop and each housing unit we act like the fearful man who anticipates that his precious possessions may later be taken away. If we want to hold onto it eternally, we must accept that Israel is no longer a mAshkOn, it is the mIshkAn (dwelling place) of our people.

TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union’s ‘Torah Insights’, a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu’a

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