*************************************************************** THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.virtual.co.il/torah/tanach] In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag *************************************************************** PARSHAT PEKUDEI A sour note appears to accompany the triumphant conclusion of Sefer Shmot - even though the SHCHINA returns, Moshe Rabeinu CANNOT enter the Mishkan! [see 40:34-35.] Did something go wrong? Was Moshe not worthy? To answer this question, this week's shiur examines the concluding psukim of Sefer Shmot and their textual parallels in Parshat Mishpatim, Sefer Vayikra, and Sefer Bamidbar. These parallels will help us understand the thematic connection between these three seforim of Chumash. INTRODUCTION At the end of Parshat Pekudei we find an interesting textual parallel between the Mishkan and Har Sinai. After the Mishkan is assembled (40:1-33), the Torah describes how the SHCHINA rested upon it: "And the ANAN (cloud) covered the OHEL MOED and KVOD HASHEM (God's glory) filled the MISHKAN. " (40:34) In Parshat Mishpatim, as Moshe ascends Har Sinai to receive the LUCHOT, an very similar event takes place on Har Sinai: "And Moshe ascended the HAR, and an ANAN covered the HAR, and KVOD HASHEM dwelled upon HAR SINAI..." (24:15-16) Now that the MISHKAN is assembled, KVOD HASHEM and the ANAN dwell upon it in a manner very similar to HAR SINAI! This textual parallel points once again to Mishkan's function as a perpetuation of Ma'amad Har Sinai. [See Ramban's introduction to Parshat Terumah (Shmot 25:1) and previous shiur on Terumah.] The next pasuk, however, suggests that the status of the Mishkan may be different than Har Sinai - there Moshe ENTERS the ANAN: "And KVOD HASHEM dwelled on Har Sinai and the cloud covered it for six days, and GOD CALLED TO MOSHE on the seventh day... and Moshe came INSIDE the ANAN and ascended the Mountain..." (Shmot 24:16-18) In contrast, we find in Parshat Pekudei that when the MISHKAN is covered by the ANAN, Moshe CANNOT enter: "And Moshe was unable to enter the OHEL MOED, because the ANAN was dwelling upon it..." (40:35) Why is Moshe able to enter the ANAN at Har Sinai, but cannot enter the ANAN covering the Mishkan? Most all the commentators agree that this situation was only temporary, and indeed, Moshe did enter the OHEL MOED. However, he could only enter AFTER God 'called him', just as he ascends Har Sinai only AFTER God calls him ["vayikra el Moshe ba'yom ha'shvii"]. But where do we find that God called Moshe to enter the OHEL MOED? Not in Sefer Shmot, but rather in Sefer Vayikra: "VA'YIKRA EL MOSHE - And He called out to Moshe, and God spoke to him from the OHEL MOED saying..." (Vayikra 1:1) Thus, in order to complete the parallel between the Mishkan and Har Sinai, we must take the FIRST PASUK of Sefer Vayikra and 'attach it' to the end of Sefer Shmot. [See Rashbam, Ramban, & Ibn Ezra on Shmot 40:35 and Vayikra 1:1] As the table below shows, if we combine the first pasuk of Sefer Vayikra to the end of Shmot, the parallel between these two situations becomes complete: HAR SINAI (24:15-18) MISHKAN (Shmot & Vayikra) ---------- --------- the ANAN covers the HAR the ANAN covers the Mishkan KVOD HASHEM dwells upon it KVOD HASHEM fills the Mishkan Moshe must waits until called Moshe cannot enter (Shmot 40:35) God calls Moshe ("vayikra el...") God calls Moshe (Vayikra 1:1) Moshe enters the ANAN Moshe enters the Mishkan God speaks to Moshe God speaks to Moshe If this parallel is indeed correct, then the first pasuk of Vayikra actually belongs at the end of Sefer Shmot! Why then does the Torah begin a new "sefer" in the middle of a story? To answer this question, we must return to the closing psukim of Sefer Shmot. A DOUBLE FINALE We explained above that Vayikra 1:1 is the logical continuation of Shmot 40:34-35. However, Shmot 40:35 is not the end of Sefer Shmot! Three more psukim follow (40:36-38) which seem to interrupt this logical flow: "And when the ANAN lifted from the Mishkan, Bnei Yisrael would travel, and if it would not lift up, they would not travel... for ANAN was on the Mishkan during the day and fire would appear in it by night before the eyes of Bnei Yisrael whenever they travelled." Even though these three psukim (40:36-38) relate to the first two psukim (40:34-35), they discuss a DIFFERENT topic - specifically, how this ANAN on the Mishkan affected Bnei Yisrael's journey through the desert. Nonetheless, based on the parallel to Parshat Mishpatim, the first pasuk in Vayikra would have been a much more appropriate conclusion! Furthermore, not only are these three psukim 'in the way' (as we explained), they are also OUT OF PLACE - for we know exactly where they DO belong in Chumash. They are repeated almost word for word in Sefer BAMIDBAR when the Torah describes how Bnei Yisrael are to travel through the desert: "On the day that the Mishkan was set up, the ANAN covered the MISHKAN... and in they evening it appeared as fire... And when the ANAN lifted from the OHEL [MOED], then Bnei Yisrael would travel, and at the place where the ANAN rested Bnei Yisrael would set up their camp... " (see Bamidbar 9:15-23) These psukim surely BELONG in Sefer Bamidbar for it describes Bnei Yisrael's journey through the desert. [Note how the chapter which follows these psukim describes the actual journey of Bnei Yisrael from Har Sinai. (See Bamidbar 10:1-36.)] Nonetheless, it is still reasonable for Sefer Shmot to conclude with these three psukim for these special 'travel rules' are a direct result of the dwelling of the ANAN upon the Mishkan. TWO POINTERS Our analysis thus far has shown that the final five psukim of Sefer Shmot divide into two distinct topics which continue into two different books of Chumash: (A) 40:34-35 describes the ANAN dwelling upon the Mishkan, and continues directly into SEFER VAYIKRA; (B) 40:36-38 describes how Bnei Yisrael journey through the desert following this ANAN, and continues directly into SEFER BAMIDBAR. A very interesting structure emerges from this analysis. Sefer Shmot concludes with two 'pointers': one to Sefer Vayikra (A) and one to Sefer Bamidbar (B)! This structure may explain why the story of what takes place when SHCHINA dwells upon the Mishkan on the first of Nisan is not completed in Sefer Shmot. This 'dwelling of the SHCHINA' has a DOUBLE effect: (A) First and foremost it affects the Mishkan itself. This affect is explained in Sefer Vayikra. Because the SHCHINA dwells upon the Mishkan - man can now approach God and offer korbanot (Vayikra/Tzav); one who is "tamey" cannot enter the Mishkan (Shmini, Tazria, Metzora); the Mishkan requires a special KAPARA ritual every Yom Kippur and korbanot are not permitted outside its confines (Acharei Mot). (B) Secondly, it affects the "machaneh" - the camp of Israel. This affect is explained in Sefer Bamidbar. Because the SHCHINA dwells upon the Mishkan, the entire camp of Israel rises to a higher level. The CAMP is organized surrounding the Mishkan (Bamidbar/Naso), as Bnei Yisrael travel through the desert following the ANAN over the Mishkan (Bhalotcha). ONE DAY IN THREE BOOKS This structure also explains why the events which take place on the first of Nisan, the day when the Mishkan is first erected, are detailed in THREE different seforim instead of one. (1) In Sefer Shmot (40:1-35), we find the commandment to put all the segments of the Mishkan together on the first of Nisan. This concludes the commandment to build the Mishkan as explained in Terumah, Tzaveh & Vayakhel. Likewise, Shmot concludes with the dwelling of the SHCHINA upon the MISHKAN, a sign that the SHCHINA has indeed RETURNED, despite the events of Chet ha'Egel, as explained in Ki-tisa. (2) In Sefer Vayikra (9:1-10:7), we find the detail of the special korbanot offered on YOM HA'SHMINI. [According to most commentators, this day coincides with the first of Nisan.] Those special KORBANOT and the other tragic events which took place at that day (the death of Nadav and Avihu) are related to many of the mitzvot found in Sefer Vayikra. Therefore, that narrative is recorded in that sefer. (3) In Sefer Bamidbar (7:1-89), we find the story of the special gift which the NSIIM brought to the Mishkan on the day of its dedication - six wagons and twelve oxen (see 7:1-4). These wagons were used by the Leviim to transport the Mishkan as Bnei Yisrael travelled through the desert on their journey. Therefore, this story is recorded in Sefer Bamidbar (as well as the psukim mentioned earlier describing the ANAN /9:15-23). Hence, even though all of these events took place on the very same day - the first of Nisan - the Torah prefers to record them in three different seforim, according to the theme of each Sefer. Iy"h, we will continue the study of this theme next week as we begin our study of Sefer Vayikra. shabbat shalom menachem