…the word of God then. But how on earth can that be true this year, this week, as the Coronavirus sweeps the world, bringing humanity to its current position? We read the double parsha of Vayakhel and Pekudei, which is about building the Mishkan, the first House of God, the precursor of the Temple and the synagogue. Yet through Britain…
With Pekudei, the book of Exodus reaches its end, if not its closure. Moses orders an account to be made of all the donations given for the making of the Tabernacle and how they were used. The priestly garments are made. Moses finally erects the Tabernacle, and it becomes filled with the glory of the Lord.
…funds are involved, there must be no room for temptation, no space for doubt as to whether it has been used for the purpose for which it was donated. There must be scrupulous auditing and transparency. Without this there is moral hazard: the maximum of temptation combined with the maximum of opportunity. Hence the parsha of Pekudei, with its detailed account…
The Parsha in a Nutshell In parshat Pekudei we complete the reading of the book of Shemot, but the story doesn’t come to an end. Moshe says that all the donations given should be counted, and the people should record, in detail, how these contributions are each used. The priestly garments are made and Moshe finally sets up the Mishkan….
Pekudei has sometimes been called “The Accountant’s Parsha”, because that is how it begins, with the audited accounts of the money and materials donated to the Sanctuary. It is the Torah’s way of teaching us the need for financial transparency. But beneath the sometimes-dry surface lie two extraordinary stories, one told in last week’s parsha, the other the week before,…
The Summary This summary is adapted from this week’s main Covenant & Conversation essay by Rabbi Sacks. Pekudei has sometimes been called “The Accountant’s Parsha” because that is how it begins, with the audited accounts of the money and materials donated to the Mishkan. It is the Torah’s way of teaching us the need for financial transparency. But beneath the…
Parshat Pekudei is also known as “The Accountant’s Parsha”, because it begins with the audited accounts of the money and materials donated to the Mishkan (Sanctuary). It is the Torah’s way of teaching us the need for financial transparency. But beneath the sometimes dry surface lie two extraordinary stories, one told in last week’s parsha (Vayakhel), the other the week…
Pekudei – in fact the whole cluster of chapters beginning with Terumah and Tetzaveh and culminating in Vayakhel and Pekudei – is an extraordinary way for the book of Exodus to end. The rest of the book is a tempestuous story of the Israelites’ exile and enslavement and the confrontation between the ruler of Egypt and the man he may…
The Parsha in a Nutshell The parsha of Pekudei brings us to the end of the book of Exodus. Moshe orders all the donations given for the making of the Tabernacle to be counted, and a record is made of how each of the materials are used. The priestly garments are made. Moshe finally sets up the Tabernacle, and it…