This is an abridged version of the essayEncampments & Journeys, written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012.
The final verses in the book of Shemot tell us about the relationship between the “Cloud of Glory” and the Mishkan. The Mishkan was made to be portable. It could be quickly dismantled, to allow Bnai Yisrael to carry the parts as they made their way to the next stage of their journey. Whenever Bnai Yisrael needed to move camp, the Cloud moved from its resting place over the Tent of Meeting to a position ahead of the camp, signalling the direction they must now take. Some of the language used, however, implies that the Cloud was over the Tent during all these journeys, although we know that it only stopped there when the people encamped and the Mishkan was re-assembled.
“Even an encampment is a journey”, explained Rashi. So the places of rest were called “journeys” too, because the people were not there to stay. To be a Jew is to travel, and to know that where we are is a mere resting place, not yet a home. It is defined not by the fact that we are here, but by the knowledge that eventually we will have to move on. Thus the portable Mishkan became the symbol of Jewish life.
The concept of galut, exile, brought unparalleled strength to Jewish identity during the long centuries in which Jews were scattered throughout the world, a minority everywhere. Unique among the nations, Jews in exile rarely converted to the dominant faith or assimilated to the prevailing culture. Why? Because they never mistook a particular place for home, or a temporary location for ultimate destination. As we say on Seder night, now we are here, but next year in the land of Israel.
Throughout history, Jews found themselves scattered and dispersed among the nations, never knowing when they would be forced to leave and find a new home. How did they survive, their identity intact and their faith strong? Because they believed that God was with them, even in exile. Because they still had the Torah, God’s unbreakable covenant, with its promise that “when they are in the land of their enemies, I will never reject them completely or destroy them. I will never break my covenant with them.”
There is nothing in history quite like this Jewish ability to travel, to move on, accompanied by no more than the Divine word, the call, the faith in an ultimate destination. That is how Jewish history began, with God’s call to Avraham to leave his land, his birthplace and his father’s house. That is how Jewish history has continued for most of four thousand years. Outside Israel, Jews’ only security was faith itself and its eternal record in the Torah, God’s love letter to the Jewish people, His unbreakable bond. And during all those centuries, though they were derided as “the wandering Jew,” they became living testimony to the possibility of faith in the midst of uncertainty, and to the God who made this faith possible, the God of everywhere, symbolised by the Mishkan, His portable home.
Even world spiritual leaders have recognised that there is something unparalleled in the Jewish capacity to stay faithful to the terms of its existence despite dispersion, never losing faith that one day the exiles would return to their land.
For even when at rest, Jews knew that they would one day have to uproot their tents, dismantle the Mishkan, and move on. “Even an encampment is a journey.” A people that never stops travelling is one that never grows old or stale or complacent. It may live in the here-and-now, but it is always conscious of the distant past and the still-beckoning future.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
What portable traditions does your family carry with you regardless of where you live?
Why do you think “being on the move” inspires resilience?
How do you make your temporary space feel sacred and special?
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Bnai Yisrael contributed gold, silver, and copper for the Mishkan. These were all carefully recorded. The craftsmen Betzalel and Oholiav, and their team, followed the detailed instructions God had previously given to Moshe to create all eight components of the kohanim’s special garments. All components of the Mishkan were presented to Moshe, who then assembled the structure, consecrating it with sacred oil, and formally initiated Aharon and his sons into their priestly roles. Then a Cloud appeared over the structure, representing God’s presence within the Mishkan.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
Jewish identity is fundamentally characterised by life being a continuous journey. One detail in the long list of Mishkan instructions exemplifies this. The Ark, which housed the Tablets of Stone as permanent reminders of God’s covenant with Israel, had two gold rings on each side, within which poles or staves were fitted so that the Ark could be carried when the time came for Bnai Yisrael to move on.
Rabbi Hirsch explained that the gold rings were there because Ark was to be permanently ready when the need arose for Bnai Yisrael to travel. Why was the same not true about the other objects in the Mishkan, such as the Altar and the Menorah? To show that the Torah was special, and not limited to any one place. And so the Torah became the portable homeland of the Jew.
Judaism understands that God has a presence everywhere, and that He is with the Jewish people throughout their wanderings. This is symbolised by the Mishkan and especially the Aron with its permanently attached carrying poles, always on the move.
The poles of the Aron remained permanently attached. What non-negotiable values does your family keep permanently attached regardless of changing circumstances?
Parsha Activity
Portable Traditions
The first player in the circle names an important family value or tradition. Then everyone shares how they could preserve this tradition if they could only carry what fits in their pockets, or were someplace with a different language, or couldn’t use any physical objects (only words and actions). In the next round, another player names a new tradition, and the circle continues.
Is it important to you to try to ensure your family traditions all live on?
A Story for the Ages
The Endurance
Ernest Shackleton was born in Ireland in 1874. He always dreamed of exploring new places, and visiting the North and South Pole. By the time he was 16, he had joined the navy and begun to travel the world.
On his third trip to Antarctica, he planned to cross via the South Pole. But to his dismay, Shackleton (alongside his crew of 27 people) watched their ship, The Endurance, become trapped in ice. Eventually the crushing pressure splintered the vessel. Meanwhile the crew had moved onto drifting ice floes, where they camped for almost two years!
Throughout their long ordeal, what sustained the men wasn’t just physical endurance but a remarkable psychological resilience, led by Shackleton. He maintained strict routines - regular meals, duties, and even entertainment - knowing structure would preserve sanity. The men organised football matches on ice and musical evenings. They celebrated birthdays and maintained scientific observations.
After many months, they sailed 800 miles across treacherous seas in tiny lifeboats and crossed unmapped mountains to reach help. Everyone could see that it was their collective spirit that carried them forward. Despite starvation, frostbite, and the constant threat of death, they were able to find moments of humour, and they kept faith in their leader’s promise, that no one would be left behind.
In 1916, against impossible odds, all 28 expedition members survived Earth’s harshest environment, and reached home safely.
Consider a challenging ordeal you have faced: What has sustained you and allowed you to keep pushing through?
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
An introduction to the Haftara for
Shabbat HaChodesh
Parshat HaChodesh marks the final week of the four special Shabbatot that fall in the run-up to Pesach. In honour of the new month of Nissan (the first in the Jewish calendar, according to one way of counting the months) we add a special reading to this week’s Haftara.
By the end of the book of Shemot, the Mishkan has been completed. In our Torah reading of Pikudei, it is now 1st Nissan, and Moshe is assembling the beams and hangings and putting the furniture and vessels in place in the Mishkan.
Then, in the special Maftir portion, we step back in time precisely one year. God speaks to Moshe in Egypt, two weeks before the Exodus, and gives him the first mitzva ever commanded to an entire people: to set the Jewish calendar in accordance with the monthly birth of the new moon, and to regard Nissan, the month of the Exodus, as “the head of months.” Rosh Chodesh is then celebrated by Bnai Yisrael for the very first time.
In Ezekiel 45:16 - 46:18, God outlines the laws regarding offerings, land distribution, and the role of the prince of Israel (Nasi) in worship. The people of Israel must contribute to the Nasi, who provides offerings for festivals and atonement rituals. Specific sacrifices are prescribed for the New Year, Passover, and other feasts to ensure purity and atonement.
In chapter 46, the rules for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) worship are detailed. The Nasi must enter the Temple through the eastern gate and lead worship. The people also have designated entry and exit routes. Daily sacrifices and regulations for freewill offerings are specified.
Lastly, the Nasi’s land rights are defined. It is decreed that he cannot seize land from others, but he may grant inheritance to his sons from his own property. These laws ensure justice, proper worship, and the sanctity of the Temple.
Over the past few weeks during these four special Shabbatot, have you felt any special interest in the Haftara readings, or the Jewish calendar schedule? Why?
The regular reading for Pekudei
in a Nutshell
I Kings 7:51-8:21 (Ashkenazim) I Kings 7:40-50 (Sephardim and Yemenites)
In the Haftara read by Ashkenazim, King Shlomo completes the construction of the Temple and brings in the sacred treasures dedicated by his father, David. In chapter 8, Shlomo gathers Israel’s elders and leaders to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple. The priests place the Ark in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, and a cloud, symbolising God’s Presence, fills the Temple, preventing the priests from ministering.
Shlomo then addresses the assembly, blessing the Lord for fulfilling His promise to David. He recalls how David desired to build the Temple, but God appointed Shlomo instead. He declares that God has established His presence in the Temple and affirms God’s faithfulness to Israel. This moment marks the culmination of Solomon’s efforts to centralize worship in Jerusalem.
In the Haftara read by Sephardim and Yemenites, Hiram, a skilled craftsman, completes the bronze work for Solomon’s Temple, including lavers, basins, and other sacred items. The passage details the intricate furnishings made for the Temple, such as the ten bronze lavers, the Sea (a large basin for purification), pure gold lampstands, and golden utensils. All these items were placed in the Temple, showcasing its grandeur and dedication to the worship of God.
Tanach Connections
Parsha and Haftara Links
The completion of the Mishkan in the Parsha is paralleled with the completion of King Solomon’s (Shlomo HaMelech) Temple (Beit HaMikdash) in the Haftara. More than this, both texts tell us that the respective leaders (Moshe and Shlomo) placed the vessels in their correct places.
Another fascinating link between the Parsha and Haftara is the presence of a cloud which signifies Hashem’s presence. Shemot 40:34 states that “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.” I Kings 8:10-11 states that “The priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” The seal of Hashem’s approval had been stamped on both the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash.
It is hard to imagine that Hashem can dwell anywhere, even in a holy place such as the Tabernacle or Temple. Rabbi Sacks asked this question and gave a beautiful answer:
“That is the deep meaning of Moshe’s blessing to the Israelites: “May it be God’s will that His Presence rests in the work of your hands.” God does not inhere in things – not in Mount Sinai, not in the Tablets, not in the Tabernacle. His Presence (the word Shechinah, Divine Presence, comes from the same root as Mishkan, Sanctuary or Tabernacle) lives in ‘the work of our hands’ – whatever we do in accordance with His will. There was nothing grand about the Tabernacle. It was small, fragile, portable. What made it holy was one thing only, that the Israelites ‘had made it just as the Lord had commanded.’The simplest human act, if done for the sake of God, has more sanctity than the holiest of holy objects. That, to me, is a remarkable principle of faith.”
Points to Ponder
In which Tanach stories do clouds play a role?
What does the cloud represent?
Do you see these clouds as open miracles?
Putting the Haftara into Context
On Holy Places
and the end of the Book of Shemot
Rabbi Sacks wrote, “To be a Jew is to travel, and to know that here where we are is a mere resting place, not yet a home. It is defined not by the fact that we are here, but by the knowledge that eventually – after a day, a week, a year, a century, sometimes even a millennium – we will have to move on. Thus, the portable Tabernacle, even more than the Temple in Jerusalem, became the symbol of Jewish life.”
As we noted in the Introduction to this series, Rabbi Sacks saw the books of the prophets as the earliest interpreters of the Chumash (the five books of Moses). In the parshiyot at the end of the book of Shemot, our focus has been on the Mishkan, a holy place that exemplifies the transient nature of the Jewish people’s history.
Whilst the Haftarot reflect much of the content we read each week from the Torah, they deal with a time when the final Temple will be built. This time will not only be the fulfilment of so many prophecies, but will also be the first time in Jewish history that the Jewish people will have a home and can enjoy a true feeling of peace. May it happen speedily in our days!
Quote of the Week
“Security belongs not to place but to person, not to a physical space on the surface of the earth but to a spiritual space in the human heart...”
How do achieve a sense of being at rest? If you go on holiday, do you immediately feel that you are resting? If not, why not?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the
Family Edition
is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant &
Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
“I have loved the Torah of R’ Chaim Schimmel ever since I first encountered it. It
strives to be not just about truth on the surface but also its connection to a
deeper truth beneath. Together with Anna, his remarkable wife of 60 years, they
built a life dedicated to love of family, community, and Torah. An extraordinary
couple who have moved me beyond measure by the example of their lives.” — Rabbi
Sacks
Encampments & Journeys
Family Edition
Pekudei
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Download PDF
Main Essay
Vayakhel, Pekudei
Encampments & Journeys
Read More >
Read In
Share
The Summary
This is an abridged version of the essay Encampments & Journeys, written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012.
The final verses in the book of Shemot tell us about the relationship between the “Cloud of Glory” and the Mishkan. The Mishkan was made to be portable. It could be quickly dismantled, to allow Bnai Yisrael to carry the parts as they made their way to the next stage of their journey. Whenever Bnai Yisrael needed to move camp, the Cloud moved from its resting place over the Tent of Meeting to a position ahead of the camp, signalling the direction they must now take. Some of the language used, however, implies that the Cloud was over the Tent during all these journeys, although we know that it only stopped there when the people encamped and the Mishkan was re-assembled.
“Even an encampment is a journey”, explained Rashi. So the places of rest were called “journeys” too, because the people were not there to stay. To be a Jew is to travel, and to know that where we are is a mere resting place, not yet a home. It is defined not by the fact that we are here, but by the knowledge that eventually we will have to move on. Thus the portable Mishkan became the symbol of Jewish life.
The concept of galut, exile, brought unparalleled strength to Jewish identity during the long centuries in which Jews were scattered throughout the world, a minority everywhere. Unique among the nations, Jews in exile rarely converted to the dominant faith or assimilated to the prevailing culture. Why? Because they never mistook a particular place for home, or a temporary location for ultimate destination. As we say on Seder night, now we are here, but next year in the land of Israel.
Throughout history, Jews found themselves scattered and dispersed among the nations, never knowing when they would be forced to leave and find a new home. How did they survive, their identity intact and their faith strong? Because they believed that God was with them, even in exile. Because they still had the Torah, God’s unbreakable covenant, with its promise that “when they are in the land of their enemies, I will never reject them completely or destroy them. I will never break my covenant with them.”
There is nothing in history quite like this Jewish ability to travel, to move on, accompanied by no more than the Divine word, the call, the faith in an ultimate destination. That is how Jewish history began, with God’s call to Avraham to leave his land, his birthplace and his father’s house. That is how Jewish history has continued for most of four thousand years. Outside Israel, Jews’ only security was faith itself and its eternal record in the Torah, God’s love letter to the Jewish people, His unbreakable bond. And during all those centuries, though they were derided as “the wandering Jew,” they became living testimony to the possibility of faith in the midst of uncertainty, and to the God who made this faith possible, the God of everywhere, symbolised by the Mishkan, His portable home.
Even world spiritual leaders have recognised that there is something unparalleled in the Jewish capacity to stay faithful to the terms of its existence despite dispersion, never losing faith that one day the exiles would return to their land.
For even when at rest, Jews knew that they would one day have to uproot their tents, dismantle the Mishkan, and move on. “Even an encampment is a journey.” A people that never stops travelling is one that never grows old or stale or complacent. It may live in the here-and-now, but it is always conscious of the distant past and the still-beckoning future.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Bnai Yisrael contributed gold, silver, and copper for the Mishkan. These were all carefully recorded. The craftsmen Betzalel and Oholiav, and their team, followed the detailed instructions God had previously given to Moshe to create all eight components of the kohanim’s special garments. All components of the Mishkan were presented to Moshe, who then assembled the structure, consecrating it with sacred oil, and formally initiated Aharon and his sons into their priestly roles. Then a Cloud appeared over the structure, representing God’s presence within the Mishkan.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
Jewish identity is fundamentally characterised by life being a continuous journey. One detail in the long list of Mishkan instructions exemplifies this. The Ark, which housed the Tablets of Stone as permanent reminders of God’s covenant with Israel, had two gold rings on each side, within which poles or staves were fitted so that the Ark could be carried when the time came for Bnai Yisrael to move on.
Rabbi Hirsch explained that the gold rings were there because Ark was to be permanently ready when the need arose for Bnai Yisrael to travel. Why was the same not true about the other objects in the Mishkan, such as the Altar and the Menorah? To show that the Torah was special, and not limited to any one place. And so the Torah became the portable homeland of the Jew.
Judaism understands that God has a presence everywhere, and that He is with the Jewish people throughout their wanderings. This is symbolised by the Mishkan and especially the Aron with its permanently attached carrying poles, always on the move.
Parsha Activity
Portable Traditions
The first player in the circle names an important family value or tradition. Then everyone shares how they could preserve this tradition if they could only carry what fits in their pockets, or were someplace with a different language, or couldn’t use any physical objects (only words and actions). In the next round, another player names a new tradition, and the circle continues.
Is it important to you to try to ensure your family traditions all live on?
A Story for the Ages
The Endurance
Ernest Shackleton was born in Ireland in 1874. He always dreamed of exploring new places, and visiting the North and South Pole. By the time he was 16, he had joined the navy and begun to travel the world.
On his third trip to Antarctica, he planned to cross via the South Pole. But to his dismay, Shackleton (alongside his crew of 27 people) watched their ship, The Endurance, become trapped in ice. Eventually the crushing pressure splintered the vessel. Meanwhile the crew had moved onto drifting ice floes, where they camped for almost two years!
Throughout their long ordeal, what sustained the men wasn’t just physical endurance but a remarkable psychological resilience, led by Shackleton. He maintained strict routines - regular meals, duties, and even entertainment - knowing structure would preserve sanity. The men organised football matches on ice and musical evenings. They celebrated birthdays and maintained scientific observations.
After many months, they sailed 800 miles across treacherous seas in tiny lifeboats and crossed unmapped mountains to reach help. Everyone could see that it was their collective spirit that carried them forward. Despite starvation, frostbite, and the constant threat of death, they were able to find moments of humour, and they kept faith in their leader’s promise, that no one would be left behind.
In 1916, against impossible odds, all 28 expedition members survived Earth’s harshest environment, and reached home safely.
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
An introduction to the Haftara for
Shabbat HaChodesh
Parshat HaChodesh marks the final week of the four special Shabbatot that fall in the run-up to Pesach. In honour of the new month of Nissan (the first in the Jewish calendar, according to one way of counting the months) we add a special reading to this week’s Haftara.
By the end of the book of Shemot, the Mishkan has been completed. In our Torah reading of Pikudei, it is now 1st Nissan, and Moshe is assembling the beams and hangings and putting the furniture and vessels in place in the Mishkan.
Then, in the special Maftir portion, we step back in time precisely one year. God speaks to Moshe in Egypt, two weeks before the Exodus, and gives him the first mitzva ever commanded to an entire people: to set the Jewish calendar in accordance with the monthly birth of the new moon, and to regard Nissan, the month of the Exodus, as “the head of months.” Rosh Chodesh is then celebrated by Bnai Yisrael for the very first time.
The Haftara for Parshat HaChodesh
in a Nutshell
Ezekiel 45:16 - 46:18 (Ashkenazim)
Ezekiel 45:18 - 46:15 (Sephardim)
Ezekiel 45:9 - 46:11 (Yemenites)
In Ezekiel 45:16 - 46:18, God outlines the laws regarding offerings, land distribution, and the role of the prince of Israel (Nasi) in worship. The people of Israel must contribute to the Nasi, who provides offerings for festivals and atonement rituals. Specific sacrifices are prescribed for the New Year, Passover, and other feasts to ensure purity and atonement.
In chapter 46, the rules for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) worship are detailed. The Nasi must enter the Temple through the eastern gate and lead worship. The people also have designated entry and exit routes. Daily sacrifices and regulations for freewill offerings are specified.
Lastly, the Nasi’s land rights are defined. It is decreed that he cannot seize land from others, but he may grant inheritance to his sons from his own property. These laws ensure justice, proper worship, and the sanctity of the Temple.
The regular reading for Pekudei
in a Nutshell
I Kings 7:51-8:21 (Ashkenazim)
I Kings 7:40-50 (Sephardim and Yemenites)
In the Haftara read by Ashkenazim, King Shlomo completes the construction of the Temple and brings in the sacred treasures dedicated by his father, David. In chapter 8, Shlomo gathers Israel’s elders and leaders to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple. The priests place the Ark in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, and a cloud, symbolising God’s Presence, fills the Temple, preventing the priests from ministering.
Shlomo then addresses the assembly, blessing the Lord for fulfilling His promise to David. He recalls how David desired to build the Temple, but God appointed Shlomo instead. He declares that God has established His presence in the Temple and affirms God’s faithfulness to Israel. This moment marks the culmination of Solomon’s efforts to centralize worship in Jerusalem.
In the Haftara read by Sephardim and Yemenites, Hiram, a skilled craftsman, completes the bronze work for Solomon’s Temple, including lavers, basins, and other sacred items. The passage details the intricate furnishings made for the Temple, such as the ten bronze lavers, the Sea (a large basin for purification), pure gold lampstands, and golden utensils. All these items were placed in the Temple, showcasing its grandeur and dedication to the worship of God.
Tanach Connections
Parsha and Haftara Links
The completion of the Mishkan in the Parsha is paralleled with the completion of King Solomon’s (Shlomo HaMelech) Temple (Beit HaMikdash) in the Haftara. More than this, both texts tell us that the respective leaders (Moshe and Shlomo) placed the vessels in their correct places.
Another fascinating link between the Parsha and Haftara is the presence of a cloud which signifies Hashem’s presence. Shemot 40:34 states that “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.” I Kings 8:10-11 states that “The priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” The seal of Hashem’s approval had been stamped on both the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash.
It is hard to imagine that Hashem can dwell anywhere, even in a holy place such as the Tabernacle or Temple. Rabbi Sacks asked this question and gave a beautiful answer:
“That is the deep meaning of Moshe’s blessing to the Israelites: “May it be God’s will that His Presence rests in the work of your hands.” God does not inhere in things – not in Mount Sinai, not in the Tablets, not in the Tabernacle. His Presence (the word Shechinah, Divine Presence, comes from the same root as Mishkan, Sanctuary or Tabernacle) lives in ‘the work of our hands’ – whatever we do in accordance with His will. There was nothing grand about the Tabernacle. It was small, fragile, portable. What made it holy was one thing only, that the Israelites ‘had made it just as the Lord had commanded.’ The simplest human act, if done for the sake of God, has more sanctity than the holiest of holy objects. That, to me, is a remarkable principle of faith.”
Points to Ponder
Putting the Haftara into Context
On Holy Places
and the end of the Book of Shemot
Rabbi Sacks wrote, “To be a Jew is to travel, and to know that here where we are is a mere resting place, not yet a home. It is defined not by the fact that we are here, but by the knowledge that eventually – after a day, a week, a year, a century, sometimes even a millennium – we will have to move on. Thus, the portable Tabernacle, even more than the Temple in Jerusalem, became the symbol of Jewish life.”
As we noted in the Introduction to this series, Rabbi Sacks saw the books of the prophets as the earliest interpreters of the Chumash (the five books of Moses). In the parshiyot at the end of the book of Shemot, our focus has been on the Mishkan, a holy place that exemplifies the transient nature of the Jewish people’s history.
Whilst the Haftarot reflect much of the content we read each week from the Torah, they deal with a time when the final Temple will be built. This time will not only be the fulfilment of so many prophecies, but will also be the first time in Jewish history that the Jewish people will have a home and can enjoy a true feeling of peace. May it happen speedily in our days!
Quote of the Week
“Security belongs not to place but to person, not to a physical space on the surface of the earth but to a spiritual space in the human heart...”
Encampments & Journeys, Pekudei, Covenant & Conversation
Further Ponderings
How do achieve a sense of being at rest? If you go on holiday, do you immediately feel that you are resting? If not, why not?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the Family Edition is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
Mirrors of Love
< PreviousComing Soon
More on Pekudei
On Jewish Character
The Social Animal
The Blessed Power of Order
Living and Giving