Reflections from Rabbi Ellis

Pekudei is the eleventh Parsha in the book of Shemot/Exodus. This week we finish the book of Shmote. The first book of the Torah, Bereishit/Genesis finishes with a happy ending, all the children of Yakov are united even after his death. So too, Shmote ends with a happy ending. After the trials of the desert and the failure of the golden calf, the book ends with G!d’s house, the Mishkan, complete and inhabited, standing erect in the midst of the camp of Israel.

Our time in the desert was not easy for us or for G!d. In fact, most of our time there we were recovering from one sin or another. The moment captured at the end of this week’s Parsha is a rarified moment of wholeness. Eighteen times our Parsha repeats the phrase “as G!d commanded.” It wasn’t easy to get here and for just one moment we can bask in the glory.

In our Parsha time and space come together to reveal the greatest truth that we ever needed. That man can make a home for G!d in this world. There are two lessons that we have to learn from this achievement.

The first is that we are able to make this world a home for G!d only when we account for everything. In our Parsha G!d’s presence resting on the Mishkan is directly preceded by a complete accounting of every part of the Mishkan and all of the resources that went into creating it. Holiness does not fall on us by accident, it comes from intention and effort. Not that they are enough on their own. Making a place for G!d in our world is not something that we stumble into. Not only do we need to make sure that all of the parts we use are appropriate for their role; additionally, we cannot leave a single piece out of the project.

The second lesson is from the last few lines of our Parsha. When Moshe finally erects and dedicates the Mishkan and G!d’s presence rests upon it, there is no room for Moshe there. Making the Mishkan was the Children of Israels’ ultimate expression of love for G!d. When we love another, we give to them. The most important thing we can give to another is ourselves, our time, our belongings, our thoughts and intentions. When we give out of love we have to remove ourselves from the equation. Our giving is not in order to receive, to control or even to influence. Making room in our lives for G!d doesn’t mean that he will do the same. We didn’t create the Mishkan so that G!d would bless us with wealth, power or even wisdom. We created the Mishkan so that G!d could feel some of the love we receive from him every moment.

Shabbat Shalom!