Parashat Terumah

The Mishkan and the Menorah Passing the Torch In this weeks reading, G-d instructs Moshe to tell the Israelites that whomevers heart so moved him shall bring gifts of gold, silver, copper, colored yarns, fine linen, goats hair, tanned ram skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, lapis lazuli, and other fine stones to make a sanctuary the Mishkan and its furnishings so that God could dwell among them. G-d gives detailed instructions regarding first the Mishkans contents the Ark of the Covenant, its cover, the table, Menorah, and then the structure itself the Mishkan walls (10 strips of fine twisted linen, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns), its tent (11 cloths of goats hair), coverings, planks, curtains (blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen), a screen for the entrance of the Mishkan (colored yarns and fine twisted linen, done in embroidery and supported by five posts); and finally, the Mizbeach (altar) and the Mishkan enclosure. The actual building of the Mishkan and its vessels takes up much of the remainder of the Book of Shemot. In those final chapters, the structure of the Mishkan is described as being built first, and not the contents. Commentators suggest that Moshe reversed the order originally given to him by G-d. It was his chief craftsman, Bezalel, who essentially told Moshe: How can I build the contents before the structure? Where would I store them when their built? Maybe you heard wrong? At which point the commentators make note of Bezalels wisdom. This is reminiscent of the strangely famous midrash (recorded in BMidbar Rabbah) that describes Moshes inability to grasp the structure of the Menorah. G-d explains it (in one version G-d shows Moshe a Menorah of fire). Moshe forgets it. G-d explains it again. Moshe forgets it again. At which time G-d says, essentially: Just go to Bezalel and let him make it. Moshe is incapable of translating G-ds instruction into technique and artisanship; of taking license. The commentators decentralize the Mishkans assembly. Moshe remains in his supervisory role -- He is to instruct and to communicate. He is to remain loyal to what he was told and shown at Sinai. But he is not the one to actualize the Mishkans completion. He wont even be able to serve in it when it is done. When it comes to the Menorah, Moshe will eventually step aside so that Aharon may light it. The people will supply its olive oil. The Menorah, in particular, and fire, or ner, are the paradigm for mans spiritual connection to G-d in an otherwise physical realm. . , The lamp of G-d is the soul of man. (Mishlei 20:27).

Moshe cannot fathom the Menorah because to do so would be to predetermine not Israels practice, but its spiritualism. That has to be handed over.

The uniqueness of the Mishkan is undoubtedly in the painstaking G-d-given detail that chapters, if not books, of the Torah are dedicated to (and this a temporary structure!). The paradox is in the control afforded to man not only to donate voluntarily (2 smaller gifts were compulsory but 1 was according to how ones heart moved him) but to plan and to build. And to have vision. When it comes to Torah and misvot, Moshe is supreme and G-d the final arbiter. When it comes to expression, of how a Jew executes the misvot in a way that brings G-d to dwell amongst His people, only His people can decide how thats manifest.
Jeffrey Dweck