Between the seemingly concluding command about the Mishkan in Parshat Ki-Tisa and the debacle of the Golden Calf, there is a short section of six verses (31:12-17) containing the mitzva of Shabbat. What is the reason for the appearance of this mitzva here? Through an analysis of the various commandments relating to Shabbat, we can understand the placement of these verses, highlighting the relationship between the Mishkan and Shabbat. The conclusion of the command to build the Mishkan teaches that Shabbat, too – like the Mishkan – is a sign of the mutual covenant between God and Israel.

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion