Building the Mishkan

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The Contributors to the Miskhan
Rabbi Elchanan Samet
The long introduction to the creation of the Mishkan is based on two facets: Contribution and Creation.
The Mishkan and the Nazir
Prof. Jonathan Grossman
This article explores the meaning of the mitzvot in Parashat Naso, which define its significance of the Mishkan in day-to-day life.
Meeting God
Rabbi Alex Israel | 34 minutes
In Parashat Teruma, we move to the world of the mishkan, from where, apparently, God “dwells amongst Bnei Yisrael”. These concepts can be difficult to comprehend, as is the long and detailed account of the building materials and process, and the differences of opinion by later commentaries about the placement of the Aron (Ark). Is God in the details? What is this for? We seek to understand the spiritual principles which guide the construction of the mishkan.
Angels In the Tabernacle? Part I
Rabbi David Fohrman |
The keruvim appear in three different places in the Mishkan. The meaning and significance of the keruvim are explored through a comparison to the original keruvim, who guarded the Garden of Eden after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. Want to see more videos like this? Check out https://www.alephbeta.org/
Angels In the Tabernacle? Part 2
Rabbi David Fohrman |
The mishkan is a human house built for God; the three partitions of the mishkan are each a way of peeling back a layer of creation - so we can truly connect with God. If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.
Parshat Tetzaveh
Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 40 minutes
The verses describing the construction of mizbe'ach haktoret (the gold altar) are seemingly out of place, not listed among all the other vessels of the mishkan, despite their similarities in terms of materials, instructions, and construction. Why is this mizbe'ach listed separately? Rabbi Chanoch Waxman focuses on the nature of ketoret, placed alongside the aron ha'edut, both in the Torah and in the mishkan itself. This crucial connection teaches us about the means by which the Divine presence is brought forth by human initiative on a daily basis and about the presence of God in the world.
Parshat Vayakhel- Pekudei
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 29 minutes
Why are the parshiot of Teruma-Tetzveh repeated while the actual building of the mishkan took place in parshiot Vayakhel-Pekudei? Wouldn't it suffice to just state that Moshe built the mishkan as God commanded? An analysis of these questions contributes to an exploration of the dual nature of the mishkan and a deeper understanding of the nature of the relationship between Am Yisrael and Hashem.
Shabbat
Rabbi Yaakov Medan
Shabbat plays a central role in Jewish life. By examining the different aspects of Shabbat mentioned in the Torah and specifically its juxtaposition to the building of the mishkan in this week's parsha, we can get a clear picture of what this day is all about.
Parshat Tzav
Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 34 minutes
The section of korbanot in the parshiyot of Vayikra and Tzav seems to interrupt the story of the mishkan. It is placed in between the setting up process of the mishkan at the end of Sefer Shemot, and the miluim - the completion of the mishkan in chapter 8 of Sefer Vayikra. Why does the Torah structure the order this way? By exploring the purpose of the mishkan as a representation of the spiritual experience at Mt. Sinai, we can learn about an individual's direct relationship with Hashem, uninhibited by mediators or objects.
The Architecture of Holiness
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
From Parshat Teruma to the end of the book of Exodus the Torah describes, in painstaking detail and great length, the construction of the Mishkan, the first collective house of worship of the Jewish people. Precise instructions are given for each item – the Tabernacle itself, the frames and drapes, and the various objects it contained – including their dimensions.

But why do we need to know how big the Tabernacle was? It did not function in perpetuity. Its primary use was during the wilderness years. Eventually it was replaced by the Temple, an altogether larger and more magnificent structure. What then is the eternal significance of the dimensions of this modest, portable construction?

Through an analysis of the purpose of the Mishkan, we can understand that it was a micro-cosmos, a symbolic reminder of the world God made. The fact that the Divine presence rested within it was not meant to suggest that God is here not there, in this place not that. It was meant to signal, powerfully and palpably, that God exists throughout the cosmos. It was a man-made structure to mirror and focus attention on the Divinely-created universe. It was in space what Shabbat is in time: a reminder of creation.

This article is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
A Quick Look at Vayakhel - Pekudei
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 11 minutes
Most of the parsha is about the Mishkan, describing what is actually done to build the Mishkan, after the previous parshiyyot listed the detailed instructions. In the beginning of our parsha is a section with a few pesukim that repeat the prohibition to do melakha on Shabbat -also paralleling the previous parsha. We take a closer look at this section.
Generosity and Creativity in Building the Mishkan
Sharón Rimón
The phrases “nediv lev” and “chakham lev” repeat continuously throughout the description of the construction of the Mishkan in Parshat Vayakhel. An analysis of the text reveals that there is one central idea that connects the two themes: the heart. As we have seen, the word "lev" expresses inner connection to the action. A person who is "nediv lev" brings his offering out of an inner desire, with enthusiasm. One who is "chakham lev" performs his labor with an inner connection to God's will. The word "lev," recurring 14 times in these verses, testifies to the deep inner connection that Bnei Yisrael felt towards every aspect of the building of the Mishkan and its components.
"May Our Eyes Behold Your Return to Tzion"
Dr. Brachi Elitzur
In this article we shall try to review testimonies concerning the attitude towards the building of the Mishkan and the Temple, and the Divine service performed in them, among those generations in which the issue was of immediate pertinence. We will examine the attitude of the generations that had to decide whether or not to build a Sanctuary in their days. We will examine the degree to which the Sanctuary was central in the lives of those generations that merited the existence of a Sanctuary in their time. Finally, we will look at testimonies describing the responses of the people to the reality of the Destruction. While our findings will reflect mainly the attitude towards the Sanctuary during the First and Second Temple periods, they may serve as a basis for an understanding of why in our days, too, the importance of building a Temple at the present time is not a matter of consensus throughout the religious Jewish spectrum in Israel and worldwide.
Where Does the Divine Presence Live?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Like many other passages in the description of the making of the Mishkan, the completion of the building echoes a line from the creation narrative: “God saw all that He had made, and behold – it was very good”

The literary parallels between the Divine creation of the universe and the Israelites’ construction of the Tabernacle are intentional and consequential. The Tabernacle was a micro-cosmos, a universe-in-miniature. In creating the universe, God made a home for humanity. In building the sanctuary, humanity made a home for God. And just as, at the beginning of time, God had blessed creation, so Moses blessed those who had a share in its human counterpart. What is the nature of the similarities between the creation and the building of the Mishkan? Through an examination of the text we can learn about the concept of holiness, and that it is not objects that are holy. It is human action and intention in accordance with the will of God that creates holiness.

This article is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
“Let Them Make Themselves a Sanctuary, That I Might Dwell in its Midst”
Rabbi Gad Eldad
One of the most conspicuous examples of repetition in the Torah is found in the section devoted to the Mishkan. Following the detailed list of commands in the Parashot of Teruma and Tetzaveh, instead of simply noting, “And the people did as Moshe had commanded,” we find all the details of the construction repeated over again. In this article, we will examine the sin of the golden calf, which is recorded in between the commands concerning the Mishkan and their fulfillment, and its results and ramifications, with a view to explaining this phenomenon.
Teruma, Shekalim, and Purim: Unity and the Half-Shekel
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 18 minutes
Teruma and Shekalim deal with the instructions for the Mikdash (the Mishkan) –the apparent peak of avodat Hashem. Purim, which comes around this time, is the opposite of that spectrum: Jewish assimilation -only oming together because of a threat. Beginning with Parashat Shekalim, we explore the common denominator between these two extremes: appreciating what makes us similar. The half-hekel and the service of the Kohanim remind us that we are part of something greater. The half shekel needs something to complete it, and the purpose of the Kohanim is to represent Bnei Yisrael. At times, we need to be lowered from our high horses, and must remember that we are part of a greater whole.
The Structure of Parshat Teruma
HaTanakh.com Staff
Ramban on Vayakhel Pekudei
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 34 minutes
What qualities are we looking for in artisans who would build the Mishkan? We would think craftsmanship -but did the Israelite Mishkan artisans have any training, or were they inspired by God with a spirit of voluntarism and goodwill?

We are looking for spiritual qualities to build a physical mishakan for for spiritual purpose. Why was Betzalel the best? He was the most singled out because he had the best spiritual qualities-always tasked with the jobs with the highest spiritual import, beause he had the wisdom, insight, and understanding for this spiritual endeavor.
Vayakhel, Teruma, and the Giving Heart
Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 33 minutes
In this shiur, we will focus on a problem in the first half of the parasha, about the instructions for constructing the mishkan. A passage about giving materials to the Mishkan and other features are almost identical to Parashat Teruma. We willlook at some parallels in Teruma and find interesting contrasts between Teruma and Vayakhel. What is the nature of the "giving heart"?
There is No Poverty in a Place of Wealth
Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky
Sefer Shemot: Overview and Meaning
Nachliel Selavan | 50 minutes
Sefer Study Shemot: Overview and Meaning - Dr. Yael Ziegler

This the second episode of Tanach study's five episode course studying of an overview and the meaning of the five books of Torah (Pentateuch). In this episode Dr. Yael Ziegler uncovers the main themes of Sefer Shemot and demonstrates how it ties the book together.
Sefer Shemot: Archaeology
Nachliel Selavan | 38 minutes
This is an analysis of the Archaeology of the Sefer Shemot by Nachliel Selavan.

Archaeology Snapshot is a discussion on the location, timeline, main characters and highlights from history and archaeology, for each Sefer in Tanach.