Parshat Vayakheil-Pekudel: Exodus 35:1-38:26

We come to the end of the Book of Exodus with this double weekly portion, Vayahkheil-Pekude. After the incident with the Golden Calf, these chapters come to show us that God's forgiveness was complete. The building and completion of the Tabernacle by the people Israel and the Glory of God which in the final verses of Exodus descends to dwell in this sacred space of the Tent of Meeting, demonstrates to us that the covenant was renewed between God and the Jewish people even after the great idolatry of Israel.

Moses has calmed the anger of God and his own rage at the people and now this unifying act of building the dwelling place of the Divine helps reshape the People Israel and focus their intentions on God and our covenant. Building the golden calf was a destruction of the ideals of the covenantal promise the Children of Israel had made. Building the Tabernacle and carrying out the instructions at first given in Parshat Terumah but now executed in Parshat Vayakheil focused the Children of Israel on the ideals of the Pact they made and the God with whom they made that covenantal promise. This was God's dwelling place that they were making. Although we do not make graven images--the Children of Israel could no longer ask where was God--because God would be in their midst. Even as they moved away from Mt. Sinai, the place that God had spoken to them and the place of their sin, God would still be with them. God would speak to them through Moses and they would be able to speak to God through their sacrifices.

They no longer had to worry "that man Moses" would disappear from their midsts. But the Tabernacle was the visible presence of God before them. Moses also placed the Pact of the Covenant in the ark and set it inside the Tent of Meeting screened off from view. Yet the people knew that even as they faced the Tabernacle or offered their sacrifices the covenant was there. Their most sacred document was in their most sacred place, the sacred place of God.

And this sacred place would always be with them. It traveled with them as they made their way through the desert. God was always with them not absent from their midst.

Today our synagogue arks, the aron hakodesh, with the Torah scrolls placed inside remind us of the ark of ancient days with the Pact of the Covenant inside. It is the visible presence of God in our midst today. For we too need reminding that God is not absent from our lives. But God is made manifest through our tradition, through the mitzvot we do, and the Torah of our lives.

As we end this book of Torah may our reminder of God's holy presence in our midst guide us to greater faith, greater act of justice and healing, greater study of Torah, and greater participation in the life of the Jewish people.

Chazak chazak v'nitchazek. Be strong, Be strong and may we be strengthened.

Posted by Jimmy at March 19, 2009 05:20 PM