Hanoch Shalev is former shaliach in Melbourne (2002 - 2004) and currently Development Manager in the aerospace sector - Elbit Systems
Creation and Mishkan
The finale of the creation, on the sixth day in Parashat Bereshit, describes the conclusion:
וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכׇל־צְבָאָֽם׃
וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלקִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃
וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹקים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת
[בראשית ב', א'-ג']
Heaven and earth have been completed. G-d has completed his creation and ceases his mastery on the seventh day - the Sabath. He then blesses the seventh day and brings sanctity, kedusha. The reason - this is the day he ceased his work and creation.The root word "ויכל" refers here to completion.
Similarly, our parasha, Pekudei, uses this word "ויכל" to describe another completion - the Mishkan.
...וַיְכַ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ {פ}
וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד ה' מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד ה' מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
[שמות מ', ל"ג-ל"ה]
After a detailed description of the final activities of building and setting up the Mishkan, the Torah describes Moshe as "ויכל" - completing the task. The Torah then describes Hashem sanctifying the Mishkan. Interestingly, the Torah repeats the same description twice - the ענן and the כבוד filling the Mishkan. Once, as the main idea of the pasuk. The second time - to explain why Moshe can not approach. And the link here is the reuse of the letters "יכל".
All or Nothing
There is a recurring phenomenon in Hebrew that root words, officially consisting of 3 letters, tend to refer to a deeper root of 2 letter sources.
It seems the Torah purposely illiterates "ויכל" and "לא יכול" one pasuk after the other. The first refers to completion and the second refers to ability. Both consists of a 2-letter root of "כל". We regularly use these letters to describe, neither completion nor ability, but rather entirety - "All". This deeper root of "כל" holds the essence of all other emanations.
All or nothing.
That is the state of mind you should have when reading the story of creation - All has been completed. Nothing else is left to do.
This is the state of mind you are expected to be in when completing the reading of ספר שמות, in our parasha - all has been completed.
The mishkan has been completed. Nothing else left to be added. And with this finality, you must understand that Moshe, even Moshe, cannot approach the Mishkan - nothing he can do to enter. Finality and Entirety.
This state of mind and conclusion comes as a surprise as we find that the Torah does not end at the end of story of creation. And though we will celebrate the finishing of ספר שמות, we all know to expect 3 more books of kedusha, complexity and Torah. So, I'm confused. Ending or beginning? Where are we?
Shift in Dimension
When you imagine yourself traveling along a flat earth (hear me out) - what would happen when you reach the edge? To answer that, shrink yourself and imagine walking along the flat surface of a cube, a playing die (you know - the one of dots and six options). When you reach the end of the die, you might fall off. But you might also find yourself shifting form the plane with the number 1 to the surface of a different number. The completion of the current dimension and surface, signals to recalculate your route and perform a shift in mindset towards the next dimension and surface you are travelling.
Something has changed.
The world after the six days of creation is a new world. This new world has Time. And Time is sacred. The Shabbat is here to remind us of that. Hashem has brought presence to Time. We cannot go on endlessly traveling without flipping our weekly calendar sheet. We must switch at the end of the die's surface. Hashem is with us - always.
Something has changed.
The world after the completion of the mishkan is a new world. This new world has Space. And Space is sacred. The Mishkan is here to remind us of that. Hashem has brought presence to Space. We cannot walk endlessly traveling the earth, the desert, our life, without acknowledging his presence has now surfaced. Hashem is with us - everywhere.
Parasha Pekudei, and with it, ספר שמות, have completed the creation started in Parashat Bereshit. Time, Space and People - עולם, נפש, שנה - have been created, sanctified and connected. We now await a new calling - "ויקרא" - to invite us in to the next dimension - Man's role in this new Threefold Continuum.
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