We read in our Parasha:(39:42-43) ’Like everything that Hashem commanded Moshe, so did Bnei Israel perform all the labor. Moshe saw the entire work, and behold - they had done it aד Hashem had commanded, so had they done. And Moshe blessed them.’
Rashi comments: And Moshe blessed them’: He said to them: ‘May it be that the Shechina should dwell in the work of your hands. And may the pleasantness of the Lord our G-d be upon us’ (Ps’ 90), and this is one of the eleven psalms in ‘a prayer of Moshe.’
The Ktav Sofer expounds on this: ’The Midrash asks:’Where did Hashem command: And make for Me a Sanctuary?’ - a surprising question, as we read in a number of places the command to make the Sanctuary.
‘The answer may be found in the repetition: ’And they made it as Hashem had commanded, so had they done’ - it was an honor to Bnei Israel to be so commanded - arousing the envy of the nations- but if they had this in mind, it would not find favor in Hashem’s eyes, as His will was that it be erected solely for His honor - that they merit to His residing in their midst.
‘Let us recall that the craftsmen engaged in the work were many - as were the range of crafts- and it was beyond natural that all was done correctly, and free of any defect, so that nothing required repair; and they brought everything upon its completion, yet all was perfect, free of any defect - this testified that it was out of the natural way - and could only have been with help from Above, and this because it was done with the right intention.
‘This is what Moshe Rabbeinu saw with his holy-guided eyes: that the manner in which the work had been done, was done ‘as Hashem had commanded’ - solely with the intention that Hashem should lest His Shechina in it, and this is why he blessed them, with this blessing.
‘This is the answer to the question of the Midrash: it was His command that they erect the Sanctuary ‘for the Shechina to reside in it’ - and not for their glory, or to be elevated in the eyes of the nations.
‘This also explains the unusual words of Moshe’s blessing- not being in the usual format of:’May it be the Will of Hashem..’ simply יהי רצון::’May it be the Will.’
‘There are people who contribute for their own honor, or to display their wealth - Hashem did not want their offerings, but only those given for the dwelling of the Shecina in their midst - as He spelled out in Parashat Terumah - לי לשמי:’For Me, for My sake’ - that I dwell in your midst.
‘When would this occur? - only if they fulfill the condition: When all is done as I have shown you - ‘so that I dwell in your midst’ - only if this condition was met, would they merit that the Father would dwell in the midst of His sons.’
This exposition of the Ktav Sofer brings to mind the admonition of Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehudah the Prince (Avot 2:4) ’Do His Will as if it was yours, so that He may do your will as if it were His’.
As the Torah makes clear on our subject, Hashem’s Will was that the sole ‘will’ of the people, in erecting the Sanctuary, was for the Shechina to dwell in th work of their hands -and this was the blessing of Moshe: that this be their will, in building the Sanctuary.
Thereby, the Will of Hashem is ‘their’ will, as well.
A parting gem from the Lev Simcha of Gur:’The gemara asks (Shabbat 32):’What is the work of the hands of man -and answers:’his sons and daughters’ - this was the blessing of Moshe: In the works of your hands- in your households -the Shechina should reside, that they be places of sanctity.
The Alshich Hakadosh sweetens this insight, commenting:’Do not think that the pricipal place in which the Shechina wishes to dwell, is the Sanctuary - no! The passuk says:’And I will dwell in them’ - not ‘in it’.
‘The true dwelling place of the Shechina -as the prophet Yermiyahu says (7:4)’They are the halls of Hashem’ -if they are righteous, I will be with them, there - in them.’
לרפואת נועם עליזה בת זהבה רבקה ונחום אלימלך רפאל בן זהבה רבקה, בתוך שאר חולי עמנו.