23: Pekudei
Welcome to TLDR Torah: a synopsis of the weekly parsha based on Robert Alter’s translation, plus a question to spur your Shabbat dinner (or any!) conversation.
Parsha Pekudei (Exodus 38:21-40:38)
TLDR:
The only thing that stands between us and the end of Exodus is another long list of the gold and silver used in the Tabernacle.
Alter translates “Pekudei” as “reckonings” of the Tabernacle, but it more familiarly would mean “inventory” in this context. We’re about to take inventory of the goods contributed by the people.
And there were lots of shekels used in building the sanctuary! We’re told 603,550 men had contributed a half-shekel as part of last week’s poll tax, and more people gave voluntarily.
In addition to using gold, silver, and copper in the building, the people use yarns and fine linen to create garments and stones to build the breastplate. When they finish the work, Moses blesses them.
Now that everything has been built, it’s time to use the sanctuary, and God wastes no time in doing so. God directs Moses on the first day of the first month to set up the Tabernacle and consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests.
Moses does as God says… he erects the tent, hangs the curtains, lights the lamps, burns the incense, and prepares the water laver.
God “fills” the tabernacle with his presence. When the cloud (or, at night, fire) lifts, the Israelites continue to journey. When it stays put, the Israelites continue to camp.
Question:
If you had 87,730 (combined gold, silver, and copper) shekels in the wilderness after escaping slavery, what would you do with it? Assume there’s a limited economy where you currently are, but you could use the shekels at your destination and inflation has been kept relatively low by 1970s standards. The shekels don’t need an official anti-counterfeit stamp because you could just melt them down and weigh them. Would you make (a) a sanctuary to God? (b) beautiful ornaments you could sell in the future? (c) weapons, at least out of the copper? (d) something else? Does how long you expect to be in the wilderness change your answer? Is it remarkable that the Israelites decide to spend their limited resources and effort on building such an ornate sanctuary when they must have had so many other needs, e.g. houses? Or is that would you’d expect?