Parshat Vayakel Pekudei - HaChodesh 5777
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week's parsha the mitzvah of Shabbos and immediately afterwards the Torah reviews the mitzvah of building the Mishkan. Rashi comments that we learn from here that Shabbos takes precedence and may not be violated in order to build the Mishkan. In last week's parsha, Ki Sisa, Rashi derives this teaching form the words, Ach Es Shabsosai, but not from the order since in last weeks' parsha the mitzvah of the Mishkan is brought before Shabbos. Why is the order of Shabbos and the building of the Mishkan reversed in these two parshiyot?
Rav Tzadok explains the difference in the order according to the position of the Ramban (based on the Zohar) that the parshiyot are brought in the order of the chronological events. There were two separate commands to build the Mishkan, one before the Cheit HaEgel, and the command brought in our parsha which took place after the sin. Before the Cheit the Mishkan is mentioned before Shabbos and in our parsha after the sin, Shabbos is first.
The Gemara in Shabbos 69B teaches that if one finds himself in the desert and he doesn't know which day is Shabbos, according to Rav Huna he counts six days and then he keeps Shabbos. Chiya Bar Rav disagrees and holds that he should stop and keep Shabbos, and then count the six days of the week. Rav Huna's solution follows the chronology of creation, six days of work and then Shabbos, while Chiya Bar Rav's alternative follows the experience of Adam HaRishon who was created on Erev Shabbos. His first full day was Shabbos, and then he experienced the six days of work.
The building of the Mishkan parallels the creation of the world. The Medrash Rabbah on Bereishis (19,7) teaches "Ikar Shechinah BaTachtonim", the main point of creation was to bring the presence of the Shechinah into the world. Just as creation brought the presence of Gd to this world, so too the building of the Mishkan was to bring Hashem's presence to this world as the pasuk says (Chapter 25, Pasuk 8), V'Asu Li Mikdash V'Shachanti Besocham. Parshat Ki Sisa brings the mitzvah of building the Mishkan before Shabbos in order to parallel the creation of the world. First there was creation, bringing Gd's presence to the world, and then there was the mitzvah of Shabbos. The point of Shabbos is just as Gd rested after creating the world and bringing His presence down to the world, so too we rest (Medrash Tanchuma, Bereishis 2). The pasuk says by the first commandments (Chapter 20, Pasuk 11), Vayanach Bayom Ha'Shvi'I, Al Kein Berach; Gd rested, therefore He commanded the mitzvah of Shabbos.
In our parsha, the mitzvah of building the Mishkan is brought after the Cheit HaEgel. The order of the verses mirrors the experience of Adam HaRishon after his sin; first the mitzvah of Shabbos, and then the experience of the six days of creation. The mitzvah of Shabbos comes first as an atonement for the sin, and then through the Teshuvah of Shabbos we can sanctify the days of the week. Similarly, the mitzvah of Shabbos comes first in order to enable Clal Yisrael to infuse the building of the Mishkan with the proper Kedushah. Our parsha takes place after the Cheit HaEgel so it's essential that the mitzvah of Shabbos be given first in order to do Teshuvah through the inspiration of Shabbos and properly bring bracha to the building of the Mishkan. And Rav Tzadok concludes this pint by commenting that just as we say, Vehee Noam after Shabbos to request that the bracha of Shabbos extend to the coming days of the week, so too this bracha of Vehee Noam was said by Moshe Rabbeinu at the conclusion of the building fo the Mishkan requesting that their building of the Mishkan be with bracha (see Rashi, Shmos, Chapter 39, Pasuk 43).
The Sfas Emes explains the reversal of the order in a similar manner. The Medrash Rabbah on Shmos (27,9) teaches that after the Cheit HaEgel Hashem said to Bnei Yisrael, Kilkaltem B'Na'ase Hizaharu B'Nishma. By sinning with the golden calf you messed up with Na'ase, performing mitzvos, be careful with Nishma, with learning and understanding mitzvos. What is the Medrash teaching? It can't mean just worry about Nishma without concern for Na'ase, the performance of mitzvos!
The Sfas Emes explains that what the Medrash means is that before the sin Bnei Yisrael had said Na'ase V'Nishma at Har Sinai indicating that they were inspired to keep mitzvos from their own volition without inspiration from Hashem. This is why the mitzvah of the Mishkan is brought before Shabbos. Bnei Yisrael were ready to bring the materials necessary and carry out the building of the Mishkan first. Shabbos which is Kevia V'Kayma, automatically occurs weekly from Hashem without man's involvement, is brought after the Mishkan in parshat Ki Sisa before Cheit HaEgel expressing the notion of Na'ase V'Nishma; first we will do the mitzvos and then we will be inspired.
After the sin of the golden calf Hashem says to Bnei Yisrael Kilkaltem B'Na'ase; you are no longer able to create your own inspiration to act first. Hizaharu B'Nishma; respond to the inspiration from the word of Hashem in order to continue keeping the mitzvos. After the sin of the golden calf the mitzvah of Shabbos comes first. We first need the inspiration from Hashem as represented by the mitzvah of Shabbos. Hashem brings us the mitzvah of Shabbos every week to lift us up and inspire us. Use that inspiration for Nishma; to be eager to perform mitzvos. This is why the building of the Mishkan after the Cheit HaEgel in our parsha comes only after the mitzvah of Shabbos; Kilkaltem B'Na'ase Hizaharu B'Nishma.
Good Shabbos
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