The portion of PEKUDEY opens with a detailed and exact accounting of the various materials which the people contributed for the different parts of the Sanctuary, and what was done with their contributions:

These are the accounts of the tabernacle – the tabernacle of the testimony – as they were rendered according to the commandment of Moses through the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest:

All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, the gold of the offering, was twenty nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels according to the Sanctuary standard shekel. And the silver of those of the community that were numbered was a hundred talents, and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, according to the Sanctuary standard shekel. And from the blue, and purple, and scarlet dyed wool they made plaited garments for ministering in the holy place, and they made holy garments for Aaron, as HaShem commanded Moses… (Exodus 38: 21-25, 39:1).

Theocratic societies are often ruled by priestly castes, all access to whose secret lore and inner workings is strictly sealed off from the general public. The same could be said to apply today under most governments, religious or secular, monarchical or “democratic”, throughout the world.

The book of Exodus concludes with Moses’ lesson in transparent government . Having imposed a “tax” of the silver half-shekel and invited voluntary contributions of other materials for the Sanctuary, Moses gives a complete accounting of all that was received and exactly what was done with it. Everything was conducted under the eye of full public scrutiny with no cover-ups, scams or filching from ordinary people’s contributions for private use and other forms of corruption. Everything is open, honest and laid upon the table for all to see.

Likewise the entire Torah is open to the eyes of all men and women anywhere in the world. Through Internet anyone can find out how to acquire Torah texts. If they are capable of learning Hebrew and Aramaic and studying the original sources, they will be able to see for themselves that everything in this Torah for the Nations series is based on the authentic foundations of HaShem’s Torah as received through the hand of Moses at Mount Sinai as expounded by the sages of Israel in the Mishnah, Talmud, Codes, Kabbalah and Chassidut.

Many translations of the authoritative sources have been made into various languages making the Torah accessible to all. Yet she reveals and uncovers the many secret treasures buried deep in her words and letters, crowns and melodies only to those who seek out her wisdom more earnestly than people seek gold and silver.

To understand the depth meaning of the Torah depends upon two foundations that are secret in the heart of each and every person: Love of God and Fear of God. Only you and I – and God Himself – know in our own hearts if we have true Love and Fear of God. It is upon these two hidden foundations that the entire edifice stands.

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