Shabbat and the Mishkan
VaYakhel
Shemot 35:1-38:20

Miriam Ben-Yaacov

Israel’s role in the world is to be a partner with Gd in bringing about the Redemption, repairing the damage done to Creation with the first sin of Mankind. A very important part of this role was the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and later the Bet HaMikdash (Temple). Each item for the Mishkan, the dwelling place of the Shekinah, had to be precisely as Gd commanded. For this, He endowed Bezalel with a spirit of wisdom, which enabled him to be a channel through which a mirror of the heavenly Temple could be actualized in the material world. Bezalel was able to teach others with the wisdom he himself was receiving from heaven. Among the people themselves, men and women were given “wise-hearts”, creative spiritual gifts, in order to produce the items for the Mishkan, spinning, weaving, sewing, cutting, building, etc., exactly as needed. The whole nation of Israel thus participated in the materialization of the Mishkan into the world.

VaYakhel begins with a reiteration of the command to keep Shabbat as a complete rest, specifically forbidding the kindling of fire.
Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and said to them: “These are the things the Hashem commanded, to do them: ‘On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem; whoever does work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.’” -- Shemot 35:1-3

After this passage the parsha immediately begins telling of the story of the building of the Mishkan. At first reading one may wonder at this, and perhaps think there was a subject change. Not so. From the placement of these verses, as the introduction of the parsha, we understand that the work connected with the building of the Mishkan defines “creative work” forbidden on the Shabbat. This is seen in thirty-nine categories:

Gd Himself was the first keeper of Shabbat when He rested after six days of Creation. In commanding the people of Israel to keep this day holy, He is drawing the nation, that He has chosen to be His partner in revealing and establishing His will on the earth, into behavior that He conceived as holy:
“....For I am Hashem Who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a Gd unto you; you shall be holy, for I am holy.”--Vayikra (Leviticus) 11:45

Keeping Shabbat is a recurring theme of the Prophets in their condemnation of Israel’s falling away from the Torah. Jeremiah (17:27) admonished the people to refrain from carrying burdens through the gates of Jerusalem on Shabbat. For not keeping Shabbat, Jeremiah prophesied that the gates and palaces of Jerusalem would be destroyed, consumed with fire. During the building of the Second Temple, Nehemiah (13:15-22) condemned the people’s desecrating Shabbat through treading winepresses, carrying burdens, buying and selling.

Isaiah goes further and obviously connects Shabbat to the eternal Bet HaMikdash. Chapter 56 speaks to the eunuch and the convert, promising that they are not rejected by Gd, but only on condition that they hold fast to His covenant and keep Shabbat.
Let not the foreigner, who has joined himself to Hashem, speak, saying, “Hashem will utterly separate me from His people”; and let not the barren one say, “Behold I am a shriveled tree.”
For thus said Hashem to the barren ones who observe My Sabbaths and choose what I desire, and grasp My covenant tightly: In My house and within My walls I will give them a place of honor and renown, which is better than sons and daughters; eternal renown will I give them, which will never be terminated.
And the foreigners who join themselves to Hashem to serve Him and to love the Name of Hashem to become servants unto Him, all who guard the Sabbath against desecration, and grasp My covenant tightly--I will bring them to My holy mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer; their elevation-offerings and their feast-offerings will find favor on My Altar, for My House will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. The word of my Lrd, Hashem Elohim, Who gathers in the dispersed of Israel: “I shall gather to him even more than those already gathered to him.”
-- Isaiah 56:3-8

The keeping of Shabbat is inseparable with the Shekinah, the Presence of Gd, dwelling among Mankind in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Mishkan, the First Temple, the Second Temple, and Jerusalem herself, were inseparably connected with the keeping of Shabbat. So it is with the Third Temple. The ultimate goal and purpose of Bet HaMikdash is as a vessel to facilitate the Redemption that all Creation yearns to see, and Israel’s keeping Shabbat is a necessity for the realization of the Redemption. Indeed, the pinnacle of the Redemption is called Shabbat--the Seventh Millenium when all Creation will be blessed with rest. May we, soon and in our day, see the fulfillment of the Gd’s promise:

...For My House will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.

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2011WCNN