Transcription
Shalom and welcome to Temple Talk. This is Yeetsak Ruin speaking to you from south of Jerusalem here in the holy land of Israel. Today is the 21st day of the month of Adar 5786. It's March 10th, 2026.
This coming Shabbat, we read the final two portions of the book of Schmote, the book of Exodus. Uh, a double para para mubel begins in the book of Exodus 35:1 and concludes with the final verse of the book of Exodus 40:38. Uh, this coming Shabbat we also read the fourth and final of the four special part four special additional Torah readings that we read throughout the month of Adar. And this one is aesh meaning the month. And of course, it is from the book of Exodus 12:1. Um, I forget where it ends. It's all about begins with the Israel's first commandment that they receive whilst still in Egypt. They have not yet been liberated. But this is the beginning of their liberation. And that is to uh designate the new moon as the new month, the first of their months. And this will be the month of their gula, the month of their redemption, their exodus from Egypt. And of course, it is the month of Nissan as is as it is known today and has been known for the past 2,500 years or so. And um, it is we read it because it's in anticipation of Passover, which is just oh three three weeks away really. And uh, there's much to do before Passover. And of course, the the commandment to designate the new moon and determine the new month was of course the beginning of the commandment to uh prepare a an a corban pesak, a Passover offering on that month. First to take into your possession a lamb or a kid um on the 10th of the month. So you had to know the the date. You had to know when the month began. So he could do that in the 10th and on the 14th to slaughter that and of course on the uh in the evening on the 15th uh Israel would leave Egypt. So it's a very very important reading which we of course read um a month or so ago in the book of Exodus and we'll be reading again that small portion uh this coming Shabbat.
It's also Shabbat, meaning it's the Shabbat in which we make a special blessing for the upcoming new month of Nissan, of course, which will be the following week. I don't have in front of me which day, but uh, it will be the following week. And of course, Nissan is a very very special month. It's the first of our months. And as I said before, it's the month of our past gula from Egypt and our future gula. They say that our ultimate redemption will be achieved in the month of Nissan. So those are the things that we are getting ready for this coming Shabbat. And of course parakud um focuses once again on the tabernacle, the Mishkan, the dwelling place for Hashem's presence amongst his people, his children, Israel. And it brings the book of Exodus to a conclusion. So the book of Exodus which begins really with the oppression of the Jews in Egypt and then the birth of Moshe and then of course the the burning bush and the the 10 plagues and the Exodus leaving Egypt and the and the splitting of the sea of reeds and Amal and the Ten Commandments. All that exciting stuff which took place pretty much in the first half of the book of Exodus has been has been uh um well has been maybe the word wrong phrasing but the second half of the book really focuses on the Mishkan on the tabernacle with the one interruption which we read last week which was about the the golden calf the egal zahav and I'm going to talk to you a little bit later about why that really is an essential part of the building of the Mishkan, the tabernacle.
First, I just want to give a quick update as to um life here in Israel uh at war once again with Iran. Of course, this time, as last time, we are fighting with the United States uh military at our side. And um that is a big a big plus. Uh, Iran is a massive country. I just saw yesterday a picture of its map imposed over over Europe and basically it covers uh the entire more or less the entire uh surface of Western Europe I would say from from Eastern Germany all the way into uh Western from Eastern Germany all the way into Eastern Britain. That's how large Iran is. So it's not an easy country to to bring to its knees. But um uh Israel and the United States have been furiously and incessantly bombing strategic sites, military installations, uh rocket launchers, missile launchers and missiles and and the production uh factories for the missiles and for the and for the rocket fuel use for the missiles and of course uh the uh IRCG, was that what they're called? the uh revolutionary guard headquarters and police headquarters and prisons and all sorts of strategic areas avoiding assiduously uh uh civilian area, civilian targets. And uh we know that for a fact because the few messages that are getting out of of Iran since they have uh uh blocked again the the internet. Uh, the few messages that get out, we see videos of of Iranians uh in their apartments maybe and uh cheering and and celebrating as they see uh military and and installations of oppression being destroyed in the distance. So that's what's happening in in in Iran here in in Israel. Um, we of course have complete support for for this military uh operation and um we are praying that it will end with the complete and utter destruction of this evil evil evil regime and we're praying also that the Iranian people will be able to um uh free themselves and and create a democratic uh open uh uh western oriented societies and and join the family of nations once again and once again be an ally to Israel. And if that were to happen, it could completely change the dynamics of our area and not just our not just the Middle East, but the entire world because uh of course they are a part of the axis of of Russia and and China and Korea and uh to wreak havoc and to try to destroy the West. And so this is a huge if if if Iran goes down, it's a huge gain for the West and a huge loss for the our adversaries. And um I think that people need to realize that it's just I I see what's you know I read what's going on in the United States and the lack of of of support on the left and from the and from the Democrats and they are just so damn foolish and and self-centered and and petty and and unpatriotic, I have to say. I mean, your your nation's at war against an enemy which has been at war with the United States for nearly five decades, has murdered savagely many Americans, has murdered many, many people uh across the world, and has created havoc and terror all throughout the Middle East, and has only recently murdered 30 to 40 maybe more thousand of its own citizens. and had had been developing huge stockpile of ballistic missiles and of course working feverishly toward uh obtaining um a nuclear uh uranium and creating a missile uh a nuclear missile which could reach the United States. So anybody who thinks that the United States is is uh fighting Israel's war, I hear that uh excuse me, we have both have the same interest. We both want to destroy this regime. But the United States has plenty of reasons to destroy this regime. It's a huge threat and becoming a greater threat. A threat to the United States, not simply to Israel, not simply to the region, but to to Europe, to to the United States. And of course as soon as war broke out uh Iran the Iranian regime kept started began firing missiles in every direction that their astile u allies uh all across the Gulf and into even into uh Turkey and into Cyprus. Um, so they need to be destroyed and God willing they will be destroyed. Um, it uh it took uh took a a Trump and a Netanyahu uh together to to have the nerve, the gumption, the vision to to do this. And I pray for their success. And of course, we pray for the safety and success of American army, American soldiers, and Israeli army and soldiers. And of course, we mourn the loss of any American or Israeli uh servicemen or women who have perished in this war. Um, it's a huge huge potential game changer and uh uh it is couldn't have come didn't come a minute too soon. It was really I know there are skeptics who you know they've been they've been warning about for 40 years. Yeah, he has been and he's been right for 40 years. Um, and and even uh President Trump has been talking about destroying uh this regime for 40 years and he's been right. So now he has the opportunity now. They both have the opportunity. Uh, and let's let's pray that it happens.
In the meantime, uh less and less missiles are being fired toward Israel as the as the supply of missiles uh in and missile launchers in Iran has has uh been reduced dramatically due to American and Israeli bombing raids. But uh still um we've been getting u in my town alone which is not in the center of the country. So, it's not near uh any strategic facilities that they might be trying to hit to my knowledge. Um, we've had uh one or two or three uh sirens a day, sometimes in the middle of the night in which we need to go in either into our safe rooms or if we don't have our own safe room into a neighborhood bomb shelter. Um, and uh of course uh we have her missile defense which shoots down most a very high percentage of these incoming missiles but um the latest development is that the Iranians are sending in um um I forget what they call it but multiple warheads where there's a small once you can you can explode the missile high up in the atmosphere but uh it explodes and these small missiles uh come down and they have a huge range uh that dispersed over a huge area and then when as soon as they hit impact they fire a pellets uh in all different directions. So they're exceedingly dangerous. They're illegal of course by international law which only seems to apply ever to one side of a conflict these days. Um, so they're highly dangerous. Um, and it's exceedingly important that people get to their safe rooms or or um um or bomb shelters in order to protect themselves. You should also I don't know if you've seen any photographs, but these missiles that are being sent uh are huge. Even just simply the the fuel tanks part of the missile, you know, they land somewhere and uh they're massive. And that alone could could destroy a building. Just the mass of it coming down at that speed. So uh this is the enemy we're up against. a horrible, evil, despicable enemy which as its own whole raise on detrris seems to be to destroy Israel and destroy the west and God willing they themselves will be destroyed and um the good people of Iran can rise up in freedom and that is of course our fervent prayer here in Israel.
Uh, let's get on now to the para parad vayaklude. Um, vayakl focuses on the production of the of of the of the tabernacle and all its vessels and purude focuses more on an accounting of all the materials used. um, so that uh everybody understands how much went into it and uh everything's accounted for which is a beautiful beautiful message that uh you know Israel was building this dreamhouse for Hashem really in a very very real way completing creation because God created the world with the intention of dwelling within his creation. And of course when when man broke away from God in the garden of Eden, man created a a separation uh and um sort of pushed God out of his own world. And so now God is going to re-enter into his world through the through the the effort of his people. And uh so this is really the completion of creation. And um just like um in creation itself there's no you know in the universe there's no waste. There's no byproduct. Everything in creation is there for a purpose. It exists for a purpose. It's an expression of Hashem's will. And so when we build the the the Mishkan, the tabernacle, which also is an expression of Hashem's will, it also has to be accounted for and there also no waste and no no byproducts. So that's why the accounting of everything that went into it is is so essential.
Um, let's begin. Some of this will sound familiar as we as we read the first few verses from uh Vayakel 35:1. First in Hebrew, then in English. Lord, Shabbat. Truma. foreign at the Amav Adanav and I'll stop there. Let's read that in English. Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the children of Israel and said to them, "These are the things that Hashem commanded to do them. On six days, work may be done, but on the seventh day shall be a holy day 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." Moshe said to the entire assembly of the children of Israel, saying, "This is a word that Hashem has commanded, saying, "Take for yourselves a portion for Hashem. Everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it as a gift for Hashem. Gold, silver, copper, turquoise, purple and scarlet wool, linen, goat hair, red dyed skin, ramkins, takash skins, theacia wood, oil for illumination, spices for the anointments of oil and for the automatic incense, showham stones and stones for the settings, for the eff and the breastplate. Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem has commanded. The tabernacle, its tent, and its covers, its hooks, its planks, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets, the ark, and its staves, the cover, the partition curt curtain, the table, the staves, and all its utensils, the showbread, etc., etc., etc. We're just beginning. This is just the beginning."
So, why did I say it sound familiar? Because of course a few parotgo back in parhat truma we were privy to this private meeting between Hashem and Moshe at top harina mount si where hashem told Moshe to do exactly this assemble the people and tell them everybody who has it in their heart everybody who has a spirit of generosity in their heart come should come and give of their possessions of what they have and give of their skills their talents as well under time in order to make this house so that I can dwell amongst my people they shall make me a sanctuary with and I will dwell amongst them. So here that when we read that back in Parhat Truma and then Hashem went on to describe everything that he wanted in that in that dream house and that was just a conversation but now it's happening now Mosha is fulfilling his commitment to Hashem by by telling the people by saying to everybody all of you who are want to be part of this uh amazing project who really want to be part of the completion of of of creation who want to be partner with with Hashem uh not just living in his creation to to the best of our ability, but being active members, actively partner in in creating and and and shaping creation uh to step forward and and and give give of yourselves, give of your possessions. And of course, then we listed all the things um um that people should bring. And of course, as we read further, we read that the people didn't just bring, but people uh they they gave of their expertise. People who uh understood metal work, worked with the metals, people who were carpenters, worked with the wood, people who were weavers, worked with the fabrics, people who were dyers, worked with dying the fabrics, etc., etc. Everybody participated and um I think it comes through in the in the English, but it certainly comes through in the Hebrew that the the tempo, the the rhythm, the pace, the cadence of this entire reading. um, you know listing things and things being built and this was built and that was built and there's a lot of seeming repetition uh in describing this, but you really get the feeling you feel like you're you're you're in a a factory or or a an artisan shop and you can almost hear, you know, the activity. You hear the banging of hammers against metal. You hear the weave the the click and clack of the of the of the of the looms. you hear the the the furnace burning for for melting uh forging metal etc etc. Uh, it's just there's so much energy and that word uh in Hebrew vasu and you shall make and you shall make and you shall make it's all about doing about creating. It's a sacred thing that's going on here. People are creating something for Hashem and and it's it's it's a it's a an imitation in the very best way of creation itself. God created by speaking by by saying let there be. We don't have that ability. We're creating with the work of our hands and our hearts and our brains. Um, but uh it is creation and that refers us back to the opening verses which almost seem out of place. Them emos assembled the people and says these are the things that commanded to do them. On six days work may be done but on the seventh day shall be holy for you a day of complete rest for Hashem. The Shabbat Sabbath. So why is it mentioned here of all places? We already we already heard about the Shabbat. Well, it's mentioned in two places. um at the beginning and at the end of the the labor that went into the building of the Mishkan, the tabernacle. And the reason for that is because it lets us know, it reminds us that as holy as the work is on the tabernacle, nevertheless, we cease work and we rest on the Sabbath on Shabbat. So uh building the tabernacle took a number of months. But uh every every Friday afternoon, every yomishi 6th day afternoon, people put down their tools, they they bathe, they put on their finest clothes, and they observe the Shabbat by resting. Um, and again, that parallels creation itself. Hashem rested on the sixth on the seventh day. So, of course, we too need to rest in the seventh day and all the more so if we're preoccupied with building something sacred for Hashem, something as the completion of of creation itself. So, that's why it's mentioned here. It's extremely important, not simply as a as a reminder to the Israelites in the wilderness who were going to be be working on this grand project, but but it signifies that that the building of the tabernacle was again, as I've said now a number of times, was uh a part of creation. It was a very important part of creation. And it's such a privilege that Hashem gave to us, his people, his children, his creation, the the the merit, the honor of of being able to complete creation. Of course, you know, God could have he didn't need us to put together a a modest tent, which is what this was in the wilderness. It really was a modest tent. You know, the description sounds very fantastic, but when all is said and done, it was a tent and a couple of beams. And yes, there was gold and silver and and other fine things, but it was pretty modest. I mean, God, you know, God could have created for himself a palace, but the whole point is that we are creating it. God wanted us to create it. create it and to invite Hashem in. You know, God could have imposed himself upon us. He could have say, you know, this is I I created this world. I'm going to dwell in this world. But he wanted his children. He wanted humanity to invite him in. We need to want Hashem's presence in our midst. We need to want Hashem to be our neighbor, to be amongst us. It has to come from us. Otherwise, it doesn't work. So, this is a huge huge undertaking. So, you know, on the one hand, the first, as I said before, the first half of the book of Exodus, you know, with all those exciting things happening, those classic scenes, the the the burning bush and the plagues and the and the and the Mount Si, etc., etc., the the sea of reeds, all those things that uh, you know, just light up the imagination or movies made about them. I don't think I've ever seen a movie made about building the tabernacle, but it was no less um an important or or history changing event than anything else that that transpired in the first half of the book. The only difference is this is people doing it. It's people doing it, not Hashem doing it. So yeah, you know, it sounds a little more routine, a little more mundane. But get this also, you know, ever since Israel left Egypt, there's been ups and downs. There's been complaints. People were thirsty. People were hungry. Uh, you know, the the golden calf was a huge huge catastrophe, a huge failure of of of of humanity. Um, and here the people have actually bonded together. They're united. They're all participating men and women and and that is you know stated explicitly that men and women and they brought and at one point we read it and um um uh let's read a few more verses. It's so fantastic. Verse 20 from chapter 35. The entire assembly of the children of Israel left Mosh's presence after he spoke to them and listed all these things that they needed to bring or that they could bring if they desired to. Every man whose heart inspired him came and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of Hashem for the work of the tent of meeting for all its labors and the sacred vestments. The men came with the women. Everyone whose heart motivated him brought bracelets, nose rings, rings, body ornaments, all sorts of gold ornaments. Every man who raised up an offering of gold to Hashem. Every man with LA and on and on and on and on. Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work that Hashem had commanded to make through Moshe, the children of Israel brought a free world offering to Hashem free will. It came from their own free will, men and women, everybody together.
So when the people decided that they were going to do this and it seemed to be spontaneous, you know, Moshe, he opened his mouth, he delivered God's message and the people just they left his presence. And I went, you know, I wonder what he was thinking. you know, he's speaking and God, you know, told me to tell you this, you know, bring your generous heart, bring this and that and the next thing and we'll build a tabernacle, a a home, a dwelling place for Hashem. And he speaks, he finishes, and everybody walks away. I wonder if he was anticipating that they were going to all be coming back in moments, uh, you know, with with with baskets full of jewels and fabrics and and silver and gold and everything else. Um, or if he thought, "Oh my gosh, that's it. they just like went away. Um I I think about that moment. Maybe that's just me. But of course um they did come back and they came and kept bringing things to the point where we read a little bit later that um uh some of the some of the uh you know the work foremen came to Moshe and they said listen they've brought enough. It's time for them to stop. We don't need extra. So Moshe had to tell the people enough, don't bring anymore. They had brought just enough. And uh this was not, you know, a a campaign. This wasn't a GoFundMe uh campaign uh to u you know, bring in as much as possible. It was for a specific purpose. And again, we'll read afterwards in in in Pakud uh an exact accounting of of all the materials that were used. And of course in this parha we also read about someone who's been mentioned before but now he really goes to work and that's Bal ben uh Uri Ben the son of Uri the son of the tribe of Yehuda Judah and his assistant son of Isisamak of the tribe of Dan. And these two master craftsmen oversee the entire uh the entire uh project. And also they themselves work on some of the uh you know the the major vessels, the ark of the covenant of the covenant, manora, the table. They are the master craftsman. Obviously they learned their trade in Egypt uh as did everybody else. uh uh I guess not everyone was uh was gathering straw to make mud bricks. I guess some of the the uh Hebrew slaves in Egypt um, you know, were were used to uh for for producing things out of gold and silver and and for fabrics and things. So they had these skills and of course as we know that Hashem told the people he said before you leave go to your neighbors you're going to find favor in their eyes and ask for and ask for specific ask for silver and gold and and find fabrics and they'll give them to you. So that's where they where they acquired all this wealth. And you may say, wait a minute, you know, there's a famous story um uh in our tradition that at one point, I think was during the time of Alexander the Great, that the Egyptians said, you know what, we're going to sue uh Israel for all that stuff. They they took they stole they stole, you know, they they came, they said, can we borrow this and that? And then they left with it. And um, and so the the elders of of Israel were deciding who should represent them. And I I think if I'm remembering the story correctly, you know, Alexander the Great himself was the was the judge. And some person who was uh not a wise person but a very simple person said, "Let me do it." You know, so that way if we lose, you can blame it on me, but let me do it. So they decide to let him do it. And when Egypt brought up all his valuables, all the valuables that Israel took with them out of Egypt, this man simply said, "Okay, how many years were we enslaved in Egypt? And uh how many, you know, what were the hours of our work days? And how does that come out to how many hours of work?" and um, and what was the you know the average wage of a of a proper a proper uh worker in Egypt at the time to the point where the Egyptians realized that if they're going to follow through with this then uh they're going to owe uh Israel much more than Israel would owe them. So uh that was the end of that argument. Anyway, um, the the everything is described in in in precise detail. the the ark of the covenant, the the kruvim, the cherubim, the the uh the manora and then the showbread table, the labor, the t the the golden incense altar, the the in the case of the of the tabernacle, the bronze or copper um outer altar for the offerings. and the closing words, closing verses of uh of the book of of Exodus. Um, I really encourage people to to um to read and I would begin even chapter 39:42 the va the last verse of of 39 like everything that Hashem commanded Moshe so did the children of Israel perform all the labor. Moshe saw the entire work and behold they had done it as Hashem had commanded. So had they done and Moshe blessed them. And to me that just echoes what we read uh in the book of Genesis um in the first first verses of the book of Genesis the the the verses concerning uh creation itself. Just going to look it up very quickly because we don't have much time left. And that of course is okay after the six days we read um and God saw all that he had made and behold it was very good and it was evening and it was morning and the sixth day now the heavens and earth were completed and all their hosts and God completed on the seventh day he did and and God completed on the seventh day his work that he did and he abstained in the seventh day from all his work that he did. And God blessed the seventh day and he hallowed it for thereon he abstained from all work that God created to do. And I maybe it's my imagination but I I hear an echo of that in these words. And again um if you continue to read it, it gives one last listing of everything that went into it. And that is also just like the listing of the of the first verses of Genesis, the listing of everything that went into creation. It's a very beautiful conclusion to the book of Exodus which takes us from from slavery in Egypt to a free people who has built now a dwelling for Hashem to dwell amongst them here on earth here in creation. Thank you so much for being with me. Temple talk.