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Parshas Pekudei

Pesukim: 92 [Siman: בלי כל]

Haftorah:[1] Melachim 1 7:51-8:21

 Rishon

1. The accounting of the donation materials and their use:

• The following is the accounting of the Mishkan donations. It was counted by Isamar the son of Aaron, and the Levites, as Moshe commanded. Betzalel Ben Uri Ben Chur from Shevet Yehuda and Oholiav Ben Achisamach did all that they were commanded for building the Mishkan.
• Gold: 29 Kikar and 730 Shekel of gold was donated.
• Silver: 100 Kikar and 1775 Shekel of silver was donated. A Beka weight of silver was donated for every person 20 years and older during the half shekel donation. The total number of donors of the half shekel was 603,550. The 100 Kikar of silver was used to make the silver sockets for the pillars of the Kodesh and Paroches, one Kikar per socket. The remaining 1775 silver shekel were used to make the hooks and belts of the pillars.
• Copper: 70 Kikar and 2400 Shekel of copper was donated. The copper was used to make the copper sockets for the pillars of the Ohel Moed, courtyard and entrance gate. It was also used to make the copper altar and its netting and all of its accessories. It was also used to make all the pegs of the courtyard.
• Wool: The Techeiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon-Purple wool, and scarlet wool, were used to make the priestly garments.

Sheiyni (Chamishi when connected to Vayakhel)

2. The Eiphod:

• He made the Eiphod from gold, Turquoise-Ticheiles wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen. Gold strings were cut from thin sheets of gold and woven with the Turquoise-Ticheiles wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen. He made two shoulder straps, one by each end, and a belt which was likewise made of the same materials stated above.
• The Avnie Shoham: He placed the two Shoham stones into their gold settings and inscribed on them the name of the tribes of Israel. He placed the stones on the shoulder straps of the Eiphod, one per strap, as a remembrance.

3. The Choshen:

• He made the Choshen from gold, Turquoise-Ticheiles wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen. The Choshen was square, folded over, a Zeres in its length and width. It was filled with four rows of stones. The first row contained the following stones: Odem, Pitdah, and Barekes. The second row contained the following stones: Nofech, Sapir, and Yahalom. The third row contained the following stones: Leshem, Shevo, and Achlamah. The fourth row contained the following stones: Tarshish, Shoham, and Yashfeh. The stones were placed within gold settings. They had the names of the tribes inscribed on them, one tribe per stone for a total of 12 tribes and stones.
• The chains and rings that attach the Choshen to the Eiphod: They made two gold chains on the Choshen. They made two gold settings and two gold rings and placed the rings on the two [top] corners of the Choshen. They attached the chains to these two rings. The other end of the chains was attached to the gold settings and then attached to the shoulder straps of the Eiphod. They made another two gold rings for the bottom corners of the Choshen, and placed them in the interior of the Choshen. They made two rings on the bottom end of the shoulder straps of the Eiphod, symmetric to the bottom rings of the Choshen. They placed a Techeiles-Turquoise woolen string through the two sets of rings, and attached the Choshen to the Eiphod belt so that it not move.

Shelishi (Shishi when connected to Vayakhel)

4. The Meil:
   • They made the Meil entirely from Ticheiles-Turquoise wool. The Meil contained a folded collar which may not be torn. They made its hem surrounded with pomegranates made of Turquoise-Ticheiles wool, Argamon-Purple wool, scarlet wool. They also made gold bells which were inserted into the pomegranates all around the rim.

5. The Kutoness; Mitznefes, pants and Avnet:

• They made the Kutones, Mitznefes, and pants from checkered linen for both Aaron and his sons. The belt was made from checkered linen, Turquoise-Ticheiles wool, Argamon-Purple wool, and scarlet wool, the work of an embroiderer.

6. The Tzitz, Holy Crown:

• They made the Tzitz of pure gold and engraved on it the words “Kodesh LaHashem.” They placed on it a Ticheiles-Turquoise woolen string to attach to the Mitznefes.

7. The Mishkan is brought to Moshe:

• The work of the Temple was complete, and the Jewish people did all that Hashem commanded.

Revi’i

• They brought the Mishkan to Moshe, including all of its vessels. The following items were brought to Moshe: The Ohel and its implements, such as the hooks, beams, bars, pillars, and sockets; the ram skin covering, the Techashim skin covering, and the Paroches; the Aron, its poles and the Kapores; the Shulchan, all its vessels, and the showbread; the Menorah, its candles, vessels and oil; the gold altar, the anointing oil and Ketores incense; the screen of the Ohel; the copper altar with its copper netting, its poles and all of its vessels; the Kiyor and its pedestal; the curtains of the courtyard, its pillars, ropes and pegs; the priestly garments.
• Moshe saw that all the work was done as Hashem commanded, and he blessed the Jewish people.

Chamishi (Shevi’i when connected to Vayakhel)

8. Hashem instructs Moshe how to put together the Mishkan:

• Hashem told Moshe that on the first day of the first month the Mishkan is to be erected. The Aron is to be placed in the Ohel Moed and the Paroches is to be placed as a screen before it. You are to bring the Shulchan and arrange it, and bring the Menorah and light it. The gold altar is to be placed in front of the Aron, and place the screen by the entrance of the Mishkan. The Olah altar is to be placed in front of the entrance of the Ohel Moed. The Kiyor is to be placed between the Ohel Moed and altar. It is to be filled with water. You are to erect the courtyard around it and set up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard.
• Anointing the Mizbeiach: You are to take the anointing oil and anoint the Mishkan and all of its content and make it holy. Anoint the Olah altar and all its vessels and make it holy. Anoint the Kiyor and its pedestal and make it holy.
• Inaugurating the Kohanim: You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Ohel Moed and bathe them there. You are to dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him and sanctify him as a Kohen. You are also to dress his sons in the Kutanos and anoint them there and sanctify them as Kohanim forever.

Shishi

9. The Mishkan is completed:

• The date: So it was on the first day of the first month of the second year the Mishkan was erected.
• Moshe assembles the Mishkan: Moshe erected the Mishkan. He positioned its sockets, beams, polls and pillars. He spread out the tent over the Mishkan and placed the skin coverings over it.
• Moshe assembles the Aron: He placed the Luchos in the Aron, and inserted the polls to the Aron, and placed the Kapores on top. He brought the Aron into the Mishkan and placed the Paroches in front of it.
• Moshe positions the Shulchan: He placed the Shulchan in the Ohel Moed towards the northern side, outside the Paroches. He arranged the bread on the Shulchan.
• Moshe positions and lights the Menorah: He placed the Menorah in the Ohel Moed opposite the Shulchan towards the southern side. He lit the candles on the Menorah.
• Moshe positions the gold altar: He placed the gold altar in the Ohel Moed in front of the Paroches. He offered incense on it.

Shevi’i

• He placed the screen of the entrance of the Ohel Moed.
• Moshe positions the Olah altar: He positioned the Olah altar in the opening to the Ohel Moed and offered on it the Olah and Mincha, as Hashem commanded.
• Moshe positions the Kiyor: He positioned the Kiyor between the Ohel Moed and the altar and filled it with water. Moshe, and Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and feet with the water when they would enter the Ohel Moed or come to do the service on the altar.
• Moshe erects the courtyard: He erected the courtyard around the Mishkan and altar and placed the screen by the entrance of the Chatzer.
• Moshe completed the work.

10. A cloud covers the Ohel Moed and is used as a signal for travel:

• A cloud appeared and covered the Ohel Moed, and the glory of G-d filled the Mishkan. Moshe could not enter the Ohel Moed, as the cloud rested upon it and the Mishkan was filled with Hashem’s glory.
• Whenever the cloud would ascend from the Mishkan, the Jewish people would travel on their journeys. If the cloud remained, then they would not travel until it ascended.
• The cloud would remain on Mishkan by day and the fire would be there by night, as was witnessed by all of Bnei Yisrael.

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[1] So is followed by most Ashkenazi communities and Chabad. However, Sepharadic communities read from 7:40-50