by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 9, 2023 | Pekudei, Temple
This week’s portion is often read together with the previous portion, Vayakhel. Besides the mathematical inevitability of some years having an extra Saturday, Jewish tradition prescribes a leap month be added seven times over a 19-year cycle so that Passover always...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2022 | Community, Faith, Holiness, Justice, Leadership, Pekudei, Temple
The Tabernacle and all its components required large amounts of costly materials so, after its construction, Moses gave an accounting of materials that had been used (Exodus 38:21). This required that in addition to being a prophet, politician, judge, and social...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2022 | God, Holiness, Pekudei
After describing the instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle in great detail, the Torah then repeats these details, describing the same elements after the Tabernacle has been erected. Of course, the Tabernacle is the place for God’s holy presence, the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2022 | God, Hebrew Language, Pekudei, Temple
After the Tabernacle is fully assembled, God descends upon it in a cloud of glory: The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of Hashem filled the Mishkan. Exodus 40:34 The Hebrew word for ‘glory,’ kavod (כָּבוֹד), is perhaps more precisely translated as...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 1, 2022 | Holiness, Israel, Pekudei, Temple
After the sin of the Golden Calf, the tribe of Levi is chosen to serve in the Temple instead of the firstborn as they did not participate in the sin. Aaron is chosen to be the High Priest, and Moses anoints his brother and his brother’s sons. With this, the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 23, 2017 | Pekudei
Just before the High Holidays in 1965, Elie Weisel, then a young journalist in Israel, traveled to the Soviet Union to report on the state of Russian Jewry. He wanted to see first hand whether the testimony against the Soviets was accurate. Also, after decades...
