Thursday, March 3, 2022

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Pekudei

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began by quoting a Rashi on the pasuk (Shemos 38:21) אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָֽעֵדֻ֔ת  that the Mishkan was testimony that Hashem forgave the Jews for the sin of the Egel. R' Frand then quoted a connected Medrash Rabbah which states that Hashem said to the Jews when you created the Egel you angered me by using the words in Shemos 32:8 אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם. Now that you created the Mishkan by using the words אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ , you have appeased Me and I have forgiven you.

But what is the connection between the two, other than the use of the word אֵ֣לֶּה ? R' Frand answered by quoting R' Bukspan in his new Sefer who cites a Medrash on the pasuk in Bereishis 2:4 -  אֵ֣לֶּה תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִ֣בָּֽרְאָ֑ם - that R' Yitzchak Bar Merion states that when Hashem created the world he them exclaimed proudly - look at this world that I created. When the Jews then sinned by the Egel and then used the word אֵ֣לֶּה - they showed how proud they were of the Egel which angered Hashem. Moshe himself did not break the luchos until he saw that the Jews were dancing around the Egel with musical accompaniment - this was too much for him. But when the Jews then proudly built the Mishkan and used the same אֵ֣לֶּה - Hashem forgave them.

R' Frand said a second vort on the pasuk in Shemos 39:33 - וַיָּבִ֤יאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה - that the Jews brought the Mishkan to Moshe to erect, because even though they had built it, they were incapable of raising it. Hashem then said to Moshe - you did not build the Mishkan, but you will raise it. Moshe responded - how can I do it? Hashem responded - if you just try, it will happen.

R' Frand then quoted the Medrash Tanchuma which observes that in two consecutive pesukim there are different statements about how the Mishkan was raised. In Shemos 40:17 the Torah uses the words הוּקַ֖ם הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן and in 40:18 it states וַיָּ֖קֶם אֶת־עַמּוּדָֽיו -implying that it happened on its own. The Medrash Tanchuma explains that Hashem said to Moshe - you try and I will help.

R' Frand then quoted a famous Medrash about R' Chanina ben Dosa who was distressed when he saw people bringing animals up to the Beis HaMikdash to be offered as sacrifices, but he he had no animals to bring. He went and found a great rock and polished and cut it and said that this will be his donation. But the rock was too big for him to bring and he went to look for people to help him. He found workers and asked them to help, but they demanded 100 gold pieces. He said, I don't even have half of that and the workers left. R' Chanina was concerned, so Hashem sent five angels in the appearance of men and they told him they would bring the rock for 5 selaim, but on condition that he assist them. When they got to the Beis HaMikdash, the workers disappeared before he could pay them. He went and asked in the Sanhedrin what he should do and was told - they must have been angels, so he gave the salary to the Beis HaMikdash.

But the upshot of the story was that if he was going to get assistance, he needed to be personally involved.

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