Although
this intro phrase is repeated frequently throughout the Torah, it will not
reappear during the next five chapters, that is, not until the beginning of
Ki Tisa. Thus all the laws
regarding the various objects in the Tabernacle that are presented in these
five chapters are included in the one command given to Moshe here.
Truma (Exodus)
25:17...
2nd Aliya
You
shall make a Cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits its length; and a
cubit and a half its width.
There
exists a theoretical within the scriptures; should not the abode of the
Shechinah (Divine Presence) be relegated to a vastly higher plane in
order to avoid the defilement of the physical and material world? Or, must
it penetrate deeply into the earthly regions to bring to the Children of
Israel Its ray of celestial holiness.
Truma (Exodus)
25:31...
3rd Aliya
You
shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made,
its base, its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its blossoms shall be
(hammered) from it.
The
Sages considered the seven-branched Menorah as the symbol of the light of
the spirit in contrast to brute physical and material strength.
The light shining forth from the Menorah represents the victory of
the spirit over material forces, and this spirit draws its inspiration from
G-d.
Truma (Exodus)
26:15...
4th Aliya
You
shall make the planks of the Tabernacle of acacia wood, standing erect.
The
designation of the shittim tree (a variety of cedar) for the
Tabernacle dates back to the time of Ya'akov, who had cedars planted in
Mitzrayim. Ya'akov informed his son's strongly upon leaving
Mitzrayim, take a variety of cedar for HaShem one day would command them to
build a Tabernacle in the Wilderness.
Truma (Exodus)
26:31...
5th Aliya
You
shall make a Partition of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and linen,
twisted; a weaver's craft he shall make it, with a woven design of cherubim.
Tradition
describes the Paroches as an artistic masterpiece.
It was very thick and heavy, woven of
the most majestic materials, and embroidered with beautiful cherubim.
Truma (Exodus)
27:1...
6th Aliya
You
shall make the Alter of acacia wood, five cubits in length and five cubits
in width--the Alter shall be square--and three cubits its height.
Actually,
the Altar was ten cubits (15 feet) high. It was twice as high as it
was wide. When the Torah says that the Altar should be three cubits
(4 1/2 feet) high, it is speaking of the place where the wood was piled.
A place was made in the middle of the Altar where the wood was placed to
burn a sacrifice, and it was three cubits high. Below this, however,
there was an additional six cubits to the Altar, making a total of nine.
Then, there were the four Protrusions, which were each one a
cubit high, making a total of ten cubits.
Truma (Exodus)
27:9...
7th Aliya
You
shall make the Courtyard of the Tabernacle: on the south side the
lace-hanging of the Courtyard, of twisted linen, a hundred cubits long for
one side.
The
enclosure was surrounded by hangings made of white twisted linen, supported
by poles made of shittim wood. Each pole was placed in a cooper
socket or base. At the top of each pole, there was a hook, made of
silver. The Hebrew word for hook is vav (ו),
since the end of the hook appears like the letter vav (ו).
These hooks served to hold the hangings.
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