Parashat HaShavua - Pekudei

Finish strong. It is not how you start, it is how you finish. These are the types of expressions we use to keep us going as we work to achieve a goal that at that moment may or may not actually feel achievable. This week as we conclude Sefer Shemot, the Book of Exodus, what can we learn from parashat Pekudei about celebrating work already done while looking forward to achieving what still needs to be done?

First, Pekudei opens by teaching us the importance of reflecting on what has been accomplished, with attention to detail and not in a cursory manner. “These are the pekudei of the Mishkan / אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙.” (Ex. 38:21) What does pekudei, the namesake of this week’s parasha, mean? More, it seems to me, than simply counting or recording, as some would have it, because this word echoes momentous occasions such as when “the Lord pakad Sarah / וַֽיהֹוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־שָׂרָ֖ה” (Gen. 22:1), and she conceived a child. Sarah was remembered by God, seen in a profound way. And so it is again this week, when the many details of the Mishkan are reviewed, including the specific people who led the fulfillment of God’s instructions.

Rabbi Ovadiah ben Yakov Sforno (Italy, 1475-1549) explains as follows regarding the detailed listing and relisting of Mishkan elements: “Each and every one of these items was important enough to be known by its specific name…and in this way they were never forgotten; as the Rabbis said – lest anyone think that a utensil could ever become obsolete – they will endure forever / וזה כי כל אחד מהם היה ראוי להיות נחשב ולהקרא בשם באשר הוא זה הפרטי… ולזה לא נפסדו, כאמרם ז"ל שמא תאמר אבד סברם ובטל סכוין…שעומדים לעד ולעולמי עולמים.” (Ex. 38:21)

Second, we can learn from Pekudei to be expansive regarding who is included in one’s reflections. The Torah makes this point by going out of its way to credit all Bnei Yisrael with the holy work of building the Mishkan. “All the work of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting was completed, the children of Israel had done; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moshe, so they had done / וַתֵּ֕כֶל כָּל־עֲבֹדַ֕ת מִשְׁכַּ֖ן אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר .צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־משֶׁ֖ה כֵּ֥ן עָשֽׂוּ” (Ex. 39:32) And this point is reiterated just a little later: “In accordance with all that the Lord had commanded Moshe, so did the children of Israel do all the work / כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה כֵּ֤ן עָשׂוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת כָּל־הָֽעֲבֹדָֽה.” (Ex. 39:42)

It seems, in fact, that credit is given to Bnei Yisrael even beyond their due. As Moshe Alshich (Israel, 1508-93) observes, “Bnei Yisrael were not expert in the work of the construction, which was executed miraculously on its own accord through Divine Providence… Despite this the text attributes all the work to Bnei Yisrael / לא היו בישראל בקיאים במלאכה אך היתה נעשית מאליה על ידי השגחתו יתברך… ואף על פי כן מעלה עליהם הכתוב כאלו ישראל עשו הכל.” (Ex. 39:2) The Or Ha’Chaim, Rabbi Chaim ben Moshe (Morocco/Israel 1696-1743) elaborates on why this would be all Bnei Yisrael and not just the main artisans of the Mishkan: “The Torah is observed collectively, by the people as a while, with each individual benefitting from the observance of another and each individual’s actions complementing the other / מחברת הכללות בקיום התורה והראה כי בני ישראל יזכו זה לזה והתורה ניתנה להתקיים בכללות ישראל כל אחד יעשה היכולת שבידו ויזכו זה לזה.” (Ex. 39:32) As Nechama Leibowitz beautifully puts it after quoting these commentaries: “the Torah can only be realized in practice by the nation as the whole. Similarly, the Mishkan was constructed through the participation of the people as a whole.” (p. 700)

Finally, when we conclude Shemot this Shabbat, as with every sefer, we will declare “chazak chazak ve’nitchazek / may we be strong, be strong, and be strengthened together.” A more elaborate expression of this sentiment is offered by Yoav in Sefer Shmuel II: “Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves on behalf of our people, and on behalf of the cities of our God; and may God do what is good in his eyes / חֲזַ֚ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ בְּעַד־עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַֽיהֹוָ֔ה יַעֲשֶֹ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו.” (II Sam. 10:12)

May we take the time to reflect deeply and positively on our accomplishments, giving credit to others as we reflect; and when we look ahead to the work yet to be done, may we go from strength to strength, finding strength in one another, for the sake of each of us individually and all of us collectively.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Jack Nahmod
Middle School Judaic Studies Head
Rabbinic Advisor