THE LAST DETAILS OF THE MISHKAN
God commands Moshe to take a population census of all adult males by collecting a silver half-sheqel coin from each individual. The collected silver is melted and will become the bases that will support the beams of the Tabernacle. God instructs Moshe to make a copper fountain for the Tabernacle. Priests would use this fountain to wash their hands and feet before their service. God conveys to Moshe how to make the consecrated anointing oil. This oil, prepared with aromatic herbs and fine spices, is used to sanctify the Tabernacle, its utensils, and also to consecrate Aharon and his sons as priests. The rest of the oil is set aside and would be use to anoint Kings and High Priests of future generations. God also transmitted to Moshe the formula to prepare the incense that was offered twice a day in the Tabernacle. It is forbidden to reproduce this recipe of the anointing oil (shemen hamishcha) or incense (qetoret) for personal use. The Tora tells us that God inspires Betzalel with Divine wisdom and assigns him as the main craftsman of the Tabernacle and its utensils and artifacts. God also appoints Aholiab as his assistant. Finally, God instructs the Jewish people to observe Shabbat, as the eternal sign between Him and the Children of Israel.
THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF
After God reveals Himself to the entire nation on Mount Sinai and transmits the Ten Commandments, Moshe ascends the mountain where he remains for forty days. On the mountain Moshe learns the Tora and receives the Tablets of the Law. The Jews miscalculate the date of Moshe’s return and when Moshe does not appear in the day they expect, the people become impatient and assume that Moshe is dead. They demand that Aharon make an idol to guide them. Aharon cooperates with the people to buy time until Moshe’s return, but despite his best efforts, an idol in the shape of a golden calf emerges from the flames. The next morning people celebrate the new idol with acts of promiscuity. Upon learning this, Moshe prays to God asking Him to forgive the sin of the Jews. God listens to Moshe’s prayer and decides not to annihilate the Jews. Moshe comes down with the Tablets, and when he sees the idolatrous feast he breaks the Tablets of the Law. Moshe exhorts the tribe of Levi to punish the main offenders. 3,000 instigators are executed that day.
MOSHE ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS
Moshe again ascends Mount Sinai, in an attempt to obtain full atonement for the sin of the golden calf. God tells Moshe that the Jews will continue to go to the Promised Land, but that He will not guide them directly but through an “angel” (or intermediary). Moshe pitches his own tent outside the Israelite camp. This tent, Ohel Mo’ed, becomes the center of study and spirituality until the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Moshe asks God to forgive the people and reconsider leading them directly. God again accepts Moshe’s request, and the presence of God will be manifested exclusively to the people of Israel. Moshe asks God to understand His glory (that is, to understand God’s ways, for example, why sometimes the righteous suffer the same punishment as the wicked). God tells Moshe that he will never be able to understand God in a direct way.
THE NEW TABLES
God tells Moshe to carve some new Tablets on which God will re-engrave the Ten Commandments. Moshe takes the new carved stones to Mount Sinai, where God reveals His glory to Moshe as He proclaims His Thirteen attributes of forgiveness and compassion (which we recite on the day that we invoke divine forgiveness: Yom Kippur). God establishes a covenant with Moshe, assuring him again that His presence will dwell with the Jewish people and thus granting His complete absolution.
ARRIVING IN THE PROMISED LAND …
God informs the Jewish people that He will expel the inhabitants of the land of Canaan and indicates that once settled in Israel they must destroy all traces of idolatry in the land and they should refrain from making alliances with idolaters. They shall not make cast images (like the golden calf) and must observe the three pilgrimage festivals (Pesach, Shabuot and Sukkot). Jews shall not consume Chametz, the Egyptian bread, during Pesach, and in remembrance of the last of the 10 plagues, they must consecrate the first-born males and the cattle to Divine service. He also indicates that Jews shall not cook meat along with the milk.
LIGHT ON MOSHE’S FACE
Moshe descends from Mount Sinai with the second set of Tablets, and without him noticing, a luminescent light is projected from his face. Aharon and the people fear to approach Moshe. Moshe wears a veil on his face, except when God speaks to him and when he teaches God’s words to the people of Israe
THE LAST DETAILS OF THE MISHKAN
God commands Moshe to take a population census of all adult males by collecting a silver half-shekel coin from each individual. The collected silver is melted and will become the bases that will support the beams of the Tabernacle. God instructs Moshe to make a copper fountain for the Tabernacle. Priests would use this fountain to wash their hands and feet before their service. God conveys to Moshe how to make the consecrated anointing oil. This oil, prepared with aromatic herbs and fine spices, is used to sanctify the Tabernacle, its utensils and also to consecrate Aharon and his sons as priests. The rest of the oil is set aside and would be used to anoint Kings and High Priests of future generations. God also transmitted to Moshe the formula to prepare the incense that was offered twice a day in the Tabernacle. It is forbidden to reproduce this recipe of anointing oil (shemen hamishcha) or incense (qetoret) for personal use. The Torah tells us that God inspires Betzalel with Divine wisdom and assigns him as the main craftsman of the Tabernacle and its utensils and artifacts. God also appoints Aholiab as his assistant. Finally, God instructs the Jewish people to observe Shabbat, as the eternal sign between Him and the Children of Israel.
THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF
After God reveals Himself to the entire nation on Mount Sinai and transmits the Ten Commandments, Moshe ascends the mountain where he remains for forty days. On the mountain, Moshe learns the Torah and receives the Tablets of the Law. The Jews miscalculate the date of Moshe’s return, and when Moshe does not appear on the day they expect, the people become impatient and assume that Moshe is dead. They demand that Aharon make an idol to guide them. Aharon cooperates with the people to buy time until Moshe’s return, but despite his best efforts, an idol in the shape of a golden calf emerges from the flames. The next morning, people celebrate the new idol with acts of promiscuity. Upon learning this, Moshe prays to God, asking Him to forgive the sin of the Jews. God listens to Moshe’s prayer and decides not to annihilate the Jews. Moshe comes down with the Tablets, and when he sees the idolatrous feast, he breaks the Tablets of the Law. Moshe exhorts the tribe of Levi to punish the main offenders. 3,000 instigators are executed that day.
MOSHE ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS
Moshe again ascends Mount Sinai in an attempt to obtain full atonement for the sin of the golden calf. God tells Moshe that the Jews will continue to go to the Promised Land but that He will not guide them directly but through an “angel” (or intermediary). Moshe pitches his own tent outside the Israelite camp. This tent, Ohel Mo’ed, becomes the center of study and spirituality until the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Moshe asks God to forgive the people and reconsider leading them directly. God again accepts Moshe’s request, and the presence of God will be manifested exclusively to the people of Israel. Moshe asks God to understand His glory (that is, to understand God’s ways, for example, why sometimes the righteous suffer the same punishment as the wicked). God tells Moshe that he will never be able to understand God in a direct way.
THE NEW TABLETS
God instructed Moshe to carve new Tablets on which God would re-engrave the Ten Commandments. Moshe took the newly carved stones to Mount Sinai, where God revealed His glory to Moshe as He proclaimed His Thirteen Attributes of Forgiveness and Compassion (which we recite on the day that we invoke divine forgiveness: Yom Kippur). God established a covenant with Moshe, assuring him again that His presence would dwell with the Jewish people and thus granting His complete absolution.
ARRIVING IN THE PROMISED LAND…
God informed the Jewish people that He would expel the inhabitants of the land of Canaan and indicated that once they settled in Israel, they must destroy all traces of idolatry in the land and refrain from making alliances with idolaters. They were not to make cast images (like the golden calf) and must observe the three pilgrimage festivals (Pesach, Shabuot, and Sukkot). Jews were not to consume Chametz, the Egyptian bread, during Pesach, and in remembrance of the last of the 10 plagues, they must consecrate the first-born males and cattle to Divine service. He also indicated that Jews were not to cook meat along with milk.
LIGHT ON MOSHE’S FACE
Moshe descended from Mount Sinai with the second set of Tablets, and without him noticing, a luminescent light projected from his face. Aharon and the people were afraid to approach Moshe. Moshe wore a veil on his face, except when God spoke to him and when he taught God’s words to the people of Israel.
