Souvenirs of Slavery
Monday, March 15th, 2010Vayak’hel (P’kudei)
Drash by Ralph D. Moore (first shared at Beth Messiah Congregation, Gaithersburg, MD – 27 Adar 5770)
Torah: Sh’Mot (Exodus) 35:1-19
Haftorah: 1 M’lakhim (1 Kings) 7:40b-51a
Brit Hadasha: Yochanon (John) 2:13-22
Shabbat Shalom!
This week we were treated to a double portion: Vayak’hel and P’kudei. Together, they direct our attention to the tabernacle — the place in which and from which ADONAI Eloheinu – the L-RD our G-D – took up dwelling with His people B’nei Yisrael – the children of Israel.
Concerning that Tabernacle, the L-RD our G-D said in Sh’mot 40:2:
“‘On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.’”
Well, in just a few days, God willing, we will observe the anniversary of this event. So, I thought this would be a most appropriate time for us each of us, and in fact all of us, to focus our attention on our own temples and our own fellowship with the G-D of Israel. To aid us in this effort, I’m going to highlight two aspects of the construction of the tabernacle: the materials collected, and the manner in which they were connected.
Concerning the materials, Sh’mot 25:2-7 reads:
2 “Tell the people of Isra’el to take up a collection for me -accept a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give. 3 The contribution you are to take from them is to consist of gold, silver and bronze; 4 blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat’s hair, 5 tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood; 6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 7 onyx stones and other stones to be set, for the ritual vest and breastplate.”
Some years ago, I launched into an intense study of the Tabernacle. To this day, I recall wondering where these people who were slaves in Egypt would get such precious materials to donate to the Tabernacle building fund. My only concept of slavery at the time was the chattel slavery practiced in North America. While the slavery Israel experienced also included brutality, it seems that the Israelites still had their own land and possessions. That notwithstanding, there was another source of raw materials. The children of Israel spoiled the Egyptians just prior to their Exodus. Consider Sh’mot (Exodus) 11:2-3 and 12:35-36:
2 Now tell the people that every man is to ask his neighbor and every woman her neighbor for gold and silver jewelry.” 3 ADONAI made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people. Moreover, Moshe was regarded by Pharaoh’s servants and the people as a very great man in the land of Egypt.
35 The people of Isra’el had done what Moshe had said - they had asked the Egyptians to give them silver and gold jewelry and clothing; 36 and ADONAI had made the Egyptians so favorably disposed toward the people that they had let them have whatever they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
That’s right, in addition to their own possessions the children of Israel went out of Egypt with what I like to call some souvenir – souvenirs of slavery. The beautiful thing about this is that these souvenirs of slavery became the very substance of sanctuary. The very dwelling place of the manifest presence of the glory of G-D was constructed in part from these souvenirs of slavery.
Of course, first they had to be placed in the hands of skilled craftsmen, who transformed them into something more useful. As we consider our own temples, I would offer that we too have some souvenirs of slavery that had to, or perhaps yet have to, go through a transformation. “What souvenirs,” and “What slavery,” you ask? Well, I’m referring to things that you may not have thought of as souvenirs. I’m talking about the physical and emotional scars, the memories, the regrets, the broken promises, the deferred dreams, the lost relationships, and all the other things that have resulted from our years in bondage to sin, or from relapses even after we came under the blood of Yeshua.
For those who are still carrying some of those raw materials, I’m pleased to remind you that no matter what your souvenirs may be, we have an advocate, a skilled craftsman, who specializes in transforming those very things into something useful. HE knows how to turn hurts into things that heal. He knows how to turn painful memories into powerful testimonies. He knows how to turn a shameful story, into an object that reveals HIS glory.
Speaking of HIS glory, let me turn our attention from the materials collected to the manner in which they were connected.
First, let’s look at the sequence in which the components were assembled. Consider Sh’mot 40:16-33.
“16 Moshe did this - he acted in accordance with everything ADONAI had ordered him to do. 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year, the tabernacle was set up. 18 Moshe erected the tabernacle, put its sockets in place, put up its planks, put in its crossbars and set up its posts. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen and concealed the ark for the testimony, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting on the side of the tabernacle facing north, outside the curtain. 23 He arranged a row of bread on it before ADONAI, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 24 He put the menorah in the tent of meeting across from the table, on the side of the tabernacle facing south. 25 Then he lit the lamps before ADONAI, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 26 He set the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned on it incense made from aromatic spices, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 28 He set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 The altar for burnt offerings he placed at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 so that Moshe and Aharon and his sons could wash their hands and feet there - 32 so that they could wash when entering the tent of meeting and when approaching the altar, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. 33 Finally, he erected the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
From this description, we learn that the L-RD our G-D works from the inside out. As we look at our own temples, this method is especially important. For, it is easy for us to work mostly on the outside. We can wear certain things. We can do certain things. Or we may not do certain things. But, from what I can tell, the L-ORD our G-D is not as much interested in our habits as in our hearts, and the heart behind those habits. Just as the set up of the Tabernacle began with placing the ark of the covenant in the most holy place, followed by furnishing the holy place, to the inner court and finally to the outer court, so also, when one takes part in the New covenant, the L-RD our G-D writes HIS laws on his or her heart and inward parts. Then, that inscription works its way – sometimes slowly, thankfully surely – out into our lives.
Lest we think Moshe used an arbitrary sequence, let me finally draw your attention to the cadence. Or, more specifically to this key phrase: “as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.” In the earlier portion of the chapter, the L-RD our G-D gave Moshe instructions for building the Tabernacle. When you read the description of Moshe constructing the Tabernacle, did you notice that each step was performed as ADONAI had ordered Moshe? If each step was performed as ADONAI had ordered Moshe, is it safe to say that all the steps were performed as ADONAI had ordered Moshe? If all the steps were performed as ADONAI had ordered Moshe, is it safe to say the entire process was completed as ADONAI had ordered Moshe?
Yes, Ralph. Yes, yes, and yes. What’s your point?
Look at what happened, when the Tabernacle was assembled as ADONAI had ordered Moshe (Sh’mot 40:34):
“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of ADONAI filled the tabernacle.”
I have no proof of this, but I dare say, had any of the steps not been done as ADONAI had ordered Moshe, the glory would not have been revealed. Had the M’norah been placed on the opposite side, no glory. K’ruvim been left off the curtains, no glory. Had the garments been made incorrectly, no glory. I describe it this way: G-D never manifests anything until there is first an environment in place to sustain it.
Family, I’m certain the L-RD desires to manifest more of HIS glory in us and in our midst. It’s why he is rearranging our collective furniture. You know, over time, some things got misplaced. Some steps may have been overlooked. There have been rips and tears, rust and wear. But, the master builder is setting things in order – both in our community and, I dare say, in our individual lives. As he does so, some souvenirs are bound to turn up. When they do, give them to HIM. Even if you’ve been holding on to them for years, and can’t imagine ever being without them, I guarantee you HE can do so much more with them than you can. If you’re honest with yourself, they’re really just weighing you down. But, HE is ready to lift us up.
No matter what it requires, may the words of this song (author unknown) be our declaration:
L-RD prepare me
to be a sanctuary
pure and holy,
tried and true
and with thanksgiving,
I’ll be a living,
sanctuary,
for you
Shabbat Shalom!