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Parshat Pekudei March 5, 2022 4 Adar II, 5782
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Parshat Pekudei
TORAH
ARTSCROLL 530 Pekudei has sometimes So, Moses gave an order and According to the Midrash,
been called “The
they sent this word throughout he thought this would
HERTZ 385 Accountant’s Parsha”, the camp: “No man or woman create arguments within
because that is how it is to make anything else as an families and the project
HAFTORAH begins, with the audited offering for the Sanctuary.” would be delayed. Instead,
ARTSCROLL 1164 accounts of the money And so the people were immediately thereafter,
HERTZ 392 and materials donated to restrained from bringing more, without a pause, we read:
the Sanctuary. It is the because what they already had So, all the people took off
Torah’s way of teaching was more than enough to do their earrings and brought
Times us the need for financial all the work (Ex. 36:3-7). They them to Aaron (Ex. 32:3).
transparency. But brought too much. Moses had Again the same generosity.
Weekly Times beneath the sometimes to tell them to stop. That is not Now, these two projects
dry surface lie two the Israelites as we have could not be less alike. One,
Shacharit: Sun. 7:30/8:30 am extraordinary stories, one become accustomed to seeing the Tabernacle, was holy.
told in last week’s them, argumentative, The other, the Calf, was
Mon. 6:35/7:45 am
parsha, the other the quarrelsome, ungrateful. This close to being an idol.
Tues. & Wed. 6:45/7:45 am week before, teaching us is a people that longs to give. Building the Tabernacle was
Thurs. & Fri. 6:30/7:45 am something deep about One parsha earlier we read a a supreme mitzvah; making
Rosh Chodesh Jewish nature that is still very different story. The people the Calf was a terrible sin.
true today. Yet their response was the
Mincha 5:35 pm were anxious. Moses had been same in both cases. Hence
The first has to do with up the mountain for a long
Shabbat Times the Sanctuary itself. God time. Was he still alive? Had this comment of the Sages:
told Moses to ask people some accident happened to One cannot understand the
Candle Lighting 5:31 pm nature of this people. If
to make contributions. him? If so, how would they they are appealed to for a
Friday Mincha 5:35 pm Some brought gold, some receive the Divine word telling Calf, they give. If appealed
silver, some copper. them what to do and where to
Hashkama 8:00 am Some gave wool or linen go? Hence their demand for a to for the Tabernacle, they
or animal-skins. Others Calf – essentially an oracle, an give (Yerushalmi Shekalim
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am 1, 45). The common factor
contributed acacia wood, object through which Divine was generosity. Jews may
Main Sanctuary 9:00 am oil, spices, or incense. instruction could be heard. not always make the right
Some gave precious Aaron, according to the most choices in what they give
Youth Minyan 9:00 am stones for the High favored explanation, realized to, but they give.
Priest’s breastplate. What that he could not stop the
Beit Midrash 9:15 am
was remarkable was the people directly by refusing In the twelfth century,
Gemara Shiur 4:55 pm willingness with which their request, so he adopted a Moses Maimonides twice
they gave: The people stalling maneuver. He did interrupts his customary
Mincha/SS 5:25 pm continued to bring something with the intention of calm legal prose in his law
freewill offerings morning slowing them down, trusting code, the Mishneh Torah, to
Shabbat Ends 6:40 pm after morning. So, all the that if the work could be make the same point.

Latest Times for skilled workers who were delayed, Moses would Speaking about tzedakah,
Shema/Shemoneh Esrei doing all the work on the reappear. This is what he said: charity, he says: “We have
Sanctuary left what they Aaron answered them, “Take never seen or heard about a
March 5 9:14/10:12 am were doing and said to off the gold earrings that your Jewish community which
Moses, “The people are wives, your sons, and your does not have a charity
March 12 9:08/10:07 am bringing more than daughters are wearing, and fund.” (Laws of Gifts to the
enough for doing the bring them to me.” (Ex. 32:2) poor, 9:3) The idea that a
Next Shabbat Jewish community could
work the Lord
Vayikra
commanded to be done.” exist without a network of
Candle Lighting 5:39 pm
Kiddush is sponsored by
Mincha 5:40 pm Great Neck Synagogue