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Your donation will be tax deductible in the US to the extent allowed by the IRS.
To make a tax-deductible donation by wire transfer in the US, please contact:
Avrum Lapin, North American Representative
Toll-free: 1-866-830-3321
Email: schechter@thelapingroup.com
To make a tax-deductible donation in Israel, please contact:
Dina Gudai, Israeli Representative
Phone: 074-7800643
Email: dina@schechter.ac.il
Please mail your check to:
The Schechter Institutes, Inc. (a 501(c) 3 tax exempt organization)
Box #3566
PO Box 8500
Philadelphia, PA 19178-3566
Attn: Mr. Avrum Lapin, North American Representative
Toll-free: 1-866-830-3321
Email: schechter@thelapingroup.com
Please indicate the donation is "for your joint Schechter Institutes program."
Checks should be made payable to the Jewish Theological Society of Canada and mailed to:
Jewish Theological Society of Canada
c/o Camp Ramah in Canada
3845 Bathhurst St., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, M3H 3N2
Phone: 416-789-2193, ext. 2139
E-mail: accounting@campramah.com
Please mail a check to:
The Schechter Institutes
Attn: Dina Gudai, Finance Department
PO Box 16080,
Jerusalem, 9116002
Israel
For assistance, please call Dina Gudai at 074-780-0643 (8:00 AM – 3:00 Israel time Sunday through Thursday).
This week’s parasha, Pekudei, marks the conclusion of the Book of Shemot and the chapters detailing the Mishkan (Tabernacle). It is worthwhile to compare and contrast the Mishkan in our parasha with the establishment of the Temple as described in the Book of Kings.
While the Temple in Jerusalem ultimately became central to Judaism, the Mishkan remained a temporary and mobile structure, primarily functioning during the desert period. Yet, the Torah preserves the story of the Mishkan. What can we learn from this contrast?
One key difference between the Mishkan and the Temple is their relationship to sacred space:
This contrast reflects two distinct concepts of sanctity:
In the history of modern Israel, the permanent sanctity of the Temple has taken on great significance. However, it is crucial to reconsider the importance of the Mishkan’s concept of sanctity:
Who built the Temple? The king, through centralized authority.
Who built the Mishkan? The people, through their free will offerings.
The Mishkan reminds us that sanctity is not inherent in a place but rather created by the people. It must be continuously renewed through active participation and communal effort.
As we reflect on this week’s parasha, let us appreciate the power of peoplehood in shaping sacred space, and recognize the value of a sanctity that moves with the people, rather than being fixed in stone.
Image: The Tabernacle in the Wilderness; illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible, Wikicommons
David Frankel is Associate Professor of Bible at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. He has been on the faculty since 1992. He earned his PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the direction of Prof. Moshe Weinfeld. His publications include “The Murmuring Stories of the Priestly School,” and “The Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel.” From 1991 to 1996, Frankel was rabbi of Congregation Shevet Achim in Gilo, Jerusalem.
