1. Before or After Chet Ha’Egel?
Parshat Teruma:
The Mishkan:
Before or After Chet Ha’Egel?
Shiur by Menachem Leibtag
Presentation by Ronni Libson

2. Second half of Sefer Shmot Four Units
Chapters Topic
(A) Ma’amad Har Sinai (the first Luchot)
(B) The commandment to build the Mishkan
(C) Chet Ha’egel (the second Luchot)
(D) Building the Mishkan
Ramban:
Second half of Sefer Shmot - proper chronological order
Rashi:
God ordered construction of Mishkan only after chet ha’egel

3. What do the words “torah” and “mitzvah” refer to?
ויאמר ידוד אל משה עלה אלי ההרה והיה שם ואתנה לך את לחת האבן והתורה והמצוה אשר כתבתי להורתם: (שמות כד:יב)
What do the words “torah” and “mitzvah” refer to?
Based on units above:
Mention of “torah” and “mitzvah” in 24:12 must refer to Unit B – the commandment to build the Mishkan
Moshe ascends Har Sinai to receive Luchot, to be placed in Aron
Logical that “torah” and “mitzvah” refer to Mishkan, where Aron is housed
ונתת את הכפרת על הארן מלמעלה ואל הארן תתן את העדת אשר אתן אליך: ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת מבין שני הכרבים אשר על ארן העדת את כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל: פ (שמות כה:כא-כב)
Laws of Mishkan are first and only set of laws transmitted to Moshe during those 40 days

4. Strict chronological order:
Moshe ascends Har Sinai for the first forty days to receive Luchot and mitzvot involving building of the Mishkan that will house the Luchot
Problems with this approach:
It would not require forty days for God to teach Moshe laws of Mishkan –something else must have also been taught
Other sources imply Moshe learned many other mitzvot on Har Sinai:
וידבר ידוד אל משה בהר סיני לאמר: דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם כי תבאו אל הארץ אשר אני נתן לכם ושבתה הארץ שבת לידוד: (ויקרא כה:א-ב)
Why specifically are laws of Mishkan recorded at this point in Sefer Shmot? Many other mitzvot were given during those 40 days!

5. Focus of Shmot on Mishkan:
Ramban:
Mishkan is vehicle to perpetuate experience of Ma’amad Har Sinai
First mizvah Moshe receives on Har Sinai
Focus of Shmot on Mishkan:
Reflects unique level Bnei Yisrael attained when they accepted God’s covenant at Har Sinai
Focal point of Mishkan:
Luchot inside
Symbol of covenant at Har Sinai
Aron
Keruvim on top
From there God will convey remaining mitzvot to Moshe
Explains why unit opens with details of Aron and Keruvim

6. Rashi: Principle: אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה
Commandment to build Mishkan came after and as a result of chet ha’egel
Parshiot – out of chronological order
During first 40 days – Moshe received all mitzvot except laws of Mishkan
Principle:
אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה
Arrangement of parshiot in Chumash does not necessarily reflect chronological order
Torah conveys message by intentionally juxtaposing certain parshiot

7. Rashi Similarities between construction of Mishkan and chet ha’egel
Bnei Yisrael must collectively donate their gold to build the Mishkan
Bezallel, Chur’s grandson, is chosen to build Mishkan (Midrash – Chur was killed since he refused to allow Bnei Yisrael to build the egel)
Opening pasuk describing Mishkan
ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם: (שמות כה:ח)
Appears to rectify consequences of chet ha’egel
Aharon must bring a par (bull) for a chatat offering during Mishkan’s dedication ceremony (which implies a sin was committed)

8. Ramban:
Mishkan is “l’chatchila” [ideal]
Rashi:
Is Mishkan “b’diavad” [a compromise] ?
Chet ha’egel showed Bnei Yisrael’s need for a physical representation
If not for chet ha’egel, would there ever have been a mitzvah to build a Mikdash?
Sanctuary: symbol of God’s shchina dwelling with Bnei Yisrael
Mishkan – temporary Sanctuary
Mikdash – permanent Sanctuary

9. Concept of a Sanctuary is “l’chatchila”:
Avraham builds a mizbayach in Bet El and calls out in God’s name:
ויעתק משם ההרה מקדם לבית אל ויט אהלה בית אל מים והעי מקדם ויבן שם מזבח לידוד ויקרא בשם ידוד: (בראשית יב:ח)
אל מקום המזבח אשר עשה שם בראשנה ויקרא שם אברם בשם ידוד: (בראשית יג:ד)
Yaakov has a dream there vows to make that site a “Bet-Elokim”:
והאבן הזאת אשר שמתי מצבה יהיה בית אלהים... (בראשית כח:כב)
In “shirat ha’yam”, Bnei Yisrael sing of future Mikdash in the land:
תבאמו ותטעמו בהר נחלתך מכון לשבתך פעלת ידוד מקדש אדני כוננו ידיך: (שמות טו:יז)
Parshat Mishpatim (all agree it was given to Moshe during the first 40 days, before chet ha’egel) contains mitzvah of “aliya l’regel”:
שלש פעמים בשנה יראה כל זכורך אל פני האדן ידוד: (שמות כג:יז)
Parshat Mishpatim contains mitzvah of bikkurim, which must be brought to the “House of God”:
ראשית בכורי אדמתך תביא בית ידוד אלהיך לא תבשל גדי בחלב אמו: (שמות כג:יט)

10. Rashi must agree: Rashi:
Need for a Bet-Elokim has nothing to do with chet ha’egel
Dispute between Rashi and Ramban concerns need for a temporary Sanctuary before entering Eretz Canaan
Rashi:
Had Bnei Yisrael not sinned at chet ha’egel:
Would have conquered land through Divine intervention
No need for temporary Mishkan since after short time would build permanent Mikdash
After chet ha’egel:
God removes shchina from camp
Need for temporary Mishkan
Must bring shchina back
Conquest takes much longer

11. Rashi:
Torah places comandment to build Mishkan out of chronological order
Emphasizes conceptual connection between Matan Torah and Mishkan/Mikdash
Ramban:
Immediate need for temporary Sanctuary before chet ha’egel
Mishkan, with Aron and Keruvim at center, is medium through which God can convey remaining mitzvot to Moshe
Once shchina descended on Har Sinai, need vehicle to ‘carry it’ with them as they travel from Har Sinai to Eretz Canaan