Shabbos Parashas Pekudei - 5779

Shabbos Parashas Pekudei - 5779

Rabbi Hal Miller

These are the accountings of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony, which were

counted at the word of Moshe. [Shemos 38:21]

The word 'pekudei' means accountings of, or reckonings of. What is being accounted

for here? Why? Most commentators write that Moshe had to account for the use of

all the materials donated by the people for the construction of the Mishkan, that people

demanded their personal contributions be put to the highest level uses. Oznayim LaTorah

asks, though, why didn't they demand an accounting for what they brought to Aharon for

the calf idol?

The Bach in Yoreh Deah [257] writes, "These are the accounts, etc. From here it is derived

that although reliable overseers of charity are not closely supervised, still it is good that they

give an accounting, as we find with Moshe, who gave an accounting of the contributions to

the tabernacle." This approach seems to require an accounting of money given for tzedakah

to ensure that none is misused.

Nachshoni takes a different approach, and cites Abarbanel, who "holds that the accounting

taken here was not to guard against embezzlement, but to appease those who began to

complain that their donations were not being accepted. Moshe sought to prove that enough

had been donated to provide for constructing the Mishkan and its vessels and that no more

was needed. There was no suggestion that anyone was stealing materials."

Rav Hirsch wonders why only certain materials were included, mainly gold and copper.

Silver from the half-shekels was counted, but not other silver. No accounting is made

for the other materials. He also notes that most of the gold went to uses not annotated

here. Therefore it seems unlikely that this pekudei is from the people worrying about how

their donations were being used.

Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that the Torah here is teaching us to be good stewards of

the resources that God has entrusted to us. He notes that this section comes between the

actual making of the Mishkan and the making of the garments of the Kohen Gadol. In order

for the materials to be usable in holy things, they must be elevated by the entire people to

a holy status. Likewise, as a people we are to account for and elevate all the bounty that God has blessed us with. This includes time. As he writes, "Do we devote the days and

years God allots us to Torah and mitzvos or do we, heaven forbid, squander them on

frivolities? He adds, "We should not think that the resources God gives us are ours to use

as we desire. On the contrary, the Torah gives detailed rules governing the use of property."

We are accountable for our management of the abundance God has granted us. Even

Moshe had similar accountability. He was building the Mishkan in the desert. We must build

the mishkan in our hearts.