The Eleventh and final section of the Chumash / Book of Exodus opens by informing us that Moses appointed (Pekudei, in Hebrew) over the functioning and transport of the Tabernacle. The same artisans that fashioned the various components of the Tabernacle fashioned the priestly garments.  

(The Jewish People) brought the Tabernacle to Moses (39:33)

The people knew that Moses had to erect the Tabernacle, even though they had done all the work of constructing it and preparing all the components themselves.

The same applies to the inner, spiritual Tabernacle that we are to construct within ourselves. We must do all we can on our own to form and prepare all its parts, but after that we must enlist the aid of our own “Moses” – the mentor who teaches us the Torah and shows us how to live according to it – whose task it is to connect us with G-d. Then we can be assured that all the pieces of our inner Tabernacle will unite seamlessly to perform their function in the fullest way.

This week is also called PARSHAT HACHODESH, the fourth of the special portions we read before Pesach. We take out a second Sefer Torah to read: Hachodesh contains G‑d’s communication to Moses on the 1st of Nissan, in Egypt, two weeks before the Exodus, in which G-d conveys to him the first mitzvah commanded to the people of Israel: to set the Jewish calendar in accordance with the monthly birth of the new moon, and to regard Nissan, the month of the Exodus, as “the head of months.”

G‑d spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying:

“This month shall be to you the head of the months; it shall be for you the first of the months of the year.”

With our continued prayers for our hostages, IDF soldiers and people of Israel. Wishing you a meaningful Shabbos and successful week to follow.