P’kudei(Accounts) Exodus(Sh’mot) 38:21-40:38
Torah Portion: P’kudei(Accounts) Exodus(Sh’mot) 38:21-40:38
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:40-8:38
Tonight, we finish the book of Sh’mot/Exodus as we read of the listing of all the material used in the construction of the Mishkan or Tabernacle and of the setting up of the structure. As we come to the end of this Torah portion we read of the glory of G-d settling on the Mishkan. In Exodus 38:34-35 we read where even Moshe could not enter the Mishkan because of the cloud that covered it and the glory of the L-rd filled it. In II Chronicles7:1-3 we again read of the Spirit of G-d falling when the first Temple was dedicated on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Shemini (Eighth) Leviticus Vayikra 9-11
Torah Portion: Shemini (Eighth) (Leviticus) Vayikra 9-11
Haftorah Reading: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
Tonight we read the Torah portion that is dedicated to the consecration of the Mishkan or Tabernacle. In the last weeks we have read seven Torah portions covering the details of the building and dedicating of the Mishkan and now in this portion we read about the first public use of the “House of G-d.” We read where the fire fell and the people shouted out when the glory of G-d appeared.
Vayakhel (To Assemble) & Pekudei (Take Account)
Weekly Torah Section: Vayakhel (To assemble) Exodus 35:1-38:20 and Pekudei (To Take Account) Exodus 38:21-40:38, Haftorah: I Kings 7:40-8:21
As you can see we cover two Torah sections and two Haftorah sections this week. Rather than try to cover both I would like to talk about one from each. I want to start with the Haftorah from Pekudei. In I Kings 7:51-8:21 we read about the dedication of the Temple by King Solomon. There are many connections between this scripture and the Torah readings. One of the most striking is the cloud of G-d’s glory that filled both the first temple and the tabernacle. I want us to look at this in some depth. Before that, there are a couple of things we need to go over. Solomon, as confirmed in Acts 7:46-47, completed the temple of G-d in seven years and brought all the treasurers of his father David, into the temple.