Vayak’hel & P’kudei Ex 35-40

Torah Portion:  Vayak’hel (He Assembled) P’kudei (Accounts) Exodus 35-40

HafTorah: I Kings 7:13-26; 7:40-8:21

Tonight we read the last two Torah portions of Shemot. They cover the setting up of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the accounting of the materials used in its construction. It is interesting in that just a few chapters back we covered the materials used and the gathering of those items.  In our earlier reading the words are, “And you shall make,” was used in each item to become part of the Mishkan, while here in our present Torah portion the wording is changed to, “And he made.” If we take a moment I think by this change we are told of more than just the passage of time, but we are told of completion of a task set out by G-d for His people. We see follow through. I think this is really important for each of us to contemplate. G-d has a task for each of us in this world. What ever that task is, our job or mission is to carry it out to completion. It is easy to become tired or discouraged along the way. That is when we refresh ourselves by going back and recalling the original call of G-d and be encouraged to carry it through. This also applies to a group as well as an individual. Road to Zion has as one of its major tasks the reclamation of our roots to our faith, to get back to what we see as essential in being who we are as a people – grafted into the House of Israel. For 2,000 years we have drifted away. Now it is time to return. So here Torah shows us the beginning and the end of this mission to build the Mishkan. May it be with us in our day.

Yitro (Jethro) Ex 18-23

Torah Portion:  Yitro (Jethro) Exodus 18-23

HafTorah: Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6

Tonight we read the Torah portion Jethro. It is one of only two Torah portions named for a non-Jew. Jethro came to visit Moshe and Israel in the wilderness and brought Moshe’s family with him.  However, the main theme of the portion is G-d’s giving of the 10 Words (Commandments) and Israel’s acceptance of this Covenant with G-d.