Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei
13thMarch 2026
Week of 9-14 March 2026
Torah portion: Exodus 35 :1-40 :38 Haftarah : Ezekiel 45 :18-46 :15
Theme: A sanctuary in time and a portable sanctuary
The book of Exodus begins and ends with building projects. But the two endeavors are fundamentally different, illustrating the people of Israel’s journey from slavery to freedom. Exodus starts with a tale of slave labor and the building of cities for the mighty Pharaoh. Today’s Parashot speak about the building and completing of a portable sanctuary out of free will: the Tabernacle, a dwelling place for the presence of the God of Israel.
Parashat Vayakhel begins with Moses assembling the Israelite community. But before he elaborates on all the detailed instructions on building the Tabernacle, Moses places God’s command to keep the Sabbath before the people. So, interestingly, before any building of the Tabernacle is undertaken, God emphasizes the importance of rest on the seventh day (cf. Ex 35:2). What a difference to the experience Israel had in Egypt, building monuments to glorify man under slave labor conditions.
However, instructions about keeping the Sabbath had been given many times in the Torah before, as in last week’s Parashat Ki Tissa, in the Decalogue and in Parashat Mishpatim. Why yet another repetition? Many rabbis have asked why the Sabbath obviously overrides the building of the Tabernacle. Nehama Leibowitz (see: Leibowitz, Shemot, p. 656-657) suggests following A.J. Heschel’s explanation, which he outlined in the prologue to his famous book “The Sabbath”. According to Heschel modern civilization is focused on conquering space and accumulating things, thus always striving to occupy more space. Jewish existence on the other hand is called to be more concerned with time than space. After the story of creation God’s first usage of the word holy/kadosh is not in reference to any object in space but to the seventh day – the day God rested. No holy mountain, no holy spring, but holiness in time. Thus, only after having implanted this worldview in his people of not worshipping an object, God commanded the erection of a Tabernacle – a portable place of holiness in space. And even later in the Torah, at Sinai, will follow the command that the people themselves should be holy.
This week’s double Parasha ends with Parashat Pekudei, concluding the book of Exodus. What started with a story of oppression, closes now with a very confident outlook. The Torah tells how God’s presence fills the Tabernacle and how he promises to guide his people with the cloud of his presence “throughout their journeys” (cf. Ex 40:38). These are the last words in the book of Exodus; the people have built a portable sanctuary and on their ongoing journey towards freedom and service God is accompanying them.
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. Reflect on the Sabbath as a “cathedral in time” (Heschel). 2. How have you experienced God’s presence in your life’s journeys?
Bibliography: Etz Hayim Thora and Commentary (New York: 1999); A.J. Heschel, The Sabbath. Its Meaning for Modern Man, New York 1981; Nehama Leibowitz, New Studies in Shemot/Exodus (Part II), Jerusalem 1996.
This week’s Parasha Commentary was prepared by
Barbara Kauffmann, Germany, Bat Kol Alumna: 2010,2011,2012
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