The story of the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) is one of the most remarkable moments in the Torah. A nation that only recently left slavery is tasked to build a sanctuary. The materials required are vast [Shemot 35:5-9]: Gold, silver, copper, fabrics, wood, spices, oil, and precious stones. And yet there is no taxation system, no government budget, and no enforcement mechanism. The entire project depends entirely on voluntary generosity. The response of the Jewish People is extraordinary. Contributions begin flowing in from every direction. Men and women bring their jewellery, their fabrics, their metals, and their textiles. The momentum grows until eventually something astonishing happens.

The artisans approach Moshe with an urgent message [Shemot 36:5]: “The people are bringing much more than enough for the labour of the work that G-d commanded to be done.” It is a fundraiser’s dream scenario: The response is overwhelming – too overwhelming – and so Moshe shuts down the fund drive [Shemot 36:6-7]: “Moshe said ‘Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the Mishkan’, And the people were restrained from bringing. For the material they had was sufficient for all the work to do it, and more than enough.” Imagine that moment. A massive national project halted because the people have already given far beyond what is required. But inside this story lies a subtle critique directed at the leadership.

Earlier, the Torah tells us that the tribal leaders (Nesi’im) brought the precious stones used for the priestly garments [Shemot 35:27]: “The leaders brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastplate.” Rashi[1] notices something unusual in the spelling of the word describing the leaders. One letter – the letter yod – is missing[2]. The defective spelling hints that something about their behaviour was not ideal.

What exactly did they do........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)