Parshas Ki Tisa begins with the topic of Mishkan, a continuation of the preceding parshios of Terumah and Tetzaveh.
From the beginning of Terumah (Shemos 25), through the opening chapters of Ki Tisa (Shemos 30:11-31:18), the beautiful plans for the Mishkan have been laid out for us.
We have learned about (including but not limited to) all the materials to be collected for its construction, the aron kodesh (holy ark), shulchan for the lechem ha’panim (golden table for the twelve loaves of bread), the golden menorah, mizbayach ha’nechoshes (copper altar), coverings, beams, walls, sockets and courtyard of the mishkan, the bigdei kehunah (priestly vestments), mizbayach ha’zahav (the golden altar for incense offerings), the machatzis ha’shekel annual contribution, spices for the anointing oil and spices for the ketores, the construction of the kiyor (the laver for washing of hands and feet before the avodah in the mishkan was performed), and the master craftsmen who were to oversee the building of the Mishkan and all of its keilim (vessels).
Interestingly, when the instructions for Mishkan conclude in our parsha, the Torah moves abruptly to a different topic, one that is seemingly unrelated to Mishkan.
Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: “And you shall speak to the Children of Israel, saying: However, you must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you may know that I am Hashem Who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you...For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to Hashem. Whoever performs labor on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
עוֹלָֽם בְּרִ֥ית לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת לַעֲשׂ֧וֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְשָׁמְר֥וּ - The Children of Israel shall guard the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath throughout their generations as an eternal covenant.
שָׁבַ֖ת הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וּבַיּוֹם֙ וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם ’ה֙ עָשָׂ֤ה יָמִ֗ים כִּי־שֵׁ֣שֶׁת לְעֹלָ֑ם הִ֖וא א֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּנֵ֣י וּבֵין֙ בֵּינִ֗י וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ - It is a sign forever between Me and the Children of Israel, for in six days Hashem made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and was refreshed” (Shemos 31:12-17).
Why, at the end of all the details regarding Mishkan, does the Torah shift its focus to Shabbos?
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the Rav zt’l, teaches, “There is an equation between the Sabbath and sanctity - the Sabbath is a source of holiness. There is, therefore, a commonality between the Sabbath and the Mikdash. There exists both a sanctuary in space and a sanctuary in time.
“Of the two imperatives, the Sabbath is clearly the more significant. Otherwise one would have been ordered to violate the Sabbath for the construction of the Mishkan. Sabbath as a sanctuary is more significant than the Mishkan as a sanctuary. The Temple is not indispensable for the survival of the people, but the Jew cannot survive without the Sabbath” (Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Shemos, p.284).
In a fundamental teaching of Rav Soloveitchik, we learn that there are two different sanctuaries in this world. There is the sanctuary in space, the Mishkan (and Mikdash). And there is the sanctuary in time, Shabbos.
While both Mishkan and Shabbos are of crucial importance to Am Yisrael, to paraphrase the Rav: we have existed for almost 2,000 years without the sanctuary in space, without the Mikdash. And while we yearn, pray, hope and long for the speedy rebuilding of this holy place and space - may it be immediate and in our days - “we could not have survived one week without Shabbos.”
Hence, the concluding verses of Mishkan are about Shabbos. This teaches us that while the building of Mishkan is certainly very important, it does not push off Shabbos. When Shabbos comes, the construction of Mishkan is put to rest. And when Shabbos comes, our work must also be put to rest. Shabbos is a day to focus on the sanctuary in time that Hashem gifts to us (Shabbos 10b) and a day to reconnect with Hashem, putting all of our weekly focuses aside.
Furthermore, Rav Soloveitchik teaches that “The Yalkut Shimoni suggests that (there) are three sanctifications on earth: God’s Name, Sabbath and the people of Israel (Yalkut Shimoni 830). Yet we know of many other sanctifications: the Land of Israel and the Temple, among others. In fact, however, all other sanctifications derive their kedushah from the first three.
“The Land of Israel and the Temple were sanctified by the people of Israel. In contrast, the sanctification of the Sabbath preceded the sanctification of Israel. It was God who sanctified the Sabbath, and in turn, it is the Sabbath that sanctified Israel. Thus, the words of the Friday night Amidah begin: you sanctified the seventh day for Your Name; it was God Who sanctified the Sabbath. In the morning Amidah, the words, and the two tablets he [Moses] brought down upon his arm and in them were written about guarding the Sabbath signify that the sanctification of Israel was realized through giving them the Sabbath” (Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Shemos, p.284-285).
Thus we learn that the primary source of all sanctity is HKB”H b’kevodo u’ve’atzmo - the Almighty Himself. And from that Primary Source of sanctity, the kedusha of Shabbos is derived (Bereishis 2:1-3), and from Hashem’s glory, and the kedusha of Shabbos, the nation of Israel attains her elevated holiness.
May we cherish the gift of Shabbos, appreciate our role in bringing holiness to the world, make time for Hashem - and His Torah and mitzvos - in our lives, and transmit our glorious mesorah to the coming generations.
In the merit of our shemiras Shabbos, and our living elevated lives of distinction and holiness, as is befitting of Am Yisrael, may we merit the yom she’kulo Shabbos u’menucha l’chayei olamim with the ultimate redemption, in our days and in our time.
שלום ושבת טובות בשורות בברכת
