1. In this week’s Sidra, HaShem commands us to build for Him a Sanctuary. Instead of simply commanding us to build for Him a Mishkan and leaving it to us to devise or invent an impressive and dignified Sanctuary, why, do you think, does HaShem go into all the details of the Mishkan and its sacred furniture, leaving almost nothing to us to invent or design ourselves?
2. The Courtyard was formed by white hangings, hooked up to tall posts, or columns, and those posts were themselves inserted in copper sockets placed on the ground. So that they should not flap around in the breeze, the hangings were secured at their lower edges by being tied to pegs which were hammered into the ground. (a) What were the columns made of? (b) What were the sockets made of? (c) What were the hangings made of? (d) What were the hooks made of? (e) What were the pegs made of? and (d) What were the cords which tied the hangings’ lower edge to the pegs made of?
3. The measurements of the Ark include half-Ammos, whereas the measurements of the Table are complete measures except that the height measurement of the Table do include a half-Ammoh measurement. What do you think these facts might tell us?
4. The wings of the Cheruvvim, sheltering the Ark, covered themselves, too. What idea, do you think, does this communicate to us?
5. Given that the Menorah, despite its size, was made only of a single talent of gold and considering its intricate design and how it had to be made (not different parts soldered together but all made of the one piece of gold) it was so difficult to make that, in the words of our Chachommim, Mosheh just cast the gold but “the Menorah made itself.” Why, do you think, should this be? (Hint: What does the Menorah symbolize?)
6. Were there any gates to the Courtyard or to the Mishkan? What does this teach, do you think?
7. What does the Lechem HaPonnim symbolize?
8. How many coverings made up the covering of the Mishkan? Why so many?
9. How was the Mishkan financed? What does this teach, do you think?
10. The Beis HaMikdash was built by Shlomo HaMelech rather than by his father, Dovid HaMelech? Why, do you think, was this so?
11. What was unusual about the windows of the Beis HaMikdash and what did this teach?
12. There was something missing from the building site of the Beis HaMikdash in Yerushalaim. What was it and what does that signify?
