IN THE PARSHA:
In פרשת ויקהל we begin to learn about the construction of all the parts of the משכן. Hashem instructed משה that the work for the משכן should not be done on שבת. The same rule applies when building the בית המקדש.
QUESTION:
There are many things that are usually forbidden on שבת that were done in the בית המקדש on a regular basis. This includes the various מלאכות involved in bringing קרבנות. Why were these מלאכות forbidden when they were building the בית המקדש, but permitted – and actually a מצוה – to be done as part of the עבודה being performed in the בית המקדש?
ANSWER:
On שבת we are not allowed to do mundane, “weekday” actions. Now, the בית המקדש is a holy house, and therefore, everything done as part of the עבודה in the בית המקדש is also holy. So, even those מלאכות that are usually forbidden on שבת are allowed when they are done as part of the עבודה, because in that setting they are holy actions, not mundane, weekday actions. However, when the משכן or בית המקדש was still being built, and was not yet the holy place that it was going to be, it could not involve any of the weekday actions that are usually forbidden on שבת.
Further discussion:
In light of the above, why were the כהנים not allowed to hold torches when they inspected the עזרה on שבת morning, as they did every weekday? (See אות ה and אות ז in the שיחה)
