2020/5780

This week’s Parashah deals heavily with the Bigdei Kehunah and the procedure in the Mishkan. However, at the end of this Parashah, Hashem commands Moshe, “VeAsita Mizbeach Miktar Ketoret,” “And you will make an altar to bring incense” (Shemot 30:1). This command seems out of place as the Mizbeach HaZahav is one of the inner sanctum vessels which should have been enumerated with other inner sanctum vessels such as the Menorah and the Shulchan that appear in Parashat Terumah. In fact, when the Torah enumerates the building of the Mishkan in Parashat Vayakhel, the Torah records the building of the Mizbeach HaZahav immediately after the Menorah and Shulchan are recorded. Thus, the question arises: Why did the Torah record the commandment to build the Mizbeach HaZahav separate from the commandment to build all of the other Keilim?

Ramban, Shemot 30:1 s.v. VeAsita Mizbeach Miktar Ketoret, writes that the reason the Mizbeach HaZahav belongs here is that immediately preceding this command, the Torah writes “VeNodati Shamah LiBnei Yisrael VeNikdash BeKevodi,” “I will be meet there with Bnei Yisrael and it shall be sanctified in my name” (Shemot 29:43). Furthermore, shortly thereafter, the Torah writes: “VeShachanti Betoch Bnei Yisrael” “And I will dwell amongst Bnei Yisrael” (Shemot 29:45). Therefore, the Ketoret, which is an important element of being Mekabed Hashem is recorded now. Thus, it is heavily related to the above Pesukim which emphasize the connection between the Mishkan and Hashem being close to Bnei Yisrael In contrast, the Sforno, Shemot 30:1 s.v. Mizbach Miktar Ketoret, writes that the reason the Mizbeach HaZahav was recorded here is that unlike the other Keilim recorded in Terumah which are about Hashem’s dwelling among Bnei Yisrael, the Mizbeach HaZahav served a different purpose. This is why the Torah writes: “VeShachanti Betoch Bnei Yisrael,” “And I will dwell amongst Bnei Yisrael” (ibid) before it records the instructions to build the Mizbeach HaZahav. Furthermore, the instruction to build the Mizbeach HaZahav did not belong with the Korbanot earlier in the Parashah because the Mizbeach HaZahav’s purpose wasn’t to bring Hashem’s presence into this world. This too is why the Torah wrote: “VeNodati Shamah LiBnei Yisrael VeNikdash BeKevodi,” “I will meet there with Bnei Yisrael and it shall be sanctified in my name” (Shemot 29:43) before it recorded the command to build the Mizbeach HaZahav. Rather, the purpose of the Mizbeach Hazahav was to Mechabed Hashem once He entered into the Mishkan. 

Ultimately, let us all take the message of the Mikdash and the Mizbeach Hazahav to take every element that they represent into our lives.