2023/5783
Honoring God and the Mizbeach HaZahav
By Eitan Mermelstein (‘23)
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.