5785/2025
In this week’s Parashah, Parashat Ki Tissa, Hashem gives Moshe a perplexing commandment to convey to Bnei Yisrael: “ViAtah Daber El Bnei Yisrael Leimor Ach Et Shabbitotai Tishmoru Ki Ot He Beini U’Veineichem L’Doroteichem LaDa’at Ki Ani Hashem MiKadeschem,” “Speak to the Jewish people and say: Nevertheless, you must keep My Shabbat’s, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout the ages, that you may know that I Hashem have consecrated you.” What does the word “Ach” mean in this Pasuk? Typically, it means nevertheless, but why does Hashem need to say that nevertheless we have to keep Shabbat?
Rashi answers that the word “Ach” teaches us that despite the previous commandment that Hashem gave us, to build the Mishkan, we have to rest on Shabbat and stop building the Mishkan. According to Rashi, the way to read the Pasuk is as follows: ‘Despite the fact I told you to build me a home among you, the Mishkan, nevertheless, you must rest from this work to keep Shabbat.’
From here we can draw an incredibly meaningful conclusion about Shabbat. The fact that we even stop building HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s house for Shabbat, can teach us the importance of Shabbat and its similarities to the Mishkan. Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus writes that Shabbat is a spiritual home for Hashem. Just like the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash, Hashem is with us while we embrace Him and His Mitzvot. Shabbat is our Mishkan B’Zman HaZeh. It is our chance to spend our time with Hashem one-on-one. What the Mishkan was in place, Shabbat is in time. We must embrace this opportunity. We must challenge ourselves to spend our Shabbatot just as we would spend our time in the Mishkan; enveloped with Devarim SheBiKedushah.