Rosh HaShanah starts tonight – last daily post of 5772!
May everyone have a sweet and good new year!
Today we look at P’kudei, Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 – the final Torah reading of Exodus. We read about a full inventory of the things that went into the building of the Mishkan, the portable Temple-Tent often translated as the “Tabernacle”, and all of the stuff in it. The Mishkan is completed, Moses installs Aaron as High Priest, and the journey through the desert begins.
The final verses of the Book of Exodus read:
40:36 Whenever the cloud goes up from the Mishkan, the Israelites march on, upon all their marches;
37 if the cloud does not go up, they do not march on, until such time as it does go up.
38 For the cloud of God (is) over the Mishkan by day, and fire is by night in it, before the eyes of all the House of Israel upon all their marches.
Wouldn’t it be great to have such an indicator that told us when to go forward, and when to stay still?
Perhaps we still do, we just need to notice it. Let us make this a year of listening and observing.
May we see and hear and feel the messages people and our world send us before we act.
May we go forward together guided by communal values.
May we build a better world in the year to come.
Shanah tovah!
