As soon as we read the opening lines of Truma, we begin the massive shift from the intense drama of the Exodus,

with its signs and wonders and epic events, to the long detailed, exhaustive narrative of how the Israelites constructed the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that they carried with them through the desert. By any standards,

it's part of the Torah that cries out for explanation. I mean, the first thing that strikes us

is the sheer length of the account, one-third of the book of Schmote, five parciot, truma,

tzave, half of kisisa, Viagiel, and Pekude, interrupted only by the story of the golden calf.

And this becomes even more perplexing when we compare it to another act of creation, namely

God's creation of the universe. That story is told with the utmost brevity, a mere 34 verses.

Why take some 15 times as long to tell the story of the sanctuary? The question

becomes harder still when we recall that the Mishkan was not a permanent feature of the spiritual

life of the children of Israel. It was specifically designed to be carried on their journey

through the wilderness and later in the

days of Solomon it would be replaced by the temple in Jerusalem. So what enduring message

are we supposed to learn from a construction that was not designed to endure? Even more puzzling

is the fact that the story is part of the book of Shemot. Shemot,

Exodus, is about the birth of a nation. Hence Egypt, slavery, Pharaoh, the plagues, the Exodus,

the journey through the sea, the covenant of Mount Sinai. All these things would become part of

our people's collective memory, but the sanctuary where Mount Sinai. All these things would become part of our people's collective memory,

but the sanctuary, where sacrifices were offered? That surely belongs to the book of Vajikra,

otherwise known as Torad Khanim, Leviticus, the book of priestly things. That's where it belongs.

Seems to have no connection with Exodus whatsoever. But the answer, I believe, is profound.

The transition from Baratius to Shamos, from Genesis to Exodus is about the change from

family to nation. When the Israelites entered Egypt, there were a single extended family. By the time they left, they'd become a

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