(א) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה:
(1) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanctified us with commandments and commanded us to be engrossed in the words of Torah.
וַיַּ֖עַשׂ אֶת־הָאֵפֹ֑ד זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מׇשְׁזָֽר׃ וַֽיְרַקְּע֞וּ אֶת־פַּחֵ֣י הַזָּהָב֮ וְקִצֵּ֣ץ פְּתִילִם֒ לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת בְּת֤וֹךְ הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וּבְת֣וֹךְ הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן וּבְת֛וֹךְ תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וּבְת֣וֹךְ הַשֵּׁ֑שׁ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה חֹשֵֽׁב׃ כְּתֵפֹ֥ת עָֽשׂוּ־ל֖וֹ חֹבְרֹ֑ת עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י (קצוותו) [קְצוֹתָ֖יו] חֻבָּֽר׃ וְחֵ֨שֶׁב אֲפֻדָּת֜וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֗יו מִמֶּ֣נּוּ הוּא֮ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֒הוּ֒ זָהָ֗ב תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מׇשְׁזָ֑ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {ס} וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אַבְנֵ֣י הַשֹּׁ֔הַם מֻֽסַבֹּ֖ת מִשְׁבְּצֹ֣ת זָהָ֑ב מְפֻתָּחֹת֙ פִּתּוּחֵ֣י חוֹתָ֔ם עַל־שְׁמ֖וֹת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹתָ֗ם עַ֚ל כִּתְפֹ֣ת הָאֵפֹ֔ד אַבְנֵ֥י זִכָּר֖וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {פ}
Daniel Lowenstein, "A Deeper Dive Into The Symbolism Of The Tabernacle’s Colors," https://www.alephbeta.org/blog/symbolism-tabernacle-colors
One of the great Jewish scholars of the 19th century, R’ Hirsch’s commentary on the Torah frequently offers profound explanations of seemingly trivial or inscrutable topics, and the colors of the fabrics are no exception. R’ Hirsch sees in the fabrics symbolic representations of four levels of life, all of which, he argues, are present in man.
Here are the basics of his suggestion:
- Shesh, linen, comes from flax, which is a plant. This represents the core aspects of life, like growth, nutrition, respiration and reproduction. Man is alive in all these basic senses, just as plants are.
- Next comes Tola’at Shani – wool, an animal product, dyed red. This symbolizes animal life, but at its most basic, elemental level – it’s the color of blood, representing instinct, desire, mobility.
- A third tier, a more sophisticated level of life, is represented by Argaman – a color within the red family, but a color that’s nobler, R’ Hirsch suggests, than pure red (and this might be related to the frequent connection made between purple and royalty). It symbolizes mankind’s unique ability to master desire and instinct and become a noble creature – a moral creature.
- And finally, there’s a fourth tier, something even more sophisticated: Techeilet, the color of the sky and the sea, the color of all that is distant and transcendent. It represents the Divine, which is also a part of man, who was created b’Tzelem Elokim, in the image of God.
Rabbi Claude Vecht-Wolf, "Pekudei: The Mishkan Beyond IKEA!" https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/160092.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
A cursory glance at the colour scheme used in the fabrics gives an idea of why, perhaps Gd was so specific in his instructions as to which colours should be used in the materials. Combining the colours and materials maybe symbolised the intricate nature that comprises humankind.
We could choose to be white, or red, or purple or blue – but to be fully rounded individuals, we need to be a combination of all four colours and fibres.
Perhaps, that is why Gd was so specific in his instructions. The Mishkan, the house of Gd – the prototype for the Temple and our Synagogue is a representation of what we can aspire to be. It behoves us to live up to this ideal.
Rabbi Irwin A. Zeplowitz, "The Color Purple . . . and Blue . . . and Red," https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/color-purple-and-blue-and-red
The concept of separateness and unity symbolized by these colors is also an allusion to Creation—on the one hand is the unity and uniqueness of man and woman, and on the other the unbridgeable gap between God and ourselves, yet there is a covenantal bond possible between us.
Every detail of the Mishkan, then, is a reminder to our ancestors, and to us, that Creation is an ongoing reality and redemption an ever-present possibility. Even as we seek those sacred moments from our own unique perspective, we should do so realizing that our lives are tightly woven in relationship to God and to others.
Yosef Merves, "Parshat Pekudei: What is the Mishkan? Why do we need it?" https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/parshat-pekudei-what-is-the-mishkan-why-do-we-need-it/
Just as no mistake was made in the Creation of the Mishkan and all instructions were carried out down to the last detail, no mistakes were made when each of us was born. We were also created according to Hashem’s specifications, imbued with certain attributes and characteristics, made from particular materials, and given certain tools for the purpose of serving Hashem. We can also imbue ourselves with holiness and sanctity and become manifestations of the Divine Presence. Rather than one central Mishkan, we are now each an individual Mishkan, participating in our unique Divine Service. Everyday is a new challenge, but also a new opportunity, for us to make choices, and take steps closer to greatness and fulfilling our purpose.
Marisa Elana James, "Building God’s Beautiful Bayit; or Queer Eye for the Desert Mishkan," https://www.keshetonline.org/resources/building-gods-beautiful-bayit-or-queer-eye-for-the-desert-mishkan-parashat-vayakhel-and-parashat-pekudei/
Why is it so important that we read several chapters of this description? A few p’sukim, two or three verses, could have told us that God asked Moses to make a beautiful dwelling-place, the Mishkan, of gold and silver, with the priests in robes embroidered with “pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, twisted.” (39:24) A few p’sukim could have told us that the Israelites gave freely of their possessions and skills, and that the Mishkan was completed to God’s specifications.
After centuries of famine and slavery, backbreaking work followed by a perilous escape, the Israelites need time to dwell on beauty, and so do we. It’s easy to fall into the victimization of Israel in mitzrayim (Egypt/ the narrow place) and the alternating tedium and terror of wandering in the desert and have no hope for the future. Taking time to see the world around us in every inch of its detail is one way to restore our souls.
Rabbi James Greene, "Journeying from the Personal to the Communal," https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/dvar-torah/journeying-personal-communal
It is important to note that most significant Jewish institutions are “houses”: beit sefer, a school; beit knesset, a synagogue, and beit midrash, a house of study. Many synagogues choose to use “beit” in the name of their congregation. [...] Perhaps the word “beit” is significant because the term “house” suggests permanence throughout the generations, throughout time. We move from one generation to the next, we are born and we die, but a building can live on. We may add additions, knock it down and rebuild, but the foundation remains.
Brevard Childs, a modern biblical scholar, notes that in Exodus we often see beit used to mean a clan, a family structure. So perhaps this change from b’nei to beit is about a change of life, the change from the individuality of slavery to the family structure that is embodied in the word “home.” This is the change from youth to adulthood. It is a life cycle event for the Jewish people