The Parsha begins with Moshe commanding the Jewish people to observe the day of Shabbos. Following that he speaks to them about donating precious stones and materials for the construction of the Mishkan. Rashi writes that the juxtaposition of these two mitzvohs teaches us that the construction of the Mishkan does not override the observance of Shabbos.
Rashi uses the word "hikdim", which means that Moshe spoke to them about Shabbos before speaking to them about the construction in order to teach them this rule. Why does Shabbos have to be first to teach this? Shouldn't the order be to tell the Jewish people what to do and then tell them when to stop?
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky offers an insightful answer. When Moshe taught the Jewish people that the building of the Mishkan does not override Shabbos, he was coming from a halachic standpoint and a practical one as well.
The purpose and goal of the Mishkan was to create an abode for the Shechina and to bring honor to HaShem's name. The means to attain this goal was its construction. Moshe was afraid that in their eagerness to complete this wondrous edifice, they would become so involved in the construction that the construction would now become their goal and they would not stop until it was done. If they remained focused on the true goal of their endeavors which is to bring honor to HaShem, then when Shabbos comes, of course they would stop, for what greater honor to HaShem is there than Shabbos? But if they were to lose sight of this goal and turn the means, i.e. the construction, into the goal, then Shabbos could be in jeopardy. Therefore, Moshe spoke to them about Shabbos first, to instill in them the lesson of Shabbos, that this is HaShem's world and our goal in life is to serve Him. We must never lose sight of this goal lest our deep involvement in the means by which we are to attain our goals takes over our focus and causes us to stray. Through this lesson Shabbos would remain sacred.
The story is told of a yeshiva student who was caught writing the Talmud shiur over on Shabbos. How could someone who was seemingly so involved in Torah study allow that involvement to become a cause for Shabbos desecration? The answer is because he turned the means into the goal. The deep intellectual exercises of a shiur are a means to fulfill the mitzvah of Torah in its highest level. But if they become a goal unto themselves then even Shabbos can be at risk.
This lesson, that we remain focused on our true goals, can be applied to a very relevant issue in our lives. We are all involved in making a living. What is the real purpose of making money? The goal should be to support and nourish a healthy family. If a person becomes so involved in his work that he doesn�t spend time with his family, then he has lost sight of the true goal and has turned the means into the goal.
We must always remain clear on what are the means and what are the goals.
[This dvar torah should be a zechus refuah shelaima for Horav Shmuel ben Chana Liba]
 

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