THE WEEKLY SIDRA- P’KUDEI
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

One of the most vivid examples of Bitachon (trust in HaShem) is seen from the Gemarah in B’rachos 10a, wherein it learns: 
“This tradition I have from the house of my ancestor. Even if a sharp sword rests upon a man's neck, he should not desist from (beseeching HaShem) for compassion.” 
Even in a circumstance, where the end of human life seems so dramatically imminent, still, one must trust in HaShem. Rashi instructs how the Gemarah knew this principle: 
“In the end of Shmuel II:24, Dovid saw the Malach (celestial emissary) with an outstretched sword in hand (to punish with plague for a certain sin of Dovid), and, he did not desist from (beseeching HaShem) for compassion.”

We see this beseeching of HaShem by Dovid in a Passuk (verse) we recite daily in Tachanun (supplications): 
“And Dovid said to Gad (the prophet), “I am in great distress; let us fall now into the hand of HaShem, for His mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.” (Shmuel II 24:14) 
And so, one is to never give up hope, no matter how distressing a situation may be. For, the world is administered by HaShem, who is filled with mercy and compassion. We will shortly return to this theme of never giving up hope, after taking a look at the following Passuk from this week’s Sidra: 
“On the first day of the first month, shall you set up the Mishkan (Tabernacle) of the Tent of Meeting.” (Sh’mos 40:2)

This first month of course, is the vernal month of Nisan. Commenting on this Passuk, the P’sikta Rabasi 6-5 instructed: 
“Rabbi Chanina stated that on the 25th day of Kislev, the work of the Mishkan was completed. And, it (Mishkan) was kept folded up until the first day of Nisan (a little less than 3 months later), as was written, ‘On the first day of the first month shall you set up the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting.’ Now, all the time that it was folded up, the B’nai Yisroel grumbled against Moshe, criticizing, 'Why is it not set up yet? Perhaps, some flaw has occurred (in the work)…..?''" 
The P’sikta Rabasi continues: 
“…..(The reason for the delay however, was that) HaKadosh Baruch Hu thought to combine the Simcha (joy) of (setting up) the Mishkan in the month in which Yitzchak was born (Nisan)…..” 
The P’sikta Rabasi continues: 
“…..When Nisan arrived, and the Mishkan was set up, no man grumbled against Moshe anymore. Now, (the month of) Kislev, in which the work of the Mishkan was completed, was at a loss…..”

The P’sikta Rabasi is saying that since the work of the Mishkan was completed in Kislev, on the 25th, Kislev should have been the month in which to set up the Mishkan. Kislev therefore, suffered the loss so to speak, of not having the Mishkan set up in it. The P’sikta Rabasi concludes: 
“…..HaKadosh Baruch Hu said, ‘It is upon Me to make up for it (Kislev, for its loss)!’ How did HaKadosh Baruch Hu make up for it? With the Chanukah of the Bais Chashmonai (House of Hasmonenas, the heroes of Chanukah).” 
And so, since the Mishkan was not set up in Kislev, another great honor, Chanukah which begins on the 25th of the month, was given to this month instead.

Now, while all of this is certainly very interesting and informative, Rav Shimon Schwab of blessed memory (1908- 1993), in his text Mai’Ain Bais HaSho’Aiva, posed two questions on this P’sikta Rabasi: 
1. What is the specific relationship between the setting up of the Mishkan and the birth of Yitzchak? 
2. What is this ‘making up’ for the month of Kislev, by setting Chanukah into it? 
Concerning the first query, at the time of Yitzchak’s birth, we find the following: 
“And Sarah said, ‘G-d has made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me.’” (B’raishis 21:6) 
Commenting on this Passuk, the Midrash B’raishis Rabbah 53-8, had this to say: 
“But when our matriarch Sarah was remembered (to conceive), many other barren women were remembered with her, many deaf gained their hearing, many blind had their eyes opened, and many insane became sane…..”

The birth of Yitzchak then, explained Rav Shimon, was a major Simcha for that entire generation in the year 2048, as was the setting up of the Mishkan 400 years later in the year 2448, as was the miracle of Chanukah 1174 years later, to its entire generation in the year 3622. Because all three events share the common denominator of universal Simcha, that is precisely how the Simcha of Chanukah would ‘make up’ for the loss of the Simcha of not setting up the Mishkan in Kislev.

However, continued Rav Shimon, all of this was not yet understood by the B’nai Yisroel who grumbled against Moshe. For that generation was afraid that due to the terrible sin of the Aigel HaZahav (golden calf) which they committed, the Mishkan was not being set up in those three months, because the Sh’china (Divine Presence) did not wish to reside among sinners.

But, to their credit, that generation of B’nai Yisroel never gave up on the hope of HaShem’s mercy, and plunged themselves into T’shuva (repentance) and the correcting of their shortcomings. And, when on Rosh Chodesh Nisan the Mishkan was set up, the generation was very content that they had not given up hope, and were given to understand that the Simcha of setting up the Mishkan was fittingly placed into the month with the Simcha of Yitzchak’s birth.

In reality, went on Rav Shimon, this never giving up hope on the mercy of HaShem is a theme that plays strongly in the holiday of Chanukah. For, the Y’vanim (Greeks) entered the second Bais HaMikdash and violated it, profaned it, contaminated it, and even brought a swine as an offering in it, as the Navi (prophet) prophesized: 
“My face will I turn also from them, and they shall profane My secret place; for the robbers shall enter into it, and profane it.” (Y’chezkel 7:22)

Seeing this indescribable violation of the Bais HaMikdash by the Y’vanim, the Jews of that generation were afraid that the Sh’china did not wish to abide anymore with sinners. That is how it was with them until the miracle of the M’norah, which lit for a full eight days on a one day supply of oil. They then immediately realized, that as their ancestors, there would be hope once again of the Sh’china residing among them, if they undertook to do a sincere T’shuva.

According to Rav Shimon, never giving up on the hope of the mercy of HaShem, is the higher explanation of the above P’sikta Rabasi in its comparison with setting up the Mishkan and Chanukah. Concerning us as well, it is essential never to give up hope, even G-d forbid, in the most distressing of circumstances. For, invariably, at some juncture or other, when life throws one of its ‘curve balls’ at us, we must at all times beseech HaKadosh Baruch Hu for His infinite mercy, in addition to giving the thought of T’shuva some serious consideration.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.