Torah Portion

Pekudei

פקודי

Exodus 38:21-40:38
First Kings 7:51–8:21

Colors of Holiness: Clothing the High Priest to Match the Tabernacle

Colors of Holiness: Clothing the High Priest to Match the Tabernacle

The high priest’s colorful vestments of purples and crimson blend with the inner color scheme of the Tabernacle, making his appearance in YHWH’s abode as unobtrusive as possible. At the same time, he wears colorful, reflective stones on his breastpiece that do not match the color scheme and naturally catch the eye. Why?

Dr.
Søren Lorenzen
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

Tarshish: The Origins of Solomon’s Silver

Tarshish: The Origins of Solomon’s Silver

In a joint venture, the Phoenician King Hiram and King Solomon go to Tarshish to bring back silver—the Levant has no silver deposits of its own. Where is Tarshish? Archaeological science, specifically, the ability to trace the chemical fingerprint of silver, and Phoenician inscriptions such as the Nora Stone, point us to the answer(s).

Dr.
Tzilla Eshel
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

The Date of the Tabernacle’s Completion and Consecration

The Date of the Tabernacle’s Completion and Consecration

The Tabernacle is completed on the first of Nisan (Exodus 40) and is consecrated eight days later (Leviticus 9). And yet, the Book of Chronicles, Biblical Antiquities, and the Rabbis read these accounts as describing the same event. Indeed, the Torah’s final editor may have understood the texts as a continuous narrative, but chose to emphasize different themes of the Tabernacle by separating them.

Prof.
Gary A. Anderson
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

Tabernacle, Sacrifices, and Judaism: Maimonides vs. Nahmanides

Tabernacle, Sacrifices, and Judaism: Maimonides vs. Nahmanides

Who needs the Tabernacle? What is the purpose of sacrifices? Maimonides and Nahmanides have radically different answers to these questions, reflecting a core debate about the nature of Judaism and the purpose of its rituals.

Prof.
Menachem Kellner
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

The Tabernacle: A Concession to Human Religious Needs?

The Tabernacle: A Concession to Human Religious Needs?

Why does God need an opulent dwelling, with precious metals and jewels, and priests with lush colored outfits? According to Maimonides, God doesn’t; it is we who need it.

Prof.
Kenneth Seeskin
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

Moses’ Commandments: The Secret of R. Nissim of Marseilles

Moses’ Commandments: The Secret of R. Nissim of Marseilles

In the 14th century, R. Nissim of Marseilles suggested that God told Moses only the general command for the Tabernacle and the laws in the Torah, and Moses himself wrote the details and attributed them to God as a way of glorifying God. A close look at many passages in Deuteronomy suggests that this was an early conception of Moses’ role in commanding the mitzvot.

Prof. Rabbi
David Frankel
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

A Copper Laver Made from Women’s Mirrors

A Copper Laver Made from Women’s Mirrors

Who were these women and what were these mirrors used for? Reconstructing the narrative: the historical-critical method vs. midrash. 

Prof.
Rachel Adelman
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com

The Tabernacle, the Creation, and the Ideal of an Orderly World

The Tabernacle, the Creation, and the Ideal of an Orderly World

The account of the Tabernacle’s construction echoes the creation story in Genesis 1-2:4a, providing an interpretive key to the ancient understanding of this structure. Ritual theory provides further insight into what Israelite readers may have found meaningful about the Tabernacle as a ritual place.

Prof. Rabbi
Naftali S. Cohn
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
,
TheGemara.com
No items found.

Pekudei

פקודי

Exodus 38:21-40:38

וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּכְבוֹד יְ-הוָה מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן

שמות מ:לד

The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the presence of YHWH filled the Tabernacle.

Exod 40:34

Exodus

Heading

Heading

This is some text inside of a div block.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Authors
No items found.
No items found.
Topics
No items found.