Vayakhel/Pekudei

Vayakhel/Pekudei

ויקהל/פקודי

“He gathered/Countings”

Ture reading:
Exodus 35:1-40:38

Prophets reading:
Ezekiel 36:16-38

Gospel reading:
Mark 6:14-29/John 6:1-71

Summary:
The twenty-second reading from the Ture and the second-to-last reading from the book of SHaMUT (Exo) is called Vayakhel (ויקהל), which means “and he assembled.” The name comes from the first words of the first verse of the reading, which could be literally translated to read, “And Mosheh assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel ...” (SHaMUT 35:1). This portion from the Ture describes how the assembly of Israel worked together to build the Tabernacle. In most years, synagogues read Vayakhel together with the following portion, Pekudei.

Vayakhel: To the Assembly
Once a prophet named IEUCHaNaN, Yochanon ben Zakkai, (John the son of Zaccheus) asked his disciples, “What is the best kind of character that a person should try to be like?” The first of his disciples answered, “A man with a good eye.” By this he meant a generous person. The second disciple answered, “A man who is a good friend.” The third disciple said, “A man who is a good neighbor.” The fourth disciple said, “A man who looks ahead to consider the consequences of his actions.” The fifth disciple said, “A man who has a good heart.” Yochanon replied, “I like the last answer the best because it includes all the other answers.” 3

Endnotes
 1. 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12. 2. Ephesians 4:28. 3. m.Pirkei Avot 2:9.

Pekudei: The Assembly reads
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the esteem (glory) of the IEUE filled the tabernacle. Mosheh was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the esteem of the IEUE filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34–35)

IEUESHUO "Yeshuo" had to veil His esteem (except while on the mountain of transfiguration--a parallel to Sinai). His glory will only be fully revealed when the heavenly reality is fully realized on Earth. In that day, ALEIM’s people will be able to approach the Glory without restriction, as Yochanan notes, “I saw no temple in it, for the IEUE ALEIM the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of ALEIM has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:22-23)

Commentary:
1Co 5:6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even IEUESHUO our passover is sacrificed for us:
1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.