The Tabernacle, as a remedy for the sin of the golden calf, represents man's ability to do teshuva on his past. But in contrast to the western view that "repentance" entails confession, perhaps payment of a sort of spiritual or monetary fine, or even a concrete activity to rectify the damage, the Torah goes deeper and defines man himself. Although you should love and accept yourself the way you are, you can't stay there. To be fully alive, you have to change.
The Tabernacle is the vehicle for this change. When you enter it with a broken heart, the animal you bring is the very part of you-an overgrown appendage of your animal self-that will be destroyed and, in its destruction, elevated to a higher purpose. The void that it leaves behind is not to be seen as a lack. Rather, it will become a vessel that provides space for the expansion of a previously compressed and buried aspect of your real self-and its attendant blessings.
For the Jewish people to really thrive and be a light to the nations, the Tabernacle is a critical component. Neither the Tabernacle nor its successor, the Temple, can be constructed at this time. Yet our destiny calls to us urgently, and the very path to its fulfillment- teshuva, unity, and song-is through the Tabernacle itself. What a dilemma!
Fortunately, Hashem designed the Tabernacle such that a description of its construction serves as a guide to improvising its process of personal transformation even during conditions, such as now, when it is not accessible. The key to this understanding is the parallel between it and the original "tabernacle," Creation itself.
"In the beginning, G-d created the heaven and the earth." With these words, Hashem kicked off the cosmic construction project we know and love. Midrash Tanchuma teaches that the features of the Tabernacle mirror the six (plus Shabbat) days of Creation. According to Midrash Rabbah, G-d created the world with ten statements, as follows: "In the beginning…;" "Let there be light…;" "Let there be a firmament…;" "Let the waters be gathered…;" "Let the earth bring forth grass…;" "Let there be lights…;" "Let the waters swarm…;" let the earth bring forth living creatures…," "Let us make man…;" and "It is not good that man should be alone."
I would like to suggest that each of these ten statements has a counterpart in the construction of the Tabernacle as described in this week's parasha. And in this parallel we find that the Tabernacle represents man himself, mirroring his personal teshuva in a revealed and glorious way, and presents yet another map for the often difficult and apparently hidden path upon which we embark in our making peace with our world, our friends, ourselves.
The following lists each event of Creation (Midrash Rabbah), in their order, along with its corresponding element in the Tabernacle, in the order of construction presented in Parshat Pekudei.
(1) "In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth." The Tabernacle itself. (The concept of the Tabernacle in all its details; purpose and guidance in creation. Midrash Tanchuma relates more specifically to the curtains of the Tabernacle.)
"Each person is a world," According to the Ari. The Tabernacle as the vision of your life as process. Commitment to existence and the realization of your purpose in it.
(2) "Let there be light." The Ark of the Covenant; the Torah. (Same root, "or.")
Start with the Torah: a way of relating to the details of the world that facilitates engagement in reality.
(3) "Let there be a firmament…and divided the waters which were above the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament." The Veil, between the Holy of Holies and the remainder of the Tabernacle. (Midrash Tanchuma agrees.)
"What is in Heaven is for G-d, but what is on the Earth is for man." (Psalm 115) To distinguish between what you are responsible for, and the things you can change now, versus what is given for you to accept and not force into changing according to your will.
(4) "Let the waters…be gathered…and let the dry land appear." The Table.
"G-d will prepare a table for me before my enemies." Limiting and defining the arena you will work on, setting its boundaries so you can attack the problem, engage in the issue.
(5) "Let the earth bring forth grass…" The Bread. (As in "…Who brings forth bread from the earth.")
Resources invested in real teshuva need not remove material sustenance or take away from life. You can derive benefit, or "nutrition," from the very process.
(6) "Let there be lights in the firmament…" The Menorah. (Same root, "or.")
Employing the wisdom of Torah and sincere reflection as principal tools in teshuva.
(7) "Let the waters swarm…let birds fly… (8) let the earth bring forth living creatures…" The Incense Altar. ("[The service might be read to] include every and any kind of spice."-Rabbi S. R. Hirsch. Similarly, the stunning variety of life forms.)
Revelation of the complexities of your actions, motives, and experiences.
(9) "Let us make man…" The Sacrificial Altar. (The sacrifices were brought for man to identify with, as if to say, "It is being sacrificed in my stead.")
Removing what is not necessary-habits, guilt, etc-that is not really you. Man is meant to sanctify his body to G-d.
"…in our image…" The Screen at the Door of the Tabernacle. (Man is between G-d and creation; so the Screen is between the Tabernacle and the outside world.)
Separation between man and beast. Seeing yourself as uniquely endowed with free will. Assessing how you are dealing with the issue helps to define you yourself.
(10) "It is not good for man to be alone." The Laver (washing station). (the laver was made from the copper mirrors-kept in their original form-that the women donated. Hashem deemed it precious due to the merit of the women during the Egyptian exile.)
Growing wholesome activities and traits; rebuilding and nurturing your real self in the context of others. According to Rabbi Matis Weinberg, the Laver represents mature love replacing selfish love.)
"And G-d saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." The Court. (G-d surveys the whole Creation as He says it, and His words define that Creation. The Court encompasses the whole project, thus defining it.)
Setting limits on your teshuva goals per time period. Being happy with your progress, and being conscious of the beauty of Creation.
"And G-d blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it." Anointing the Tabernacle and declaring it holy. (Same word, "kadosh." Commemorating the end of creative work, the end of a process, and a ceremony to celebrate it.)
Conscious that all is complete now, it is only for you to engage in the fullness of the experience.
The message of this exploration is that, although G-d created the world, man cannot complete it except by first completing himself.
May we be blessed that the little sacrifices we make in ourselves be as if we offered the first of our flock, that our families may merit in seasons to come to retread ancient roads to Jerusalem in song and wonder, in laughter and love.