Pekudei (Accounts, Accountability)
by Raphael ben Levi
Ex. 38:21–40:38; 1 Kings 7:51–8:21; Heb. 8:1–12
Last week’s parasha included details regarding the building of the Tabernacle
where only the most skilled artisans among the Israelites were employed in its
construction. And from this it is clear that God deserves only the best from us who
each have our unique calling as spiritual artisans in His service.(1Cor.12-one body)
Scripture identifies 2 people who oversaw the construction of the Tabernacle; they
were “Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah and Oholiab the son
of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan” (Ex. 35:30-34)
The tribe of Judah was the largest out of the twelve (74600 fighting men) and held a
higher status than the tribe of Dan partly due to its size but also because the tribe of
Judah carried the prophetic promise of Messiah.
The tribe of Dan was smaller and generally less influential. In fact Rev.7:4–8 lists
the 144,000 “sealed” or protected servants of God who will minister during the great
Tribulation comprising of 12,000 individuals from each of the twelve tribes of Israel
where for some reason the tribe of Dan is not listed; instead Manasseh, one of the
two tribes that came from Joseph is included. No explanation is given for this.
Scholars suggest different reasons. Some say that Dan’s historical embrace of
idolatry and immorality is why they will be disqualified for service during the end
times (e.g., Judges 18:1–31). But this was not restricted to only Dan…
Others suggest that the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan (based on certain
Scriptures (e.g., Gen. 49:17; Deut. 33:22; and Jer 8:16).2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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Others claim that the tribe of Dan, (who was once the second largest tribe),
declined in number until by Ezra’s time it had been virtually wiped out. This is why
Dan is not listed among the tribes in 1Chron. 4 or in Rev. 7.
But with God’s choice of the tribes of Judah and Dan who spearheaded the
construction of the Tabernacle, we see something hidden in plain view of great
significance. It illustrates that every person holds equal value irrespective of
background, culture or status. God does not have a tick sheet allocating us points
between 1-10; He regards each of us as 10-10 irrespective of anything.
And I think how this is beautifully illustrated in Israel within the IDF. Whatever status
you may hold in civilian life everyone joins hands and work harmoniously together
irrespective of their background – it makes no difference. In the Israeli military,
everyone is united by the same uniform and held in equal esteem.
As with the Tabernacle, it is our privilege as believers to be serving God as part of
His Kingdom, united in Him, each possessing a unique calling that’s precious which
He foreknew from before the beginning of creation.
God provided the Israelites with a blueprint for the construction of the Tabernacle.
So for us as we present our bodies to Him as a Temple of the Holy Spirit meet for
His use. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1Cor.6:19-20, “ …don’t you know that your
body is a temple of the Ruach ha-Kodesh who is in you, whom you have from God,
and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price. Therefore
glorify God in your body.”
God calls every believer to a life of holiness. This is not a very popular thing to
preach about nowadays yet holiness is an essential characteristic of a true believer.2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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‘Kadosh’ is the Hebrew word for ‘holy’ ׁקֹ֫דֶש (qof, dalet, shin). All Hebrew words are
related through their spelling meaning that different words using the same
letters have connections in meanings.
Here is an interesting connection in Scripture based on the story of Judah, the son
of Jacob, who saw his daughter-in-law wearing a veil, disguised as a harlot. The
Torah states that he thought she was a KEDASHA – קדשה (c.f., Gen.38:21) the
word for a harlot in Hebrew closely connected to KEDUSHA. How then can the
same letters which in Hebrew convey similar meanings be used for completely
opposite words: holiness and prostitution?
The issue can only be resolved when we understand things from a Hebraic
perspective. A ‘kedasha’ was not always used to define a prostitute, but was also
used to refer to someone whose conduct was outside the normal rules and
boundaries of this world.
In a profound sense God Himself lives without bounds. He is infinite, totally other,
without beginning and end existing outside of created time and space yet also fills
every part of it. He is ‘Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh’ – entirely holy. He is not bound by
the world, yet He fills it with His presence at every moment, and because He is
omnipresent He can simultaneously interact with every person – all 8 billion people
at the same time should He choose to do so.
Our unbounded God who is ‘kedesha’ calls us to a life of holiness even as He is
holy – ‘Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh.’ Here is the harmony between ‘Kedusha’ and
‘Kedesha’ without contradiction. And the word in Hebrew for consecration is
“KADASH” meaning ‘to be set apart’ or to become ‘unbounded!’ Yeshua referred to2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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each believer’s call to consecration as mandatory but also stated that “many are
called but few are chosen” because few are prepared to pay the price necessary
beyond a superficial or purely emotional level.
The word ‘sacrifice’ is a scary word with many levels of understanding and usage
both positive and negative depending on its context. In Lev.1:2 God told Moses to
“…speak to the children of Israel and say to them: when one of you (mikem)
offers a sacrifice to the Lord, the sacrifice must be taken from the cattle, sheep or
goats.” Our sages state that the essence of sacrifice unto God is connected to
surrendering our lives voluntarily fully unto Him. God invites us to the foot of
the cross to submit our faculties, our energies, our thoughts and emotions –
everything unto Him. But, many are called but few are chosen…
The physical act of sacrificing an animal offered onto the altar was something
external motivated by an inward intention. An example here is in Ps.51 where David
who had sinned grievously against God could still make this startling declaration:
“…you don’t want sacrifices or I would give them; you don’t take pleasure in burnt
offerings – my sacrifice to you is a broken spirit..” Here again we find a Hebrew
literary device known as “Kal v’Chomer” meaning light and heavy commands – that
our heart of giving determines the meaning and depth of sacrifice rather than the
reverse.
Once the Tabernacle was completed the Glory of God filled it: “So Moses finished
the work. Then the cloud covered the meeting and the glory [kavod] of God filled
the tabernacle.” (Ex 40:33–34)2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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Nothing in life compares with the privilege and honour of walking in close fellowship
with God and having our lives filled with His glory and presence.
I have shared this analogy before but imagine that my wife asks me for something.
If I only loved her a bit on a good day I may just give her what she asks for. But
because I love her with all my heart, I want to give it to her even more than she
does. This thought is conveyed in Prov.3, easily misunderstood, where we are
given a conditional promise “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the
desires of your heart…” In other words, nothing in eternity is comparable to
knowing Him in His fullness – this is what is meant by delighting ourselves in Him!
God desires to bless us beyond our imaginations! Many people struggle to accept
it. If He only loved us a tiny bit it would still infinitely exceed our highest dreams
even if it contained just one drop within a vast ocean! That is only a comparison in a
poor attempt to explain how much He loves us despite all the messiness of our
lives!
Rashi translated the Hebrew word for strength as ‘wealth’ in Deut.6:5 which
he used deliberately to emphasise an intentional choice for someone who
who loves God with every fibre of their being. This is our greatest prize in life, our
greatest treasure, our Pearl of Great Price, the assurance of our eternal reward for
everyone who chooses Him as Lord and Saviour above all things.
How much do you love Yeshua? This is an awkward yet still a good question for us
to ask ourselves from time to time. The answer’s not complicated. Yeshua told His
disciples in Jn.14:15: “If you love Me, you will obey my instructions/teachings.” He
repeated this statement 3 times in the next few verses which again is a Hebraic2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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literary device that draws our attention to a superlative. It makes things clear that
loving God with all our being is not an option in the Kingdom of God but an
imperative yet something everyone must choose either to embrace or reject.
God longs to ignite a deep yearning for more of Him in every believer’s life;
whoever we are, whatever our background or earthly status. This is something
which raises God’s attention above almost any other thing that the Baal Shem Tov,
founder of the Chasidic movement in the 18th Century, described as “My sickness.”
On one occasion during a consultation with a rich member of the Jewish
community, the person requested from the Baal Shem Tov a spiritual diagnosis.
Taking hold of his hands and gazing into his eyes, he shared tenderly with
compassion yet with a deep sadness: “My sickness is yearning after God. Your
sickness is that you have forgotten that you ever had that desire.”
In Ps.27, David made an earnest request to God. In verse 4, he said: “Just one
thing have I asked of the Lord, only this I will seek…” In typical Jewish fashion, he
in fact asked for three things but perhaps the most earnest of them was ‘to gaze
upon the beauty of the Lord.” This was his sickness…
It is a dangerous thing to fix your eyes on the Lord even when wearing sunglasses!
His gaze will pierce the depths of your soul. Yet, when you love someone so much,
you can do no less: you look into their eyes and it becomes an eternal moment.
This again was true of David who, on a different occasion burst out in prayer, “Lord,
I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find
out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all
my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back2024 Parsha 23 P’kudei – Accounts Page of
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to your glorious, everlasting ways—the path that brings me back to you.” (Ps.
139:23-24.)
What is your ‘sickness’?
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