Creation of the World and the Building of the Miskan (Tabernacle)
Rabbi Daniela Szuster
This week´s parashah begins with God´s order to collect donations in order to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and then we have all the instructions Moses received on how to build it.
Some sages found that there are many similarities between the building of the Mishkan and the creation of the world described in the book of Bereshit. They found that there are common action verbs and expressions in both stories. There are so many similarities that many sages believe it couldn’t be a coincidence.
In this table you can find some examples:
Why does the Torah use the same expressions in both stories? How are these two “creations” related to each other? Why do they have so many similarities? How are the creation of the world and the building of the Mishkan related?
I believe we can learn many lessons based on this comparison:
- God’s Creation of the world is a model for any new creation. God tries to teach us how to create something. We should follow His model.
There are many texts that explain how God does something, so we should do the same too. For example:
“Just as He clothes the naked, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), so too, should you clothe the naked. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, visits the sick, as it is written with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision: “And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1), so too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, consoles mourners, as it is written: “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11), so too, should you console mourners. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, buried the dead, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6), so too, should you bury the dead. (Talmud Bavli Masechet Sotah 14a)
Another example: it is written that on the seventh day, after the creation of the world, God rested. Does God need to rest? Sages answer: no, but He did so to teach us that we should rest on Shabbat.
By doing certain things God shows us how to behave. The creation of the world and the building of the Mishkan are similar. God is showing us how to create something, and the building of the Mishkan is our first opportunity to practice His lesson.
- Maybe God wants to show us that we have the potential to create and build many things like God does. We are like God in this way because we have this skill and potential.
- Maybe this comparison tries to highlight God’s connection to the people of Israel and His love. God created the world, He built our home, and now the people of Israel are building His home, a place where both parties may connect and create a deep relationship.
- Building the Mishkan was a way for the people of Israel to show God their willingness to have Him very close to them and a way to thank and praise Him for creating us. In every generation, we should build a Mishkan, an open door, to connect ourselves to God.
- God created the world, now it is our mission to create new things and complete the creation He started. We are partners in the creation of the world. He started the process, and we continue with our creations.
- It is written in the Siddur, in the first Blessing before Sh’ema Israel during Shabbat: “God, in His Goodness, renews Creation day after day” (page 110). The same way He renews His creation we should renew our creations and ourselves.
- After God created the world, he examined it, appreciated it, blessed it and sanctified it. Moses went through the same steps. It teaches us that we should take a time to observe and examine, to contemplate our creations.
A time to evaluate it and appreciate it. And then, a time to bless and give thanks for all our achievements. In addition, we should sanctify our works, to take care of them and make them special for us.