Parashat Pikudei: The Holy Vessels in the Temple and Within Us

(Haftarah Study led by Rabbi Sacks on March 5, 2022)

Today we read the haftarah that Sephardic Jews read for this week’s portion, Pikudei, from I Kings 7:40-50. As it happens, Ashkenazic Jews read the same passage as the haftarah from last week’s portion, Vayakhel. Since last Shabbat was not a service weekend, it feels as if we honored both traditions today.

Both last week and this week we read of the people’s dedication in fulfilling the command, piece by piece, of the portable sanctuary called the Mishkan, that our ancestors carried throughout their wilderness wanderings. This week especially focused on all the k’lei kodesh, the holy vessels that would be used in the Mishkan.

One verse especially needs understanding. 

I Kings 7:47

Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed] because of their very great quantity; the weight of the bronze was not reckoned.

This is surprising because G!d was very specific in commanding how to construct the Mishkan, and the exact nature of the k’lei kodesh, the holy vessels.

Question for Consideration:

• Why might this be?

Targum Yonatan was the recognized Aramaic translation of the books of Nevi’im (the Prophets), written in the second century C.E. It is not only a translation but also contains some midrashic material as well. The Targum Yonatan states that King Solomon commissioned the creation of more Temple implements than he would actually need, and put the remainder away for future use.

Question for Consideration:

• What lessons can we learn from King Solomon’s foresight in having the builders build more than was needed to store away for some unknown future time?
• In what ways do you/your family, or we at CAH prepare for the future? You might think especially of ways you or we have prepared for the pandemic, and ways you and we have prepared for a post-pandemic reality.

While we just spent time thinking about the amount of vessels made and their weight. The vessels are interesting. For example, Rashi claims that two of the vessels were actually musical instruments. That is to say, that even in a wilderness environment, our people understood the importance of music in enhancing our spirituality. Musical instruments help with this. In fact, while many traditional synagogues do not use musical instruments on Shabbat, they are not forbidden. Rather, the practice of not using musical instruments is due to the fear that people might be tempted to fix a musical instrument on Shabbat. That is still a concern for some musical instruments. I studied cello for 10 years, and I can tell you that if the bridge falls in a stringed instrument, it requires immediate attention or the instrument might be damaged beyond repair later. Yet there is no concern about a keyboard, for example. If a piano goes out of tune, we would have to engage a professional to tune the piano. We at CAH use an electric keyboard on Friday nights but do not use instruments on Saturday morning. We do not have time to discuss, but I invite you to think about–and you can share your thoughts with me at kiddush–should we retain the traditional practice even when it doesn’t apply to some musical instruments because the lack of music might feel like resting on Shabbat? Or should we start using appropriate musical instruments on Shabbat morning, because as our ancestors knew even in the wilderness that music is important to our spirituality.

Now there remains a larger matter that the haftarah contains that is worthy of our attention now. The haftarah contains a summary of all the items created by Hiram for the Temple. Hiram was a foreign artist commissioned by King Solomon to build the Temple. Hiring foreign artists for large projects was common practice in the Ancient Near East.

Question for Consideration:

• Does getting the best artist enhance the Temple in creating the best prayer environment, or does getting a foreign artist detract from creating our own Israelite (Jewish) cultural space?

As I mentioned the vessels listed are k’lei kodesh, holy vessels, used in the Temple to perform ritual mitzvot. Danny Siegel teaches (in Gym Shoes and Irises, p. 88) that almost any “thing” can be a k’li kodesh, an instrument or tool for mitzvot. Computers, for example, can be used to organize volunteers for mishloach manot deliveries, and cars can be used to deliver food to the hungry. Siegel mentions people, too. You and I can each be a k’li kodesh, a holy vessel.

Question for Consideration:

• Name an item, normally used for ordinary purposes, which can also be a k’li kodesh, holy vessel?
• Name a way in which you or I can be a k’li kodesh, a holy vessel?

If this is an inventory of accomplishments given to us at the end of the book of Sh’mot, perhaps it’s time to take stock of our accomplishments now that we’re back in our sanctuary.

Question for Consideration:

• What good things have you done or has CAH done since 2022 began?
• What lessons have you learned?
• Why is it important for us to keep an inventory of our achievements?

As we continue our journey, moving from the book of Exodus to the book of Leviticus next week, I invite you to take a “Dayeinu” moment to celebrate how far we’ve come. We have come through two years of the wilderness of the pandemic. We have done mitzvot and supported each other. We have studied and argued Torah together. We have drawn important lessons. I invite you to continue to reflect on the inventory of the sanctuary that is your life, on how you have been a holy vessel, and on the lessons you wish to take with you into our continued Torah journey through the year.

Shabbat shalom!