The closing verses of Sefer Shemot constitute a climax. Over the course of many chapters, we have read about the construction of the Mishkan, and now the work is completed.
In Parshat Ki Tisa, we learn of the command to donate a machatzit ha-shekel to the construction of the Mishkan, which accompanied a census of Bnei Yisrael. In this shiur, we will discuss the reason for this donation and why this census was necessary.
One of the most conspicuous examples of repetition in the Torah is found in the section devoted to the Mishkan. Following the detailed list of commands in the Parashot of Teruma and Tetzave, instead of simply noting, “And the people did as Moshe had commanded,” we find all the details of the construction repeated over again. In this shiur, we will examine the sin of the golden calf, which is recorded in between the commands concerning the Mishkan and their fulfillment, and its results and ramifications, with a view to explaining this phenomenon.
The number of prohibited melakhot on Shabbat is presented by Chazal as iron-clad. In this shiur, we will discuss an overlooked derivation of the number of 39.
