For me, I’ve been chewing on human connection; and how important it is. Being mindful in each others presence and expanding our awareness beyond the borders of our own skin; and out into the spaces we find ourselves in. Too often I’m focused inward; in my head, in my heart. I need to do more grounding of myself and allowing my attention and focus to be external. It’s something I hope Adar I provides opportunities to grow and develop in!

Here’s todays portion;

Yesterday we focused on the ark, and the table. Today’s portion starts us off with the candelabrum. The image to have in mind is similar to the Hanukkah menorah. Except, in the temple, there were only 6 branches as opposed to 8 on the hanukah menorah. Also, the branches were more straight that they were curved. This was discovered of Maimonides handwritten diagram and from Rashi’s commentary. Keep this in mind as we look at what the Torah says:

The candelabrum was to be made from a single metal block that was hammered. They were not intended to be made separately. Six branches should be coming out of its sides diagonally

Kabbalah talks about the seven branches (don’t forget the Shamash which is the center candle) represented the range of Devine emotional attributes (or Sefirot):

– Chesed (kindness)

– Gevurah (severity)

– Tiferet (beauty)

– Netzah (victory)

– Hod (splendor)

– Yesod (connection)

– Malkhut (humility)

The idea of the connection to the candelabrum is that it would be easy to see these seven sefirot as separate; and take the metaphor of the sefirot too literally. These sefirot, in actuality are all absorbed in God’s absolute oneness. The candelabrum was made of one piece of metal, and this contains the lesson that these sefirot are all connected and cannot be separated.

That’s critical to chew on. There is an interplay with these emotional attributes. It is interesting that I mentioned the idea of human connection above; I think my takeaway is that I cannot get hyper focused on this; I need to remember the other emotional qualities as i engage in the idea of human connection.

Next, the Torah talks about the coverings of the tabernacle. The roof of the Tabernacle was to be made from ten tapestries of fine linen, with animal designs woven into the fabric on both sides. I’m wondering if this is to represent what Kabbalah talks about the “animal soul.”

The directions include having five of the tapestries connected and stitched together and the other five the same. There were two big pieces for the roof of the tabernacle.

To these pieces, they added loops aligned on opposite edges of the two tapestry pieces. Then they fashioned gold clasps to the loops and connected the two pieces together to make the roof. The Torah says this after giving us the design; “so that the roof of the Tabernacle will become one.” I’m reflecting on this language to the idea of a Jewish marriage. That two become one; and the gold clasps connect the roof together. This is the covering for the house or the family.

I’m reflecting on the idea of these gold clasps as opposed to stitching the entire thing together. The gold clasps would have more give to them; and they would keep the pieces together; but too much pressure, gold is soft, and they’d get pulled apart. Why design it this way as opposed to just stitching the two pieces together? Just something I’m reflecting on.

Next, there was a covering to be made from goats hair to go over the roof. 11 sheets. Five sheets were stitched together, and six sheets were stitched together. And, like the roof, clasps were made; but they were copper and not gold.

This would hang over the roof, and the clasps would be in a different location, offsetting the gold clasps in the bottom roof. So now we have a roof of two layers.

The end of todays portion leaves us with two more layers for the roof. The third layer (covering the goat hair) was to be a layer of rams skin dyed red. And on top of that, was a covering of Tachash skins.

So the roof has four layers.

I’m really chewing on and reflecting on the four layers of covering.

What are your thoughts?