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Pekudei 5763

"Moshe saw the entire work, and behold, they did it just as HaShem commanded, so had they done, and Moshe blessed them."

As we read through this parsha, this theme of following instruction is recurring. "They finished the work and did it as HaShem had commanded;" "Just as HaShem commanded Moshe, so did they do," and now this posuk. It almost seems that the work of building of the Mishkon was more important than its completion!

The meforshim offer numerous comments on this verbiage, and in truth, it appears that this seeming mistake of emphasis is deliberate. It is true. More important than the fact that the Mishkon was built was the way in which they went about it.

The Sipurno says they did as they were told, no more, no less. It's understandable why he says they didn't do less, but not more? Why didn't they do more? The answer is that they were building the Mishkon because HaShem wanted them to, not because of their own needs. Therefore, they only did what HaShem commanded Moshe, and what Betzalel added to the directive. The Netziv points out that since it would make sense for them to be very desirous of having HaShem's Shechina dwell in their midst again and that this would be their motivation, the Torah testifies that they did it only because of HaShem's command.

The Ohr HaChaim adds that they not only did the basic requirements, but all the possible beautifications as well. On top of that, they completed it in an unusually short amount of time because they were so dedicated to their task.

In fact, the Ramban says that the words used in the previous posuk, which says, "they completed all the avoda," the service, have special meaning. To them, it was not merely melacha, work, but rather it was avoda, service of HaKadosh Boruch Hu. Everything they did in the building was done as a means of serving HaShem through their actions. Wasn't that surely worthy of a bracha from Moshe Rabbeinu?

We have the same opportunity every day. When we eat, when we work, when we exercise, or sleep. All these mundane activities that we perform daily are not just a means to have strength for tefilla and learning Torah. They are acts of service themselves, if we fulfill them the way HaShem directs us and because He does. Then we too can merit the special blessing that HaShem's holy countenance will descend upon the labors of our hands.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the home-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his family. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter?s heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

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