This parasha begins with the culmination of the inauguration service for the Kohanim, on the eighth day of the inauguration. The parasha begins with the Hebrew word vayehi, that has a special significance in regard to what is about to occur. According to the Talmud, “Anywhere that the word vayehi is stated, it is an ominous term indicating nothing other than impending grief, as if the word were a contraction of the words vai and hi, meaning woe and mourning” (Megillah 10b, sefaria.org).
What proceeds on Nissan 1st – the eighth day of the inauguration – is the semi-permanent construction of the mishkan, and the beginning of the roles of the kohanim within the framework of the Levitical system of offerings. Yet, it is a bittersweet moment, because if it had not been for the sin of the golden calf, the construction of the mishkan would not have been necessary. As Sforno explains, originally, every Israelite would have been worthy of receiving HaShem’s presence, manifested as the Shechinah, without the need for the Tabernacle.
The parallel to this intention is found in the pasuk, “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8, JPS). This verse can also be rendered as “so that I may dwell within them,” meaning each and every Israelite. So that Bnei Yisrael was meant for a closeness with HaShem that would have been bestowed upon them, because of the level that they were at initially at Sinai.
This is still something that we should aspire to today, by making ourselves a mishkan that will receive His Presence, as result of our sanctification through the commandments. This does not exclude the expectation of the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem; rather, His presence within us is complementary to where he will rest his visible presence at that time. Shavua tov.
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