The building of the Mishkan (‘Tabernacle’) in the wilderness marks a new stage in the spiritual and pragmatic development of the People of Israel. The mishkan was more than just a location for the offering up of sacrifices to God, indeed the construction of the mishkan and its appurtenances was the climax of the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian bondage: “And the Lord said to Moses . . . say to [Pharaoh] ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let My people go that they may worship Me in the wilderness.”’” (Exodus 7:14-16). Thus the Tabernacle was the ultimate symbol of the Israelite’s freedom to worship the God of their ancestors.
The similarity between the accounts of the building of the Tabernacle and the Creation narrative is indicative of the parallel between God’s creation of the world and the building of the mishkan by the People Israel. Just as the story of the Creation unfolded on six days, each of which began “And God said”, so the instructions for building the Tabernacle are found in six sections, each of which begins, “The Lord spoke to Moses”. The seventh section deals with the laws of Shabbat. The construction of the mishkan therefore marks a second creation; just as God created the universe and all that is in it, so the People of Israel created the Tabernacle which contained the Ark of the Pact, upon which the Shekhina, God’s Presence, rested. Through creating the Tabernacle the People of Israel created itself because the construction of the Tabernacle focussed the energies of the various tribes to one purpose. Each individual had to bring gifts of cloth and precious metal which were used for the building of the mishkan and the chieftains of each tribe brought dedication offerings for the altar when it was anointed.
Human creativity and ingenuity are divine attributes which God has bestowed upon us and it is our task, as members of the Covenant, to employ these attributes for the betterment of the world we live in. The construction of the Tabernacle and the later Temple bore testimony to the belief that we are partners in creation with God
The symmetrical lines of the Tabernacle reflect the striving for perfection inherent in the quest of human beings to master nature and shape it to our needs. The fashioning of a variety of raw, natural materials into a shrine to the God of Israel demonstrated the ability of different elements to create something profound and beautiful through co-operation and interaction. Thus Moses was instructed to make the strips of cloth for the Tabernacle of fine twisted linen and blue, purple and crimson wool. The same mixture of fabrics and colours was used for the hanging tapestry that divided the holy from the holy of holies. Goat’s hair was used for the tent covering the Tabernacle and skins of tachashim were used as a covering for the tent. The frame of the Tabernacle was manufactured from planks of acacia wood and the various clasps, tenons, rings and hooks were made of gold, silver and copper. All these different materials, each with its own unique properties, were the notes of a great visual symphony. The diversity of the materials used in the mishkan was echoed in the different crafts and art forms used for the construction of the Tabernacle, reflecting the idea that divergent disciplines can be used together to achieve an ultimate goal. The Tabernacle therefore was an accurate reflection of the world and of human society.
Just as the Tabernacle was created from various materials, using different art forms, so the People Israel was fashioned from diverse clans, each with its own characteristics. These twelve tribes were forged into one people through the shared experiences of bondage, redemption and revelation a process which culminated in the construction of the Tabernacle which was erected in the centre of the Israelite camp as a symbol of national unity. Just as the Tabernacle was divided into three distinct areas, so the twelve tribes retained their independency, each marching under their own banner in a set order and camping in a determined location in relation to the Tabernacle.
The important lesson to be gleaned from the Tabernacle and Temple is that unity does not mean conformity and loss of individuality. Each distinct material retained its particularity and each area of the sanctuary had different degrees of holiness. The same is true in the synagogue of today. Not only are synagogues built in different styles but each community prays in their own particular nusah. Yet every synagogue must contain certain architectural features and have certain items of decor in order to function as a house of prayer. All synagogues must have an Aron Hakodesh, “a Holy Ark”, closed off from the congregants by a curtain, as a reminder of the Holy of Holies and the parokhet of the Tabernacle, and the ner tamid, the ‘eternal light’ is an ever present feature of any shul, reminding the worshipper of the menorah that graced the south wall of the Tabernacle. Despite the different nusachim to which the different communities prayer, all public prayer must contain the basic framework of Jewish worship: the Shema and her blessings, the Amidah, and the Aleinu.
Thus Jewish life is ruled by the concept of diversity within unity, or unity containing diversity, which has enabled our civilization to remain vibrant and make a meaningful contribution to general society and the world. Any attempt to stifle the variety within the Jewish People will lead to the demise of Jewish civilization. Such attempts for uniformity that have been tried have all met with failure since every individual and every community is unique and relies on that uniqueness for its survival. It is for this reason that Judaism has long been a religion opposed to active proselytising since Jews realize the importance of diversity and have no interest to convert the whole world to Judaism since all methods of worship are valid, as long as they do not conflict with the sanctity of life.
Thus the Tabernacle was a microcosm of the universe, glorifying the diversity and heterogeneity of the world and human society. The beauty of the Tabernacle lay precisely in the diversity of the materials and craftsmanship of the building, so too the beauty of society, and of Judaism in particular lies in the diversity of opinions, practices and beliefs.
As we read the account of the Israelites’ journey from enslavement in Egypt to freedom and self-determination in their own land I am struck by the similarities between the formative years of benei Yisrael and the journey to freedom and democracy in South Africa. Just as Pharaoh finally had a change of heart and allowed Moses to lead his people to freedom and dignity, so the Apartheid government in South Africa decided to unban the ANC and other parties of the struggle, and release all political prisoners, including of course Nelson Mandela, who, like Moses led his people to freedom and dignity.
While Pharaoh was persuaded to let Israel go after he and his people suffered horrendous plagues, international sanctions and the force of world pressure persuaded the National Party to terminated the racist laws of apartheid and allow the establishment of a true democracy in South Africa.
It is now twenty years since Nelson Mandela stepped out of prison on the now famous walk to freedom and the presidency and we are on the brink of hosting the biggest sporting event in the world. The fact that South Africa is hosting the FIFA World Cup for the first time in Africa is an indication of the esteem with which we are held in the world. FIFA was one of the first international sports bodies to boycott Apartheid South Africa and for decades we were starved of any form of international football. Now world football is coming to our shores! We need to support Bafana Bafana as we support the Springboks and the Proteas.
Yes South Africa does have its problems, but then all countries do. We need to be inspired by Mandela who overcame many personal hardships to be the man and symbol that he is. Moses and the children of Israel had their fare share of problems too, not the least of which was being forced to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Yet with self belief they overcame their difficulties and entered the Promised Land. We too can achieve greatness if we put our minds to it.
