5783/2023
The Medrash Rabbah explains that when Bnei Yisrael made
the Mishkan, it took three months to build it, and then spent another three months in storage before it was erected. This was because Hashem wanted to begin using the Mishkan in Nissan, which is the month Yitzchak Avinu was born. Yet, why did Hashem perform a נס by allowing Bnei Yisrael to build the Mishkan so quickly if it was not going to be used right away? Furthermore, why did Hashem want to inaugurate the Mishkan Davka in the month that Yitzchok was born? If anything Nissan is fitting because it is the month Ge'ulah!
חטא העגל There is a Medrash in Vayakhel that links the and the Mishkan, specifically that the gold that was used in the Mishkan was a כפרה for the gold used in the עגל. Ibn Ezra explains that the problems with the חטא העגל are rooted in 2 fundamental mistakes: One, Bnei Yisrael tried to connect with Hashem in a way that he did not want, and two, They had a lack חטא of patience in waiting for Moshe to return, which led to the itself. These sins describe why the Mishkan was the perfect First, we know that Bnei Yisrael learned .חטא העגל for the כפרה their lesson and did exactly as Hashem commanded because .”ַכֲּאֶ֛שׁר ִצָ֥וּהיְהָֹ֖וה ֶאת־מֶֹֽשׁה“theTorahconstantlyrepeatsthephrase The Torah goes out of its way to praise Klal Yisrael for doing חטא העגל exactly as Hashem told them. The second Issur of answers the previous question of why Klal Yisrael had to wait to use the Mishkan: Hashem gave us an opportunity to do Teshuvah by testing our patience. Perhaps this is the emphasis on Yitzchak’s birth: the ultimate lesson of patience is Avraham and Sarah waiting 100 years to have the child that was promised to them. Also, Ge'ulah is not the focus here because Yetzi’at Mitzrayim happened hastily and prematurely, which conflicts with the message that the Mishkan represented. Rather, Hakadosh Baruch Hu wanted to begin the services in the Mishkan at a time when patience is the main focus, such as Yitzchak’s birth month. The lesson here is the importance of patience, both on a national level and a personal one. On the one hand, we must always daven for the Ge'ulah, but it will only happen when Hashem says so, and we cannot get discouraged even if it feels like our Teffilot are going unanswered. Yet also
on a personal level, sometimes we get impatient with school or Yidishkeit when we don’t achieve our goals right away and we give up. Nevertheless, we must remember that it takes time, effort, and patience to be successful. Be’Ezrat Hashem, we will take this lesson and Hashem will decide that because of our patience, the time has finally come for the final Ge'ulah, BeMheira BeYamainu.