Thursday, March 3, 2022

One Long Journey

The last verse of Shefer Shemot is כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן י״י֤ עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כׇל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכׇל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם.  What does this have to do with the culmination of the Mishkan?  The Sforno explains that it it telling us the strength of the presence of the Shechina in the Mikdash.  It never left until Klal Yisroel traveled from the stop.

Rashi says מקום חנייתן, אף הוא קרוי מסע so בכל מסעיהם includes the places of encampment.  The message is that there are no stops along the journey.  Even when one reaches another level, another camp along the journey, it is still part of one long path that must be continued.  This is fitting to conclude the book of Shemot for it encapsulates how the entire journey from the descent into Egypt until the building of the Mishkan is part of one arduous path  with "camps" of ten plagues, splitting of the sea, Mattan Torah etc. but it is all part of an ongoing journey (see Likutay Sichos volume 6 sicha 2.)  As the Sforno notes, the journey is incomplete for it is only in the Third Beis Hamikdash where the Shechina will have a permanent residence. 

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