Shabbat Parashat Vayikra 5784

Parashat Hashavua: Mikdash and Jewish State Go Together – part I

At the end of Sefer Shemot, the Torah ends the story of the construction of the Mishkan with the divine cloud that descended onto it. However, we see already in the beginning of Sefer Vayikra that the job of inaugurating the Mishkan was not yet complete, and it actually continues into other sefarim.

Parashat Naso includes the process of consecrating the Mishkan and its vessels (Bamidbar 7:1). Right thereafter, the Torah tells that the nesi’im (the heads of each of the tribes) began giving their offerings for the Mishkan (ibid. 2). This raises the question: what is the connection between the Mishkan (and, later, the Beit Hamikdash) and the nation’s political leadership?

Rav A.Y. Kook, zt”l, who founded the Chief Rabbinate of Israel well before the State of Israel was established or could be fully expected, taught us that an independent Jewish political entity is an inseparable part of the existence of the Divine Kingdom in the world. This too makes it all the more imperative to analyze what the place of the State is in the Mikdash.

The prophets were very engaged with the kings of Israel and their courts. Their exhortations were most commonly addressed to these leaders. The lessons they tried to teach found expression not only in their content but in the order of their prophesies, as we will now develop. We will first look at the sections in Melachim that deal with King Shlomo’s building of his kingdom’s edifices and the building of the Beit Hamikdash.     

 It is clear that Moshe was in charge of the building of the Mishkan. He oversaw everything, even if he appointed as head artisans, Betzalel (from the Tribe of Yehuda) and Ohaliav (from Dan). Because of Moshe’s unique persona and level, he led all three branches of government, parallel to Hashem’s complete control in leading the world. The reason he was in charge of the Mishkan was that he was the political ruler. That is also the reason that he served like a kohen during the seven days of consecration. On the eighth day, he handed the reins over to his brother, Aharon.

During the building of the Beit Hamikdash, Shlomo (from Yehuda) was the main person in charge of the building, along with Chiram (from Dan). In many places in the navi, it calls the Beit Hamikdash, “The house that Shlomo built for Hashem” (see Melachim I, 6:2). Shlomo was the one who offered korbanot and recited the prayers (see Melachim I, 8).

This is also what will be in the time of the building of the Third Temple. Yechezkel prophesied that the nasi (the equivalent to the king) will bring the sacrifices for the consecration (Yechezkel 46:4-5). The Rambam (Ma’aseh Hakorbanot 2:15) posits as well that the special offerings and arrangements during this week will be done by the nasi in the future.

We have thus proven that the executive branch of the nation has a special place in the building of the spiritual center of Bnei Yisrael. We will continue developing this thesis next week.

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