The beginning of part II of this week’s double Torah reading is the sort of thing that my brother, the CPA, probably relishes. The parsha of Pekudei starts: “And these are the accountings of the mishkan, the mishkan of testimony, that were drawn up on Moshe’s command, for the work of the Levities, under the direction of Itamar, son of Aharon the Kohein.” (38:21). Then the parsha lists the different supplies used in the construction, by amount, and explains how each resource was used in the project. This detailed accounting goes on … for 41 verses.
As a non-accountant, I do not get much of a thrill from such a detailed report. So I have to ask: Was this really necessary?
In an essay on this Torah portion in his book “Table Talk,” Rabbi Raphael Pelcovitz asserts that this accounting is essential, as it reflects the standard that Moshe teaches the Jewish people towards the end of his life: “And you shall be clean from God and Israel.” (Numbers/Bamidbar 32:22). This verse, and our Torah reading, are telling us that it is not enough to be convinced of your own ethical standards – a proper Jew must ensure that his activities appear appropriate to his fellow man as well. This imperative is underscored as well by a verse in the Grace After Meals, which we recite far more frequently than we read this week's Torah portion: “And may we find favor and understanding in the eyes of God and man.” (at the end of the BaMoRom paragraph).
The directive of these two verses, and the example in Pekudei, is that we are only acting appropriately when our actions reflect a sensitivity to God and to the concerns of our family, our neighbors, our co-workers, and our community members in mind.
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