Numbers; Chapter 7, Verse 1: “It was
the day that Moses finished erecting the Tabernacle
that he anointed it and sanctified it and all its
utensils.”
The Medrash Rabba (Numbers 12:9)
states that Moses received complete credit for three
things: the Torah, judging honorably, and the
Tabernacle. The Torah, as it says, “remember the
Torah of my servant Moses” (Malachi 3). Judging
honorably, as it says, “He [Moses] carried out the
righteousness of G-d and his ordinance with Israel”
(Deuteronomy 33:21). The Tabernacle, “it was the day
Moses finished erecting the Tabernacle.”
The Medrash Rabba explains why Moses
received all the credit. Moses did not construct the
actual Tabernacle but he was intimately involved in
it laws and technical operations. He constantly
supervised its construction and operation making
sure to relate the word of G-d exactly and properly.
Moses’ care for the tabernacle was
what gave him the credit for its construction. He
wanted to make sure that all was correct. Moses did
not just deliver G-d’s word, he also ensured G-d’s
instructions were followed. This devotion gave Moses
the honor of receiving credit for building the
Tabernacle.
True devotion comes with care and
dedication. Even though Moses did not physically
construct the Tabernacle, his care and devotion
added much more than manual labor. It was not his
actual teaching or expertise of the Torah that gave
him the title “the Torah of my servant Moses.” It
was his devotion and care.
Shabbat Shalom
