Questions on Parshas Vayakhel to think about and discuss:

1. How do we see a source to all the 39 meloches of Shabbos at the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel?
2. Why is havora, burning, (35:3) singled out for specific mention more than any of the other 39 Avos Meloches of Shabbos?
3. Why was the punishment for the Nesiyims’ lack of zealousness in bringing donations to the Mishkon seen in their name being written missing the letter Yud? (Rashi 35:27)
4. What do we learn from Parshas Vayakhel about when the Mishkon was built?
5. Rashi (38:8) brings that Moshe initially did not want to accept the mirrors for the Kiyor from the women. Why then did he accept other donations from the women without any reservations (35:21)?
6. Why is the order changed when the Mishkon was actually built under the guidance of Betzalel –first the Mishkon and then keilim, and when Moshe was told to build the Mishkon- first the keilim and then the Mishkon?
7. Two main people were in charge of the building of the Mishkon – Betzalel and Oholiov. What is the significance of these two?
8. How do we understand the discussion between Hashem and Moshe about the using of the mirrors for the kiyor? (see Rashi 38:8)
9. Why does the putting of the Mishkon in practice need to be mentioned again in such great detail?
10. The possuk (35:22) mentions separately the ornaments donated by the men and by the women. Why?
11. What is the connection between the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel and the end of Parshas Ki Sisa?
12. Why is Shabbos mentioned in Parshas Vayakhel as an introduction to the building of the Mishkon?
13. When mentioning about the Aron (35:12) it omits mention about the Keruvim. Why?
14. When did the actual building of the Mishkon start?
15. Why did they make the coverings for on top of the Mishkon before setting up the walls of the Mishkon?
16. Rashi (38:8) brings that initially Moshe opposed accepting the mirrors from the women for the kiyor. What was his opposition – was it the fact the women were donating; or what they were donating, i.e. the mirrors; or both?

Ideas for answers on the general parsha:

1. The Baal Haturim (35:1) brings that it is seen from the words “Eile Hadvorim”. The word “dvorim” means things, the minimum being two. The addition “Hei” makes three. The word “Eile” is the gematria of 36 making a total of 39. It then goes on to discuss about Shabbos.
2. This is because havora, burning, does not seem like so much of a melocha. The Sforno says that burning seems to be a kilkul, destructive. However, since it is used in most meloches therefore it is forbidden.
3. Perhaps the idea is that because they were haughty by saying that the people should first donate and they would then supply any shortfall, therefore the letter Yud, the smallest letter that represents humility, was missing from their name.
4. The Vilna Gaon (Shir Hashirim, 1:4) brings that Moshe came down from the mountain on Yom Kippur, the 10^th of Tishrei. Then he gathered them (Vayakhel, 35:1) and told them about the Mishkon on the 11^th of Tishrei. Then the people brought donations for the next two days (36:3) and then on the 14^th of Tishrei the craftsmen weighed and counted the donations and then the actual building of the Mishkon started on the 15^th of Tishrei.
5. The Ramban (38:18) answers that the other donations from the women would be mixed together and annulled with the donations from the men. However, the mirrors were only given by the women and therefore were queried.
6. Betzalel was looking at things from a practical worldly viewpoint. First you need to build the building that will house the vessels. Moshe was looking at it from the spiritual viewpoint and kedusha. First to come were the inner vessels and only then the exterior building. (See Gemora Brochos 55a)
7. The Mishkon was to be built to cater for all the Jews. It therefore came to speak to the highest and lowest spiritual Jew. This is seen in the two people appointed to oversee its building. Betzalel was from one of the most spiritual tribes, from Yehuda. He was partnered with Oholiov, from the least spiritual tribe of Don.
9. This shows us the greatness of the Mishkon that it is discussed so much…
10. The Ramban says that it comes to show that the women brought these donations before the men. This is because these ornaments are found more commonly by women.
11. The Baal Haturim (35:1) says that the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel talks about Shabbos. On Shabbos there is a special shine on peoples faces (those on a high spiritual level). This is like at the end of Parshas Ki Sisa that talks about Moshe’s shining face.
12. Rashi (35:2) brings that it is to teach us that the Shabbos supersedes the building of the Mishkon seen that there is no work to be done on Shabbos. Perhaps on a deeper level, Shabbos is a time when the Shechina and spiritual realms come closer to mankind. In a same vein, the Mishkon is the place in the world where the Shechina openly resided as seen by the constant miracles happening there.
14. It started on the 15th of Tishrei (see Vilna Gaon to Shir Hashirim 1:4). The Baal Haturim (Vayakhel, 36:6) brings that Yom Kippur was on a Tuesday. On Wednesday Moshe told the building about the Mishkon and they then brought materials for the next two days until told to stop on Shabbos. The actual building then started on a Sunday.
15. So that once built, the Mishkon would always be in a state of covering (Tosfas). What lies behind this?…
16. Rashi says it was what they were donating that was the problem.