VBM For on this Day Hashem will Appear Before You By Rav Yair Kahn
1. The Egel and the Mishkan
After the seven days of the Mishkan’s inauguration, the eighth day has finally arrived, and with it the promise of divine revelation.
In order to appreciate the significance of this event, it must be viewed from a broader historical perspective. At Sinai, Yisrael experienced divine revelation in a very direct way (Devarim 5:4). According to the Ramban, the open revelation of Sinai was meant to continue through the Mishkan in a less obvious way, and Moshe was therefore commanded to build the Mishkan at the beginning of his forty days on Har Sinai. However, the cheit ha-egel changed everything. It was not until Yom Kippur, when Moshe descended from Har Sinai with the second luchot, that Bnei Yisrael achieved atonement for the cheit ha-egel, but this was not the end of the process of atonement. Immediately after Yom Kippur, Bnei Yisrael were commanded to construct the Mishkan. The Torah (Shemot 35:20-29) describes the excitement that greeted the campaign for donations towards the building project – to the extent that they brought even more materials than were needed (ibid. 36:5-7). Apparently, this excitement arose not only from the thirst for the Divine Presence, but also from feelings of guilt for having fashioned the Egel. Bnei Yisrael had previously removed their gold earrings in order to design the egel; in contributing towards the Mishkan they were given an opportunity to offer their jewelry for the sake of the Mishkan and its vessels. Therefore, the very engagement in the Mishkan was part of the process of national teshuva for cheit ha-egel. As Chazal explain:
1. The Egel and the Mishkan
After the seven days of the Mishkan’s inauguration, the eighth day has finally arrived, and with it the promise of divine revelation.
In order to appreciate the significance of this event, it must be viewed from a broader historical perspective. At Sinai, Yisrael experienced divine revelation in a very direct way (Devarim 5:4). According to the Ramban, the open revelation of Sinai was meant to continue through the Mishkan in a less obvious way, and Moshe was therefore commanded to build the Mishkan at the beginning of his forty days on Har Sinai. However, the cheit ha-egel changed everything. It was not until Yom Kippur, when Moshe descended from Har Sinai with the second luchot, that Bnei Yisrael achieved atonement for the cheit ha-egel, but this was not the end of the process of atonement. Immediately after Yom Kippur, Bnei Yisrael were commanded to construct the Mishkan. The Torah (Shemot 35:20-29) describes the excitement that greeted the campaign for donations towards the building project – to the extent that they brought even more materials than were needed (ibid. 36:5-7). Apparently, this excitement arose not only from the thirst for the Divine Presence, but also from feelings of guilt for having fashioned the Egel. Bnei Yisrael had previously removed their gold earrings in order to design the egel; in contributing towards the Mishkan they were given an opportunity to offer their jewelry for the sake of the Mishkan and its vessels. Therefore, the very engagement in the Mishkan was part of the process of national teshuva for cheit ha-egel. As Chazal explain:
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