CAROL MILLER
The Tabernacle in the Desert is referred to as the Mishkan in the Hebrew Bible. Mishkan has many meanings in Hebrew:
HISTORY
During the years 1700 BCE to 1300 BCE, the Jewish people were living in Egypt where they had gone to seek relief from the famine in the land of Canaan. (Jerusalem Bible, page 343, Kaplan, page 211) At that time they were a loosely knit group of tribes united by a belief in El Shaddai, God Almighty, an invisible, imageless God. (Gen.48:3, Kaplan, p.241, Ex.6:2, Kaplan, p.281)
Between 1250 BCE and 1230 BCE (Jerusalem Bible, p.343) or 2449 Nissan I, Jewish Lunar Calendar, the Hebrews escaped from Egypt led by their tribal leader, Moses. After crossing the Red Sea, they camped in the desert at Mt. Sinai. According to tradition, the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on top of the mountain. (Ex.24:12) Along with the Law, Divine Specifications were also given for the construction of the Mishkan, the portable fabric sanctuary/temple designed to house the Ark of the Covenant that contained the two stone tablets of the law and to provide a sacred space for performing the rituals necessary for the worship of God. This was the beginning of the nation of Israel. (see Book of Exodus)
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE
"They shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them. You must make the Tabernacle and all its furnishings following the plan that I am showing you."
Ex.25:8-9, Kaplan, p.383
Almost half the book of Exodus is taken up with the description of the building of the Mishkan. Instructions are given in three sets of verses, Ex.25:1-Ex.40:34 (see note re. Torah readings) Significantly, this is one of the few places in the Hebrew Bible where artistic and aesthetic descriptions are vividly detailed and described.
The Hebrew/Jewish Bible is called the Torah. It is divided into fifty two sections. One section is read from the Torah each week in the synagogue every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, Shabbat. (some sections double up)The first set of verses describing the Mishkan consists of three Torah reading, Ex.25:1-Ex.34:34. The sections include Terumah (the Offering), Tetzaveh (command) and KiThisa (the census). In these verses, instructions are given from God to Moses.
These instructions included complete specifications for the plan of the Mishkan including materials to be used, measurements and dimensions, ritual objects and the design of special clothing for the priests. The last instruction is for the selection of the architect. (Exodus 31:1)
"God spoke to Moses saying: I have selected Bezalel, son of Uri son of Chur of the tribe of Judah by name. I have filled him with a Divine Spirit, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge and with the talent for all types of craftsmanship. He will be able to devise plans as well as work in gold, silver and copper, cut stones to be set, carve wood, and do other work."
Ex.31:1-11, Kaplan p.447
Instructions are given for the physical construction of the Tabernacle itself in parshe Terumah. Terumah means ‘offering’, something that is uplifted or elevated to a higher status. The tabernacle and its various parts can be considered as an offering to God.
"Speak to the Israelites and have them bring Me an offering. Take My offering from everyone whose heart impels him to give."
Ex.25:1, Kaplan, p.381)
A materials list follows. The community responded by bringing the following materials:
"The Offering that you take from them shall consist of the following: Gold, silver, copper, sky-blue (wool), dark red (wool), (wool dyed with) crimson worm, linen, goats wool, reddened rams skins, blue-processed skins, acacia wood, oil for the lamp, spices for the anointing oil and the sweet smelling incense, and sardonyxes and other precious stones for the ephod and breastplate."
Ex.25:3-7, Kaplan, p.383
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE –ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTS
What is significant is the order of the objects to be made. The order reveals their priority/importance and the degree to which they were considered sacred.The commandments to build the Mishkan consist of the following elements given in descending levels of holiness:
Instructions proceed outward from the interior vessels necessary to perform the ritual worship (the Ark, the table, the lamp) to the physical structure including the boards of acacia wood, the beams, the partition separating the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary and the the outer enclosure.
In Parshe Terumah the description is given from the most holy/sacred object to the least holy. The most sacred space is the Holy of Holies; it is also the smallest space. It contains the Tablets of Testimony (the Ten Commandments) and it is where God will communicate with Moses.
Fragments and memories of some of these elements were transmitted to the Temple of Solomon and eventually to the synagogue where they are evoked today. I will discuss a few of the more significant and special aspects of this first Israelite building. It is beyond the scope of this project to discuss each element in depth. It is the hope of this writer that some light will be shed on the issue of synagogue design by examining the connection between the first two Israelite temples and the synagogue.
"You know how Moses took off his shoes before he saw the burning bush? Hie did that because it was a holy place, but there are Hasids who say that if you take off your shoes and look carefully, every place can be a holy place." (NY Times 6.21.95, Ariel Berlin)
The Mishkan consisted of three layers of sacred space. Why? Because one must not approach the sacred suddenly.
THE ARK
Immediately after the request for community participation to bring an offering , the commandment is given to make an Ark:
"Make an ark of acacia wood, 2 ½ cubits long, 1 ½ cubits wide and 1 ¼ cubits high.." Ex.25:10-22"
Subject of scholarly and popular speculation to this day, the Ark of the Covenant has inspired archaeological investigations (as to its whereabouts) as well as a commercially successful film, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The commandment was given to make the Ark first because it was the most holy/sacred object among all the other elements. The Ark contained the two tablets of testimony given by God to Moses. It is the essence of the Mishkan. According to tradition, Power radiated from it.
The Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, the most sacred space of the Mishkan. (See plan) This space measured 10 cubits by 10 cubits by 10 cubits, a perfect cube. The cube indicated perfection, symbolic of the Divine design. Since the cube expressed perfection by the geometry, the most sacred object was placed in it, combining meaning and form.
This geometry is similar to Egyptian temples. Mystical significance is attributed to the number ten in the Jewish tradition.
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT – IMAGO MUNDI
"Make a golden cover for the ark, 2 ½ cubits long and 1 ½ cubits long and 1 1/2
cubits wide…..I will commune with you there, speaking to you from above the ark cover, from between the two cherubs that are on the Ark of Testimony. (In this manner) I will give you instructions for the Israelites." Ex. 25:1—22
This then was a point of connection between Heaven and Earth, between Man and God; "the paradoxical point of passage from one mode of being and another." (Mircea Eliade, p.26) Eliade speaks in depth about "…the reason for the elaboration of techniques of orientation which, properly speaking, are techniques for the construction of sacred space. But we must not suppose that human work is in question here, that it is through his own efforts that man can consecrate a space. In reality the ritual by which he constructs a sacred space is efficacious in the measure in which it reproduces the work of the gods." Eliade, p.29.
The making of the Mishkan was just that ritual described so eloquently described by Eliade, a human attempt at making a sacred space on earth that replicated the work of the gods. This is a difficult concept to grasp for people raised in a secular society. Nevertheless, up until 200 years ago it was the prevailing view until the Age of Enlightenment questioned the idea of the existence of God replaced by science and technology which rose in importance. What are the ideas behind these rituals of building?
The Mishkan - continued
Copyright 1999 Carol Miller