Portal:Judaism/Weekly Torah portion/Vayakhel

Vayakhel (ויקהל, “And He Assembled”) Exodus 35:1–38:20 The Weekly Torah portion in synagogues on Shabbat, Saturday, — "And let all among you who are skilled come and make all that the Lord has commanded." (Exodus 35:10.)

Moses convoked the Israelites to build the Tabernacle. Moses started by reminding them of God’s commandment to keep the Sabbath of complete rest. Then Moses told them to collect gifts of materials from those whose heart so moved them &mdash; gifts of gold, silver, copper, colored yarns, fine linen, goats' hair, tanned ram skins, acacia wood, olive oil, spices, lapis lazuli, and other stones. Moses invited all who were skilled to make the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests’ vestments. The Israelites brought the gifts that Moses requested. Moses announced that God had singled out Bezalel and Oholiab to endow them with the skills needed to construct the Tabernacle. And Moses called on them and all skilled persons to undertake the task. The Israelites brought more than was needed, so Moses proclaimed an end to the collection. The skilled workers fashioned the Tabernacle. Bezalel made the ark, cover, table, menorah, incense altar, altar for sacrifices, laver, and enclosure for the Tabernacle.

Hebrew and English text

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Commentary from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University (Conservative)

Commentary from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (Conservative)

Commentary by the Union for Reform Judaism (Reform)

Commentaries from Project Genesis (Orthodox)

Commentaries from Chabad.org (Orthodox)

Commentaries from Aish HaTorah (Orthodox)

Commentaries from the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (Reconstructionist)

Commentaries from My Jewish Learning (trans-denominational)