​Parshiot Vayakel-Pekudei, 5786, 2026: "Clouds of Glory"

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Parashat Pekudei contains the final verse of Sefer Shemot: “For the cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire within it at night, before the eyes of the entire house of Israel in all their journeys.” (Sefer Shemot 40:38, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) A careful reading of this pasuk reveals that it is comprised of four separate and interrelated phrases, namely, “For the cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day,” “and there was fire within it at night,” “before the eyes of the entire house of Israel,” and “in all their journeys.”
 
HaRav Yissachar Shlomo Teichtal zatzal (1885-1945) was a rav, posek, author and Religious Zionist. In his posthumously published sefer, Mishneh Sochir, he notes that “it is well-known that there were seven clouds of glory (ananei hakavode) that provided for the needs of the Jewish people during their time in the desert. [Moreover,] because of these clouds, the Jewish people lacked for nothing.” He cites Moshe’s words to our forebears in support of this view: “For Hashem, your God, has blessed you in all the work of your hand; He knows of your walking through this great desert; these forty years that Hashem your God has been with you, you have lacked nothing.” (Sefer Devarim 2:7, Mishneh Sochir, Parashat Pekudei, s.v. ki anan, translations my own) In general, the ananei hakavode reflected the divine Providence (hasgacha pratit) that the Almighty bestowed upon our ancestors. Accordingly, “the cloud of Hashem [that] was upon the Mishkan by day,” represented: “…the highest form of humanly recognizable Divine Providence…in order for there to be the fire of Torah at night.” In other words, Hashem’s miraculous protection by day, made it possible for the Jewish people to freely and intensely learn Torah at night. In addition, he opines that this cloud was visible “before the eyes of the entire house of Israel,” so that “all the Jewish people could experience the self-same Divine Providence [and Presence] as the Mishkan itself.” As such, we have the fulfillment of Hashem’s rationale for the construction of the Mishkan: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst.” (Sefer Shemot 25:8) This exposition provides a natural transition to the concluding phrase of our pasuk, “in all their journeys,” that is, Hashem is ever-present—not just during the 40 years in the desert, but rather, as Rav Teichtal notes, “even during the times the Jewish people travel through their [seemingly endless] exile.” In my view, this is reminiscent of the words penned by David HaMelech so long ago: “For Hashem will not forsake His people, nor will He desert His inheritance.” (Sefer Tehillim, 94:14)
 
The Vilna Gaon zatzal (“the Gra,” 1720-1797) examines our pasuk in light of the dialogue between Hashem and Moshe following the Chet HaEgel. In particular, he emphasizes the relationship that obtains between, “…I will perform wondrous acts such as have not been created upon all the earth and among all the nations…” (Sefer Shemot 34:10) and our pasuk:
And this that is written, “I will perform wondrous acts such as have not been created upon all the earth and among all the nations,” specifically refers to the indwelling of the Cloud of Glory on the Mishkan, and the splendor that rested thereupon, that went before the Jewish nation and was visible to the entire world. As the Torah states: “You, Hashem appear to them eye to eye and Your cloud rests over them. And You go before them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night.” (Sefer Bamidbar 14:14, Sefer Chumash HaGra, Parashat Ki Tisa 34:10, based upon Sefer Aderet Eliyahu, this and the following translations my own)
 
The Gra now contrasts the unique nature of the Cloud of Glory that was upon the Mishkan to that of the Cloud of Glory that accompanied the Jewish people during their departure from Egypt:

Even though there was a Cloud of Glory that accompanied and went before them during the Exodus, it was short-lived and remained with them only until the Sea of Reeds (Yam Suf). Moreover, it was invisible to most of the Jewish people, since it was seen solely by the prophets that were among them. This was not the case in this instance: “For the cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day…before the eyes of the entire house of Israel in all their journeys.”
 
In sum, the Gra maintains that there were two essential differences between the original Cloud of Glory that went before our people on their journey of redemption, and the one that rested upon the Mishkan: The Cloud of Glory of the Exodus was temporary in nature, whereas the Cloud resting on the Mishkan was permanent. Then, too, the Cloud of Glory was indiscernible to most of our nation, whereas the Cloud over the Mishkan was visible to the entire nation. What might account for these notable distinctions? The Gra suggests the following response:
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These changes came about from the time of Moshe’s prayer and onward: “For how then will it be known that I have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not that You will go with us? Then I and Your people will be distinguished (v’niflinu) from every [other] nation on the face of the earth.” (Sefer Shemot 33:16) Then the Holy One answered Moshe: “And He said: ‘Behold! I will form a covenant; in the presence of all your people, I will perform wonders such as have not been created upon all the earth and among all the nations…’” (Sefer Shemot 34:10) [What was this?] This is what is meant by the expression, “in the eyes of the entire Jewish people.” (Sefer Devarim 31:7, 34:12) And it is for this that we wait once again.
 
In the Gra’s view, Moshe’s tefilah of reconciliation altered the very nature of the ananei hakavode. Now, every member of the Jewish people could perceive the vision of the Cloud of Glory resting upon the holy Mishkan: “And it is for this that we wait once again.”
 
With Hashem’s help, may we soon see the Cloud of Glory resting once again upon the rebuilt Beit HaMikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
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