The dramatic and profound statement is this time not made with abstruseness, recorded following the instructions to build the tabernacle 25:8. 

וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

Towards the closing of this week’s portion of Tezave the idea and the purpose is unequivocal, 29:45 

וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

I will abide among the Israelites, and I will be their God.

What prompts this revelation here and why only now in this explicit manner?

The following verse whilst reemphasizing and as such may appear superfluous, brings an additional insight or rationale which is staggering

וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֧אתִי אֹתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְשׇׁכְנִ֣י בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ 

And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt that I might abide among them, I am the Lord, their God.

Cassouto, the Italian Biblical scholar offers a striking observation. He highlights the now iconic phrase used parallels the opening clause of the Ten Commandments …אני ה’ אלהיכם אשר הוצאתי אתכם מארץ מצרים, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt… It is the Declaration of our purpose, both of Independence and Dependence. It appears that the fundamental impetus of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt is so that (through their building the tabernacle) God will dwell with us. This emphasis is further emphasized in Cassouto’s view by the contractual nature of the terminology, the closing of the contract paralleling the opening statement as a form of a confirmation, evoking the way kings or queens ratify and so seal their proclamations.

This raises more begs the question, surely the purpose of bringing us out of Egypt was too set us free, so we no longer suffer the tyranny and torture of the abusive regime. Surely that sense of urgency and compassion ought to have been the motivation? Is the purpose built around God or us?

Perhaps an elucidation can be found in the astonishing explanation of Haketav V’Hakabalah Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg, (1785-1865), on the exquisite phrase used to describe the (purpose of) priestly garments 28:2

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃

Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment.

לכבוד ולתפארת. לכבוד האל ית’ בהיותם בגדי קדש לעבודתו, ולתפארת שיהי’ כהן מורה נורא על כל סביביו שהם תלמידיו החקוקים על לבו וכתפיו

The Kavod, is the honor given to God, through the Bigdei Kodesh, the holy garments worn when carrying out His service, and the Tiferet, adornment, refers to how he will be inspirationally perceived in awe and in wonder by all around him, and he too gives them honor as the names on his shoulders and breastplate are those of the twelve tribes representing the people, in whose service he is in. This multifaceted relationship also describes the honor and adornment God wishes to give to us through dwelling in our midst, and the honor and adornment we give to God through our service, our practice and our way of life. The relationship is reciprocal. The ultimate purpose of our freedom is not merely escape from Egypt, but the creation of a space that is sacred, relational, and covenantal, where Divine Presence and human dignity meet. Purpose built for each other.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)