Torah Portion of the Week

Pekudei פקודי

Exodus 38:21–40:38

Parshat Pekudei ('Accounts') brings the Book of Exodus full circle — from slavery to the Divine Presence resting among a free people. It opens with a precise accounting of every ounce of gold, silver, and copper donated for the Tabernacle, then describes the completion of the priestly garments. When every piece is brought before Moses and he sees it matches God's specifications exactly, he blesses the people. On the first of Nisan, Moses himself erects the Tabernacle, places the Ark, Table, Menorah, and altars in their positions, and anoints everything with sacred oil. The parsha — and the entire book — climaxes as the Cloud of Glory descends and God's Presence fills the Sanctuary, guiding Israel by cloud and fire for all their journeys.

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1 of 6

Accounting of the Materials

פקודי המשכן

Exodus 38:21–39:1

At Moses' direction, the Levites under Ithamar son of Aaron take an exact inventory of all materials used. The gold totals nearly 29 talents, the silver — collected as the half-shekel from 603,550 men — amounts to 100 talents plus 1,775 shekels, and the copper totals about 70 talents. Silver was cast into the hundred sockets of the Tabernacle and the curtain pillars; copper was used for the altar, its grating, courtyard sockets, pegs, and vessels.

2 of 6

Completing the Priestly Garments

עשיית בגדי הכהונה

Exodus 39:2–39:31

The artisans complete every garment exactly as God commanded Moses. They weave the golden Ephod with its shoulder stones engraved with the tribal names, the Breastplate set with twelve precious stones, the blue Robe with golden bells and woven pomegranates, the golden Head-plate inscribed 'Holy to the Lord,' and the tunics, sashes, turbans, and linen breeches for all the priests.

3 of 6

Moses Inspects and Blesses

משה בודק ומברך

Exodus 39:32–39:43

The people bring all the finished components to Moses: the Tabernacle structure, its coverings and boards, the Ark, Table, Menorah, golden altar, copper altar, laver, courtyard hangings, and all the priestly garments. Moses examines everything and sees that it has been made exactly as God commanded. He blesses them — tradition says he prayed: 'May the Divine Presence rest upon the work of your hands.'

4 of 6

God Commands the Erection

ציווי הקמת המשכן

Exodus 40:1–40:16

God instructs Moses to erect the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month (Nisan) — nearly one year after the Exodus. He is to place the Ark in the Holy of Holies, set the curtain partition, position the Table, Menorah, golden altar, and copper altar, fill the laver with water, set up the courtyard, and anoint everything with oil to sanctify it. Aaron and his sons are to be washed, dressed in their garments, and anointed for an eternal priesthood.

5 of 6

Moses Erects the Tabernacle

הקמת המשכן

Exodus 40:17–40:33

On the first of Nisan in the second year, Moses himself erects the Tabernacle. He places the sockets, raises the boards, inserts the bars, and spreads the coverings. He puts the Testimony (tablets) into the Ark, sets its poles, and places the cover. He brings the Ark into the Holy of Holies and hangs the screening curtain. He sets the Table with its showbread, positions the Menorah and kindles its lamps, places the golden incense altar, and hangs the entrance screen. He sets up the copper altar at the entrance, the laver between it and the Tabernacle, and erects the courtyard. The phrase 'as the Lord commanded Moses' recurs eighteen times.

6 of 6

The Cloud of Glory

ענן הכבוד

Exodus 40:34–40:38

The Cloud covers the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of the Lord fills the Tabernacle — so powerfully that even Moses cannot enter. This cloud becomes Israel's guide: when it lifts, they journey; when it rests, they camp. The Cloud of the Lord is upon the Tabernacle by day, and fire is within it by night, before the eyes of all Israel throughout all their journeys. With these words, the Book of Exodus concludes.

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

I Kings 7:51–8:21

מלכים א

Solomon completes and dedicates the Temple, as Moses completes and erects the Tabernacle. In both, God's glory fills the sacred space — a cloud covers the sanctuary as God's presence descends.

Full Text

Parshat Pekudei

Exodus 38:21–40:38 · 92 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןExodus 38:21–39:1

Chapter 38

פרק 38

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Language

Layout

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21 אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה עֲבֹדַת הַלְוִיִּם בְּיַד אִֽיתָמָר בֶּֽן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵֽן

22 וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה עָשָׂה אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת מֹשֶֽׁה

23 וְאִתּוֹ אׇהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה דָן חָרָשׁ וְחֹשֵׁב וְרֹקֵם בַּתְּכֵלֶת וּבָֽאַרְגָּמָן וּבְתוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וּבַשֵּֽׁשׁ

24 כׇּל הַזָּהָב הֶֽעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַיְהִי זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים כִּכָּר וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ

25 וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה מְאַת כִּכָּר וְאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים שֶׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ

26 בֶּקַע לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְכֹל הָעֹבֵר עַל הַפְּקֻדִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים

27 וַיְהִי מְאַת כִּכַּר הַכֶּסֶף לָצֶקֶת אֵת אַדְנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת אַדְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת מְאַת אֲדָנִים לִמְאַת הַכִּכָּר כִּכָּר לָאָֽדֶן

28 וְאֶת הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים וְצִפָּה רָאשֵׁיהֶם וְחִשַּׁק אֹתָֽם

29 וּנְחֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה שִׁבְעִים כִּכָּר וְאַלְפַּיִם וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָֽׁקֶל

30 וַיַּעַשׂ בָּהּ אֶת אַדְנֵי פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֵת מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְאֶת מִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְאֵת כׇּל כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

31 וְאֶת אַדְנֵי הֶֽחָצֵר סָבִיב וְאֶת אַדְנֵי שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר וְאֵת כׇּל יִתְדֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת כׇּל יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר סָבִֽיב

21 These are the records of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Pact, that were drawn up at Moses’ bidding—the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

22 Now Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, had made all that GOD had commanded Moses;

23 At his side was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, carver and designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and in fine linen.

24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary—the elevation offering of gold—came to 29 talents and 730 shekels by the sanctuary weight.

25 The silver of those of the community who were recorded came to 100 talents and 1,775 shekels by the sanctuary weight:

26 A half-shekel . a head, half a shekel by the sanctuary weight, for each one who was entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, 603,550 men.

27 The 100 talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets for the curtain, 100 sockets to the 100 talents, a talent a socket.

28 And of the 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the posts, overlay for their tops, and bands around them.

29 The copper from the elevation offering came to 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.

30 Of it he made the sockets for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; the copper altar and its copper grating and all the utensils of the altar;

31 The sockets of the enclosure round about and the sockets of the gate of the enclosure; and all the pegs of the Tabernacle and all the pegs of the enclosure round about.