וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

בְּיוֹם־הַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ תָּקִ֕ים אֶת־מִשְׁכַּ֖ן אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

On the day of the first month, on the first of the month of Nisan, the month in which the Israelites were brought out of Egypt and which was therefore established as the first month of the year (see 12:2), you shall erect the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.

וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־הָאָרֹ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃

After the framework of the Tabernacle has been erected, the placement of its vessels begins with the ark, the focal point of its holiness. The sanctity, and therefore the significance, of the entire structure stems from here. You shall place there the Ark of the Testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain, which separates and conceals the Holy of Holies.

וְהֵבֵאתָ֙ אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֔ן וְעָרַכְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֶרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֵבֵאתָ֙ אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֔ה וְהַעֲלֵיתָ֖ אֶת־נֵרֹתֶֽיהָ׃

You shall bring the table, and you shall arrange its arrangement, the showbread; you shall bring the candelabrum, and you shall kindle its lamps. It is not enough to place the candelabrum in its spot; you must also kindle its lights.

וְנָתַתָּ֞ה אֶת־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַזָּהָב֙ לִקְטֹ֔רֶת לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ אֶת־מָסַ֥ךְ הַפֶּ֖תַח לַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

You shall put the golden altar for incense before the Ark of the Testimony. Although the golden altar was further away from the Holy of Holies than the table and the candelabrum, it was positioned opposite the ark. And you shall set in place the screen of the entrance of the Tabernacle, of the Sanctuary, the structure in the center of the courtyard.

וְנָ֣תַתָּ֔ה אֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֕י פֶּ֖תַח מִשְׁכַּ֥ן אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵֽד׃

You shall put the altar of the burnt offering before the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. The large altar, upon which the offerings will be sacrificed, must be placed in the courtyard.

וְנָֽתַתָּ֙ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֔ר בֵּֽין־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְנָתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖ם מָֽיִם׃

You shall put the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water there, in the basin, so that it will be ready for the service.

וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֖ר סָבִ֑יב וְנָ֣תַתָּ֔ אֶת־מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֥עַר הֶחָצֵֽר׃

You shall place the pillars, sockets, and hangings, which together form the courtyard all around the Tabernacle, and you shall put the screen of the gate of the courtyard in its appropriate place.

וְלָקַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־שֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֖יו וְהָ֥יָה קֹֽדֶשׁ׃

In order to sanctify the service vessels, it is not enough to simply place the vessels, appurtenances, and other materials in their respective locations in the Tabernacle. Rather, it is also necessary to perform an anointing ritual, which will sanctify the vessels: You shall take the anointing oil, which was also brought before you, and anoint the Tabernacle and all that is in it; you shall sanctify it and all its vessels; it shall be holy.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֛ אֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְהָיָ֥ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִֽׁים׃

You shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its vessels; you shall sanctify the altar, and the altar shall be a sacred sacrament.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּ֑וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֖ אֹתֽוֹ׃

You shall anoint the basin and its base, and you shall sanctify it.

וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֤ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְרָחַצְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּמָּֽיִם׃

After the vessels have been constructed, set in place, and anointed, Moses is commanded to sanctify the priests as well: You shall bring Aaron and his sons near to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and you shall wash them with water there.

וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֹת֛וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹת֖וֹ וְכִהֵ֥ן לִֽי׃

You shall clothe Aaron with the sacred vestments; you shall anoint him; you shall thereby sanctify him, that he will serve as priest to Me. From this point onward he shall be fit for the priesthood.

וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תַּקְרִ֑יב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם כֻּתֳּנֹֽת׃

You shall bring near his sons, and you shall clothe them in tunics.

וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֣ אֹתָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר מָשַׁ֙חְתָּ֙ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וְכִהֲנ֖וּ לִ֑י וְ֠הָיְתָה לִהְיֹ֨ת לָהֶ֧ם מָשְׁחָתָ֛ם לִכְהֻנַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃

You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve as priests to Me. The High Priest undergoes a separate anointing ritual, as he is anointed in a different manner to that of the other priests. And their anointment shall be to them for an eternal priesthood. This anointing ritual will not be repeated, as they will retain their status as priests for their generations. Aaron’s sons did not inherit the priesthood from their father, as they were born before Aaron was sanctified with the priesthood. Consequently, like their father, they were required to undergo a sanctification ritual. However, any sons born to them from now on inherit the priesthood from their fathers.

וַיַּ֖עַשׂ מֹשֶׁ֑ה כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה׃ (ס)

Moses did in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded him with regard to erecting the Tabernacle; so he did.