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.

וַיְהִ֞י בַּחֹ֧דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֛וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הוּקַ֖ם הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

It was in the first month, Nisan, during the beginning of the second year following the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was erected.

וַיָּ֨קֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲדָנָ֔יו וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־קְרָשָׁ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֖ן אֶת־בְּרִיחָ֑יו וַיָּ֖קֶם אֶת־עַמּוּדָֽיו׃

Moses himself erected the Tabernacle; he put its sockets, the bases for the boards, he placed its boards upon the sockets, he put in its bars to hold up the walls, and he erected its pillars at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

וַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וַיָּ֜שֶׂם אֶת־מִכְסֵ֥ה הָאֹ֛הֶל עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

He spread the tent, the tapestry of goat hair, over the Tabernacle, and he placed the covering of the tent, made of rams’ skins dyed red and taḥash skins, over it from above, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיִּקַּ֞ח וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־הָעֵדֻת֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַבַּדִּ֖ים עַל־הָאָרֹ֑ן וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת עַל־הָאָרֹ֖ן מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃

After the main structure of the Tabernacle was erected and covered, he took the testimony, the Tablets of the Covenant, which had been located in Moses’ tent until now, and put it into the ark. This is the point of contact between worlds. With the placement of the tablets in their proper spot in the ark, they begin to serve as sources of strength and power. A resting place for the Tablets of Testimony that had descended from heaven has now been built on earth. God’s descent upon Mount Sinai is no longer a singular event in the past; God has now acquired a real, fixed resting place in the world. And he, Moses, placed the staves on the ark, and he put the ark cover, with the cherubim upon it, on the ark from above.

וַיָּבֵ֣א אֶת־הָאָרֹן֮ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֒ וַיָּ֗שֶׂם אֵ֚ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֕סֶךְ עַ֖ל אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

He brought the ark, which contained the tablets, and over which the ark cover with the cherubim was placed, into the Tabernacle, and he placed the curtain of the screen, and he screened the Ark of the Testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן צָפֹ֑נָה מִח֖וּץ לַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃

He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the side of the Tabernacle to the north, outside the curtain, which divides between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies.

וַיַּעֲרֹ֥ךְ עָלָ֛יו עֵ֥רֶךְ לֶ֖חֶם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

He arranged upon it an arrangement of bread before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד נֹ֖כַח הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן נֶֽגְבָּה׃

He put the candelabrum in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the side of the Tabernacle to the south.

וַיַּ֥עַל הַנֵּרֹ֖ת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

He kindled the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיָּ֛שֶׂם אֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הַזָּהָ֖ב בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לִפְנֵ֖י הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃

He placed the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the curtain, between the table and the candelabrum, but slightly closer to the entrance to the Sanctuary.

וַיַּקְטֵ֥ר עָלָ֖יו קְטֹ֣רֶת סַמִּ֑ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (פ)

He burned on it incense of the spices, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיָּ֛שֶׂם אֶת־מָסַ֥ךְ הַפֶּ֖תַח לַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

He placed the screen of the entrance to the Tabernacle.

וְאֵת֙ מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֔ה שָׂ֕ם פֶּ֖תַח מִשְׁכַּ֣ן אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיַּ֣עַל עָלָ֗יו אֶת־הָעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

The altar of the burnt offering he placed at the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and he offered up on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֔ר בֵּֽין־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן שָׁ֛מָּה מַ֖יִם לְרָחְצָֽה׃

He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and he put water there for washing.

וְרָחֲצ֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֑יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃

Moses and Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and their feet from it. They would not wash their entire bodies.

בְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד וּבְקָרְבָתָ֛ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ יִרְחָ֑צוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

Upon their entry into the Tent of Meeting and upon their approach to the altar, they shall wash, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיָּ֣קֶם אֶת־הֶחָצֵ֗ר סָבִיב֙ לַמִּשְׁכָּ֣ן וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּתֵּ֕ן אֶת־מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֣עַר הֶחָצֵ֑ר וַיְכַ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ (פ)

He erected the courtyard around the Tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen of the gate of the courtyard; Moses concluded the labor.

וַיְכַ֥ס הֶעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

Then the connection was established: The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Although the cloud is a physical entity, it embodies the glory of God and symbolizes the resting of the Divine Presence.

וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Since the Tabernacle now stands consecrated for God, Moses is permitted to enter only when God calls him, not at any time of his choosing.

וּבְהֵעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

Upon the ascent of the cloud over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel would travel on all their journeys. This is the sign that they should continue on their travels.

וְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵעָלֶ֖ה הֶעָנָ֑ן וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָלֹתֽוֹ׃

But if the cloud would not ascend, they would not travel until the day of its ascent. The cloud, which symbolizes the Divine Presence, signals to the Israelites when they should set up camp and when they should travel. They set out on their journeys only in accordance with this nonverbal instruction.

כִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃

For the cloud of the Lord was on the Tabernacle by day, and fire would be in it by night. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, mentioned earlier (see 13:21–22), moved into the Tabernacle: The cloud during the day and the fire during the night would be before the eyes... of the entire house of Israel on all their journeys.