We have reached the final perashah of the book of Shemoth (Exodus). This portion details everything that was done according to the instruction of our teacher Moshe. How satisfying it feels to complete a long project! Such was the joy Moshe experienced upon seeing everything completed for the glory of the Creator—blessed be His Name.
There are various ways to interpret the Torah, and among them is the method of remez—“allusion.” This refers to the hints the Torah gives regarding future events. For example, the life of our father Ya‘aqob is a remez for our national experience in exile. Likewise, the life of King Dawid is a remez for the Mashiaḥ—may he come speedily in our days. This perashah contains such a hint pointing toward the future. To uncover it, we must compare and analyze the dream of Nevukhadneṣṣar, king of Babylon (Daniel 2).
Notice the materials used in constructing the Mishkan: gold, silver, and bronze. All the holiest items are made of gold—such as the Ark, the Menorah, the Table of the Bread of Presence, and the Incense Altar. The bases for the pillars are made of silver. Lastly, the vessels and the Altar for offerings are made of bronze. Now, consider the vision seen by the Babylonian king: Daniel, the beloved prophet, explained that gold represented Babylon, silver stood for Media-Persia, bronze for Greece, and iron for Rome. Abarbanel comments that the feet of iron and clay represent Roman Christianity and Islam, respectively.
It is striking that iron is not used in the construction of the Mishkan. Why is that? Which of these empires contributed to our people? Babylon, represented by gold, allowed the Jews to establish yeshivoth, houses of prayer, and to serve in high government positions. In truth, Judaism flourished in Babylon. Medo-Persia, represented by silver, brought about a period of tolerance after the crisis with Haman, to the point that many converted to Judaism. Moreover, it was the Persian king Koresh who permitted the Jews to return to Yerushalayim and rebuild the Temple. Greece, represented by bronze, also allowed Jews to practice their faith openly, and its cultural influence shaped much of Jewish intellectual tradition.
Each of these non-Jewish empires contributed something to our spiritual heritage. Rome, however, represented by iron, sought to destroy our inheritance. They destroyed our Temple, killed our Sages, and scattered us to the four corners of the earth. When they failed to erase us from existence, they created their own religion—Christianity—by appropriating our Scriptures with the aim of erasing us ideologically.
Sometimes this Shabbath is special—it is called Sheqalim, when males from twenty years and up would give a half-sheqel for the construction of the Mishkan. By giving this sheqel, they were counted and became represented in the divine work. This teaches us that we too must contribute something to our people. All of us ask: “How will I be remembered after I pass?” Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece—nations not of our own—contributed to our legacy. What are you doing for that same purpose?