Monday, February 28, 2011

Lutheran (ELCA) Daily Readings For Monday, 28 February

From trinitycamphill.org, wapedia.com:

Daily Readings:


Saints/Martyrs/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated:


Scriptural Readings:

Psalm 104


1Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty,

2wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent,

3you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind,

4you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.

5You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.

6You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

7At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.

8They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them.

9You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.

10You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,

11giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst.

12By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches.

13From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth,

15and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.

16The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees.

18The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.

19You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.

20You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.

21The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.

22When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens.

23People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening.

24O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

25Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.

26There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

27These all look to you to give them their food in due season;

28when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

29When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

30When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.

31May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—

32who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.

33I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

34May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.

35Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!

 
Deuteronomy 32:1-14


32Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 2May my teaching drop like the rain, my speech condense like the dew; like gentle rain on grass, like showers on new growth. 3For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! 4The Rock, his work is perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he; 5yet his degenerate children have dealt falsely with him, a perverse and crooked generation. 6Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?

7Remember the days of old, consider the years long past; ask your father, and he will inform you; your elders, and they will tell you. 8When the Most High apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; 9the Lord’s own portion was his people, Jacob his allotted share. 10He sustained him in a desert land, in a howling wilderness waste; he shielded him, cared for him, guarded him as the apple of his eye. 11As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young; as it spreads its wings, takes them up, and bears them aloft on its pinions, 12the Lord alone guided him; no foreign god was with him. 13He set him atop the heights of the land, and fed him with produce of the field; he nursed him with honey from the crags, with oil from flinty rock; 14curds from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs and rams; Bashan bulls and goats, together with the choicest wheat— you drank fine wine from the blood of grapes.

 
Hebrews 10:32-3932But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. 35Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. 36For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37For yet “in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay; 38but my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.” 39But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.


Jewish Torah Readings (Parashat Pekudei / פרשת פקודי) For The Week Ending Saturday, 5 March (23-29 Adar I 5771)

From hebcal.org and chabad.org:

Parashat Pekudei / פרשת פקודי


Torah Portion: Exodus 38:21 - 40:38


Full Kriyah


 
 


 


 
38:21 First Reading


These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (the Tabernacle of Testimony), which were calculated by Moses' order by the Levites under Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

Eleh fekudey haMishkan Mishkan ha'edut asher pukad al-pi Moshe avodat haLevi'im beyad Itamar ben-Aharon hakohen
 
 


 


 
39:2 Second Reading Fifth Reading


He made the ephod out of gold [thread], sky-blue, dark red and crimson wool, and twined linen.

Vaya'as et-ha'efod zahav techelet ve'argaman vetola'at shani veshesh moshezar.

39:3 They beat out thin sheets of gold, and cut them into threads, which were [then] included in the sky-blue, dark red and crimson wool, and the fine linen.

[The ephod was made] as a patterned brocade.

Vayerake'u et-pachey hazahav vekitsets petilim la'asot betoch hatchelet uvetoch ha'argaman uvetoch tola'at hashani uvetoch hashesh ma'aseh choshev.



39:4 They made shoulder pieces for it, sewn to its two corners.

Ktefot asu-lo choverot al-shney ketsotav chubar.

 
 


 


 
39:21 They laced the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a twist of sky-blue wool, so that the breastplate would remain above the ephod's belt. The breastplate would thus not be displaced from the ephod.


[All this was done] as God had commanded Moses.

Vayirkesu et-hachoshen mitabe'otav el-tabe'ot ha'efod biftil techelet lihyot al-cheshev ha'efod velo-yizach hachoshen me'al ha'efod ka'asher tsivah Adonay et-Moshe.



39:22 Third Reading Sixth Reading

He made the robe for the ephod, weaving it completely out of sky-blue wool.

Vaya'as et-me'il ha'efod ma'aseh oreg kelil techelet.

 
 


 


 
39:33 Fourth Reading


They brought the Tabernacle to Moses. [There was] the Communion Tent along with its equipment, its fastenings, beams, crossbars, pillars and bases;

Vayavi'u et-haMishkan el-Moshe et-ha'ohel ve'et-kol-kelav krasav kerashav brichav ve'amudav va'adanav.

39:34 the roof of reddened rams' hides, the roof of blue processed hides, the cloth partition;

Ve'et-michseh orot ha'eylim hame'odamim ve'et-michseh orot hatechashim ve'et parochet hamasach.

39:35 the Ark of Testimony and its carrying poles, the ark cover,

Et-Aron ha'Edut ve'et-badav ve'et hakaporet.

39:36 the table and its equipment, the showbread,

Et-hashulchan et-kol-kelav ve'et lechem hapanim.

 
 


 


 
40:1 Fifth Reading Seventh Reading


God spoke to Moses, saying:

Vayedaber Adonay el-Moshe lemor.

40:2 On the first day of the first month, you shall erect the Communion Tent Tabernacle.

Beyom-hachodesh harishon be'echad lachodesh takim et-Mishkan ohel-mo'ed.

40:3 Place the Ark of Testimony there, and shield the ark with the cloth partition.

Vesamta sham et Aron ha'Edut vesakota al-ha'aron et-haparochet.

40:4 Bring in the table and set it up, and bring in the menorah and light its lamps.

Veheveta et-hashulchan ve'arachta et-erko veheveta et-hamenorah veha'aleyta et-neroteyha.

 
 


 


 
40:16 Moses proceeded to do exactly as God had commanded him.


Vaya'as Moshe kechol asher tsivah Adonay oto ken asah.

40:17 Sixth Reading

In the first month of the second year [of the Exodus], on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was erected.

Vayehi bachodesh harishon bashanah hashenit be'echad lachodesh hukam haMishkan.

 




 
40:28 Seventh Reading


He placed the drape over the Tabernacle's entrance.

Vayasem et-masach hapetach laMishkan.

40:29 He [then] placed the sacrificial altar in front of the entrance of the Communion Tent Tabernacle, and he sacrificed the burnt offering and meal offering on it. [It was all done] as God had commanded Moses.

Ve'et mizbach ha'olah sam petach Mishkan ohel-mo'ed vaya'al alav et-ha'olah ve'et-haminchah ka'asher tsivah Adonay et-Moshe.

 
 




 
40:33 He set up the enclosure surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and he placed the drape over the enclosure's entrance. With this, Moses completed all the work.


Vayakem et-hechatser saviv laMishkan velamizbe'ach vayiten et-masach sha'ar hechatser vayechal Moshe et-hamelachah.

40:34 Last Reading

The cloud covered the Communion Tent, and God's glory filled the Tabernacle.

Vayechas he'anan et-Ohel Mo'ed uchevod Adonay male et-haMishkan.

 
 
On Shabbat Shekalim


maf: Exodus 30:11-16 (6 p'sukim)
 




 
30:11 First Reading


God spoke to Moses saying:

Vayedaber Adonay el-Moshe lemor.

30:12 When you take a census of the Israelites to determine their numbers, each one shall be counted by giving an atonement offering for his life. In this manner, they will not be stricken by the plague when they are counted.

Ki tisa et-rosh beney-Yisra'el lifkudeyhem venatnu ish kofer nafsho l'Adonay bifkod otam velo-yihyeh vahem negef bifkod otam.

 
 
Haftarah for Ashkenazim
 
Haftarah, P'kudei






Community Development



Haftarah for P'kudei

I Kings 7:51 - 8:21

Sepharadim read I Kings 7:40-50

This translation was taken from the JPS Tanakh



51 When all the work that King Solomon had done in the House of the Lord was completed, Solomon brought in the sacred donations of his father David — the silver, the gold, and the vessels — and deposited them in the treasury of the House of the Lord.



Chapter 8

1 Then Solomon convoked the elders of Israel — all the heads of the tribes and the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites — before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the City of David, that is, Zion.



2 All the men of Israel gathered before King Solomon at the Feast, in the month of Ethanim — that is, the seventh month. 3 When all the elders of Israel had come, the priests lifted the Ark 4 and carried up the Ark of the Lord. Then the priests and the Levites brought the Tent of Meeting and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent. 5 Meanwhile, King Solomon and the whole community of Israel, who were assembled with him before the Ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen in such abundance that they could not be numbered or counted.



6 The priests brought the Ark of the Lord's Covenant to its place underneath the wings of the cherubim, in the Shrine of the House, in the Holy of Holies; 7 for the cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the Ark, so that the cherubim shielded the Ark and its poles from above. 8 The poles projected so that the ends of the poles were visible in the sanctuary in front of the Shrine, but they could not be seen outside; and there they remain to this day. 9 There was nothing inside the Ark but the two tablets of stone which Moses placed there at Horeb, when the Lord made [a covenant] with the Israelites after their departure from the land of Egypt.



10 When the priests came out of the sanctuary — for the cloud had filled the House of the Lord 11 and the priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence of the Lord filled the House of the Lord — 12 then Solomon declared:

"The Lord has chosen

To abide in a thick cloud:

13 I have now built for You

A stately House, A place where You May dwell forever."



14 Then, with the whole congregation of Israel standing, the king faced about and blessed the whole congregation of Israel. 15 He said:



"Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with deeds the promise He made to my father David. For He said, 16 'Ever since I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city among all the tribes of Israel for building a House where My name might abide; but I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.'



17 "Now my father David had intended to build a House for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, 'As regards your intention to build a House for My name, you did right to have that intention. 19 However, you shall not build the House yourself; instead, your son, the issue of your loins, shall build the House for My name.'



20 "And the Lord has fulfilled the promise that He made: I have succeeded my father David and have ascended the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the House for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel; 21 and I have set a place there for the Ark, containing the covenant which the Lord made with our fathers when He brought them out from the land of Egypt."



Taken from Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

Used by permission of The Jewish Publication Society. Copyright ©1962, 1992

Third Edition by the Jewish Publication Society. No part of this text can be reproduced or forwarded without written permission.

Please visit the JPS website for more fine books of Jewish literature and tradition.

 
Haftarah for Sephardim: I Kings 7:40 - 7:50


 
 
When Parashat Pekudei coincides with a special Shabbat, we read a different Haftarah
 
■05 Mar 2011 (Shabbat Shekalim / II Kings 12:1 - 12:17)


Haftarah, Shabbat Shekalim






Community Development



Shabbat Shekalim

II Kings 11:17 - 12:17

Ashkenazim begin at 12:1

This translation was taken from the JPS Tanakh



17 And Jehoiada solemnized the covenant between the Lord, on the one hand, and the king and the people, on the other — as well as between the king and the people — that they should be the people of the Lord. 18 Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal. They tore it down and smashed its altars and images to bits, and they slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. [Jehoiada] the priest then placed guards over the House of the Lord. 19 He took the chiefs of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they escorted the king from the House of the Lord into the royal palace by the gate of the guards. And he ascended the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. As for Athalia, she had been put to the sword in the royal palace.





Ashkenazim begin here

Chapter 12

1 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king. 2 Jehoash began his reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 3 All his days Jehoash did what was pleasing to the Lord, as the priest Jehoiada instructed him. 4 The shrines, however, were not removed; the people continued to sacrifice and offer at the shrines.



5 Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money, current money, brought into the House of the Lord as sacred donations — any money a man may pay as the money equivalent of persons, or any other money that a man may be minded to bring to the House of the Lord — 6 let the priests receive it, each from his benefactor; they, in turn, shall make repairs on the House, wherever damage may be found."



7 But in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, [it was found that] the priests had not made the repairs on the House. 8 So King Jehoash summoned the priest Jehoiada and the other priests and said to them, "Why have you not kept the House in repair? Now do not accept money from your benefactors any more, but have it donated for the repair of the House." 9 The priests agreed that they would neither accept money from the people nor make repairs on the House.



10 And the priest Jehoiada took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it at the right side of the altar as one entered the House of the Lord, and the priestly guards of the threshold deposited there all the money that was brought into the House of the Lord. 11 Whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the royal scribe and the high priest would come up and put the money accumulated in the House of the Lord into bags, and they would count it. 12 Then they would deliver the money that was weighed out to the overseers of the work, who were in charge of the House of the Lord. These, in turn, used to pay the carpenters and the laborers who worked on the House of the Lord, 13 and the masons and the stonecutters. They also paid for wood and for quarried stone with which to make the repairs on the House of the Lord, and for every other expenditure that had to be made in repairing the House. 14 However, no silver bowls and no snuffers, basins, or trumpets — no vessels of gold or silver — were made at the House of the Lord from the money brought into the House of the Lord; 15 this was given only to the overseers of the work for the repair of the House of the Lord. 16 No check was kept on the men to whom the money was delivered to pay the workers; for they dealt honestly.



17 Money brought as a guilt offering or as a sin offering was not deposited in the House of the Lord; it went to the priests.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------







In addition, there is a special Torah reading for Shabbat Shekalim, which is reprinted below.



Exodus 30:11-16

11 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 When you take a census of the Israelite people according to their enrollment, each shall pay the Lord a ransom for himself on being enrolled, that no plague may come upon them through their being enrolled. 13 This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight — twenty gerahs to the shekel — a half-shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, shall give the Lord's offering: 15 the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than half a shekel when giving the Lord's offering as expiation for your persons. 16 You shall take the expiation money from the Israelites and assign it to the service of the Tent of Meeting; it shall serve the Israelites as a reminder before the Lord, as expiation for your persons.





Taken from Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

Used by permission of The Jewish Publication Society. Copyright ©1962, 1992

Third Edition by the Jewish Publication Society. No part of this text can be reproduced or forwarded without written permission.

Please visit the JPS website for more fine books of Jewish literature and tradition.



Jewish Torah Readings (Parashat Vayakhel / פרשת ויקהל) For The Week Ending Saturday, 26 February (24 Adar 5771)

From hebcal.com:

Weekly Torah Readings

Parashat Vayakhel / פרשת ויקהל


Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1 - 38:20


Full Kriyah





 
35:1 First Reading First Reading


Moses assembled the entire Israelite community and said to them, 'These are the words that God has commanded for [you] to do:

Vayakhel Moshe et-kol-adat beney-Yisra'el vayomer alehem eleh hadevarim asher-tsivah Adonay la'asot otam.

35:2 'You may do work during the six weekdays, but Saturday must be kept holy as a Sabbath of Sabbaths to God. Whoever does any work on [that day] shall be put to death.

Sheshet yamim te'aseh melachah uvayom hashvi'i yihyeh lachem kodesh Shabat Shabaton l'Adonay kol-ha'oseh vo melachah yumat.

 




 
35:21 Second Reading


Each person who was ready to volunteer then came forward. [Also] each one who wanted to give brought a donation to God for the making of the Communion Tent, all its necessities, and the sacred vestments.

Vayavo'u kol-ish asher nesa'o libo vechol asher nadvah rucho oto hevi'u et-trumat Adonay limelechet Ohel Mo'ed ulechol-avodato ulevigdey hakodesh.
 




 
35:30 Third Reading Second Reading


Moses said to the Israelites: God has selected Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah,

Vayomer Moshe el-beney Yisra'el re'u kara Adonay beshem Betsal'el ben-Uri ven-Chur lemateh Yehudah.

35:31 and has filled him with a divine spirit of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and [a talent for] all types of craftsmanship.

Vayemale oto ruach Elohim bechochmah bitvunah uveda'at uvechol-melachah.

35:32 [He will thus be able] to devise plans, work in gold, silver and copper,

Velachshov machashavot la'asot bazahav uvakesef uvanchoshet.

35:33 cut stones to be set, and do carpentry and other skilled work.

Uvacharoshet even lemal'ot uvacharoshet ets la'asot bechol-melechet machashave


 

 


 
36:8 Fourth Reading


All the most talented craftsmen worked on the tabernacle itself, which consisted of ten tapestries made of twined linen, together with sky-blue, dark red and crimson wool, brocaded with cherubs.

Vaya'asu chol-chacham-lev be'osey hamelachah et-haMishkan eser yeri'ot shesh moshezar utchelet ve'argaman vetola'at shani keruvim ma'aseh choshev asah otam.
 
 


 


 
36:19 They made a roof for the tabernacle out of reddened rams' skins, and [another] roof above it out of blue processed hides.


Vaya'as michseh la'ohel orot eylim me'odamim umichseh orot techashim milemalah.

36:20 Fifth Reading

They made the upright beams for the tabernacle out of acacia wood.

Vaya'as et-hakrashim laMishkan atsey shitim omedim.

36:21 Each beam was 10 cubits long and 1 and a half cubits wide,

Eser amot orech hakaresh ve'amah vachatsi ha'amah rochav hakeresh ha'echad.

36:22 with two matching square pegs [on the bottom]. All the tabernacle's beams were made in this manner.

Shtey yadot lakeresh ha'echad meshulavot achat el-echat ken asah lechol karshey haMishkan

 
 


 


 
37:17 Sixth Reading Third Reading


He made the menorah out of pure gold, hammering the menorah along with its base, stem, and decorative cups, spheres and flowers, out of a single piece of metal.

Vaya'as et-hamenorah zahav tahor mikshah asah et-hamenorah yerechah vekanah gevi'eyha kaftoreyha ufracheyha mimenah hayu.
 
 


 


 
38:1 Seventh Reading Fourth Reading


He made the sacrificial altar out of acacia wood, five cubits square, and three cubits high.

Vaya'as et-mizbach ha'olah atsey shitim chamesh amot oreko vechamesh-amot rochebo ravua veshalosh amot komato.

38:2 He made the protrusions on all four corners as an integral part of [the altar's] structure, and then covered [the entire structure] with a layer of copper.

Vaya'as karnotav al arba pinotav mimenu hayu karnotav vayetsaf oto nechoshet.

 
 


 


 
38:18 Last Reading


The drape for the enclosure's entrance was embroidered out of sky-blue, dark red and crimson wool, together with twined linen. It was 20 cubits long, and 5 cubits wide (or high), just like the [other] hangings of the enclosure.

Umasach sha'ar hechatser ma'aseh rokem techelet ve'argaman vetola'at shani veshesh moshezar ve'esrim amah orech vekomah verochav chamesh amot le'umat kal'ey hechatser
 
 
Torah Portion, Va-yak·hel






Community Development



Va-yak·hel

Exodus 35:1 - 38:20

This translation was taken from the JPS Tanakh



Chapter 35

1 Moses then convoked the whole Israelite community and said to them:



These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements on the sabbath day.



4 Moses said further to the whole community of Israelites:



This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 Take from among you gifts to the Lord; everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them — gifts for the Lord: gold, silver, and copper; 6 blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, and goats' hair; 7 tanned ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood; 8 oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; 9 lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and the breastpiece.



10 And let all among you who are skilled come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the Tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps and its planks, its bars, its posts, and its sockets; 12 the ark and its poles, the cover, and the curtain for the screen; 13 the table, and its poles and all its utensils; and the bread of display; 14 the lampstand for lighting, its furnishings and its lamps, and the oil for lighting; 15 the altar of incense and its poles; the anointing oil and the aromatic incense; and the entrance screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, its copper grating, its poles, and all its furnishings; the laver and its stand; 17 the hangings of the enclosure, its posts and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs for the Tabernacle, the pegs for the enclosure, and their cords; 19 the service vestments for officiating in the sanctuary, the sacral vestments of Aaron the priest and the vestments of his sons for priestly service.



20 So the whole community of the Israelites left Moses' presence. 21 And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit moved him came, bringing to the Lord his offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral vestments. 22 Men and women, all whose hearts moved them, all who would make an elevation offering of gold to the Lord, came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants — gold objects of all kinds. 23 And everyone who had in his possession blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats' hair, tanned ram skins, and dolphin skins, brought them; 24 everyone who would make gifts of silver or copper brought them as gifts for the Lord; and everyone who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought that. 25 And all the skilled women spun with their own hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen. 26 And all the women who excelled in that skill spun the goats' hair. 27 And the chieftains brought lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece; 28 and spices and oil for lighting, for the anointing oil, and for the aromatic incense. 29 Thus the Israelites, all the men and women whose hearts moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.



30 And Moses said to the Israelites: See, the Lord has singled out by name Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 He has endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft 32 and has inspired him to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, 33 to cut stones for setting and to carve wood — to work in every kind of designer's craft — 34 and to give directions. He and Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan 35 have been endowed with the skill to do any work — of the carver, the designer, the embroiderer in blue, purple, crimson yarns, and in fine linen, and of the weaver — as workers in all crafts and as makers of designs.



Chapter 36

1 Let, then, Bezalel and Oholiab and all the skilled persons whom the Lord has endowed with skill and ability to perform expertly all the tasks connected with the service of the sanctuary carry out all that the Lord has commanded.



2 Moses then called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the Lord had endowed with skill, everyone who excelled in ability, to undertake the task and carry it out. 3 They took over from Moses all the gifts that the Israelites had brought, to carry out the tasks connected with the service of the sanctuary. But when these continued to bring freewill offerings to him morning after morning, 4 all the artisans who were engaged in the tasks of the sanctuary came, each from the task upon which he was engaged, 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that the Lord has commanded to be done." 6 Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: "Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!" So the people stopped bringing: 7 their efforts had been more than enough for all the tasks to be done.



8 Then all the skilled among those engaged in the work made the tabernacle of ten strips of cloth, which they made of fine twisted linen, blue, purple, and crimson yarns; into these they worked a design of cherubim. 9 The length of each cloth was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each cloth was four cubits, all cloths having the same measurements. 10 They joined five of the cloths to one another, and they joined the other five cloths to one another. 11 They made loops of blue wool on the edge of the outermost cloth of the one set, and did the same on the edge of the outermost cloth of the other set: 12 they made fifty loops on the one cloth, and they made fifty loops on the edge of the end cloth of the other set, the loops being opposite one another. 13 And they made fifty gold clasps and coupled the units to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle became one whole.



14 They made cloths of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; they made the cloths eleven in number. 15 The length of each cloth was thirty cubits, and the width of each cloth was four cubits, the eleven cloths having the same measurements. 16 They joined five of the cloths by themselves, and the other six cloths by themselves. 17 They made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost cloth of the one set, and they made fifty loops on the edge of the end cloth of the other set. 18 They made fifty copper clasps to couple the tent together so that it might become one whole. 19 And they made a covering of tanned ram skins for the tent, and a covering of dolphin skins above.



20 They made the planks for the Tabernacle of acacia wood, upright. 21 The length of each plank was ten cubits, the width of each plank a cubit and a half. 22 Each plank had two tenons, parallel to each other; they did the same with all the planks of the Tabernacle. 23 Of the planks of the Tabernacle, they made twenty planks for the south side, 24 making forty silver sockets under the twenty planks, two sockets under one plank for its two tenons and two sockets under each following plank for its two tenons; 25 and for the other side wall of the Tabernacle, the north side, twenty planks, 26 with their forty silver sockets, two sockets under one plank and two sockets under each following plank. 27 And for the rear of the Tabernacle, to the west, they made six planks; 28 and they made two planks for the corners of the Tabernacle at the rear. 29 They matched at the bottom, but terminated as one at the top into one ring; they did so with both of them at the two corners. 30 Thus there were eight planks with their sockets of silver: sixteen sockets, two under each plank.



31 They made bars of acacia wood, five for the planks of the one side wall of the Tabernacle, 32 five bars for the planks of the other side wall of the Tabernacle, and five bars for the planks of the wall of the Tabernacle at the rear, to the west; 33 they made the center bar to run, halfway up the planks, from end to end. 34 They overlaid the planks with gold, and made their rings of gold, as holders for the bars; and they overlaid the bars with gold.



35 They made the curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, working into it a design of cherubim. 36 They made for it four posts of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and they cast for them four silver sockets.



37 They made the screen for the entrance of the Tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, done in embroidery; 38 and five posts for it with their hooks. They overlaid their tops and their bands with gold; but the five sockets were of copper.



Chapter 37

1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, inside and out; and he made a gold molding for it round about. 3 He cast four gold rings for it, for its four feet: two rings on one of its side walls and two rings on the other. 4 He made poles of acacia wood, overlaid them with gold, 5 and inserted the poles into the rings on the side walls of the ark for carrying the ark.



6 He made a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work, at the two ends of the cover: 8 one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at its two ends. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They faced each other; the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the cover.



10 He made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high; 11 he overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. 12 He made a rim of a hand's breadth around it and made a gold molding for its rim round about. 13 He cast four gold rings for it and attached the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 The rings were next to the rim, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood for carrying the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 The utensils that were to be upon the table — its bowls, ladles, jugs, and jars with which to offer libations — he made of pure gold.



17 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand — its base and its shaft — of hammered work; its cups, calyxes, and petals were of one piece with it. 18 Six branches issued from its sides: three branches from one side of the lampstand, and three branches from the other side of the lampstand. 19 There were three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch; and there were three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the next branch; so for all six branches issuing from the lampstand. 20 On the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals: 21 a calyx, of one piece with it, under a pair of branches; and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the second pair of branches; and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the last pair of branches; so for all six branches issuing from it. 22 Their calyxes and their stems were of one piece with it, the whole of it a single hammered piece of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps, its tongs, and its fire pans of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its furnishings out of a talent of pure gold.



25 He made the incense altar of acacia wood, a cubit long and a cubit wide — square — and two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides round about, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it round about. 27 He made two gold rings for it under its molding, on its two walls — on opposite sides — as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 29 He prepared the sacred anointing oil and the pure aromatic incense, expertly blended.



Chapter 38

1 He made the altar for burnt offering of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide — square — and three cubits high. 2 He made horns for it on its four corners, the horns being of one piece with it; and he overlaid it with copper. 3 He made all the utensils of the altar — the pails, the scrapers, the basins, the flesh hooks, and the fire pans; he made all these utensils of copper. 4 He made for the altar a grating of meshwork in copper, extending below, under its ledge, to its middle. 5 He cast four rings, at the four corners of the copper grating, as holders for the poles. 6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with copper; 7 and he inserted the poles into the rings on the side walls of the altar, to carry it by them. He made it hollow, of boards.



8 He made the laver of copper and its stand of copper, from the mir- rors of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.



9 He made the enclosure:



On the south side, a hundred cubits of hangings of fine twisted linen for the enclosure — 10 with their twenty posts and their twenty sockets of copper, the hooks and bands of the posts being silver.



11 On the north side, a hundred cubits — with their twenty posts and their twenty sockets of copper, the hooks and bands of the posts being silver.



12 On the west side, fifty cubits of hangings — with their ten posts and their ten sockets, the hooks and bands of the posts being silver.



13 And on the front side, to the east, fifty cubits: 14 fifteen cubits of hangings on the one flank, with their three posts and their three sockets, 15 and fifteen cubits of hangings on the other flank — on each side of the gate of the enclosure — with their three posts and their three sockets.



16 All the hangings around the enclosure were of fine twisted linen. 17 The sockets for the posts were of copper, the hooks and bands of the posts were of silver, the overlay of their tops was of silver; all the posts of the enclosure were banded with silver. — 18 The screen of the gate of the enclosure, done in embroidery, was of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen. It was twenty cubits long. Its height — or width — was five cubits, like that of the hangings of the enclosure. 19 The posts were four; their four sockets were of copper, their hooks of silver; and the overlay of their tops was of silver, as were also their bands. — 20 All the pegs of the Tabernacle and of the enclosure round about were of copper.



Taken from Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

Used by permission of the Jewish Publication Society. Copyright ©1962, 1992

Third Edition by the Jewish Publication Society. No part of this text can be reproduced or forwarded without written permission.

Please visit the JPS website for more fine books of Jewish literature and tradition.

 
 
Haftarah for Ashkenazim
 
Haftarah, Va-yak·hel






Community Development



Haftarah for Va-yak·hel

I Kings 7:40-50

Sepharadim read I Kings 7:13-26

This translation was taken from the JPS Tanakh



40 Hiram also made the lavers, the scrapers, and the sprinkling bowls.



So Hiram finished all the work that he had been doing for King Solomon on the House of the Lord: 41 the two columns, the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; and the two pieces of network to cover the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; 42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two pieces of network, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; 43 the ten stands and the ten lavers upon the stands; 44 the one tank with the twelve oxen underneath the tank; 45 the pails, the scrapers, and the sprinkling bowls. All those vessels in the House of the Lord that Hiram made for King Solomon were of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in earthen molds, in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed] because of their very great quantity; the weight of the bronze was not reckoned.



48 And Solomon made all the furnishings that were in the House of the Lord: the altar, of gold; the table for the bread of display, of gold; 49 the lampstands — five on the right side and five on the left — in front of the Shrine, of solid gold; and the petals, lamps, and tongs, of gold; 50 the basins, snuffers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and fire pans, of solid gold; and the hinge sockets for the doors of the innermost part of the House, the Holy of Holies, and for the doors of the Great Hall of the House, of gold.



Taken from Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures, (Philadelphia, Jerusalem: Jewish Publication Society) 1985.

Used by permission of The Jewish Publication Society. Copyright ©1962, 1992

Third Edition by the Jewish Publication Society. No part of this text can be reproduced or forwarded without written permission.

Please visit the JPS website for more fine books of Jewish literature and tradition.

 
 
Haftarah for Sephardim
 
I Kings 7:13 - 7:26