In this week's parsha we finish Sefer Shemot, and we read about the completion of the Mishkan. Sefer Shemot is dedicated to the story of the transformation of a tribe into a nation; from oppression into freedom; receiving the Torah; and finally culminating in the construction of the Mishkan, where Hashem resides His presence amongst the nation.

The Torah describes this final stage in the completion of the Mishkan: "Vaya'asu Bnei Yisrael kechol asher tziva Hashem et Moshe - Bnei yisrael did all that Hashem commanded to Moshe" (Shemot 39, 32). The Or Hachaim Hakadosh explains that in the construction of the Mishkan we see the manifestation of the nation into one single unit. Only through the collective efforts of the entire nation, where each person gives of himself, can Bnei Yisrael succeed and have Hashem dwell among them.

Furthermore, says the Or Hachaim Hakadosh, this concept can be demonstrated through the 613 mitzvot. No single Jew can perform all 613, even throughout his or her entire life. There are some mitzvot that only Kohanim can do, some only Leviim can do, some for men, and some for women. So too, explains the Or Hachaim Hakadosh, is what took place with the Mishkan: some of the Jews donated money, some donated materials and some performed the labor. But only through everyone's joint effort could the Mishkan be completed.

We see then, that no Jew can be taken for granted. Only as a nation, with all of us united, can we fully attain our potential. We should have a Shabbat shalom, and keep in mind all our brothers and sisters in Tzahal and Sderot in our tefillot.

Shabbat shalom