PekudeiShemot (exodus)

With it he made the bases for the Screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Outer, copper Altar and its copper Grate, and all the Altar’s utensils,

The fourth row: an aquamarine, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted so as to be encased in settings of gold.

You must bring in the Table and set up its arrangement of showbread, and you must bring in the Candelabrum and light its lamps.

You must place the golden incense Altar in front of the Ark of Testimony, and you must emplace the Screen for the entrance to the Tabernacle.

You must place the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle, i.e., the Tent of Meeting.

You must then place the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and you must put water in it.

You must set up the Courtyard all around, and emplace the Screen for the entrance to the Courtyard.

He placed the Table in the Tent of Meeting on the northern side of the Tabernacle, outside the Curtain.

He placed the golden Altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Curtain.

He then burned an incense-offering on it – as GOD had commanded Moses. He burned the incense once in the morning and once again in the afternoon, in accordance with the normal practice; there was no exception to the normal practice in the case of the incense.

He emplaced the Screen for the entrance to the Tabernacle.

He then placed the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle, i.e., the Tent of Meeting, and upon it he sacrificed the daily ascent-offering and its accompanying grain-offering and libation – as GOD had commanded Moses.

He placed the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and put water in it for washing.

From it Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons would wash their hands and feet – Moses on that day only, Aaron and his sons from that day on.

They would wash whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or drew near to the Altar – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Moses then set up the Courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and the Altar, and he emplaced the Screen for the entrance to the Courtyard. With this, Moses completed the work. Aaron then performed the inauguration rites, as will be described later in detail.

The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of GOD filled the Tabernacle.

Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting since the cloud had rested on it and GOD’s glory filled the Tabernacle. But when God withdrew the cloud from the outer chamber of the Tabernacle, Moses could enter it and converse with God.

The Tabernacle remained in place from 1 Nisan to 20 Iyar. Thereafter, whenever the cloud rose from above the Tabernacle, the Israelites would embark on all their journeys.

If the cloud did not rise, they would not set out until the day it rose.

For wherever they camped, the cloud of GOD was above the Tabernacle by day, and fire would be there by night, visible to the entire House of Israel, at all the stations of their journeys. Be strong, Be strong,And let us strengthen each other!