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Why does the Torah (תורה) repeat the prohibition against building the Mishkan on Shabbos (שבת)? The shiur distinguishes two dimensions of Shabbos: our partnership status with Hashem (ה׳) (the "day off" granted to a partner, not an employee) and the mitzvah (מצוה) to feel His presence without interruption. Before the sin of the golden calf, only the first applied; after the chet ha'egel, Shabbos became a full rectification requiring total immersion in Hashem's presence—which is why even beneficial melachah became forbidden.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a fundamental question: Rashi (רש"י) and the Ramban (רמב"ן) disagree about whether Parshas Terumah, Tetzaveh, and Ki Sisa are in chronological order. According to Rashi, Terumah and Tetzaveh were given after the sin of the golden calf, yet the Torah (תורה) writes them before. This raises the question: whenever the Torah departs from chronology, there must be a compelling reason—what is it here? The shiur then examines several difficult Rashis in Parshas Ki Sisa. When Hashem (ה׳) tells Moshe "vatorah—nevertheless, you shall keep my Shabbos (שבת)," Rashi explains that even though Moshe was appointed to command the building of the Mishkan, he should not treat Shabbos lightly (al yehi kal be'einecha). This seems to insult Moshe Rabbeinu—how could we imagine Moshe would trivialize Shabbos? Furthermore, the word "ach" (nevertheless) is a term of diminution; yet Rashi learns that it forbids building the Mishkan on Shabbos, which seems to diminish the Mishkan, not Shabbos. The Ramban challenges this reading. Additionally, the Gemara (גמרא) in Yoma derives from this very pasuk that pikuach nefesh is docheh Shabbos—life-threatening situations override Shabbos—which implies a diminution of Shabbos. How can the same pasuk yield both conclusions?
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Shemos 31:12-17 (Parshas Ki Sisa), Shemos 35:1-3 (Parshas Vayakhel)
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