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great disappointment, he is unable to understand Rabbi Akiba’s thought that Moses was late and would never descend from Mount
complex and brilliant dissertation. He is only comforted when Rabbi Sinai, they demanded Aaron make “gods” for them. By using the
Akiba states that what he has just taught was transmitted by Moses same word, the Torah alludes in a remez to the fact that by gathering
from Sinai. Moses then asks God, why if He has such a great teacher the people to build a Tabernacle for God, the sin of the Golden Calf
like Rabbi Akiba, He chose Moses to give the Torah to? God responds would be to some degree rectified.
enigmatically: “Be quiet – this is the way it has been determined by It is important to note that the commentators disagree over
Me.” Moses then asks: “What reward will this great Torah luminary whether the children of Israel would have even been commanded
receive?” God responds by granting him a vision of Rabbi Akiba to build a Tabernacle had they not worshipped the Golden Calf.
being tortured to death. Moses is shocked and exclaims: “This is Some feel that the children of Israel would have been on such a high
Torah and this is its reward?” To which God answers: “Be quiet – spiritual level that they would have had no need to worship God in a
this is the way it has been determined by Me” (Menachot 29b).
specific physical location; His Presence would have been perceivable
Rabbi Akiba was tortured to death by the Romans for teaching and accessible in every place and at all times. Others argue that, even
Torah in public. As he neared death, he told his students, who were if they had not made a Golden Calf, the children of Israel would still
forced to witness this torture, that he had always longed to fulfill have been commanded to build a Tabernacle. In any event, clearly
the verse that commands us to love God with all our souls. He was much of the symbolism associated with the Tabernacle is directly
now joyfully prepared to fulfill that mitzvah. As he uttered the last connected to the sin of the Golden Calf.
word of “Hear O Israel, God our God [Hashem Elokeinu], God is The derash interpretation, which adopts a metaphorical approach,
one” (Deuteronomy 6:4), his soul left his body. Even when Rabbi focuses on the intrinsic connection between Mount Sinai and the
Akiba stared evil in the face, he clung to his unwavering belief in the Tabernacle. In the “Time, Space, and Soul” section above, we noted
righteousness of God’s ways. that the prerequisite for receiving the Torah at Sinai was the people’s
This insight into Rabbi Akiba may provide us with deeper insight unity, the sense that all the children of Israel were “as one person,
into why Moses assumed that God should have chosen to give the with one heart.” Only this extraordinary unity and brotherhood
Torah to Rabbi Akiba. Rabbi Akiba was not plagued by the paradox among the people prepared them to be fitting receptacles for the
of God’s goodness and evil’s existence. Rabbi Akiba understood that awesome revelation at Sinai. Recognizing this, Moses gathered all
evil does not come directly from God; rather, God allows evil to exist the people not only to instruct them on how to build a sanctuary for
for the ultimate good of humanity. On an intellectual level, we may God but also to teach them that this task could only be accomplished
be able to grasp this concept to some degree, but when confronted when unity and peace prevailed among them.
directly by evil, most people find it extremely hard to integrate this Rebbe Natan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov’s foremost student,
idea into the very fiber of their beings. Rabbi Akiba entered and taught that the Tabernacle was so holy because all the materials were
exited the Pardes in peace, for he completely accepted the teaching brought with willing and loving hearts. Since everyone brought from
that “this [the initial negative experience] is also for the good.” their very best, what Rebbe Natan referred to as their “good points,”

Parenthetically, it is quite instructive to note that Rebbe Nachman every part of the sanctuary became a vehicle for God’s light and
of Breslov explained that God’s command to Moses, “Be quiet – this holiness. The people’s gathering to build the Tabernacle recreated the
is the way it has been determined by Me,” when understood more energy present at the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This energy
literally is not just a pointed reprimand. When interpreted more was integrated into the holy mission of building a dwelling place for
literally, the expression means, “Be silent – this is how one is elevated God. The Ramban in fact posits that the Tabernacle as a whole was

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