Here is a vort for Pekudei. I know it's old news now, but for the sake of completion.....
Witness Protection
“These are the accountings of the Mishkon, the Mishkon of Witness which were counted according to Moshe, the work of the Leviim in the hand of Isomor ben Aharon HaKohen.” Shemos 38:21
Why does the Torah suddenly refer to the Mishkon as Mishkon HaEdus, (witness)? Until now it has been plain old Mishkon!
Rashi writes that the Mishkon, (constructed as an atonement for the Golden Calf), was a witness to Yisroel that Hashem had forgiven them for their sin.
The Mizrachi, a commentator on Rashi, explains that the Luchos/Tablets of the Ten Commandments could not fill this purpose. Since the Children of Israel had become Jews as far as Halocho is concerned at the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai, they had to receive the commandments as this was already incumbent upon them. Hashem had already accepted Klal Yisroel, and Klal Yisroel had already agreed to receive the Torah. They could not be unselected. Thus, the Shechinah’s residing amongst them through the Mishkon was a witness to Hashem’s forgiveness of them.
The Da’as Zekeinim however, (the Ba’alei HaTosfos), write that the Mishkon was a witness for the other nations of the world that Hashem had forgiven Yisroel for the sin of the Golden Calf. What are they arguing over?
Before suggesting an answer, we need to refer to the sefer Parshas Drochim, the first part of which deals with the status of the Avos, (Avrohom – Matan Torah), in terms of whether they were completely Jewish, completely not Jewish, or a mixture of both with regard to applying the most stringent ruling, (sometimes the halocho is more stringent for non-Jews).
(Note: We can see that the Mizrachi does not hold according to this first view since he holds that Yisroel became Jewish at Sinai).
Having seen this we can suggest as follows: The Da’as Zekeinim hold that the receipt of the Luchos was a witness for Yisroel that they had been forgiven, thus leaving the dwelling of the Shechinah amongst them to be a witness to the rest of the world.
(This is coming off the Mizrachi who says that the Luchos were insufficient proof – I have understood this as meaning that were it not for the problem that he points out, the Luchos would have been sufficient as a witness. The other nations would require a greater indication that Yisroel had been forgiven to draw their attention).
Perhaps Da’as Zekeinim hold that Yisroel were not full Jews until Matan Torah and that Matan Torah had two components, the first being a statement of readiness to receive the Torah on the part of Yisroel, and the second being the actual handing over of the Luchos to Moshe, signifying Hashem’s assent to giving the Torah to Yisroel and upgrading everyone spiritually to the status of full Jew.
The sin of the Golden Calf took place before Moshe presented the Luchos to the people and he went so far as to break them, perhaps an indication of the non-finalization of the process of conversion.
When Moshe ascended the mountain for the second time, the receipt of the second Luchos was the sign that the process was complete, Hashem had accepted Yisroel and they were now Jews in the Halachic sense.
Rashi may disagree with this two stage process of conversion; at Matan Torah Klal Yisroel became Jews regardless of subsequent developments, since Hashem had initiated the process, no further indication of His assent was required. Thus, receiving the Luchos was no witness to the forgivenes of Bnei Yisroel, the presence of Hashem’s Shechinah was.
Saturday 28 March 2009
Sunday 22 March 2009
Vayikro 5769
Who's Calling?
"And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the tent of meeting to say: “Speak to the Bnei Yisroel and say to them, “When a person from you brings a sacrifice to Hashem from the animals, from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your offerings”
The word Vayikro, “He called”, is an unusual way to start a verse, normally the Torah uses the word spoke, Vaydaber.
Rashi explains that Vayikra is a language of fondness which preceded Hashem’s speaking to Moshe. Rashi also uses the word Vayikro to explain that when Hashem wished to speak to Moshe after the completion of the Ohel Moed/Tent of Meeting, which was part of the Mishkon, he would call to him. This call was a load voice which emanated from between the Cherubim atop the Aron HaKodesh and travel to Moshe’s ears but which the rest of Yisroel couldn’t hear.
(the word Vayikro in the verse, (called), tells us that Hashem called to Moshe in a physically manifest voice, (ie the ears could hear it), and the word VayDaber, (spoke), tells us that this calling was not constant but only when Hashem wanted to tell a passage to Moshe.
This raises several questions but I want to focus on the voice which Moshe could physically hear.
In Bad Kodesh, Rabbi Baruch Dov Parvarsky investigates this phenomenon. At Har Sinai, Hashem spoke in a physical voice which required physical receptors, (ears), in order to hear it. The whole of Klal Yisroel could hear this voice, not as a spiritual perception, but as a physical sensation of hearing. The voice itself was a spiritual “voice”, (a transmission of spiritual information emanating from Hashem as a wholey spiritual being), which was clothed in a “garment” of physicality – decibels, which was received through physical means.
From the completion of the Mishkon, this is how Hashem spoke to Moshe, there was a spiritual communication, clothed in physicality, received in a physical way by Moshe.
Other prophets received their prophecy in a totally spiritual manner, not through the intermediary of hearing, thus meaning that the message of their prophecy was not immediately clear and required interpretation by the prophet.
Until the completion of the Mishkon, Moshe too received his prophecy in this way.
Based on this I would like to posit the following chidush:
This physically perceptible voice is a higher level of prophecy than any other. Regular prophecy is a spiritual visitor, not at home in our physical world. At Sinai, the revelation of the Torah was a physical phenomenon. Just as the Torah takes on a form relevant to Olam HaZeh as it reaches our world of physical existence, perhaps, in order for the Torah to create a reality of spiritual cause and effect in the physical world, it required a physical revelation, making it a part of this world, as opposed to something from the outside.
The Miskon was a “house” for the Shechinah, bringing Hashem’s presence into this world. Perhaps the Mishkon/Beis HaMikdosh integrated the spiritual with the physical, (possibly through the duel means of elevating the physical building into something totally holy and also bringing the spiritual “presence” of Hashem into the physical world), thus there was always this physical voice of prophecy extant as long as the Mishkon/Beis Hamikdosh stood. However, it required a prophet of the stature, (holiness, humility, selflessness, love of Hashem, etc.), to perceive this voice through physical means. Without a Moshe, prophecy was received the spiritual way. Prophecy subsequent to Moshe did not introduce new Torah, but rather admonished Klal Yisroel regarding that which had already been revealed via Moshe.
Alternatively, we could say that once Moshe had received the whole of the Torah, there was no subsequent requirement for this type of prophecy and so it ceased despite the continued presence of the Mishkon/Beis Hamikdosh.
This is all wholly speculative, I have tried to reach an understanding of the mechanics of prophecy from the opening verse of our parsha and Rashi’s comments. The fundamentals of Jewish belief are passed down through the great sages of every generation, just because I have written my understanding of something on the internet, doesn’t mean that it is in anyway correct of authoritative.
"And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the tent of meeting to say: “Speak to the Bnei Yisroel and say to them, “When a person from you brings a sacrifice to Hashem from the animals, from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your offerings”
The word Vayikro, “He called”, is an unusual way to start a verse, normally the Torah uses the word spoke, Vaydaber.
Rashi explains that Vayikra is a language of fondness which preceded Hashem’s speaking to Moshe. Rashi also uses the word Vayikro to explain that when Hashem wished to speak to Moshe after the completion of the Ohel Moed/Tent of Meeting, which was part of the Mishkon, he would call to him. This call was a load voice which emanated from between the Cherubim atop the Aron HaKodesh and travel to Moshe’s ears but which the rest of Yisroel couldn’t hear.
(the word Vayikro in the verse, (called), tells us that Hashem called to Moshe in a physically manifest voice, (ie the ears could hear it), and the word VayDaber, (spoke), tells us that this calling was not constant but only when Hashem wanted to tell a passage to Moshe.
This raises several questions but I want to focus on the voice which Moshe could physically hear.
In Bad Kodesh, Rabbi Baruch Dov Parvarsky investigates this phenomenon. At Har Sinai, Hashem spoke in a physical voice which required physical receptors, (ears), in order to hear it. The whole of Klal Yisroel could hear this voice, not as a spiritual perception, but as a physical sensation of hearing. The voice itself was a spiritual “voice”, (a transmission of spiritual information emanating from Hashem as a wholey spiritual being), which was clothed in a “garment” of physicality – decibels, which was received through physical means.
From the completion of the Mishkon, this is how Hashem spoke to Moshe, there was a spiritual communication, clothed in physicality, received in a physical way by Moshe.
Other prophets received their prophecy in a totally spiritual manner, not through the intermediary of hearing, thus meaning that the message of their prophecy was not immediately clear and required interpretation by the prophet.
Until the completion of the Mishkon, Moshe too received his prophecy in this way.
Based on this I would like to posit the following chidush:
This physically perceptible voice is a higher level of prophecy than any other. Regular prophecy is a spiritual visitor, not at home in our physical world. At Sinai, the revelation of the Torah was a physical phenomenon. Just as the Torah takes on a form relevant to Olam HaZeh as it reaches our world of physical existence, perhaps, in order for the Torah to create a reality of spiritual cause and effect in the physical world, it required a physical revelation, making it a part of this world, as opposed to something from the outside.
The Miskon was a “house” for the Shechinah, bringing Hashem’s presence into this world. Perhaps the Mishkon/Beis HaMikdosh integrated the spiritual with the physical, (possibly through the duel means of elevating the physical building into something totally holy and also bringing the spiritual “presence” of Hashem into the physical world), thus there was always this physical voice of prophecy extant as long as the Mishkon/Beis Hamikdosh stood. However, it required a prophet of the stature, (holiness, humility, selflessness, love of Hashem, etc.), to perceive this voice through physical means. Without a Moshe, prophecy was received the spiritual way. Prophecy subsequent to Moshe did not introduce new Torah, but rather admonished Klal Yisroel regarding that which had already been revealed via Moshe.
Alternatively, we could say that once Moshe had received the whole of the Torah, there was no subsequent requirement for this type of prophecy and so it ceased despite the continued presence of the Mishkon/Beis Hamikdosh.
This is all wholly speculative, I have tried to reach an understanding of the mechanics of prophecy from the opening verse of our parsha and Rashi’s comments. The fundamentals of Jewish belief are passed down through the great sages of every generation, just because I have written my understanding of something on the internet, doesn’t mean that it is in anyway correct of authoritative.
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Vayakhel
All Together Now..........
“And Moshe assembled the whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel and said unto them, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them. Six days you shall do melocho, (the 39 prohibited labours), and on the seventh day in shall be to you holy, it is a Shabas Shaboson, (emphatically Sabbath’y), to Hashem, all who do melcoho on it shall be put to death. Do not burn a fire in all your dwellings on the day of the Shabos.”
“And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say, “This is the thing that Hashem has commanded: Take from yourselves a Trumoh to Hashem, etc.” (Shemos 35:1-5) (Instructions appertaining to the construction of the Mikdosh from this point).
Why does the parsha begin with the very unusual term “And Moshe assembled” (Vayakhel Moshe)? This is the only instance of the usage of this term in the Torah!
Why did Moshe gather the people together?
Why does the verse say, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them” And then continue with an exhortation not to do labour on Shabos?
These are all questions which need answers!
Rashi explains that Moshe preceded the instructions for the building of the Mikdosh with the warning against desecrating Shabos in order to show that the construction of the Mikdosh does not push aside Shabos.
The Ikar Sifsei Chachomim explains Rashi’s reasoning as that since the commandment to refrain from labour on Shabos had already been given by this point this repetition must be telling us about labour on vis-à-vis the Mikdosh. (If something is repeated in the Torah it must be telling us something new either directly or from deduction). Therefore, the main topic of this passage is the Miskon, Shabos is a detail within the construction thereof.
But, why would anyone think that the labour can be performed in Shabos for the construction of the Mishkon? Also, if this is all one passage about the Mishkon, why is it interrupted by, “And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say,”? Shouldn’t the laws of Shabos flow directly into the details of the construction of the Mishkon?
The Maharil Diskin writes that the phrase “to do them” within the verse, ““These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them.” (Second verse in the parsha), must refer to the construction of the Mishkon, since there is no relevance of using the word “doing” with regards to an admonishment to refrain from doing! The passage starts off with saying that there is something to be done “stam”, (closed – ie without specifying). Then the passage tells us that this can only be done for six days a week, excluding Shabos, then the passage goes into details and explains what it is that is to be done. The verse, “And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say, “This is the thing that Hasehm has commanded:” is the beginning of the details and explanation, having established the conditions.
The Maharil Diskin also has an answer for why we should ever think that the labour would be permitted on Shabbos, so that we should require an additional warning to the contrary. There is a Midrash which says that all of the construction work for the Mikdosh was done through miracles, as soon as a worker would start a particular task, an angel would come and finish it for him. The halocho is that a person is only liable for the performance of labour on Shabos if he starts and completes the melocho. One person starting and another finishing, whilst not permitted is not considered to be a Torah violation of Shabos.
Thus the verse tells us that even so, labour may not be performed on Shabos. Furthermore, Shabos is a Shabas Shaboson to Hashem, it’s also Shabos for Him, and anyone who attempts to perform the construction work on Shabos won’t receive angelic assistance.
Going back to the question of why Moshe gathered the whole nation together, the Alshich explains that the construction of the Mishkon was performed as an atonement for the sin of the construction and worship of the Golden Calf. The Golden Calf represented the “booting out” of Hashem from our midst, the Mishkon was the house holy to Hashem from which His Presence dwelt amongst us. The verse Shemos 32:1 says, “And the People gathered together against Aharon”. Since the sin was done through the gathering of the whole nation, so to the atonement had to be done through the gathering of the whole nation. (If the whole nation demands an idol, it’s a desecration of Hashem’s name of great magnitude. If anything less than the whole nation is involved in the atonement it won’t be an equivalent sanctification of Hashem’s name).
In addition, continues the Alshich, the “whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel” excludes the Eruv Rav, (Mixed Multitude), who incited the CCI to demand an idol.
To summarise, Moshe gathered the whole nation together in order to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf in which the whole nation was involved.
The main subject of this gathering was the work relating to the construction of the Mishkon but Moshe started by presenting a condition of the prohibition of work on Shabos which one may have thought was permitted due to the angelic assistance received, thus avoiding any Shabos desecration.
Have a delightful Shabos! (Sorry about last week, I was preparing for Purim/drunk/hungover. B’ezras Hashem I will post a vort for Kiy Sisa soon)
“And Moshe assembled the whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel and said unto them, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them. Six days you shall do melocho, (the 39 prohibited labours), and on the seventh day in shall be to you holy, it is a Shabas Shaboson, (emphatically Sabbath’y), to Hashem, all who do melcoho on it shall be put to death. Do not burn a fire in all your dwellings on the day of the Shabos.”
“And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say, “This is the thing that Hashem has commanded: Take from yourselves a Trumoh to Hashem, etc.” (Shemos 35:1-5) (Instructions appertaining to the construction of the Mikdosh from this point).
Why does the parsha begin with the very unusual term “And Moshe assembled” (Vayakhel Moshe)? This is the only instance of the usage of this term in the Torah!
Why did Moshe gather the people together?
Why does the verse say, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them” And then continue with an exhortation not to do labour on Shabos?
These are all questions which need answers!
Rashi explains that Moshe preceded the instructions for the building of the Mikdosh with the warning against desecrating Shabos in order to show that the construction of the Mikdosh does not push aside Shabos.
The Ikar Sifsei Chachomim explains Rashi’s reasoning as that since the commandment to refrain from labour on Shabos had already been given by this point this repetition must be telling us about labour on vis-à-vis the Mikdosh. (If something is repeated in the Torah it must be telling us something new either directly or from deduction). Therefore, the main topic of this passage is the Miskon, Shabos is a detail within the construction thereof.
But, why would anyone think that the labour can be performed in Shabos for the construction of the Mishkon? Also, if this is all one passage about the Mishkon, why is it interrupted by, “And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say,”? Shouldn’t the laws of Shabos flow directly into the details of the construction of the Mishkon?
The Maharil Diskin writes that the phrase “to do them” within the verse, ““These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them.” (Second verse in the parsha), must refer to the construction of the Mishkon, since there is no relevance of using the word “doing” with regards to an admonishment to refrain from doing! The passage starts off with saying that there is something to be done “stam”, (closed – ie without specifying). Then the passage tells us that this can only be done for six days a week, excluding Shabos, then the passage goes into details and explains what it is that is to be done. The verse, “And Moshe said unto whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel to say, “This is the thing that Hasehm has commanded:” is the beginning of the details and explanation, having established the conditions.
The Maharil Diskin also has an answer for why we should ever think that the labour would be permitted on Shabbos, so that we should require an additional warning to the contrary. There is a Midrash which says that all of the construction work for the Mikdosh was done through miracles, as soon as a worker would start a particular task, an angel would come and finish it for him. The halocho is that a person is only liable for the performance of labour on Shabos if he starts and completes the melocho. One person starting and another finishing, whilst not permitted is not considered to be a Torah violation of Shabos.
Thus the verse tells us that even so, labour may not be performed on Shabos. Furthermore, Shabos is a Shabas Shaboson to Hashem, it’s also Shabos for Him, and anyone who attempts to perform the construction work on Shabos won’t receive angelic assistance.
Going back to the question of why Moshe gathered the whole nation together, the Alshich explains that the construction of the Mishkon was performed as an atonement for the sin of the construction and worship of the Golden Calf. The Golden Calf represented the “booting out” of Hashem from our midst, the Mishkon was the house holy to Hashem from which His Presence dwelt amongst us. The verse Shemos 32:1 says, “And the People gathered together against Aharon”. Since the sin was done through the gathering of the whole nation, so to the atonement had to be done through the gathering of the whole nation. (If the whole nation demands an idol, it’s a desecration of Hashem’s name of great magnitude. If anything less than the whole nation is involved in the atonement it won’t be an equivalent sanctification of Hashem’s name).
In addition, continues the Alshich, the “whole of the Congregation of the Children of Israel” excludes the Eruv Rav, (Mixed Multitude), who incited the CCI to demand an idol.
To summarise, Moshe gathered the whole nation together in order to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf in which the whole nation was involved.
The main subject of this gathering was the work relating to the construction of the Mishkon but Moshe started by presenting a condition of the prohibition of work on Shabos which one may have thought was permitted due to the angelic assistance received, thus avoiding any Shabos desecration.
Have a delightful Shabos! (Sorry about last week, I was preparing for Purim/drunk/hungover. B’ezras Hashem I will post a vort for Kiy Sisa soon)
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Parshas Tetzaveh
Moses's Woe'ses's
”And you shall command the Children of Israel and take to you clear olive oil, produced by crushing, for illumination, to raise up the constant light, (Ner Tamid)” (Shemos 27:2)
The start of this verse is very unusual; usually the Torah says that Hashem speaks to Moshe and tells him what to do, here it jumps straight in to Hashem speaking to Moshe directly, without mentioning his name. (The Tur HaAruch points out that this is the only parsha from Shemos until VeZos HaBrachah that doesn’t mention Moshe by name at all).
The Chumash Bais Yehuda interprets this unusual language as telling us the Moshe was upset at his lack of involvement in actual the construction of the Mishkon, to console him Hashem told him that “And YOU shall command…“regarding the oil and later “And YOU shall bring close to you Aharon…” and “And YOU shall talk to all wise of heart…” regarding the priestly garments. This highlighted Moshe’s pivotal role in managing the inauguration of the Mikdosh.
This still begs the question, why was Moshe so upset? Wasn’t he involved enough? Furthermore, how can one of the greatest people who ever lived, who achieved a level of prophecy higher than any other, be satisfied with such a consolation?
Moshe was upset because he wanted more spirituality! Chazal say, “One who loves money will never be satisfied by money”, referring to mitzvos, if you love mitzvos, however many mitzvos you do, however close you become to Hashem, it’s never enough! Moses our teacher was a crazed fundamentalist! All he cared about was God, His Torah and spirituality! That’s what it takes to be a Moshe Rabenu!
Rabbi Yakov Kaminetzky writes in Emes L’Yakov, that Moshe gave shape to the construction of the Mishkon. Presumably this means that whatever construction had took place, it was Moshe that converted this into a House set aside for Hashem, in which His Shechinah would dwell. Bnei Yisroel had built the physical building and implements, but it required Moshe under Hashem’s instruction to make all this into a Mishkon.
Staying with this idea, we can ask what exactly it is that makes something a Mishkon. Can anyone follow the instructions in Parshas Trumah and produce a Mishkon, or does the commandment empower the commanded to turn a building and utensils into a Mishkon?
The Rambam in Hilchos Melochim rules that Klal Yisroel are obligated to appoint a king, destroy Amalek and build a Bais HaMikdosh, (specifically in this order), upon entering Eretz Yisroel. (He writes that this order cannot be changes and is based upon the chronology of Melochim 1)
Although the building of the Temple, (or Mishkon), are mitzvos upon which the entirety of the nation as a whole is commanded, it could be from the order of the Rambam that without a king, the Temple will not have the status of Beis HaMikdosh, (aside from the practicalities of the king is the most able to get the Beis HaMikdosh built, employing legislative and executive powers).
If this is so, either: without a king any Temple will not be a Beis HaMikdosh, it will always remain a very nice building, (the king is a ikar to the toras din shaim "Beis Hamikdosh"), or, the Temple that the nation builds without a king will be a Beis HaMikdosh, but will be posul, the Shechinah will not dwell there until there’s a king, (the appointment of a king would be the completion of the Beis HaMikdosh), (the king is a tanay to the toras din shaim "Beis Hamikdosh"). (Italics are the technical term for what I wrote in English - see Bircas Shmuel on Gittin, forgotten which siman).
If the above idea is true, although Moshe was relatively uninvolved in the construction of the Mishkon in Parshas Trumoh, it was him, with his status of king, that enabled the Mishkon to be the location of Hashem’s dwelling amongst Yisroel, either because without him it would not be a Mikdosh, or it would be a Mikdosh but unable to function.
Therefore, by emphasizing “you shall command” regarding the production of the oil and the inauguration of the Kohanim, leading to the inauguration of the Mikdosh with the Avodah, (temple service), Hashem was telling Moshe that he, as king of Yisroel was imparting the status of Mishkon and thus essentially involved in the construction.
”And you shall command the Children of Israel and take to you clear olive oil, produced by crushing, for illumination, to raise up the constant light, (Ner Tamid)” (Shemos 27:2)
The start of this verse is very unusual; usually the Torah says that Hashem speaks to Moshe and tells him what to do, here it jumps straight in to Hashem speaking to Moshe directly, without mentioning his name. (The Tur HaAruch points out that this is the only parsha from Shemos until VeZos HaBrachah that doesn’t mention Moshe by name at all).
The Chumash Bais Yehuda interprets this unusual language as telling us the Moshe was upset at his lack of involvement in actual the construction of the Mishkon, to console him Hashem told him that “And YOU shall command…“regarding the oil and later “And YOU shall bring close to you Aharon…” and “And YOU shall talk to all wise of heart…” regarding the priestly garments. This highlighted Moshe’s pivotal role in managing the inauguration of the Mikdosh.
This still begs the question, why was Moshe so upset? Wasn’t he involved enough? Furthermore, how can one of the greatest people who ever lived, who achieved a level of prophecy higher than any other, be satisfied with such a consolation?
Moshe was upset because he wanted more spirituality! Chazal say, “One who loves money will never be satisfied by money”, referring to mitzvos, if you love mitzvos, however many mitzvos you do, however close you become to Hashem, it’s never enough! Moses our teacher was a crazed fundamentalist! All he cared about was God, His Torah and spirituality! That’s what it takes to be a Moshe Rabenu!
Rabbi Yakov Kaminetzky writes in Emes L’Yakov, that Moshe gave shape to the construction of the Mishkon. Presumably this means that whatever construction had took place, it was Moshe that converted this into a House set aside for Hashem, in which His Shechinah would dwell. Bnei Yisroel had built the physical building and implements, but it required Moshe under Hashem’s instruction to make all this into a Mishkon.
Staying with this idea, we can ask what exactly it is that makes something a Mishkon. Can anyone follow the instructions in Parshas Trumah and produce a Mishkon, or does the commandment empower the commanded to turn a building and utensils into a Mishkon?
The Rambam in Hilchos Melochim rules that Klal Yisroel are obligated to appoint a king, destroy Amalek and build a Bais HaMikdosh, (specifically in this order), upon entering Eretz Yisroel. (He writes that this order cannot be changes and is based upon the chronology of Melochim 1)
Although the building of the Temple, (or Mishkon), are mitzvos upon which the entirety of the nation as a whole is commanded, it could be from the order of the Rambam that without a king, the Temple will not have the status of Beis HaMikdosh, (aside from the practicalities of the king is the most able to get the Beis HaMikdosh built, employing legislative and executive powers).
If this is so, either: without a king any Temple will not be a Beis HaMikdosh, it will always remain a very nice building, (the king is a ikar to the toras din shaim "Beis Hamikdosh"), or, the Temple that the nation builds without a king will be a Beis HaMikdosh, but will be posul, the Shechinah will not dwell there until there’s a king, (the appointment of a king would be the completion of the Beis HaMikdosh), (the king is a tanay to the toras din shaim "Beis Hamikdosh"). (Italics are the technical term for what I wrote in English - see Bircas Shmuel on Gittin, forgotten which siman).
If the above idea is true, although Moshe was relatively uninvolved in the construction of the Mishkon in Parshas Trumoh, it was him, with his status of king, that enabled the Mishkon to be the location of Hashem’s dwelling amongst Yisroel, either because without him it would not be a Mikdosh, or it would be a Mikdosh but unable to function.
Therefore, by emphasizing “you shall command” regarding the production of the oil and the inauguration of the Kohanim, leading to the inauguration of the Mikdosh with the Avodah, (temple service), Hashem was telling Moshe that he, as king of Yisroel was imparting the status of Mishkon and thus essentially involved in the construction.
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