Parshiot Terumah and Tetzaveh comprise a distinct unit of mitzvot detailing the construction of the Mishkan. This unit is often referred to as “tzivui haMishkan,” the commandment to build the Mishkan.

At first glance, the internal arrangement of this unit appears logical. It begins by describing the most sacred object in the Mishkan—the Aron, which was situated in the innermost sanctuary of the Mishkan. It then continues with the accessories located in the ohel moed, the main sanctuary and concludes with the mizbach haOlah, which was placed in the chatzer, the outer courtyard (25:10–26; 26:37; 27). After having outlined all the various items and their equipment (25–27), this unit concludes with the description of the special garments of the kohanim (28)—and the miluim, the special procedures for the seven day dedication ceremony (29).

The most striking exception to the logical flow of this unit is the mizbach haK’toret. Given its location, inside the Mishkan together with the shulchan and menorah. we would have expected to find the Torah’s discussion of the mizbach haK’toret together with those two. Instead, it was left out of Parshat Terumah, not appearing until the end of this unit.

To answer this question, we must return to the conceptual parallel between the Mishkan and Har Sinai, as explicated by Ramban. According to Ramban, it is not by chance that the “bookends” of this tzivui haMishkan unit emphasize the dwelling of God’s shechina within the Mishkan. This constitutes the very purpose of the Mishkan—to perpetuate the Sinai experience!

One of the most striking parallels between the Mishkan and Har Sinai relates to the concept of mechitzot, boundaries. At Har Sinai, the people must remain at the foot of the mountain while the kohanim are permitted to come a bit closer. Only Moshe is granted access to the top of the mountain (19:20–24). Similarly, the people may proceed only as far as the outer courtyard of the Mishkan. The kohanim are allowed into the Kodesh, and only Moshe enters the Kodesh HaKodashim.

How does the mizbach haK’toret fit into all this?

A certain dialectic characterized Bnei Yisrael’s encounter with the shechina at Har Sinai. Ideally, Bnei Yisrael should have heard the commandments directly from God. However, mortal man is incapable of withstanding such an experience. Therefore, to protect Bnei Yisrael from the consequences of such an encounter, God covered Har Sinai with a cloud which served as a buffer between Bnei Yisrael and God.

One could suggest that the mizbach haK’toret serves a similar function. Situated in the Kodesh, its cloud of smoke acts as a buffer between Bnei Yisrael standing in the chatzer and God dwelling in the Kodesh HaKodashim.

One could suggest that by placing the commandment to build the mizbach haK’toret after the summary pesukim at the very end of this unit, the Torah alludes to its unique function in this covenantal encounter. After first completing its description of the ideal encounter between God and Bnei Yisrael in the Mishkan (29:45–46), the Torah immediately records the mitzvah of the mizbach haK’toret, which protects Bnei Yisrael. Realistically, they may not be worthy of the ideal encounter, and thus the mizbach haK’toret must come into play.

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag is an internationally acclaimed Tanach scholar and online Jewish education pioneer. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers).