The beams of acacia wood that formed the walls of the Mishkan were inserted into silver Adanim (sockets). These Adanim served as the foundation of the Mishkan, holding the heavy beams upright and securely in place.
The materials used in the construction of the Mishkan were donated by the Jewish people. These included gold, silver, copper, wool, dyes and skins. Each person could give “as their hearts pledged”, giving as much or as little as they desired or could afford. But the Adanim were made from the silver of the half-shekel contribution. Unlike the other donations, the half-shekel had to be given equally by every person, “the rich could not give more and the poor cannot give less”. Whereas the other donations highlight the differences between one Jew and the next, the half-shekel represents the unity of the Jewish people. In the psyche of the soul, the donations that were given in different measures represent our personal qualities of intellect, emotion and our standing in spiritual service. These will differ considerably from person-to-person, creating a hierarchy of “more” or “less”. The half-shekel represents the essence of the soul which is a part of Hashem Himself. Every Jew has this spark, from the greatest spiritual sage to the simple unlearned Jew. On this level we are all equal. Like the Adanim, the foundation of our spiritual Mishkan must to be the unity of the Jewish people that comes from revealing our essential oneness; to see and treat every Jew as a part of Hashem, equal to us in their infinite value.
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July 2023
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