Building a Holy Place

And they shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, two and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. You (singular) shall over it with a layer of pure gold on the inside and outside, and make a gold rim all around its top.    Exodus 25:10-11

Israel was commanded to make the ark before building the Tabernacle itself, teaching that the purpose of the Tabernacle was not the structure itself, but containing the ark was the purpose. Building a holy place is not to confine holiness, but to allow holiness to come forth, to radiate, to inspire and to guide.

                The verses which describe the crafting of the ark switch from plural to singular.

My father explained that the Torah wishes to stress that it is the obligation of all Israel to support Torah (represented by the ark). Thus, the Torah presents the requirement of making the ark in the plural. However, each individual has his/her own obligation to continue to support Torah. One may not assume that others are maintaining the ark, but must take the personal responsibility. Hence, the Torah moves to the singular form in verse 11.

Similarly, verse 16 states:

And you (singular) shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

While the verse is addressed directly to Moses, since it is he who will actually place the “testimony” in the ark, the use of the singular also stresses that it is the obligation of the individual to insure that the ark indeed contains the testimony, and that the Torah remains at the center of Jewish life.