Filling the Ark With Content

And they shall make an ark of acacia wood …                                                Exodus 25:10

The first vessel for the Tabernacle which God commanded to be made was the ark, which was to hold the Torah. However, the main purpose of God’s design was not simply to store the Torah in the ark for safekeeping, but to implement Torah in the daily lives of the Children of Israel.

Therefore, we first read Parashot Yitro and Mishpatim, which deal with how one should live as a Jew. Torah obligates us to fulfill duties to God and to man. In Yitro, we read of God’s revelation at Sinai and the Israelites’ acceptance of His Torah. Parashat Mishpatim deals with the economic and social structure of the nation of Israel, primarily with bein adam l’havero (between man and fellow man).

The parashot dealing with building a holy place necessarily follow the parashot which set out our duties towards God and fellow men. Sanctity cannot be created without this dual commitment.