REHEARSING THE CORONATION With the coronation just weeks away, extensive preparations are in full swing. There are even reports that a replica of parts of Westminster Abbey has been built inside Buckingham Palace so that the King and Queen can rehearse key parts of the ceremony. Rehearsals are part of this week’s parasha. We are told: “On the first day of the first month, in the second year, the Mishkan (or Tabernacle) was erected.” (Shemot 40:17) The Midrash comments that on each of the previous seven days, Moses had erected and dismantled the entire structure. Finally, on the eighth day,...

SHOULDERING THE LOAD In Rembrandt’s famous painting of Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law, hanging in the Berlin Art Gallery, the prophet is depicted as holding the tablets above his head about to smash them to the ground. Moses does this intentionally as he does not want to present the tablets to the nation that has worshipped the golden calf. While this is a straightforward reading of the account contained in this week’s parasha, there is another opinion, presented in the Midrash, that Moses did not break the tablets deliberately. Rather, they fell from his hands and broke on...

CHARLES THE THIRD AND AARON THE FIRST Preparations for the King’s Coronation are well in place. The meticulously planned ceremony, which the British do so well, is being organised down to the very last detail. Some of these details are derived from the biblical coronation of the kings of Israel. These were, in turn, derived from the investiture of the Kohen Gadol or High Priest, as described in this week’s parasha. Aaron, the first High Priest, is inaugurated in the following way: “You shall take the garments and dress Aaron with the Robe of the Ephod, the Ephod and the...

THE LOST ARK Steven Spielberg’s fantasy movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” draws its inspiration from the holy Ark, described in this week’s parasha. The Ark disappears from Jewish life at the end of the First Temple period. Some sources suggest it was buried somewhere under the Temple Mount to avoid it falling into enemy hands. For the past two and half thousand years, its location has remained hidden. It seems strange that although other Temple vessels like the Menorah and the Altar were reconstructed for the Second Temple, no attempt was made to replace the Ark. Indeed, Moses Maimonides,...

THE OLDEST BIBLE IN THE WORLDComing to London next week is a most remarkable book. It will be on display at Sotheby’s for a week before moving on to other selected locations around the world before being auctioned in New York in May. With an estimate reserve of $30-$50 million, it may well become the most expensive book in history. Why would anyone want to spend $50 million on a book? Let’s consider the background. The Torah, which we received at Mt. Sinai, in the events, described in last week’s and this week’s parasha, is written on parchment in a...