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Aug 31, 2013 · Delivered out of Egypt, but not yet brought into the Promised Land, Israel’s life in the wilderness was not only about a place, but a time—a time characterized by transition and testing, a time demanding trust and perseverance.
The recent debate has centered primarily on the exodus‐sojourn tradition and on the “conquest” of Canaan as presented in the book of Joshua. Surprisingly little attention has been given to the wilderness tradition, which is central to Israel's religious traditions.
The stage of journeying through the wilderness is an essential part of the transformation from slavery to freedom. The Book of Numbers, Bamidbar, describes the Israelites’ 40-year journey through the desert on their way to the Promised Land.
- Rabbi Irwin Kula
- What The Tabernacle Looked Like
- The Tabernacle’s Significance
- The Tabernacle vs. The Temple
- Archaeological Evidence of The Tabernacle
- Further Reading on The Tabernacle
The Book of Exodus goes into elaborate detail to describe the design and construction of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was surrounded by a rectangular fence with a gate, which enclosed an outer courtyard area. An altar for burnt offerings (sacrifices) stood in the courtyard. Deeper into the courtyard, a screen sectioned off the “Holy Place” from t...
The tabernacle was considered to be the place where God’s presence dwelled among the Israelites, where the divine and earthly realms met. The tabernacle’s design physically represented a gradual increase in gradations of holiness, from the outer courtyard (meant to create a barrier from the profane realm) to the Holy of Holies (only entered once a ...
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, first built in 957 BCE by King Solomon, became the permanent sanctuary for the Israelites to worship God (until it was destroyed and later rebuilt and destroyed again). The tabernacle was the portable sanctuary they used while wandering in the desert.
In 2013, it was reported that possible evidence had been found of the tabernacle in the ancient city of Shiloh, in the West Bank. Archaeologists discovered holes hewn into rock that may have been used for propping up the wooden beams of the tabernacle. Previous research at the site had also found remains of possibly sacrificed animals and evidence ...
The tabernacle is discussed at several points in My Jewish Learning’s Torah commentaries on the following weekly Torah portions: Terumah Tetzaveh Vayakhel Pekudei Shmini B’midbar Naso
The Torah locates the bulk of its legislation and cultic observances in the wilderness experience. The authors of the Torah wished to suggest that the basic standards of Jewish life originated and were adopted before the people ever set foot in the Promised Land, in an open, ownerless expanse.
The much-debated scene from the reliefs of Pharoah Merneptah at Karnak temple—believed to show Israelites—is discussed in detail. The theory of Israel’s association with the Shasu-beduoin as a source for the origin of the divined name, YHWH is studied and dismissed.
Chapter 20, verse 14, resumes the narrative of Israel’s onward march, starting with their arrival in the wilderness of Zin and stay at Kadesh, marked by Miriam’s death and God’s exclusion of Moses and Aaron from entering the Promised Land because of their ascribed lack of confidence in God when Moses drew forth water from a rock in ...
