The Book of Shmot concludes with the subject of the
completion of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) when the Glory of God filled it
continuously.
According to Ramban, in his Introduction to the Book of
Shmot, the entire Book of Shmot is dedicated to the Egyptian exile. It begins
with the names of those who went down to
mentioned at the end of the Book of Breisheet) since their descent constituted
the beginning of the exile.
When B’nai Yisrael left
from the house of bondage, they were still considered exiles since they were in
a land that was not theirs, entangled in the desert.
When they came to Har Sinai and completed the Mishkan, God
caused the Divine Presence to dwell again amongst them. They then returned to
the status of their fathers. At that point, they were considered redeemed.
The Book of Shmot is concluded with the consummation of the
building of the Mishkan and the Glory of God filling it always as it signifies
the end of the Egyptian exile.
As Rosh Chodesh Nisan is almost upon us and we prepare for
Pesach, we should keep in mind that God used four words of redemption from
Egypt, vehotzeiti (I took them out), vehitzalti (I saved them), vigaalti (I
redeemed them), vilakachti (I took them) which correspond to the four cups of
wine that we drink at the seder.
The word that signifies the fifth cup (Eliyahu’s cup) is
Veheveti (I will bring you- to the
redemption would only be completed when B’nai Yisrael would bring the Mishkan
to the
We hope and pray that the words that we conclude the seder
with “L’Shana HaBa B’Yerushalyim Habnuya”, “Next year in the rebuilt
answered speedily in our days.
