Following Instructions - Parshat Pekudei

The phrase "כאשר צוה ה' את משה" is repeated 15 times in Parshat Pekudei.

Bnei Yisrael were desperate for the Divine presence to dwell amongst them. So much so, that they went way out of line when they thought that Moshe was not coming back, and turned to Aharon to use his transcendental knowledge to intervene.

The results were disastrous.

Beis Halevi explains, that the Torah is emphasizing critical point. In order for the Shechina to dwell in the Mishkan, we must follow Hashem's instructions meticulously.

This message is extremely relevant today. To connect to Hashem, one needs to serve Him on His terms, regardless of the ideas and feelings of mortals.

Shabbat Shalom