Parshat Hachodesh

At the 7 minute mark of the video below, a journalist questions the State Department Spokesperson regarding Samira Ibrahim, who was supposed to receive a Woman of Courage award.

This week, in addition to the regular Parsha, we read the section known as HaChodesh. The additional sections of Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, and Chodesh are read prior to Pesach for both commemorative and practical reasons.

This additional section from Shemos, Parshas Bo, Chapter 12, is read on the Shabbos before the month of Nissan, or on the Shabbos of Rosh Chodesh Nissan. This section is an account of the very first Mitzvah given to the Jewish people as a nation. It includes the concept of Rosh Chodesh - the New Moon, as well as the basic laws of Pesach and the Pascal Lamb. http://www.torah.org/learning/parsha/hsummary/hachodesh.html

I received an email this morning containing an interesting thought on Parshat Pekudei by Rabbi Frand.

Parshas Pekudei is the last of 5 Parshiyos in the second half of Sefer Shmos that contains the details of how the Mishkan was built. If we feel a sense of accomplishment at having learned these 5 parshas, we can imagine the joy the people experienced at the momentous occasion in Parshas Pekudei, when the Mishkan was finally assembled for the first time. We read in the parsha that "Moshe saw all the work, and behold! - They had done it as Hashem had commanded; so had they done; and Moshe blessed them. [Shmos 39:43]"

Rashi quotes Chazal that the blessing Moshe gave them was "May the Divine Presence of G-d rest in the work of your hands". Now that all is said and done, the blessing was that the L-rd should rest His Presence on the people and on the building.

Rav Simcha Schepps, who was a Rosh Yeshiva in Torah VoDaas, shared an interesting insight. Rav Schepps says that a more logical place to have given the Jewish people this Bracha [blessing] would have been at the outset of the building of the Mishkan.
Continue reading: http://www.torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5773/vayakhel.html