Purpose of the Shulchan and Lechem HaPanim/1/en
Purpose of the Shulchan and Lechem HaPanim
Introduction
"תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן"
Shemot 25 contains the command to build the Tabernacle and its accompanying vessels. After describing the Ark of the Covenant, the chapter discusses the Table and Showbread:
(כג) וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אׇרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רׇחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ. (כד) וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב. (כה) וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וְעָשִׂיתָ זֵר זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִיב...
(כט) וְעָשִׂיתָ קְּעָרֹתָיו וְכַפֹּתָיו וּקְשׂוֹתָיו וּמְנַקִּיֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם. (ל) וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים לְפָנַי תָּמִיד.
Though these verses describe in great detail what the Table looked like, no where do they discuss its function. As Hashem has no need for food, why put a table and bread in His sanctuary? Rambam similarly states,
הצורך במזבח הקטורת ובמזבח העולה וכלי הקיבול שלהם ברור. אבל איני יודע טעם לשולחן והיות הלחם עליו תמיד. עד היום לא מצאתי למה לייחס אותו.
The Shulchan
To understand the purpose of the Shulchan, a closer look at its structure and related laws is helpful:
- Relationship to other vessels – The laws of the Table are sandwiched between those of the Aron and Menorah, suggesting that they serve as a threesome. On the other hand, the Table's location within the "Kodesh" of the Mishkan connects it instead to the Menorah and Incense Altar. To which other vessels is the Shulchan related and what does this say about its purpose?
- Secondary utensils – Hashem commands not just to build the Table base, but also, "קְּעָרֹתָיו וְכַפֹּתָיו וּקְשׂוֹתָיו וּמְנַקִּיֹּתָיו". What are each of these? Are they part of the Table's structure or are they accompanying utensils used to set the table or to make the Lechem HaPanim? Either way, what light do they shed on the role of the Table?
- "אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן" –
- Materials and decorations – The Table is made of accacia wood covered with gold, and surrounded by a "זֵר זָהָב" and "מִסְגֶּרֶת". Are these choices significant or merely artistic?1
The Lechem
The laws regarding the Showbread are discussed first in Vayikra 24:
(ה) וְלָקַחְתָּ סֹלֶת וְאָפִיתָ אֹתָהּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה חַלּוֹת שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים יִהְיֶה הַחַלָּה הָאֶחָת. (ו) וְשַׂמְתָּ אוֹתָם שְׁתַּיִם מַעֲרָכוֹת שֵׁשׁ הַמַּעֲרָכֶת עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן הַטָּהֹר לִפְנֵי י"י. (ז) וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת לְבֹנָה זַכָּה וְהָיְתָה לַלֶּחֶם לְאַזְכָּרָה אִשֶּׁה לַי"י. (ח) בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יַעַרְכֶנּוּ לִפְנֵי י"י תָּמִיד מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִית עוֹלָם. (ט) וְהָיְתָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו וַאֲכָלֻהוּ בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹשׁ כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים הוּא לוֹ מֵאִשֵּׁי י"י חׇק עוֹלָם.
- "לֶחֶם פָּנִים" – Vayikra refers tot he loaves as "חַלּוֹת", while Shemot 25 calls them "לֶחֶם פָּנִים". What is the meaning of this term and what does it teach about the nature of this bread?
- "שְׁתַּיִם מַעֲרָכוֹת שֵׁשׁ הַמַּעֲרָכֶת עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן" – Is there any significance to the fact that there are specifically twelve loaves or that they are arranged in two sections?
- "בְּרִית עוֹלָם" – None of the other vessels or services that takes place in the Tabernacle is referred to as a "בְּרִית עוֹלָם". What does the term mean and why is it used only by the Lechemm HaPanim?
- "בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יַעַרְכֶנּוּ" – Why are the loaves arranged on Shabbat specifically?
- "וְהָיְתָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו" – The bread is eaten by the priests,
