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.
(23) And thou shalt make a table of acacia-wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. (24) And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. (25) And thou shalt make unto it a border of a handbreadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about...
(29) And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and the pans thereof, and the jars thereof, and the bowls thereof, wherewith to pour out; of pure gold shalt thou make them. (30) And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before Me always.
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 Outer Sanctum (הקדש) 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?
- Materials and decorations – The Table is made of accacia wood covered with gold, and surrounded by a "זֵר זָהָב" and "מִסְגֶּרֶת". Are these choices signiifcant for the Table's function or are they merely artistic?1
The Lechem HaPAnim
The laws regarding the Showbread are discussed 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.
(5) And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake. (6) And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the pure table before the Lord. (7) And thou shalt put pure frankincense with each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial-part, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord. (8) Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the Lord continually; it is from the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant. (9) And it shall be for Aaron and his sons; and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, a perpetual due.'
These verses also raise a number of questions:
- "לֶחֶם פָּנִים" – Vayikra refers to the 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?
- "וְהָיְתָה לַלֶּחֶם לְאַזְכָּרָה" – How is the frankincense a memorial, and what is it supposed to commemorate?
- "בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יַעַרְכֶנּוּ" – Why are the loaves arranged on Shabbat specifically?
- "וְהָיְתָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו" – Why is the bread eaten by the priests rather than being sacrificed to Hashem? Moreover, what is meant by the explanation "כִּי קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים הוּא"?
