Missed it last week, so it'll be a quick "catch-up". Last year, this parsha came just before Purim, making it a special haftorah for the holiday. This year, it is the regular haftorah, which parallels the Torah reading of specifications for the Holy Sanctuary (Tabernacle vs. Temple). It has been noted that the measurements indicated in this reading contradict those in other parts of the Bible. This discrepancy caused some distress for rabbinic commentators. Was this, in fact, a true prophecy?
It occurred to me that the way I'd like to think about it is that the people needed a blueprint for the new Temple, a vision of what was to come. This blueprint evolved, so that the final product was different. Nonetheless, the inaccurate blueprint served as scaffolding and inspiration for the grand project that was before them. This seems to me a lesson in how to embark on a large, overwhelming project: Have a plan, and try to make it reasonably detailed. Try to account for a wide range of parameters and circumstances. At the same time, be flexible, and allow this plan to adjust as these parameters and circumstances actually present themselves.
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