In Parshas Vayakhel we read that Moshe Rabbeinu gathered the Jewish people and instructed them regarding the construction of the Mishkan. Rashi explains that Moshe told them about building the Mishkan on the day after he descended from Har Sinai with the second Luchos. Moshe came down on Yom Kippur, yet he waited until the next day to speak to them about building the Mishkan.
The Rebbe asks: Why did Moshe Rabbeinu wait? The Mishkan was an extremely important commandment, serving as a sign that Hashem had forgiven the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf and that His Presence would dwell among them. If so, Moshe should seemingly have given this command immediately upon descending from the mountain on Yom Kippur.
The Rebbe explains that the Torah contains two aspects. One aspect is the study of Torah for its own sake—the pure learning of Torah. The second aspect of Torah study is learning in order to know how to fulfill the mitzvos in practice.
Although learning Torah in order to perform mitzvos is essential, the study of Torah itself has a unique greatness. When Moshe Rabbeinu came down from the mountain on Yom Kippur, the Jewish people were filled with excitement and inspiration from receiving the Luchos and the Torah. At that moment Moshe emphasized the learning of Torah itself, without immediately focusing on the practical command to build the Mishkan.
Only on the following day did Moshe instruct them about the practical work of constructing the Mishkan.
From this the Rebbe derives a powerful lesson. There are people who are constantly busy with activity—doing mitzvos, building institutions, and working for the community—but they neglect to dedicate proper time for Torah study. The lesson from Moshe Rabbeinu is that the first priority must be learning Torah.
At the same time, there is the opposite extreme. A person might say that he wishes only to study Torah and not involve himself in practical action. For this reason, the Torah teaches that immediately after the day devoted to Torah learning, Moshe commanded the people about building the Mishkan. Torah study must lead to action.
Thus the proper order is first Torah study, and then the performance of mitzvos. The learning of Torah provides the spiritual clarity and strength needed to carry out mitzvos properly.
In the language of Chassidus, the level of Torah corresponds to a higher spiritual dimension that elevates a person above the limitations of the world. This is related as well to the concept of Shabbos, which is connected with Torah and represents a higher spiritual state beyond the weekday world. By first rising to this higher level through Torah, a person gains the ability to later bring holiness into the world.
Therefore, one must first immerse oneself in Torah study, and only then proceed to “build the Mishkan”—to bring holiness into the world through the fulfillment of mitzvos and positive action.
Summary
The Rebbe explains that Moshe Rabbeinu delayed commanding the building of the Mishkan in order to first emphasize the pure study of Torah. This teaches that Torah learning must come before action, providing the spiritual foundation for properly fulfilling mitzvos. At the same time, Torah study must ultimately lead to building the “Mishkan”—bringing holiness and G-dliness into the world through practical deeds.