According to Legends of the Jews, everything was actually finished in the month of Kislev—that’s around November/December on our calendar. They were ready to go, eager to erect this physical manifestation of God's presence in their midst.
But Moses, guided by God, put the brakes on. Why?
The people were chomping at the bit to get started, to dedicate the Mishkan, to feel that divine connection. But God told Moses to hold off until the first day of Nisan – roughly March/April.
And the reason? Get this: it was Isaac's birthday.
Think about that for a moment. Of all the days to dedicate this sacred space, God chose the birthday of Isaac, a pivotal figure in Jewish history. The son of Abraham, nearly sacrificed on Mount Moriah, his life a testament to faith and divine intervention. God wanted the joy of the dedication to coincide with this day of joy, a day already imbued with meaning and promise.
It’s a powerful image, isn’t it? God weaving together different threads of history, linking past, present, and future.
But not everyone understood.
There were, naturally, doubters. Sarcastic voices in the crowd, those "mockers among Israel," as Ginzberg calls them. They sneered, questioning if the Shekhinah – that divine presence, the manifestation of God's glory – would ever actually dwell in something built by the sons of Amram (that's Moses and Aaron). "Is it even possible?" they scoffed.
It’s a stark reminder that even in moments of great spiritual significance, skepticism and negativity can creep in. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? How often do we let doubt cloud our own moments of potential joy and connection? How often do we miss the bigger picture, the deeper meaning, because we're too focused on the immediate and the cynical?