Account & reckoning – P’kudei
The sidra is called P’kudei, “accounts”. It reports the audit of the funds used towards the tabernacle.
Moses, as the leader of the people, was entrusted with considerable sums, and he had to account for them all.
Would anyone have accused him of fraud or embezzlement? Probably not. But even a Moses has to show that all he does is totally above board, beyond all criticism or question.
The same applies to anyone who has money to administer. No-one is exempt from giving din vacheshbon, “account and reckoning”.
Metaphorically we all have to face audit and give a din vacheshbon every day of our lives. How we live, what we do, how we relate to other people, how we relate to God – nothing escapes scrutiny on some level.
The sages even hint that in the World to Come we will be required to account for how we handled all the opportunities that life presented us with.
Let us hope that the Chief Auditor on high will declare Himself satisfied.
