Idyllic, peaceful, tranquil, "hakol beseder," everything is in order. Sweet. The people are joyfully bringing their gold, silver, fine linens etc. as contributions to the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.
Interestingly, this is a preview, a flash forward to a time a little later on than the one we are in, if we were following the historical progress of the Children of Israel after their exodus from Egypt.
notes:
Shakespeare, Beowulf, what ancient classics used this forward device, returning later to the present? It seems to be a modern device, cetainly used in movies, hence the Torah is very modern -- and possibly -- or probably, movie makers, and authors took this device from the Torah.
other movie narrative perennials taken from the Torah? the Showdown, viz. Korach and Moses. Rivka as the first Wild West Hero (previous blog) ...
purposes: G-d did not really mean it when He threatened to destroy the Children of Israel and start again with Moses. "Chishev et ha-kaitz," i.e. the Torah already records the peaceful aftermath. So, as often is the case, G-d was kidding? He didn't really mean it? "It ain't necessarily so ..."
It's a subtlety to understand that G-d and the Torah often do not really mean what they say. It takes an intuitive understanding of the Torah which many might resist.
There is a wisdom, however, in understanding that the Torah is Truth, regardless of whether or not it seems so, even if we say that what is written is not really true (!)
the purpose of the mishkan is to provide a symbol -- and a real time method -- of "kaparah," atonement for sins committed. There is no sin which cannot be atoned for, as emphatically revealed here, where the kaparah actually precedes the narrative of the sin (the Golden Calf). Before we even see the terrible sin committed by the Children of Israel, i.e., worshipping a Golden Calf virtually moments after G-d resounded the first Commandment to have no other gods before Him, we see the means He provides for remedying the damage, the avodah, the sacrificial services to be performed in the Mishkan, the Place where He dwells in the midst of the people, or more properly, the place where He has returned in forgiveness to dwell in the midst of the people...
which means, basically, "not to worry," we all make mistakes, look: here's the answer to the sin of the Golden Calf even before it happens ...
and so, it may be a remez (hint) to remedy our fears of the upheaval and tumult which will precede the Messianic era. When we say the Grace after Meals we pray that G-d will "with mercy" build Jerusalem rather than with the turmoil widely expected. Perhaps Tetzaveh shows us the peace, joy and tranquility of the Messianic era in advance of the upheaval to show us the light at the end of the tunnel ...
