Mrs. Katz was explaining the connection between the Mishkan and tefillah to her fifth grade parshah class.

"Parshas Pekudei summarizes the building of the Mishkan," Mrs. Katz was saying. "The Torah tells us that the master craftsmen, Betzalel and Oholiav carried out the work as they were commanded. The Torah goes through the long list of the garments of the kohanim and the building of the Mishkan, telling us each time that it was all done 'as HaShem had instructed Moshe'."

"These words 'as HaShem had instructed Moshe' are repeated eighteen times. Our Sages connect this to davening. Can anyone guess why?" asked Mrs. Katz.

"That's easy," called out Chaya. "There are eighteen berachos in the Shemoneh Esreh."

"And something else," added Rina, "the most important avodah in the Mishkan was the offering of the korbanos. Today our tefillah takes the place of the korbanos."

"Very good," said Mrs. Katz. "There's more too. The Mishkan was built from many types of materials, teaching us that a Jew's avodah is to use everything in this world to serve HaShem. This way our world becomes uplifted and connected to HaShem's holiness. Tefillah is called a ladder, like the ladder in Yaakov's dream that stood on the ground but reached up into the heavens. Through tefillah, we elevate ourselves and become connected to HaShem."

"Morah," Simi called out raising her hand. "I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I counted the number of times the parshah says 'as HaShem commanded Moshe.' You said there were eighteen, but I counted nineteen."

"Oh, Simi!" Mrs. Katz said with a smile. "You just answered one of the questions I was going to give you for homework! You're right. It does say so nineteen times. Our sages tell us to start counting from the time it mentions Oholiav in the third passuk of the parshah. Then, the number totals eighteen."

"But why?" asked Chayah and Rivkah together.

"Why shouldn't we count from the beginning where Betzalel is mentioned?" added Simi.

"Let me explain," replied Mrs. Katz. "Betzalel was from Shevet Yehudah, which was first in line as the Jews traveled in the desert. Shevet Yehudah brought into the world the leaders whose descendants would later become kings. Oholiav was from the tribe of Dan, which was last in line on the journeys.

"The avodah of the Mishkan, uplifting this world and connecting it to HaShem's holiness, comes about as we work together with achdus. This means including everyone - from the most important, talented, smartest people to the simplest Jew.

"The second passuk speaks only about Betzalel. But the third passuk begins, 'And with him Oholiav....' So we begin counting from there, from where Oholiav is included. When Shevet Dan and Shevet Yehudah work together, the Mishkan can be built 'as HaShem commanded Moshe'.

"Now, can someone connect this idea of achdus with tefillah?" asked Mrs. Katz.

Many hands shot up. Mrs. Katz called on Mindy.

"We begin davening with the words Hareini mekabel ali mitzvos asei shel veahavta lereiachaha kamocha," she replied.

"That's right. Ahavas Yisrael connects all Jews with one another, no matter who they are and where they may be. Through our tefillah, which begins with achdus, we can uplift ourselves and become connected to HaShem."

(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. I, p. 199)