Seeing as they were about to build the Mishkan (as the Torah refers to it in Pasuk 9), why does it refer to it here as "Mikdash"?
Rashi: It means that Yisrael should construct a 'holy house' for Hashem.
R. Bachye #1 (in Pasuk 6, citing the Pesikta Zutr'sa): It refers to third Beis-Hamikdash, in which Hashem will dwell forever.
R. Bachye #2: Because it was sanctified by the Shechinah resting in it.
R. Bachye #3: Because it reembled the Beis-Hamikdash shel Ma'alah.
Rashbam: "Mikdash" has connotations of meeting - It is a location where Hashem will meet them to communicate with them. 1
Shevu'os, 16b: From here we see that the Mishkan is also called Mikdash. 2
Why does the Torah add the (otherwise superfluous) word "Ve'asu Li Mikdash"?
Rashi and Targum Yonasan: To teach them that they should build the Mishkan specifically in the Name of Hashem.
Temurah, 31a: To teach us that one pays the laborers of Hekdesh with the funds of Bedek ha'Bayis - with money that belongs to Hashem. 1
Temurah (Ibid.): As if the Torah had written "mi'she'Li".
How will we reconcile this Pasuk with the Pasuk in Beshalach, 15:17 "Tevi'eimo ve'Ta'eimo be'Har Nchalascha ... ", which implies that they would only build the Beis ha'Mikdash once they arrived in Eretz Cana'an"?
Kesuvos, 62b: The Pasuk teaches us how precious Yisrael are to Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu - that Kevayachol, He could not wait so long to come and dwell in Yisrael's midst, so He commanded them to build it already now.
What basic purpose did the Mishkan serve?
Ramban and R. Bachye #1: It was to house discreetly, the Shechinah that had appeared on Har Sinai at Matan Torah - openly. 1 Moreover, whenever Moshe came to the Mishkan, Hashem spoke to him, just as it did at Har Sinai. 2
R. Bachye #2 (citing Sh'mos Rabah): Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu said to Yisrael: 'I am your shepherd and you are My flock. Make a pen for the shepherd you!' 3
Seforno: Refer to 25:9:2:4.
Ramban: See Va'eschanan, Devarim 5:21 and Pikudei, Sh'mos 40:34, where the Torah uses the same wording. See also R. Bache who presents a number of similarities between Har Sinai and the Mishkan.
Ramban: See Va'eschanan Devarim 4:36 and Naso Bamidbar 7:89, where the Torah uses the same wording. See Ramban, end of DH 've'Sod ha'Mishkan' and DH 've'ha'Mistakel'.
See R. Bachye citing the Midrash Rabah, which contines 'You are the vineyard and I am the guard ? ', and concludes 'You are My sons and I am your Father ? , and it is an honor for the sons to be with their father!'
What arw the connotations of "Veshachanti be'Socham"?
R. Bachye #1: With reference to 25:8:4:2 ? as the Torah writes in Tetzaveh 29:48 'Veshachanti be'Soch B'nei Yisrael" ? 'Do not read "Veshachanti be'Socham", but 'u'Shechinasi be'Socham'. 1
R. Bachye #2 and Ba'al ha'Turim: "Veshachanti" contains the letters of both "ve'Shachan 'Tav' 'Yud' " ? 'He will dwell for four hundred and ten (corresponding to the years that the first Beis-Hamikdash stood]) and "ve'Sheini 'Tav' 'Chaf' " ? the second, four hundred and twenty (corresponding to the four hundrd and twenty years that the second Beis-Hamikdash stood).
See R. Chavel's footnotes.
