Torah Commentary - Parashat Vayakeil Pekudei

This week's Torah portion is a double one, Vayakeil Pekudei.
The following commentary is from Rabbi Bruce Kadden and titled "FROM B’NEI YISRAEL (THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL)
TO BEIT YISRAEL (THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL)."

Here is an excerpt,

"Exodus begins by recalling B’nei Yisrael, the sons of Jacob, who came to Egypt, each with his household. Although brothers, they were clearly a disparate group, no doubt still bearing the grudges and conflicts that nearly tore their family apart in Canaan. Dina and her family are not even mentioned. Were they left behind or just ignored?

"Now, at the end of Exodus, and for the second time in the Torah, the people are called Beit Yisrael, the “House of Israel.” During the relatively short time they have been wandering in the wilderness, they have already been transformed from B’nei Yisrael to Beit Yisrael, from individuals who happened to share a common history (and some—such as the “mixed multitude” who left Egypt with them—who did not) to a community with a common destiny. They will still have disagreements, conflicts, and even significant rebellions, but nothing that happens can undermine or destroy their fundamental identity as a community, the identity of being Beit Yisrael."

You can find the full text here.