Comentario sobre Exodo 30:16

ונתת אתו על עבדת אהל מועד AND THOU SHALT GIVE IT FOR THE SERVICE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — From this statement you may learn that he (Moses) was commanded to take their census when they began to contribute towards the building of the Tabernacle, after the incident of the golden calf, because the pestilence had befallen them, as it is said, (Exodus 32:35) “and the Lord plagued the people”. A parable: To what may this be compared? To a flock that is dear to its owner upon which there fell pestilence. As soon as it ceased he said to the shepherd, “I beg of you, count my sheep and ascertain how many of them are left”. He did this to show that it (the flock) was dear to him (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 9). — It is, however, impossible to say that the census mentioned here is identical with that spoken of in the Book of Numbers (1:1), for there (in Numbers 1:1) Scripture states, “[And God spake to Moses …] on the first day of the second month … [Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel etc.]”, whilst the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month as it is said, (Exodus 40:2) “On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up [the Tabernacle etc.]”, and from this census (that mentioned in this paragraph) — from the shekels obtained by it — the sockets used for its boards were made, for it is said, (Exodus 38:27) and of the hundred talents of silver were cast [the sockets of the sanctuary]”. Consequently you learn from this that two censuses were taken, viz., one at the beginning of their contributing towards the Tabernacle, after the Day of Atonement (when Moses first commanded the people to engage in the construction of the Tabernacle; see Rashi on Exodus 33:11, last sentence), in the first year, and the other in the second year, in Iyar, after the Tabernacle had already been set up. If you ask, however: is it at all possible that on both of these occasions the number of the Israelites was exactly the same, viz., 603,550, for in the account of how the silver of those that were numbered of the congregation was used (Exodus 38:27) it is so stated, and in the Book of Numbers (1:46) exactly the same is stated, “Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty”; were not these censuses taken in two different years, and surely it is impossible that there were not at the time of the first census people nineteen years old who accordingly were not counted and who became twenty years old in the second year when the second census was taken and this must have added to the total?! The reply to this question is: As far as the years of men’s ages are concerned they were counted in the same year, but reckoning from the time of the exodus from Egypt they were two different years in which the censuses were held. For when we speak of a period beginning with the exodus from Egypt, which took place in Nisan, we calculate from Nisan, as we have learned in Treatise Rosh Hashanah 2b. Consequently the Tabernacle was being built in the first year and was erected in the second year, because a new year began on the first of Nisan following the exodus. The years of people’s ages, however, were counted according to the era of the creation of the world which begins with Tishri, consequently from this point of view both censuses took place in the same year: the first in Tishri after the Day of Atonement when the Omnipresent became reconciled with Israel to grant them His pardon and when they received the command regarding the construction of the Tabernacle, and the second on the first of Iyar, so that those who were only 19 years old after the Day of Atonement when the first census was taken, were not yet regarded as twenty in Iyar when the second census was held even though they were born between Tishri and Iyar.

כסף הכפורים, silver intended to atone for the sin of forfeiting one’s life.

When they began to contribute to the mishkon. . . Explanation: The mitzvah of “When you take the count” is general, for all time. [I.e., it teaches that a head count is always forbidden]. But it does not say to count them now. However, we see from “Donate it for the work of the Tent of Meeting,” which was for the sockets of the mishkon, that Moshe was specifically commanded to count them before the erection of the mishkon.

V. 16. כסף הכפרים ist eben das V. 12 besprochene כסף כפר נפש (vergl. אם כפר יושת עליו Kap. 21, 30), und bezieht sich somit dieser Satz auf die im Momente der Zählung zu leistende Halbschekelspende; hier erwirkt dies כסף die כפורים im Moment der Spende, es ist כפר נפשו לד׳, und fehlt nur noch die Angabe seiner Verwendung. Diese wird hier bestimmt: עבדת אהל מועד .ונתת אתו על עבדת אהל מועד ist nie Tempeldienst in dem Sinne, den wir mit dieser Bezeichnung verbinden. Es ist nie der Dienst im Tempel, also nie die Verrichtung der Opferhandlungen usw. Nur einmal wird der Priesterdienst עבודה genannt (Bamidbar 18, 7) und da wird er durch die Beifügung עבודת מתנה spezialisiert, und nur Ein Opfer wird insbesondere עבודה genannt. Es ist dies das קרבן פסח, wie wir dies bereits (Kap. 12, 25) bemerkt. עבודת אהל מועד ist durchweg nicht der Dienst im Tempel, sondern für den Tempel, für die äußere Herstellung und Erhaltung des Tempels, und bezeichnet entweder den Dienst der Leviten, oder wie Kap. 35, 21. 36, 1, 3 u. 39. 32, 40: die Herstellung des Gebäudes und seiner Geräte. Da hier von einer Verwendung von Geld die Rede ist, so kann es nur im letzteren Sinne verstanden werden. In der Tat wurde vor Herstellung des Tempelzeltes die Nation mit Halbschekelspenden gezählt und das Silber zur Anfertigung der silbernen Wand- und Säulenfüße, sowie der silbernen Haken und Umrankungen der Säulen verwendet. (Kap. 38, 27 u. 28.)

ונתת אותו, “you will give it (to be used).” Rashi explains here that the respective ages of the people being counted now were based on their birthdays according to the calendar year commencing with the month of Tishrey (Rosh Hashanah), not according to the new calendar year for the kings [political rather than religious purposes, Ed] as introduced in Exodus chapter 12. The Talmud, (Rosh hashanah, folio 11) is of two opinions as to when the universe as we know it was created, whether in the fall, on Rosh Hashanah, or in the spring, the month in which we celebrate Passover. [Since none of us was around at the time neither scholar could prove his point. Ed.] According to the opinion that the universe was created in Tishrey, we have no problem reconciling the figures given here and the ones given seven months later in the Book of Numbers. According to the second opinion, the report in the Torah is difficult to reconcile, seeing that the totals of the two censuses which clearly took place at an interval of seven moths, i.e. the first one immediately after the golden calf and the second one in the second month (Iyar) after the erection of the Tabernacle, which had been erected in the first month (Nissan) of the second year and produced the same result. This question is reinforced as supposedly the ages of the people were based on the ages on the history of mankind having been based on the years that the first human being, Adam, had lived. According to that opinion only a single census could have taken place. If so, it is possible that seeing that the total was based on the census in that year, the Torah considered the people counted retroactively as having been 20 years of age already in Tishrey of the previous year. Seeing that from the count reported here the sockets for the Tabernacle which had been erected in the sockets of the Tabernacle had been made it must have taken place before the Tabernacle had been erected. According to the calendar used by the men counted, they had been counted in the first year of the Exodus, whereas according to the calendar in use since the month of Nissan after the golden calf episode, this was now considered the second year.

את כסף הכפירים, “the money for the atonement;” it is now called “money of atonement,” as the Torah had introduced it as becoming such in verses 12 and 15. The reason why the paragraph of the census appears here is because the Torah had spoken of the once a year atonement in connection with Aaron’s offering blood for atonement once a year on the horns of the golden altar. (30,10) This money for atonement is only collected once a year. The Torah now continues with the instructions for the laver and its supporting stand, from which the priests and Levites will have to wash their hands and feet as required on different occasions, as well as the paragraphs about the ingredients making up the oil for anointing and the spices for the daily incense offering. The chief architect supervising a team of skilled people was Betzalel, and his second in command, Oholiov. The Torah repeats that the work prohibitions of the Sabbath override the need to complete the Tabernacle as soon as possible. This is followed by Moses’ prayer on behalf of the people when informed by G-d that they had become guilty of idolatry during his absence. The Torah had to briefly relate to us what had occurred during Moses stay on the Mountain, else how did Moses know what to pray for and why? Moses experienced glory when G-d spoke to him “face to face,” although this is not to be understood literally, of course, seeing that G-d went out of His way to explain to him that mortal beings cannot experience a visual revelation. He was given an opportunity to supply G-d with a second set of Tablets upon which to engrave the Ten Commandments which G-d had engraved on the first set of Tablets which consisted of celestial raw material. Moses’ return to the people was crowned by the fact that his face radiated so much holiness that he had to cover his forehead with a cloth so as not to frighten the people away.

על עבדת אהל מועד FOR THE SERVICE OF THE APPOINTED TENT — i. e. for the sockets that were made of it (the expiation money).

על עבודת אהל מועד, as spelled out later in 38,27 where we read מאת אדנים למאת הככר ככר לאדן, “100 sockets totaling 100 talents, 1 talent per socket.

Whereas the ages of the people are calculated. . . Thus, they cannot become a year older until Rosh Hashanah. And even those born [shortly] before Rosh Hashanah become a year older with the arrival of Rosh Hashanah.

והיה לבני ישראל לזכרון לפני ד׳. Es bleibt zum ewigen Andenken, daß vor allem die Basis, auf welcher das Heiligtum sich erhebt, in der ganz gleich zu würdigenden Hingebung der Gesamtheit in allen ihren Gliedern bestehe, auf dass auch das Ziel, die durchs Heiligtum zu gewinnende כפרה, der Gesamtheit in allen ihren Persönlichkeiten gelte: לכפר על נפשתיכם.

לבני ישראל לזכרון, “as a reminder for the Children of Israel.” Seeing that every Israelite has contributed to the making of the Tabernacle, it follows that every time I remember the Tabernacle, I will remember him.

ג׳ תרומות נאמרין בפרשה. Es sind somit drei Spenden in diesem Kapitel besprochen: zwei fixierte Halbschekelspenden und eine nicht normierte, deren Größe dem freien Willen eines jeden überlassen ist. Die eine fixierte (VV. 12 u. 16) war vorübergehend, durch das Bedürfnis einer Zählung bedingt; ihr Ertrag ward zu den Füßen der Wände und Säulen des Heiligtums verwendet. Die andere fixierte Halbschekelspende (V. 15) war eine regelmäßig jährliche Pflicht zur Bestreitung der Gesamtheitsopfer, קרבנות צבור, an welchen Reich und Arm denselben Anteil haben sollten, und die immer aus der neuen jährigen Erhebung zu bestreiten waren. Es waren dies die מחצית השקל-Spenden, die alljährlich im Adar erhoben wurden, damit, wie am ersten Nissan die erste Aufrichtung des Tempels war (Kap. 40, 17), also alljährlich mit dem ersten Nissan die Opfer aus der immer neu lebendig sich betätigenden Hingebung der Nation hervorgehen sollten. Diese Erhebung heißt: תרומת הלשכה. Die dritte hier besprochene Hebe (V. 14) war ebenfalls eine bleibende. Sie war jedoch keine normierte, sondern eine freiwillige, wie die erste Hebe zum Bau des Heiligtums (Kap. 25, 2f.), und hatte auch wie diese die Bestimmung zur Erhaltung des Tempelgebäudes; ihre Bestimmung hieß: קדשי בדק הבית. Es bildeten sich somit zwei getrennte Tempelkassen: תרומת הלשכה und קדשי בדק הבית. Die aus den jährlichen מחצית השקל-Spenden sich bildende תרומת הלשכה-Kasse kam immer ganz zur Verwendung, es konnte sich nichts darin ansammeln, sondern sie war jährlich neu zu bilden. In der ברק הבית-Kasse konnte sich ein Tempelschatz sammeln. Die Bestimmung der beiden Kassen ist höchst charakteristisch. Nur das Leblose, das Feste, das Gebäude des Tempels und dessen bauliches Zubehör, מזבח העולה הלשכות והעזרות, wurde aus dem בדק הבית-Schatze hergestellt und unterhalten, konnte somit durch die Freigebigkeit einzelner, durch die Hingebung früherer Zeiten für alle Zeiten sicher gestellt werden. Allein das Lebendige, das durch den Tempel zu weckende Leben, die Gesamtheitsopfer, sowie alles zur Verwirklichung des Gesetzes zu betreibende: הקטרת וכל קרבנות צבור ,מבקרי מומין ,תלמידי חכמים, המלמדין הל׳ שחיטה והל׳ קמיצה לכהנים ,מגיהי ספרים ,דייני גזלות ,שומרי ספיחים בשביעית וכו׳ wurde aus der תרומת הלשכה bestritten, sollte somit nur aus der immer aufs neue zu bewährenden lebendigen Teilnahme einer jeden zeitgenössischen Gegenwart der Nation hervorgehen, ja konnte nach der Auffassung des ראב׳׳ד nicht einmal subsidiarisch aus der בדק הבית-Kasse bestritten werden (הל' שקלים 4, 10. Siehe Komm. קרבן העדה zu Jeruschalmi Schekalim 5, Ende). In der תרומת הלשכה-Kasse konnte sich aber kein Fonds ansammeln, da alle etwaigen Überschüsse, מותר תרומת הלשכה, zu קיץ המזבתת d.h. zu עולות נדבה של צבור verwendet wurden.

לכפר על נפשותיכם, “to atone for your souls.” Some commentators claim that as long as the silver from this contribution remained in existence, there was no need to make another such contribution when a census would be taken. This is why no mention is made of a further contribution when the Israelites were counted once more in the 40th year after the debacle at Shittim, and Pinchas’ slaying the prince of Shimon, Zimri. (Numbers 25,13) By the time another census was taken some 400 years later in the time of David, this silver even if it still existed, could not be identified.

Durch den großen jährlichen Bedarf der halben Schekel waren dieselben sehr gesucht, und ließen sich die Geldwechsler für die Umwechselung ganzer in halbe Schekel ein Agio bezahlen, das קלבון hieß, und hatten daher zwei מחצית השקל-Pflichtige, die zusammen einen ganzen Schekel brachten, dieses Agio noch beizufügen. ( — Der Name קלבון bietet ein merkwürdiges Beispiel von Wanderschaft, der oft Worte unterliegen. Offenbar stammt das Wort aus dem Hebräischen, oder dem verwandten Phönizischen: חלף, wechseln, und lautete ursprünglich: חלפון. Die Griechen, zu denen dieses semitische Wort, wie noch manche andere kommerzielle Ausdrücke, z. B. άϱϱβων ערבון, wahrscheinlich durch Vermittlung der Phönizier gekommen, umwandelten es in ϗ,ολλυβος und in diesem griechischen Gewande kehrte es in die ursprüngliche hebräische Heimat als קלבון zurück. —)

Der שקל der תורה wog 320 Gerstenkörner. Während des zweiten Tempels wurde sein Gewicht zu 384, also um 1/5 erhöht. Ihm entspricht der סלע des Talmud. Ein סלע hatte: 4 דינרין, ein מעין 6 :דינר. Eine מעה hieß zu Mosche' Zeiten גרה. Ein מעה hatte 2 פונדיונין, ein איסרין 2 :פונדיון, ein פרוטות 8 :איסר, eine פרוטה wog 1/2 Gerstenkorn Silber. (Siehe Maim. הל' שקלים 1, 2, 3.)