Comentario sobre Exodo 36:42

ועשה בצלאל, and Betzalel carried out all the work, etc. How could the Torah report Betzalel as performing the work when it had not yet informed us that Moses had handed over to him all the donations, and (until verse six in this chapter) the people were still in the process of bringing their various gifts? We are forced to conclude that what the Torah tells us in this verse is that Betzalel and his helpers made all the preparations necessary to carry out the work as soon as the materials would be at hand. He prepared the proper tools. The meaning of the words את כל מלאכת is that they made the tools needed for the work. Different tools are required to perform work on metal, wood, stones and fabrics respectively. We are told in Shabbat 49 that all the 39 categories of work which are prohibited on the Sabbath were performed in connection with the construction of the Holy Tabernacle. It appears from the wording of the Torah that all these tools were prepared on the same day.

AND THEY TOOK FROM BEFORE MOSES ALL THE OFFERING. In one day they brought all this donation to the Tent of Meeting where Moses was,⁴⁵See above, 33:7. and the wise men took it from Moses on that very same day and on the following day, early in the morning. On the second day, too, the people still continued to bring the donation to Moses’ tent and he commanded them to bring it to the craftsmen, until they told him that the people bring much more;⁴⁶Verse 5. thus there was sufficient [for all the work to make it], and too much.⁴⁷Verse 7. The surplus, however, was not a sufficiently important amount to warrant Moses’ telling in the section of Eileh Pekudei what they did with it. Perhaps it remained in the tent to repair the breaches of the Tabernacle, or to make with it vessels used in the Tabernacle service, as they used to do with the surpluses in the Sanctuary.⁴⁸Shekalim 4:4. Scripture mentions, the people bring much more than enough,⁴⁶Verse 5. in order to praise the people who brought with such generosity, and to glorify the wise men for their honesty. The one who was in charge principally over them [namely Moses], also comes in for praise for having caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp⁴⁹Verse 6. that the people should stop bringing, telling us that he had no desire for their silver and gold, as do other rulers over peoples, in a similar way to that which it says, I have not taken one ass from them.⁵⁰Numbers 16:15.

והם הביאו אליו עוד נדבה בבוקר בבוקר, and they kept bringing further donations to him morning after morning. This refers to the materials used in the Tabernacle such as fabrics which had been woven or spun out of blue wool, goats' hair, etc. All the items which could not be used in their original form were delivered in a condition that enabled them to be used forthwith. This is why it took several days for such donations to have been completed. Donations such as gold, silver, etc., were all delivered on the very first day.

ויקחו מלפני משה, “They took from Moses’ presence, etc.” The people had brought their contributions to Moses’ tent from where the artisans had taken whatever it was they required on the day that he had received them. He had given orders immediately to transfer the various materials to the artisans qualified to convert them into parts for the Tabernacle. Upon receiving these contributions the artisans sent word to Moses immediately that they had received more than they needed for their part of the work. The Torah did not spell out the amount of the excess materials donated. It was not of historic significance for subsequent generations to know the margin by which the contributions to the Tabernacle had been oversubscribed. Neither was it historically interesting to record what had been done with the excess materials. Possibly, they were used in repairs from time to time, and possibly some materials were used as auxiliary sacred vessels.

Kap. 36. V. 3. מלפני משה: Mosche repräsentierte die nationale Gesamtheit. Ihm brachte jeder einzelne seine Spende. Dadurch מסרה לצבור, hatte er sie der Nation übergeben. Sie war fortan nicht mehr Privateigentum, sondern Eigentum der Nation, und nur aus nationalem Gute durfte das Heiligtum erbaut werden. (Siehe Kap. 25, 2.)

איש איש ממלאכתו, the Torah tells of the various kinds of craftsmen of the Israelites and the readiness of each to contribute his skills.

מדי העבדה means more than is sufficient for the needs of the work.

למלאכה אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותה. The donations of the people exceeded what was needed to perform the specific tasks which alone G’d had commanded to be performed. G’d wanted no additions, nor omissions. This is expressed by the words לעשות אותה בלבד, “to perform only this task alone.” This was different from the Temples built by Solomon and Herod.

מרבים העם להביא; the people were bringing too much. Why would it be such a bad thing for the Temple treasury to possess a good supply? We should not understand the artisans' comments as a complaint that too much raw material had been contributed; they complained that too much material such as fabrics already woven or embroidered had been brought. They were neither required nor likely to be safe against deterioration. This sentiment was expresseed in the words מרבים…מדי העבודה, more than could be put to use immediately. Further proof that our interpretation is correct may be seen in the proclamation to the people not to perform any more work designed to be used in the construction of the Sanctuary. Moses did not discourage donations of raw materials. When the Torah states that the people were prevented from bringing more materials and not from performing more work such as weaving fabrics, the reason is that Betzalel had no control over what people did within their tents.

מרבים העם להביא, “the people are bringing too many contributions.” The Torah records this fact in order to flatter the people who had contributed so generously, and in order to praise the honesty of the artisans who, instead of pocketing the excess received, drew attention to it and thus enhanced their reputation as being honest. The person in charge of counting all these contributions also deserves praise for preventing the people from bringing more than was needed, as he was not interested in accumulating the people’s gold and silver.

More than is. . . The מ [of מדי ] means “more than,” as in (Bereishis 29:30), “He loved Rochel more than Leah ( מלאה ).” Rashi adds the phrase, “What was needed for,” because the people brought only what was needed for the work, not the [completed] work itself.

V. 5. מדי העבדה למלאכה, wörtlich: mehr als die Ausführung der Aufgabe erfordert für das Werk, welches Gott geboten hat.

מדי העבודה, “than what is required for the work;” the prefix letter מ in this word is superfluous, just as in Psalms 119,99: מכל מלמדי השכלתי, “I have become wiser through all those who have taught me something.”.

ויכלא is an expression for withholding.

LET NEITHER MAN NOR WOMAN MAKE ANY MORE ‘MLACHAH’ (WORK). Money [and possessions] are called mlachah. Similarly: whether he have not put his hand ‘bimlecheth’ (the goods of) his neighbor;⁵¹Above, 22:7. according to the pace of ‘hamlachah’ (the cattle) that are before me;⁵²Genesis 33:14. ‘v’chol hamlachah’ (but everything) that was of no account and feeble, that they destroyed utterly.⁵³I Samuel 15:9. Thus the meaning of this verse is that they should not bring anything more for the sacred work. Scripture, however, states, Let them not make any more ‘mlachah’ [using the verb “to make”] in order to include therein the women, that they should no longer spin the goats’ hair.⁵⁴Above, 35:26. Thus even the act of bringing is here referred to as “making,” and [it was now Moses’ wish] to restrain them altogether [from bringing more donations, and from making any work in their homes, as explained].

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה לתרומת הקדש, he did not proclaim that no more donations should be brought. But he did proclaim that no more work, such as spinning, weaving, etc, intended for materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle should be begun. Also timber which had been brought in the correct dimensions with the carved parts should not be brought anymore. Compare 35,24 which discusses the need of treatment of both skins and trees.

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה. Seeing that the women had done the spinning in their homes, as we know from 35,25 “they brought, etc.” [the author explains the use of indirect word יעשו instead of תעשו i.e. that Moses did not address the women directly. Ed.]

איש ואשה אל יעשו עוד מלאכה, “man and woman shall not do more work;” in this instance, as in some others, the word מלאכה refers to money. Another example of this meaning comes to mind in Exodus 22,7 where the words אם לא שלח ידו במלאכת רעהו mean “that he had not laid a hand on his fellow man’s money (possessions).” In this instance, the women were also stopped from spinning and weaving materials for use in the coverings of the Tabernacle.

V. 6. איש ואשה אל יעשו עוד מלאכה וגו׳ ויכלא העם מהביא, hier wird somit das Bringen aus dem Privatgebiet in das Gebiet der Gesamtheit מלאכה genannt und darin Schabbat 96 b der Nachweis gelehrt, dass הוצאה unter den Begriff der am Schabbat verpönten מלאכה fällt. Siehe תוספו׳ daselbst.

ויעבירו קול במחנה, “they sounded a proclamation throughout the camp;” this could have been expressed with one word, i.e.: ויכריזו. This is why our sages derived from this that it is forbidden on the Sabbath to carry something from one domain to another. They used the apparently superfluous word ויעבירו, and compared it to the same word in Leviticus 25,9: והעברת שופר תרועה, “you shall make a proclamation by means of a shofar, followed by the word תעבירו in the same sentence.” [in the Jubilee year. Ed.] Just as carrying is prohibited on the Day of Atonement, (a day also known as שבת שבתון) so it is prohibited on any other day called Sabbath

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה, “let them not perform any more work, etc.;” we know the meaning of the word מלאכה here, because the Torah continues with: ויכלא העם מהביא, “the people were stopped from bringing more.” In other words: מלאכה=הבאה.

והמלאכה היתה דים (lit., and the work was their sufficiency — was enough for them — for all the work) — this means the work of contributing was the sufficiency of (was enough for) the workers at the Tabernacle, for all the work connected with the Tabernacle to make it and even to leave some over.

והמלאכה היתה דים, the work performed by volunteers for all spheres of the artisanship and craftsmanship required was adequate for the needs of the project

דים…והותר, sufficient and too much. How could there be "too much" and "sufficient" at the same time? There seems to be something contradictory here. Why did the Torah have to mention that "the work was sufficient" at all? The Torah only needed to inform us that the requirements for the Holy Tabernacle were oversubscribed! Besides, the entire verse seems superfluous as we have already been told in verse five that the people brought more than was required and had to be restrained. Obviously, such a statement had to be based on the quantities having already been either counted, weighed or measured!

דים, the letter ם at the end is an addition similar to ריק and ריקם. We explained this on Exodus 8,13 with the word כנם.

The work of bringing was sufficient . . . Rashi is explaining that the first המלאכה in the verse refers to bringing the donations, and the second, to the actual work of the mishkon. [Rashi knows this] because if it means the same thing [both times] there is no reason for המלאכה to be mentioned again! Also, [Rashi is explaining that] the suffix of דים refers to the workers.

V. 7. והמלאכה, das vom Volk geübte Werk, d.i. das Gebrachte (siehe V. 6) war ihnen, den das Heiligtum verfertigenden Kräften, ausreichend. והותר steht im Zusammenhange mit לעשות אותה, so viel als ולהותר: es war hinreichend, um alles Werk auszuführen und noch übrig zu lassen, oder es steht aoristisch für והותירו: und sie ließen noch übrig. Ob vielleicht der Ausdruck deshalb aktiv gewählt und durch den satztrennenden Akzent zu einem selbständigen Satze gebildet ist, um den Schekalim Kap. 2, 5 für מותר קדשי מזבח und מותר צדקה ausgesprochenen Grundsatz, dass auch das für einen bestimmten Zweck ursprünglich Geweihte, aber als überschüssig Übriggebliebene, geweiht und einem analogen Zwecke zur Verwendung bleibt, auch für קדשי בדק הבית statuiert anzudeuten, dass nämlich das Überschüssige nicht נותר, nicht zurückgeblieben und als nicht in die Weihe eingegangen zu betrachten sei, sondern הותר, von den Vertretern des Heiligtums für das Heiligtum in Empfang genommen und nur von diesen nicht zur Verwendung gebracht worden war, wollen wir nur fragend andeuten.

והותר is an infinitive similar to, (Exodus 8:11) “[But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite] he allowed his heart to be hardened (והכבד‎)”; (2 Kings 3:24) “and they smote (והכות) Moab” (infinitives used in perfect sense).

לכל המלאכה, for every manner of work required.

As in “( והכבד ) to harden his heart” . . . Rashi is answering the question: Does והותר , [which is in the imperative,] not imply that it is a mitzvah to leave over? But this is not so; there is no such mitzvah. Therefore Rashi explains that it conveys ולְהוֹתִיר , [in the infinitive], and that there are other such words [in the infinitive which are] missing a ל , such as והכבד , [meaning] ולְהַכְבִד , and והכות , [meaning] ולְהַכוֹת .

Perhaps the Torah wished to tell us that G'd's fondness for the Jewish people increased as a result of the oversubscription of the materials needed for G'd's Sanctuary. As an act of recognition, G'd miraculously absorbed all these donations and they were used in the Tabernacle, i.e. דים, they were sufficient, none was rejected, i.e. remained unused. The word דים refers to המלאכה, the finished work was all used, though והותר, the raw material contained therein seemed quite excessive. There was a miracle which reconciled the paradox which the report of the Torah implies. Alternatively, the Torah means that the ready-made work which the people contributed appeared to be adequate, whereas in terms of the raw materials used it was actually excessive. It required a miracle for nothing to remain as "left-over."

לעשות אותה והותר, in order to complete the work, and more. The craftsmen did not have to skimp on anything for fear that there would not be sufficient materials of the required quality to execute the plan in the best possible fashion.

AND EVERY WISE-HEARTED MAN AMONG THEM THAT WROUGHT THE WORK, MADE THE TABERNACLE OF TEN CURTAINS. The Torah has repeated the [description of the] work of the Tabernacle five times.⁵⁵1. When commanding to make it — designating each part specifically [in the section of Terumah — Chapters 25-27, and in parts of Tetzaveh]. 2. In a general way [in the section of Ki Thisa — 31:6-11]. 3. At the time of the actual making thereof — in a general way [at the beginning of this section — 35:10-19]. 4. Specifically at the time of construction. For even though this is not mentioned expressly, yet Moses surely told them details, such as that the curtains should be of such and such a length, etc., as will be explained by Ramban further on. 5. The specific account of how each part was made [beginning with our verse here]. It mentions the whole of it at the time of the command in detail, and in general terms. First it says, “and you shall make it thus,” “and you shall make it thus,” and then it mentioned all things in a general way, and they will make all that I have commanded thee: the Tent of Meeting, and the ark of the Testimony,⁵⁶Above, 31:6-7. — This is the second time it is mentioned (see above, Note 55). until according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.⁵⁷Ibid., Verse 11. The reason [why the command is repeated in a general way], is that G-d commanded Moses that he should tell Bezalel and Oholiab and all the wise men about the work in general terms, and only afterwards should they begin to do it, for they would not be suited for the sacred work until they had heard the scope of the whole undertaking and understood it all, and only then could they accept it upon themselves, when they know how to finish it. At the time of its actual construction he described it to them first in the general way as mentioned here, saying, let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that the Eternal hath commanded: the Tabernacle, its tent, etc.⁵⁸Ibid., 35:10-11. This is the third time (see Note 55). The statement of the details is, however, missing here; for surely Moses had to say to the wise men who did the work: “make the Tabernacle of ten curtains, each curtain of such-and-such a length and such-and-such a width,” and so on with the whole work. This procedure [of Moses’ telling the workers the exact details of the measurements] Scripture does not mention, for it is understood that he told them everything in order, since they made each part exactly as prescribed. And the reason why Scripture does not mention it is that it was not necessary for Moses to go with them into the smallest details as they are mentioned at the command and the construction; instead, he told it to them briefly, as if to say that they should make the Tabernacle of ten curtains, five opposite five, and they themselves understood that they had to make loops corresponding to clasps of gold in order to couple the curtains together. Similarly with the rest of the work, he hinted to them the matter in brief, and they understood everything. It is for this reason that Scripture does not dwell at length on this detail [of Moses’ instruction to the workers], since its hints [at the same time] at their wisdom, understanding, and good sense. After this Scripture describes again the whole work in a specific way as at first, stating, And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work made the Tabernacle; and he made curtains of goats’ hair;⁵⁹Further, Verse 14. and he made the boards etc.⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 20.
Now it would have been sufficient in this whole subject for Scripture to have said, “and Moses told the whole congregation of the children of Israel all the work which G-d had commanded him,” and then say, “and the children of Israel did according to all that the Eternal had commanded Moses,⁶¹Ibid., 39:42. so did they. And Moses saw all the work, and behold they had done it, as the Eternal had commanded, even so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.”⁶²Ibid., Verse 43. Scripture, however, wanted to state that Moses mentioned to the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the wise men who were there all the work in general, for he intended thereby to stir the people to donate sufficiently for the large work, and in order also that the wise men should hear [the entire scope of the work] and would know if they could undertake to do everything as he had been commanded. Then Scripture mentions in detail the whole work in order to tell us that all the wise men worked on the Tabernacle. It is with reference to this that Scripture states here, And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work made the Tabernacle of ten curtains. The verses stating, and he made curtains of goats’ hair,⁵⁹Further, Verse 14. and he made the boards,⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 20. mean: “and every wise-hearted man made the curtains of goats’ hair,” [not Bezalel alone].
In the case of the ark, however, Scripture mentions specifically, and Bezalel made the ark,⁶³Ibid., 37:1. in order to say that the greatest craftsman amongst them made the ark alone. The reason for this is because he was filled with the spirit of G-d, in wisdom, and understanding, and in knowledge,⁶⁴Above, 31:3. so that he could contemplate its meaning and make it with the proper intention. For in the actual making of the ark there was no great craftsmanship entailed, there being amongst the other work things which required greater skill than that of the ark. [Hence we must conclude that Bezalel was required to make the ark on account of its great significance.]
Then Scripture again states without elaboration, and he made the table,⁶⁵Further, 37:10. and he made the candelabrum.⁶⁶Ibid., Verse 17. In the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra,⁶³Ibid., 37:1. this alludes to Bezalel who made all the sacred vessels. But this is not my opinion, for in the case of the court of the Tabernacle it likewise says, and he made the court.⁶⁷Ibid., 38:9. And it would not be reasonable to say that Bezalel alone made the court. Rather, this refers back to every wise-hearted man as mentioned in the making of the Tabernacle.⁶⁸Mentioned here in the verse before us (36:8), and as explained above.
After Scripture completed the account of the construction of the Tabernacle in general and particular terms, it mentions their bringing it to Moses in a general way, stating, And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its vessels etc.,⁶⁹Further, 39:33. in order to tell of their wisdom, in that they brought everything in order and no one brought his work to Moses until the whole work had been completed, as Scripture says, Thus was finished all the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.⁷⁰Ibid., Verse 32. After it was finished they all gathered and showed it to Moses in order, saying at first: “Our Rabbi, here is the Tent and there are its vessels,” and afterwards they said, “Here is the ark and here are its staves,” and so on with everything.
Now [in this whole section of Vayakheil] Scripture does not state that the Tabernacle and its vessels were made “as the Eternal commanded Moses.” But in the next section of Eileh Pekudei, with reference to the garments of priesthood, it mentions such a statement at each item. The reason for this is that the whole work of the Tabernacle is included in the verse mentioned at the end, And Bezalel the son of Uri… made all that the Eternal commanded Moses.⁷¹Ibid., 38:22. Perhaps it is because of the change of the order, as our Rabbis have mentioned.⁷²Berachoth 55a. Moses told Bezalel to make “the ark, vessels and the Tabernacle.” But Bezalel said to him, “It is the way of the world first to build a house and then to place in it its various utensils. Perhaps G-d told you to make the Tabernacle, and then the ark and vessels.” Moses consented, and Bezalel made them in this order.
In general, then, all this repetition in the account of the Tabernacle is a sign of love and distinction, showing that G-d desires the work, and He mentions it in His Torah many times in order to increase the reward of those who engage themselves in its study. This is similar to what the Rabbis have said in the Midrash:⁷³Bereshith Rabbah 60:11. “The ordinary conversation of the servants of the patriarchs’ homes is more pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, than even the Torah-discourses of their children, for the section about Eliezer [as he recounts his journey],⁷⁴Genesis 24:34-48. comprises two or three columns in the Torah, [whereas many important principles of the Torah are derived from only slight references in the text].”

ויעשו כל חכם לב בעושי המלאכה, the most qualified among them built the Tabernacle (components) which involved weaving shapes of figures into the cloth so that they could be seen both on the outside and on the inside. (compare Yuma 72) These “curtains” were not thick as was the dividing curtain, פרכת. This portion repeats everything that has already been mentioned in connection with the instructions in Parshat Terumah. The reason why the Torah repeated all this is to inform us that when it came to the execution of the project they did everything so as to correspond to G’d’s will and to bring it to conclusion and make it functional as G’d desired. הארון, seeing that the Ark was the most distinguished of the furnishings of the Tabernacle, Betzalel, the master craftsman and architect fashioned this item personally. The sages say of Betzalel that he was capable of using the letters of the alphabet of the Holy Tongue in a manner similar to the way G’d had used them when creating the universe. (compare Berachot 55)

ויעשו כל חכם לב, Every wise-hearted man (employed for that task) made the Tabernacle, etc. The reason that the word עשה "he made" is used at the end of the verse though many artisans were involved in the construction, indicates that the work was performed as if only a single individual had made it all. The miraculous feature was that the normal minor discrepancies between how different artisans perform the same type of work could not be noticed in the completed product though that product was a composite to which many people had contributed their skills. This is how we can explain the repeated use by the Torah of the singular when speaking of a number of people who performed work. The singular used by the Torah again and again cannot refer to Betzalel as he obviously did not perform all this work himself. The fact that the Torah mentioned in 37,1 that Betzalel made the Holy Ark is proof that he did not make everything else. The reason the completed Tabernacle appeared as the work of a single artisan was that G'd inspired the various artisans in the manner in which they carried out their assignments. They did not strive to display the artist's normal individuality but strove to be part of a team.

ויעשו כל חכם לב; first they fashioned the Tabernacle itself; after that they made the furnishings, etc., as I explained on Exodus 25,10.

ויעשו כל חכם לב, ”the wise-hearted among those doing the work, etc.” Nachmanides writes that the Torah repeats the expression מלאכת המשכן no fewer than five times during the stage where the carrying out of these instructions is described. In two instances the operative instruction is in the singular mode ועשית, i.e. 25,23 and In 25,10 the Torah uses the plural mode, indirect speech, i.e. ועשו, whereas in 31, 6-7 the plural mode indirect speech is used again although the directive is addressed primarily to Oholiov. The reason for all this is that initially, Moses, at the command of G’d, instructed the main architects and supervisors of the work, Betzalel and Oholiov, respectively, whereas these two experts instructed the various artisans working under them in their individual duties. None of these workers had become capable of performing these tasks until the holy spirit had descended on Betzalel through his being instructed and charged by Moses, personally. In chapter 35 the directive to make coverings as a portable roof for the Tabernacle was given, but only at this stage some details such as the need to make 10 carpet-like coverings, and the length and width of each of these, were revealed. As a general rule, although Moses had received detailed instructions in chapter 25-27, all the details were revealed to the people concerned as and when the time had come to commence work on them. The artisans already understood that in order to link two large carpets such as described one to another, they had to fashion loops and clasps in order to join them in such a fashion that they could easily dismantle the structure. The artisans had been granted sufficient insights by G’d to enable them to spontaneously attend to the details described in Parshat Terumah and Tetzaveh. When the Torah in chapter 36,8 first mentions ויעשו in the plural mode, this includes all the people previously described as חכם לב, “wise-hearted.” The subsequent use of the singular mode ויעש, describes individuals of this group of artisans fashioning certain parts of the project. When, in chapter 37,1 the Torah attributes certain furnishings as having been made by Betzalel, mentioning him by name, the Torah tells us that the work of making these furnishings required additional skill, skills not possessed by the חכמי לב. After all, he had been described as מלא רוח אלוקים, “filled with the spirit of G’d.” However, the Torah then reverts to the anonymous ויעש, in order for us to understand that he word ויעש, “he fashioned,” refers to one of the artisans filled with חכמת הלב in the paragraphs dealing with the fashioning of the Table and the Menorah, the golden altar and the copper altar, as well as the basin and the courtyard in all its details. Ibn Ezra, on the other hand, is of the opinion that the “anonymous” ויעש continues to describe work performed by Betzalel personally, so that that all the sacred vessels would have been attributed to him by the Torah. Nachmanides does not agree, pointing out that the same word ויעש in 38,10 introduces the construction of the courtyard around the Tabernacle, and it is most unlikely that this part of the project required the kind of holy spirit possessed only by Betzalel. The Torah, at that point or even earlier, reverts to the people endowed “only” with חכמת לב. Just as the actual making of all these components of the project “Tabernacle” are described both in general terms as well as in its specifics, the presentation of the work to Moses is also described both in general terms as in specific terms, i.e. only the finished product was brought to Moses. It is noteworthy that during the report of the construction of the Tabernacle and its auxiliaries, we do not find the recurring sentence כאשר צוה ה' את משה, “as Hashem had commanded Moses,” whereas in Parshat Pekudey, in connection with the garments of the Priests, this sentence recurs no fewer than eight times. The reason, presumably, is that when constructing the Tabernacle the Torah sums it all up in the 38,22 when the Torah writes that “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur, had completed all that G’d had commanded Moses.” It is possible that the reason why the Torah repeats these matters in different ways is due to changes in the order of construction having taken place. The Torah, i.e. G’d, wanted to signal that in spite of Betzalel having changed the order in which the Tabernacle and the furnishings respectively were constructed, G’d had approved the changes so that whatever he had done was considered as complying with what “G’d had commanded Moses.”

V. 8 ff. Vergegenwärtigen wir uns, dass das ganze Heiligtum in allen seinen einzelnen Teilen symbolische Bedeutung haben sollte, dass aber kein Objekt als Symbol dastehen kann, wenn es nicht mit Absicht für diesen symbolischen Zweck bestimmt und hergestellt ist; vergegenwärtigen wir uns, dass selbst die Schrift, doch wie wir meinen sollten, so sehr symbolischer Natur, dass sie an sich gar keine andere Bedeutung zulässt und von selbst ihre Bedeutung in sich trägt, gleichwohl in ihrer heiligsten Anwendung von der mit den Schriftzeichen von dem Schreiber verbundenen Absicht bedingt ist, so dass ein ספר תורה nur dann קדושת ספר תורה hat, wenn es mit Absicht לשם קדושת ס׳׳ת geschrieben worden, ja, hinsichtlich der Gottesnamen, אזכרות, die Absicht, diese Schriftzeichen zum Ausdruck der Gottesnamen, לשם קדושת השם, zu schreiben, beim Schreiben einer jeden אזכרה wiederholt ausgesprochen, mindestens dem Geiste des Schreibenden gegenwärtig gewesen sein muss, und der Sinn, den der Schreibende mit den von ihm gemalten Schriftzügen verbindet, so sehr die Bedeutung derselben bedingt, dass sogar ס׳׳ת von welchem der Charakter und die Sinnesart ,ס׳׳ת dass sogar ein ,שכתבו מין ישרף des Schreibers voraussetzen lassen, er habe die von ihm geschriebenen Gottesnamen in einem der göttlichen Wahrheit entgegengesetzten Sinne לשם עבודה זרה geschrieben, geradezu zu verbrennen ist — siehe Joreh Dea 274, 1, 276, 2 u. 284, 1 —; vergegenwärtigen wir uns, dass die Vergegenwärtigung der symbolischen Bedeutung bei Anfertigung von Gegenständen, wie diejenigen, aus welchen das Heiligtum bestand, um so notwendiger die ganze Wirklichkeit der symbolischen Bedeutung derselben bedingen dürfte, je mehr dies alles Gegenstände waren, die, wie Kasten, Tisch, Leuchter, Teppiche, Kleider usw. sonst in ganz gewöhnlicher, konkreter Bedeutung dastehen: so dürften uns diese Erwägungen wohl begreiflich erscheinen lassen, weshalb hier nun von Kap. 36, 8 bis Kap. 39, 32 die Anfertigung des Heiligtums nochmals in vollen Details, die wir bereits aus der Anordnung kennen, angeführt wird, sodann Kap. 39, 33 — 43 bei der Ablieferung nochmals alle einzelnen Stücke genannt, und ebenso Kap. 40, die Aufrichtung wiederholt in allen einzelnen Teilen berichtet wird, und sich nicht die Schrift einfach damit begnügt, zu erzählen: die Künstler und Werkmeister verfertigten alles nach Vorschrift, brachten es Mosche, und Mosche stellte das Heiligtum auf, wie ihm geboten war. Irren wir nicht, so soll uns mit dieser Ausführlichkeit gesagt sein, dass sowohl bei der Anfertigung, als bei der Ablieferung und endlich bei der Aufstellung den Künstlern und Mosche die heilige und symbolische Bestimmung bei jedem einzelnen der das Ganze konstituierenden Teile gegenwärtig und das Ganze und Einzelne in dem Sinne dieser Bestimmung angefertigt, gehandhabt und aufgestellt worden, und so durch Geist und Sinn der Herstellung dem Hergestellten Charakter und Bedeutung vindiziert war.

את המשכן, עשר יריעות, the inner curtains serving as the ceiling of the Tabernacle, ten each; they were the first parts of the Tabernacle to be constructed. This was followed by the structure itself, over which these curtains were spread, the structure being the most important part, they being the most beloved part. Following this, all the furnishings of the Tabernacle, inside and outside were constructed. This was followed by making the hanging curtains of the courtyard around it.

חכם לב בעשי המלאכה, of wise heart when performing the work. Perhaps the reason the Torah appears to repeat itself is that it wishes to teach us that the artisans became "wise-hearted" thanks to their being engaged in their sacred task.

עשה אתם, der Singular hier und in dem folgenden bezieht sich wohl auf Bezalel, dem die Oberleitung des ganzen Werkes übertragen war. Wir haben schon zu Kap. 32, 35. angemerkt, wie durch עשה nicht nur das unmittelbare Schaffen, sondern auch die anordnende, gebietende und leitende Urheberschaft eines Werkes ausgedrückt wird.

כרובים מעשה חושב, “cherublike figures skillfully woven into the fabric by human hands”. When the Torah describes the ten curtain like carpets forming the lowest of the four layers of the Tabernacle’s “roof,” figures which were visible to people allowed into the Sanctuary, the Torah added the words: מעשה אדם, “made by man.” The other eleven carpets above the first ten, which were not seen by anyone, did not have any such pictures woven into them, as who would be there to appreciate them?

ויעשו, They constructed, etc. The reason that the Torah troubled itself to repeat all these details instead of summarising them by saying: "he did in accordance with all that G'd had commanded him," may be explained in the same way as Bereshit Rabbah explained that the Torah repeated the story of Eliezer at the well (Genesis chapter 24) as an expression of appreciation of how Abraham's servant carried out his mission. The same reasoning may be applied to the way Betzalel carried out his task in our portion.

ויעש יריעות עזים, “he made curtains of goats’ hair. This was the first thing constructed of all the parts of the Tabernacle”, in order that they shall be ready to act as roofing over the Tabernacle when its boards would be complete. The Tabernacle was not to stand a single hour without covering (roofing). The second item to be constructed was these boards (which acted as walls.) They had to be next so that the furnishings, especially the Holy Ark could be brought inside. The Holy Ark was not to be left outside for even an hour.

V. 17. החברת השנית, da es nicht בחברת השנית heißt, so glauben wir חברת nicht als Substantiv, sondern als Partic. praes. zu היריעה nehmen zu müssen. Vielleicht jedoch bezieht sich שפת auf beides, und wäre dann zu übersetzen: an den Teppichsaum der zweiten Verbindung.

והיו תואמים ויחדו יהיו תמים, ”they would match twin like, exactly at the bottom, and join together into a ring at the top (so that they will be eight);” the verse is to be understood as follows: the word יהיו next to the word יחדו is to be understood as in the present tense as in Exodus 18,26: יביאון אל משה “they would bring to Moses,“ or as at the end of that verse: ישפוטון הן, “they would judge.” The author cites more such examples of words sounding as if in the future tense really describing the present tense.

ויעש לה ארבעה עמודי שטים, “he made for it (the dividing curtain) four pillars of acacia wood.” We have explained already on Parshat Trumah 26,32, why the pillars for the dividing curtain and the pillars at the entrance to the Tabernacle were required, and their respective numbers.

וצפה ראשיהם וחשוקיהם זהב, “and he overlaid their tops and their fillets with gold.” According to Rashi’s commentary on Parshat Pekudey, Betzalel divined some matters which even his teacher Moses had not instructed him in.37, 27. על שתי צלעותיו על שני צדיו, “upon the two ribs thereof, on the two sides thereof.” There is some duplication of words here.