Midrash sobre Exodo 35:36

(Exod. 35:1:) THEN MOSES ASSEMBLED…. (Exod. 35:30:) AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED <BEZALEL…> BY NAME. This text is related (to Eccl. 7:1): A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOOD OIL; for in the case of good oil, how far does its fragrance travel?¹Exod. R. 48:1; Eccl. R. 7:1:1; M. Sam. 23; Parashiyyot miMidrash Tanhuma K.Y., in A. Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch (Leipzig: C.W. Vollrath, 1853–77, vol. 6, pp. 104–05. One or two miles?²Lat.: mille. But a good name travels the earth from one end to the other. Ergo (in Eccl. 7:1): A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOOD OIL.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel: “See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri” (Exod. 35:30). May it please our masters to teach us: How far must a person go to eliminate mixed materials (shatnez)?¹A biblical injunction prohibiting the wearing of a garment made of wool and linen. The law also proscribes the planting of heterogeneous plants in the same field. R. Simeon the son of Yohai concluded from the verse Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together (Lev. 19:19) that a man is prohibited from donning an outer garment of mixed material even though he puts it on over a hundred other garments. However, if he should put it on beneath his other garments, without the mixed material touching his body, he is permitted to do so, for it is said: Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together. The words upon thee signify that it may not be worn as an outer garment but that it may be placed underneath (i.e. closer to the body). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Keep My commandments and My statues. Why? Because the consequence of a good deed is another good deed, but the result of committing a sin is another sin. Ben Azzai stated that one good deed results in another good deed, and one sin produces another sin. R. Meir said: For every good deed a man performs, an angel is assigned to watch over him. If he does one good deed, one angel is assigned to him, and if he performs many good deeds, many angels are assigned to him, as it is said: For he will give His angels charge over thee (Ps. 91:11). Every time a man increases the number of good deeds he performs, he adds to his good name. You find that a man is known by three names: the name by which his father and mother call him, the name by which other men call him, and the one he earns for himself; the most important name is the one he earns for himself.²His good deeds are apparent to all.

(Exod. 35:1:) THEN MOSES ASSEMBLED…. (Exod. 35:30:) AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED <BEZALEL…> BY NAME. This text is related (to Eccl. 7:1): A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOOD OIL; for in the case of good oil, how far does its fragrance travel?¹Exod. R. 48:1; Eccl. R. 7:1:1; M. Sam. 23; Parashiyyot miMidrash Tanhuma K.Y., in A. Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch (Leipzig: C.W. Vollrath, 1853–77, vol. 6, pp. 104–05. One or two miles?²Lat.: mille. But a good name travels the earth from one end to the other. Ergo (in Eccl. 7:1): A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOOD OIL.

Another interpretation (of Eccl. 7:1): A GOOD NAME <IS BETTER THAN GOOD OIL>. The name of Bezalel was better THAN GOOD OIL. Why? Because the scriptural verse has proclaimed⁷PRSM. Cf. the Greek word parresia, which means “boldness of speech.” it, where it is stated (in Exod. 35:30); AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL <…> BY NAME

[(Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL <…> BY NAME.] This text is related (to Is. 40:25–26): THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME THAT I SHOULD BE EQUAL? SAYS THE HOLY ONE. LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH <AND SEE: WHO CREATED THESE? >…. The Holy One said: THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME? If <a person of> flesh and blood is walking in the darkness, when someone comes and gives him light, should he not be grateful to him?⁸Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:2. Now you are asleep at night when I cause the light to rise for you. Should you not be grateful to me? (Is. 40:26:) LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH <AND SEE; WHO CREATED THESE?>…. By virtue of what do they stand? THESE (in Gen. 2:4:): THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH?⁹These words would be more commonly rendered: THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. By virtue of THESE (in Exod. 1:1): THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.¹⁰These words would be more commonly rendered: NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. And these are by virtue of whom? By virtue of THESE (in Deut. 4:45): THE TESTIMONIES, THE STATUTES, AND THE JUDGMENTS.¹¹The words would be more commonly rendered: THESE ARE THE TESTIMONIES, THE STATUTES, AND THE JUDGMENTS.

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). Wisdom is mentioned, despite the fact that he had been endowed previously with wisdom, to teach us that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not grant wisdom to anyone unless he already possesses some wisdom. A lady asked R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “What is meant by He giveth wisdom to the wise (Dan. 2:21)? Should not the verse say ‘He giveth wisdom to the fool’?” He replied: “My daughter, if two men came to you to borrow money, one of them being poor and the other rich, to whom would you lend the money?” She answered: “I would lend the money to the rich man, of course.” “Why?” he asked. And she replied: “If the rich man should suffer a loss, he would still have sufficient money to repay me, but if the poor man lost my money, how could he possibly repay me?” He said to her: “Let your ears hear what your lips have said. If the Holy One, blessed be He, gave wisdom to fools, they would still sit in privies, in filthy alleys, and in bathhouses, and would not put the wisdom to use. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, gives wisdom to the wise, who sit in the chambers of the elders, in synagogues, and in house of study, and they utilize that wisdom.” Therefore it is written: He hath filled him with wisdom (Exod. 35:35).

And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). Wisdom is mentioned, despite the fact that he had been endowed previously with wisdom, to teach us that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not grant wisdom to anyone unless he already possesses some wisdom. A lady asked R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “What is meant by He giveth wisdom to the wise (Dan. 2:21)? Should not the verse say ‘He giveth wisdom to the fool’?” He replied: “My daughter, if two men came to you to borrow money, one of them being poor and the other rich, to whom would you lend the money?” She answered: “I would lend the money to the rich man, of course.” “Why?” he asked. And she replied: “If the rich man should suffer a loss, he would still have sufficient money to repay me, but if the poor man lost my money, how could he possibly repay me?” He said to her: “Let your ears hear what your lips have said. If the Holy One, blessed be He, gave wisdom to fools, they would still sit in privies, in filthy alleys, and in bathhouses, and would not put the wisdom to use. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, gives wisdom to the wise, who sit in the chambers of the elders, in synagogues, and in house of study, and they utilize that wisdom.” Therefore it is written: He hath filled him with wisdom (Exod. 35:35).

[(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE]. This text is related (to II Kings 12:16 [15]): AND THEY DID NOT ASK AN ACCOUNTING FROM THE ONES INTO WHOSE HANDS THEY GAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE TO THOSE DOING THE WORK, BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. This is the generation of King Joash, which did act in good faith.²Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:2. Our masters have taught: Whoever entered the Temple treasury to make a withdrawal did not enter in a hemmed tunic³Gk.: paragaudes (“purple-bordered garment”); Lat.: paragauda (“laced garment”). or with a money girdle,⁴Lat.: funda (“moneybag”). for if he became wealthy, they would say he became rich from what belonged to the Temple treasury.⁵Cf. Sheq. 3:2; Yev. 102b. Thus a person must satisfy the people just as he satisfies Heaven, as stated (in Numb. 32:22): SO YOU SHALL BE BLAMELESS BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE ISRAEL…. Now Moses was sole treasurer over the business of the Tabernacle. When the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 25:8): MAKE ME A SANCTUARY, Moses said to all the children of Israel (in Exod. 35:4–5): THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HAS COMMANDED <…:> TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING…. R. Johanan said: In two mornings they brought < building materials > for the whole Tabernacle, so that they had more than enough.⁶For R. Johanan’s reasoning, see above, 7:3, and the note there. (Exod. 36:6–7:) THEN MOSES COMMANDED, AND THEY HAD IT PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE CAMP…: FOR THEY HAD SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES…. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, We have done all the work for the Tabernacle, and we have more than enough. What shall we do with the surplus? He said to them: Go and make a tabernacle for the commandments. He went and made a tabernacle for the commandments. When he came to give the accounting, he said to them (i.e., to the Israelites) thus and so was spent for the <actual> Tabernacle, and with the rest I made a tabernacle for the testimony. It is so stated (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. What is the meaning of TABERNACLE (MShKN), TABERNACLE (MShKN), <with the word repeated> two times?⁷Exod. R. 51:3. R. {Simeon} [Samuel] said: It was mortgaged (NTMShKN) two times for them.⁸The two mortgages are the two destructions of the Temple, when the Holy One took it in pledge for payment of Israel’s sins. So Exod. R. 31:10. R. Ishmael said: This < usage > is a sign⁹Gk.: semeion. for all who come into the world that there is only forgiveness for Israel alone.¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6; Exod. R. 51:4. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY is testimony for all who come into the world that the Holy One has been reconciled with Israel. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her excessively. He became angry with her and left her. Her woman neighbors said to her: He will not return to you. After some days the king was reconciled to her and entered his palace¹¹Lat.: palatium; Gk.: palation. [with her], where he ate and drank. Now her neighbors would not believe that he had been reconciled to her; but when there was an aroma in the heavens over her, they immediately knew that the king had been reconciled to her. Similarly the Holy One loved Israel, brought them to Mount Sinai, gave them the Torah, and called them kings (in Exod. 19:6). At the end of forty days they made the calf and said (in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. In that hour the peoples of the world said: The Holy One will never again be reconciled to them. When Moses arose and prayed for them, the Holy One said to him (in Numb. 14:20): I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED.¹²Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105. And not only that but I have had my Divine Presence dwell over them and among them, so that everyone may know that I have forgiven them. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY [THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG YOU].

R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth? Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself. How is that so? Concerning the first day, it is written: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1), and it is written elsewhere: Who stretched out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2), and concerning the Tabernacle it is written: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7). About the second day of creation it states: Let there be a firmament and divide between them, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Gen. 1:6). About the Tabernacle it is written: And the veil shall divide between you (Exod. 26:33). With regard to the third day it states: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered (Gen. 1:9). With reference to the Tabernacle it is written: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass … and thou shalt put water therein (Exod. 30:18). On the fourth day he created light, as is stated: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen. 1:14), and concerning the Tabernacle it is said: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Exod. 25:31). On the fifth day He created birds, as it is said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly above the earth (Gen. 1:20), and with reference to the Tabernacle. He directed them to offer sacrifices of lambs and birds, and it says as well: And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high (Exod. 25:20). On the sixth day he created man, as it is said: And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him (Gen. 1:27), and about the Tabernacle it is written: A man who is a high priest who has been anointed to serve and to minister before God.³You write that this is not a direct quote from the Bible. On the seventh day The heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and with regard to the Tabernacle it is written: Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1). Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness in behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).

Another interpretation (of Is. 40:26): HE CALLS THEM ALL BY NAME. So it is for above. Where is it shown for below? Where it is stated (in Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED <BEZALEL…> BY NAME.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel: “See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel” (Exod. 35:30). Scripture states elsewhere: So shalt thou find grace and favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). How is this so? At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses on the mountain about the construction of the Sanctuary, He revealed to him every vessel that was to be made for the Sanctuary and how to make it, as it is said: And see that thou make them after their pattern (Exod. 25:40). Moses believed that he was to build the Sanctuary, since He had said to him: Thou shalt make the staves, thou shalt make a table, thou shalt make an altar, thou shalt make an ark-cover, and thou shalt make a basin. He told him all about the implements that were to be in the Sanctuary. After He had mentioned every item, Moses said: Master of the Universe, who will do all this? He replied: I have called by name, Bezalel.

For example, Bezalel, who built the ark, was extolled before the Holy One, blessed be He, and the angels. He was praised in the upper regions and in the terrestrial regions, as it is said: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Exod. 31:2) and See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (ibid. 35:30). The word see in the former verse speaks of the upper regions, and the word see in the latter verse refers to the terrestrial regions. Thus Scripture says: So shalt thou find grace and favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4).

It is written: “For he who is joined [yeḥubar] [to all of the living has hope, for a live dog is better than a dead lion]” (Ecclesiastes 9:4) – there¹²⁶There, meaning the Land of Israel. This tradition was brought from the Land of Israel to Babylonia. See Tosefta Berakhot 6:2. we learn: One who sees an idol, what blessing does he recite? Blessed…who shows patience to violators of His will. A place from which idol worship has been uprooted? Blessed…who uprooted idol worship from our land; and may it likewise be Your will O Lord our God that You uproot it from all places and restore the hearts of their worshippers to worship You wholeheartedly. Is he not praying on behalf of the wicked? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “[For he who is] chosen [yevuḥar]” is written.¹²⁷The Masoretic spelling [ketiv] is yevuḥar, while the Masoretic reading [keri] is yeḥubar. Rabbi Yoḥanan claims that this spelling serves to teach that even the wicked have choice [beḥira], and they can forsake evil and repent. Even those who raised their hand against the Temple have hope. To revive them [in the afterlife] is impossible, as they already raised their hand against the Temple. To eliminate them is impossible, as they have already repented. In their regard it is stated; “They will sleep an eternal sleep, and they will not awaken” (Jeremiah 51:39) – it is taught: Gentile minors and the troops of Nebuchadnezzar¹²⁸Because they were following orders and had little choice, or because they repented. are not revived [at the end of days], but are not condemned. In their regard it is stated: “They will sleep an eternal sleep and they will not awaken.”
“For a live dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4) – in this world, one who is a dog can become [strong as] a lion, and one who is a lion can become a dog. However, in the future, one who is a lion cannot become a dog, and anyone who is a dog cannot become a lion. Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya: He said to him: ‘I am better than Moses, your master.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ ‘Because I am alive and he is dead, and it is written: “For a live dog is better than a dead lion.”’ He said to him: ‘Are you able to issue a decree that no man shall light a fire for three days?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ In the evening, both of them climbed to the wall of the palace and saw smoke rising at a distance. He said to him: ‘What is that?’ He said to him: ‘The governor is ill, and a doctor went in and visited him. He said to him: You will not be cured until you drink hot water.’ He said to him: ‘May his spirit be blasted.¹²⁹He said this to Hadrian, using the third person out of deference to the emperor. While you are still alive, your edict is void. Moses our master, from the moment that he decreed upon us: “You shall not kindle fire in all your habitations on the day of Shabbat” (Exodus 35:3), no Jew has ever kindled fire on Shabbat, and his edict has not been voided even now. And you say: I am better than he is?’
“Lord, make my end known to me, and the measure of my days, what it is; [I would know how impermanent I am]” (Psalms 39:5) – David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, make known to me when I will die.’ He said to him: ‘It is a secret that is not revealed to a person, and it is not possible for it to be revealed to you.’ “And the measure of my days, what it is” – He [God] said to him: ‘Seventy years.’ “I would know how impermanent I am” (Psalms 39:5) – make known to me on which day I will die. He said to him: ‘On Shabbat.’ He [David] said to Him: ‘Subtract one day for me.’ He said to him: ‘No.’ He said to Him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘One prayer that you are destined to pray before Me is more precious to Me than a thousand burnt offerings that Solomon your son is destined to sacrifice before Me, as it is stated: “One thousand burnt offerings Solomon offered upon that altar”’ (I Kings 3:4). He said to Him: ‘Add one day for me.’ He said to him: ‘No.’ He said to Him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘The dominion of your son is pressing, as Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: There are many dominions, and one of them does not enter into the dominion of another even a hair’s breadth.’ He died on Shavuot that coincided with Shabbat. The Sanhedrin entered to pay their respects to Solomon. He said to them: ‘Can I move him [the body] from place to place?’ They said to him: ‘Is it not a mishna: One may rub with oil and wash [a corpse], provided that he does not move a limb?’¹³⁰Mishna Shabbat 23:5.
He [Solomon] said: ‘The dogs of father’s house are hungry.’¹³¹He feared they would desecrate the corpse. They said to him: ‘Is it not a mishna: One may cut pumpkins before an animal and an animal carcass before dogs?’¹³²Mishna Shabbat 24:4. What did he do? He took a curtain and spread it over him [David’s body], so the sun would not beat down on him. Some say that he summoned the eagles and they spread their wings over him, so the sun would not beat down on him.

Another comment on Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Blessed be He, who fashioned man with wisdom just as He created the earth with wisdom, as is said: The Lord with wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). Concerning Bezalel it is stated: He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The very attributes with which the Holy One, blessed be he, created His world and fashioned man were possessed by Bezalel. And he constructed the Tabernacle. Furthermore it is stated: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). And about Bezalel it is written: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The three attributes mentioned in the verse are referred to in the other: Therefore who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (Job 5:9).

“As a living dog is better than a dead lion” – Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, he said to him: ‘I am better than Moses your master.’ [Rabbi Yehoshua] said to him: ‘Why?’ [Hadrian answered:] ‘Because I am alive and he is dead, and it is written: “As a living dog is better than a dead lion.”’ [Rabbi Yehoshua] said to him: ‘Are you able to decree that no person may kindle a fire for three days?’ [Hadrian] said to him: ‘Yes.’¹²Hadrian issued the decree. At nightfall of the [first] day, the two of them rose and ascended to the roof of the palace. They saw smoke rising at a distance. [Rabbi Yehoshua] said to him: ‘What is that?’ [Hadrian] said: ‘The governor is ill and a doctor entered to visit him and said to him: You will not be cured until you drink hot water.’ [Rabbi Yehoshua] said to him: ‘Let despair come upon him;¹³You, Hadrian, should be in despair. even while you are still alive your decree is voided. Moses our master, ever since he decreed upon us: “You shall not kindle fire in all your dwellings on the Sabbath day” (Exodus 35:3), a Jew does not kindle a fire on Shabbat in his life, and [Moses’s] decree has not been voided for all these years until now; yet you said: ‘I am better than he’?’

See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Scripture says elsewhere: To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Lord. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who hath created these? (Isa. 40:25–26).

(Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED [BEZALEL BEN URI BEN HUR] <OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH> BY NAME. What need was there for Hur to be mentioned here?¹²Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:3. It was simply that he had given his life for the Holy One.¹³See above, 9:13, and the note there. When Israel wanted to practice idolatry, he did not allow them. They arose and killed him. The Holy One said: By your life, I am repaying you. To what is the matter comparable? To a king whose legions¹⁴Lat.: legiones. rebelled.¹⁵Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19. The commander of his army arose and fought with them. He said to them: You are rebelling against the king. They arose against him and killed him. The king came and said: Where is the head of my army? They said to him: The legions have killed him. The king said to him: By your life, if you had given money to me, I should have repaid you. Now you have given your life for me. By your life, to all the children which you have I will give world-wide fame. I will make them commanders¹⁶Lat.: duces. and governors.¹⁷Gk.: eparchoi. Similarly, Hur gave his life for the Holy One during the incident of the < golden > calf. The Holy One said to him: By your life, to all your children I will give world-wide fame. (Exod. 35:30–31:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED <BEZALEL BEN URI BEN HUR OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH> BY NAME; AND HE HAS FILLED HIM WITH THE DIVINE SPIRIT IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE. And < Scripture > does not speak about Bezalel alone, but about any who were engaged in the work of the tabernacle. In them the Holy One instilled understanding, wisdom and knowledge. It is so stated (in Exod. 36:8): THEN ALL THE WISE-HEARTED ONES < AMONG THE WORKERS MADE THE TABERNACLE >…. But out of all of them none was proclaimed <by name> except Bezalel. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL <…> BY NAME.

(Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED [BEZALEL BEN URI BEN HUR] <OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH> BY NAME. What need was there for Hur to be mentioned here?¹²Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:3. It was simply that he had given his life for the Holy One.¹³See above, 9:13, and the note there. When Israel wanted to practice idolatry, he did not allow them. They arose and killed him. The Holy One said: By your life, I am repaying you. To what is the matter comparable? To a king whose legions¹⁴Lat.: legiones. rebelled.¹⁵Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19. The commander of his army arose and fought with them. He said to them: You are rebelling against the king. They arose against him and killed him. The king came and said: Where is the head of my army? They said to him: The legions have killed him. The king said to him: By your life, if you had given money to me, I should have repaid you. Now you have given your life for me. By your life, to all the children which you have I will give world-wide fame. I will make them commanders¹⁶Lat.: duces. and governors.¹⁷Gk.: eparchoi. Similarly, Hur gave his life for the Holy One during the incident of the < golden > calf. The Holy One said to him: By your life, to all your children I will give world-wide fame. (Exod. 35:30–31:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED <BEZALEL BEN URI BEN HUR OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH> BY NAME; AND HE HAS FILLED HIM WITH THE DIVINE SPIRIT IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE. And < Scripture > does not speak about Bezalel alone, but about any who were engaged in the work of the tabernacle. In them the Holy One instilled understanding, wisdom and knowledge. It is so stated (in Exod. 36:8): THEN ALL THE WISE-HEARTED ONES < AMONG THE WORKERS MADE THE TABERNACLE >…. But out of all of them none was proclaimed <by name> except Bezalel. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL <…> BY NAME.

See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur (Exod. 35:30). Why was it necessary to mention Hur? Because he (Hur) sacrificed his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He. When the people were eager to make the golden calf, he confronted them and rebuked them. Whereupon they attacked him and killed him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured, I will reward you. To what may this be compared? To a king whose legions had rebelled. When the commanding officer arose and fought against them, and said, “You have rebelled against the king,” they killed him. The king came to them and asked: “Where is my commander-in-chief?” They replied: “The legionaries killed him.” The king cried out: “You gave your life for my life. If you had given me money, I could have repaid you, but since you have sacrificed your life for me, I will appoint all your descendants commanders and lieutenants.” Similarly, since Hur sacrificed his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, at the episode of the calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you did this, I will make you known, and those who descend from you shall be known throughout the world, as it is said: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur.

And He hath filled him with the spirit of God (Exod. 35:31). You must not believe that He did this only for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled understanding and knowledge in all who were occupied in the construction of the Sanctuary, as it is said: And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work (ibid. 36:8). And you must not think He did so for men alone. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom, as it is said: In whom (bahemah) the Lord hath put wisdom and understanding (ibid. 36:1). “In whom,” which may be understood as behemah (“animal”), indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave wisdom to man and beasts but only Bezalel was designated by name.

See, he hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Observe what He did for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom in his heart, as it is said: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (ibid., v. 31). It was with these attributes the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, as it is said: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). With these same attributes Bezalel erected the Tabernacle.

Now from where did all this glory come?¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:4. From the tribe of Judah, since it is stated (in Exod. 35:30): <BEZALEL BEN URI BEN HUR> OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. This text is related (to Job 28:27–28): THEN HE SAW AND DECLARED IT; HE ESTABLISHED IT AND ALSO PROBED IT; AND HE SAID TO THE MAN (i.e., to Moses): SEE, THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS WISDOM; AND TO DEPART FROM EVIL IS UNDERSTANDING. R. Aha and our masters differ.¹⁹Gen. R. 24:5. Our masters say: Two times he uttered the oracle privately to himself. Then after that he spoke to Israel. Thus it is stated (in Job. 28:27): THEN HE SAW AND DECLARED IT. That was one <time>. (Ibid., cont.:) HE ESTABLISHED IT AND ALSO PROBED IT. That was the second <time>. Then after that he said (in vs. 28): AND HE SAID TO THE MAN (Moses). But R. Aha said: Four times, as stated (in vs. 27): THEN HE SAW AND DECLARED IT; HE ESTABLISHED IT AND ALSO PROBED IT.²⁰Exod. R.40:1. Ergo: Four times.²¹R. Aha understands each verb as referring to a separate revision of the oracle. From whom do you learn it? From Jochebed²²Moses’ mother. and Miriam. What is written (in Exod. 1:15)? THEN THE KING OF EGYPT {PROCLAIMED} [SAID] TO THE <HEBREW> MIDWIVES.²³The midrash assumes that the midwives were Jochebed and Miriam, even though Exod. 1:15 names them Shiphrah and Puah. On the identification of Jochebed and Miriam with Shiphrah and Puah, see Sot. 11b; Sifre to Numb. 10:29–36 (78); Exod. R. 1:16. What did he say to them (in vs. 16)? LOOK AT THE BIRTHSTOOL. Why did he do so? Because the astrologers²⁴Gk.; astrologoi. had said to them: On this day the redeemer of Israel shall be born, but we do not know whether he is an Egyptian or not. At that time he assembled all the Egyptians and said to them: Lend me your sons for one day, since it is stated (in Exod. 1:22): EVERY SON BORN <YOU SHALL THROW INTO THE NILE>. "< Every son> of Israel" is not written here, but EVERY SON, whether Israelite or Egyptian. (Exod. 1:17:) BUT THE MIDWIVES FEARED <GOD>. So how did the Holy One repay them? (Vs. 3:) HE ESTABLISHED HOUSEHOLDS FOR THEM: Priestly households, Levitical households, and kingship. Jochebed received priesthood and kingship as her reward < through her sons>, Moses²⁵According to Deut. 33:5, HE (Moses) BECAME KING IN JESHURUN. See Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:4. and Aaron. What did Miriam receive as her reward? Wisdom, for it is stated (in Job 28:28): SEE, THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS WISDOM. From her he brought forth Bezalel, who was wise, as stated (in Exod. 31:3): AND I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE DIVINE SPIRIT <IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE >.

Scripture states elsewhere: Moreover, they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully (II Kings 12:16). This verse refers to the generation of Joash. Our sages teach us: One should not enter the Sanctuary with an offering while wearing a bordered cloak, a money belt, or felt shoes, for the people may say of him: “If he becomes wealthy, he acquired his wealth from the Temple treasury.” Just as a man must be morally pure in the sight of heaven, so must he be above suspicion among his fellowmen, as it is said: Then ye shall be clean before the Lord, and before Israel (Num. 3:22). Yet Moses alone was in charge of the Tabernacle treasury. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), it is written: And Moses assembled all the congregation and said: “Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord” (Exod. 35:1, 5).

It is written: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). Every person loved by his king is also loved by the king’s courtiers, but if he is loved by the courtiers he is not necessarily loved by the king. The righteous, however, are loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by the angels, and by all creatures. Whence do we know this to be so? You find that when the angel visited Daniel he called him greatly beloved three times: And he said unto me: Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, give heed unto the words that I speak unto thee (Dan. 10:11); O man, greatly beloved, fear not! (ibid., v. 19); and And I come to declare it, for greatly beloved art thou (ibid. 9:23). Why was he called greatly beloved? Happy indeed is the man who hears an angel calling unto him: O man, greatly beloved, for that man is beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, extolled by the heavenly bodies, and adored by his generation. Similarly, Bezalel was loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by those on high, and by those on earth, as is said: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Exod. 31:20), and it is written elsewhere: See, the Lord hath called Bezalel by name (ibid. 35:30). The word see in the latter verse refers to the heavenly beings, and the word see in the former verse alludes to the earthly beings. Hence, Scripture states: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4).

Elihu disclosed: I said: “Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty, that giveth them understanding (Job 32:7). All of the understanding possessed by Bezalel came from the spirit of the Almighty, and it was instilled into him. And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom. Understanding and knowledge (Exod. 35:31). He was wise in his knowledge of the Torah, in understanding, because he comprehended the law, and knowledge, because his mind was full of learning, and in all manner of workmanship, according to its plain meaning. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, My spirit instills wisdom within you, but in the future I will implant My spirit within you and you will be restored to life, as it is said: And I will put My spirit within you and you shall live (Ezek. 37:14).

Another interpretation (of Exod. 35:30): SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED [… IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE]. See the wisdom, [understanding, and knowledge] which I have instilled in his heart (i.e., the heart of Bezalel).²⁶So according to the parallel in Tanh., Exod. 10:5. By these three things were heaven and earth created,²⁷Exod. R. 48:4. as stated (in Prov. 3:19–20): THROUGH WISDOM THE LORD FOUNDED THE EARTH; HE ESTABLISHED THE HEAVENS THROUGH UNDERSTANDING; [THROUGH HIS KNOWLEDGE THE DEPTHS BURST APART]. Moreover, by these three things was the Tabernacle made, as stated (in Exod. 31:3): AND I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE DIVINE SPIRIT IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE. Again, by these three things was the Temple made, as stated (in I Kings 7:14): HE (i.e., Hiram) WAS THE SON OF A WIDOW…; AND HE WAS FILLED WITH WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE. And also in the world to come the Temple shall be built on these three things, [as stated (in Prov. 24:3–4): THROUGH WISDOM SHALL A HOUSE BE BUILT, BY UNDERSTANDING SHALL IT BE ESTABLISHED, AND BY KNOWLEDGE SHALL ITS ROOMS BE FILLED WITH ALL PRECIOUS AND LOVELY RICHES. Ergo (in Exod. 31:3): AND I HAVE FILLED HIM <WITH THE DIVINE SPIRIT IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND KNOWLEDGE >….

(Exod. 39:33:) AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE UNTO MOSES…. This text is related (to Ps. 31:19 [18]): LET LYING LIPS BE DUMB THAT SPEAK HAUGHTILY AGAINST THE RIGHTEOUS. <The verse > speaks about Moses.²²Exod. R. 52:2. When the Holy One told him to make [a tabernacle], he immediately told them (in Exod. 35:5): TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING FOR THE LORD. So Moses was occupied with the Tabernacle. R. Hanina said: He was occupied with the Tabernacle for six months. For three months they made it, and for three months they had it folded away. Nevertheless they murmured about it and said: See, the Tabernacle is made. Did he not say that he would have his Divine Presence dwell with us? But the Holy One had intended the Tabernacle to go up in the month that our father Abraham had been told the good news about Isaac. He only acted when the month arrived.²³Cf. Tanh., Exod. 11:11, for a longer version. The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 40:2): ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH [YOU SHALL SET UP THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY]. At that time the Holy One said (in Ps. 31:19 [18]): LET LYING LIPS BE DUMB THAT SPEAK HAUGHTILY AGAINST THE RIGHTEOUS. The very ones who were murmuring against the Tabernacle, began to carry it, with each and every one of them joining in the work, as stated (in Exod. 39:33): AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE UNTO MOSES.

(Fol. 69b) Whence do we know that the first generations produced children at eight years? This is to be inferred from the following: (Ex. 35, 30) Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah; and it is written (I Chron. 2, 10-20) And when Azubah, the wife of Caleb, died, Caleb took unto himself Ephrath, who bore unto him Chur. And Chur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezaleel. And when Bezaleel was engaged in building the Tabernacle, he was at least thirteen years old, as it is written (Ex. 36, 4) Every man from his own work which they were doing; and one is not called a man before the age of thirteen. And there is a Baraitha: The first year Moses prepared all that was necessary for the Tabernacle, and in the second year he erected it and sent the spies. And it is written (Joshua 14, 7) Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me, etc. Behold, I am this day eighty and five years old. Now, deduct fourteen, the age of Bezaaleel, from the forty of Joshua, when he was sent as a spy, and there remained twenty-six; deduct two years for the three pregnancies with Uri, Chur and Bezaleel, and there remain twentyfour. Hence each of them produced at the age of eight.

(Fol. 55a) R. Jochanan said: "Three things God Himself proclaimeth: Famine, plenty and a good chief of the community. Famine, as it is written (II Kings 8. 7.)' The Lord hath called for a famine; Plenty, as it is written (Ezek. 36, 29.) And I will call for corn and increase it; A good chief of the community, as it is written (Ex. 31, 2.) Behold, I have called by name, Bezalel." R. Isaac said: "A chief of a community is not to be appointed unless the community be consulted first; as it is written (Ex. 35, 30.) And Moses said to the children of Israel, behold God hath called by name Bezalel. i.e., The Holy One, praised be He! said thus to Moses, 'Moses! is Bezalel worthy enough for you?' 'Sovereign of the universe,' replied Moses, 'if he is worthy in thine eyes, then he certainly is worthy enough for me.' Then said God to him: 'Consult then, the children of Israel.' Moses thereupon went and said thus to the children of Israel: 'Is Bezalel worthy of you?' They said, 'If he is worthy for the Holy One, praised be He! and for thee, then he is surely worthy enough for us.' " R. Samuel b. Nachmeini in the name of R. Jonathan said: "The name Bezalel was given to him because of his wisdom; for when the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Moses, ' Go, tell Bezalel to erect for me a Mishkan, ark and vessels.' Moses went and told it to him in the reverse order — make ark, vessels and a Mishkan. [Upon hearing the order] Bezalel said: 'Moses, our teacher, the custom of the world is that a man first builds a house and then brings into it vessels, and thou sayest to me I should first make the ark, and then the Mishkan; where shall I put the vessels if I make them first? Perhaps the Holy One, praised be He! said first Mishkan and then the ark and the vessels?' Thereupon Moses said to him: 'Perhaps in the shadow of God hast thou been that thou knowest.'" [Thus Bezalel means — Bezal (in the shadow), El (of God)]. R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Bezalel knew how to arrange the letters with which heaven and earth were created, for it is written here (Ex. 35, 31.) And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom (Chachma) in uderstanding (Bithbuna), and in knowledge, and it is written (Pr. 3, 19.) The Lord hath founded the earth through wisdom (Chachma); He hath established the heavens through understanding (Tebuna). And it is further written By His knowledge were the depths split open." R. Jochanan said: "The Holy One, praised be He! doth not give wisdom to a man unless he possesses some; as it is said (Dan. 2, 21.) Who giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to those who possess understanding." When R. Tachalifa of the west (Palesine) heard this he went and related it to R. Abuhu, whereupon the latter replied: "What you infer from that passage, we derive from another; it is written (Ex. 31, 6.) And in the heart of all that are wise-hearted have I put wisdom."

(Fol. 55a) R. Jochanan said: "Three things God Himself proclaimeth: Famine, plenty and a good chief of the community. Famine, as it is written (II Kings 8. 7.)' The Lord hath called for a famine; Plenty, as it is written (Ezek. 36, 29.) And I will call for corn and increase it; A good chief of the community, as it is written (Ex. 31, 2.) Behold, I have called by name, Bezalel." R. Isaac said: "A chief of a community is not to be appointed unless the community be consulted first; as it is written (Ex. 35, 30.) And Moses said to the children of Israel, behold God hath called by name Bezalel. i.e., The Holy One, praised be He! said thus to Moses, 'Moses! is Bezalel worthy enough for you?' 'Sovereign of the universe,' replied Moses, 'if he is worthy in thine eyes, then he certainly is worthy enough for me.' Then said God to him: 'Consult then, the children of Israel.' Moses thereupon went and said thus to the children of Israel: 'Is Bezalel worthy of you?' They said, 'If he is worthy for the Holy One, praised be He! and for thee, then he is surely worthy enough for us.' " R. Samuel b. Nachmeini in the name of R. Jonathan said: "The name Bezalel was given to him because of his wisdom; for when the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Moses, ' Go, tell Bezalel to erect for me a Mishkan, ark and vessels.' Moses went and told it to him in the reverse order — make ark, vessels and a Mishkan. [Upon hearing the order] Bezalel said: 'Moses, our teacher, the custom of the world is that a man first builds a house and then brings into it vessels, and thou sayest to me I should first make the ark, and then the Mishkan; where shall I put the vessels if I make them first? Perhaps the Holy One, praised be He! said first Mishkan and then the ark and the vessels?' Thereupon Moses said to him: 'Perhaps in the shadow of God hast thou been that thou knowest.'" [Thus Bezalel means — Bezal (in the shadow), El (of God)]. R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Bezalel knew how to arrange the letters with which heaven and earth were created, for it is written here (Ex. 35, 31.) And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom (Chachma) in uderstanding (Bithbuna), and in knowledge, and it is written (Pr. 3, 19.) The Lord hath founded the earth through wisdom (Chachma); He hath established the heavens through understanding (Tebuna). And it is further written By His knowledge were the depths split open." R. Jochanan said: "The Holy One, praised be He! doth not give wisdom to a man unless he possesses some; as it is said (Dan. 2, 21.) Who giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to those who possess understanding." When R. Tachalifa of the west (Palesine) heard this he went and related it to R. Abuhu, whereupon the latter replied: "What you infer from that passage, we derive from another; it is written (Ex. 31, 6.) And in the heart of all that are wise-hearted have I put wisdom."

Another explanation of He draweth not His eyes from the righteous. At the time that Moses came and told the Israelites: Take ye from among ye an offering unto the Lord (Exod. 35:5), they rejoiced exceedingly and brought their free-will offering with joy and eagerness. Notice that it is written: And they came both men and women (ibid., v. 22); that is to say, in their eagerness they pressed against each other. The men and women came as a huge throng when they brought their gifts, as it is said: All the women that were wise-hearted (ibid., v. 25).

Another explanation of He draweth not His eyes from the righteous. At the time that Moses came and told the Israelites: Take ye from among ye an offering unto the Lord (Exod. 35:5), they rejoiced exceedingly and brought their free-will offering with joy and eagerness. Notice that it is written: And they came both men and women (ibid., v. 22); that is to say, in their eagerness they pressed against each other. The men and women came as a huge throng when they brought their gifts, as it is said: All the women that were wise-hearted (ibid., v. 25).

Another explanation of He draweth not His eyes from the righteous. At the time that Moses came and told the Israelites: Take ye from among ye an offering unto the Lord (Exod. 35:5), they rejoiced exceedingly and brought their free-will offering with joy and eagerness. Notice that it is written: And they came both men and women (ibid., v. 22); that is to say, in their eagerness they pressed against each other. The men and women came as a huge throng when they brought their gifts, as it is said: All the women that were wise-hearted (ibid., v. 25).

They brought all that was required in two mornings. Hence it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work (ibid. 36:7). And He said to Moses: Tell the multitude to bring their gifts. This tells you that the Israelites were extremely eager to participate in the work of the Tabernacle. After two days the wise-hearted men, who desired to bring their gifts, were not permitted to do so, since He had already said: Let neither man nor woman make any more work (ibid., v. 6). The leaders were deeply distressed by not having been privileged to bring anything to the work of the Sanctuary. They said: “Since we did not merit to participate in the offerings for the Tabernacle, let us give the garments for the priesthood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since My sons were so painstaking and conscientious concerning the Tabernacle, let their praise be inscribed in the Torah with reference to the Tabernacle. Therefore it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work (ibid., v. 7).

Because the leaders were slow to bring their gifts, a letter is omitted from their names. Thus in Scripture the word for leader lacks one yod.¹⁸The yod, which comprises half of the name of God, was removed to indicate their slothfulness. Later, however, they helped in the work of the Tabernacle, joining Bezalel and Oholiab in their labors and the wise men in their work, as is said: And every wise-hearted man that wrought (Exod. 36:8). And the women spun the purple curtains, as is said: And all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair (ibid. 35:26).

Because the leaders were slow to bring their gifts, a letter is omitted from their names. Thus in Scripture the word for leader lacks one yod.¹⁸The yod, which comprises half of the name of God, was removed to indicate their slothfulness. Later, however, they helped in the work of the Tabernacle, joining Bezalel and Oholiab in their labors and the wise men in their work, as is said: And every wise-hearted man that wrought (Exod. 36:8). And the women spun the purple curtains, as is said: And all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair (ibid. 35:26).

The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "pakod yifkod (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come. The doubling of tzadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a yod added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] ayin [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] bet [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (mah) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (meah), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (olah), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov).' The numerical value of tov in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] hallah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value of le'at is forty. Behold the measure of a seah is a tefach by a tefach with the height of [sixteen] tefach [and a fifth]. And one who separates the measure of the hallah [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of hallah]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (cherem) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (rachem, which is made up of the same letters as cherem)." It is written,"tirash," but we read it [as] tirosh. [If] he merits, he becomes a rosh (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a rash (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of in at-bash. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].

“While the king was at his feast, my nard released its fragrance” (Song of Songs 1:12).
“While the king was at his feast,” Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Meir says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Israel released a foul odor and said to the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘Enough, Meir, one does not expound Song of Songs disparagingly, but rather, favorably, as Song of Songs was given only in praise of Israel. What is: “While the king was at his feast”? While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Israel released a fine fragrance before Mount Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will obey” (Exodus 24:7).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, it should have said: My stench released its odor.²⁶⁸Since the verse was referring to the Golden Calf, it should have referred to stench rather than the fragrance of the sweet-smelling nard. Rather, a treatise ascended in their hand from the Diaspora,²⁶⁹The midrash is citing an ancient tradition recorded in a treatise that was transported from Babylon during the Return to Zion to build the second Temple. and they taught in its regard that He skipped the incident of the calf for them and the act of the Tabernacle preceded it.²⁷⁰The sin of the Golden Calf (Exodus chap. 32) should have been recorded in the Torah immediately following the events of the revelation at Sinai. Instead, it is preceded by the commandments concerning the building of the Tabernacle (Exodus chapters 25–31), to indicate that even when Israel sinned, they were still beloved in the eyes of the God. Therefore, the verse characterizes their odor as nard.
Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Eliezer says: “While the king was at his feast,” while the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Mount Sinai was already enveloped in flames, as it is stated: “The mountain was burning with fire” (Deuteronomy 4:11). Rabbi Akiva says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, already, “the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 24:16). Rabbi Berekhya says: While Moses was at his feast in the firmament,²⁷¹While he was still on Mount Sinai. as he is called king, as it is stated: “He became king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people were assembled” (Deuteronomy 33:5), already, “God spoke all these matters saying” (Exodus 20:1).
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov and the Rabbis, Rabbi Eliezer says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Mikhael, the great prince, had already descended from the heavens and rescued Abraham our patriarch from the fiery furnace. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He descended and rescued him, as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7). When did Mikhael descend? It was in the days of Ḥanaya, Mishael, and Azarya.²⁷²Mikhael is identified as the angel who descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya from the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3:25).
Rabbi Tavyomei said: While Jacob our patriarch was lying [mesev] in his bed, ²⁷³The expression “at his feast [bimsibo]” in the verse is interpreted as a reference to Jacob lying on his deathbed. the Divine Spirit gleamed in him, and he said to his sons: “God will be with you” (Genesis 48:21). He said to them: ‘He is destined to rest His Divine Presence in your midst.’ Rav Naḥman said: It is written: “Israel and everything that he had traveled and came to Beersheba” (Genesis 46:1). Where did he go? He went to chop down the cedars that Abraham our patriarch had planted in Beersheba, as it is stated: “He planted a tamarisk in Beersheba” (Genesis 21:33).²⁷⁴Jacob chopped them down in order to take them to Egypt. Rabbi Levi said: It is written: “The central bar inside the planks extending from end to end” (Exodus 26:28). The bar was thirty-two cubits long. From where did they have it in their possession at that moment?²⁷⁵Where did they get such a long piece of wood in the wilderness, just when they needed it to build this part of the Tabernacle? It teaches that they were hidden with them from the days of Jacob our patriarch. That is what is written: “And everyone with whom acacia wood was found” (Exodus 35:24); “acacia wood was found,” is not written here, but rather, “with whom…it was found”—from the outset.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥiyya said: They chopped them down in Magdala of the dyers²⁷⁶This was the name of a place in the Land of Israel. and took them with them down to Egypt. They had no knots and no cracks. There were acacia trees in Magdala and the custom was to prohibit [using] them due to the sanctity of the Ark.²⁷⁷Even in the times of the Sages of the midrash, acacia trees grew in Magdala, but due to the tradition that the wood eventually used for the Ark and the rest of the Tabernacle had been cut from there, the people of Magdala would not make use of the acacia trees. They came and asked Rav Ḥananya, colleague of the Rabbis, and he said to them: Do not deviate from the custom of your ancestors.

"Ye shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy unto you" (Ex. 31:14). What is the keeping of the Sabbath? Neither to do any work thereon, nor to kindle fire thereon, neither to take forth nor to bring in beyond the Techum (limit) of the Sabbath even one foot, nor to fetch in his hand something which is not his food nor the food for his cattle. This is the keeping of the Sabbath, as it is said, "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath" (Ex. 31:16).

21 The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Exodus 3:15, is a hint to] Israel, to Moshe,"pakod pakadeti etchem (I have surely remembered you)." The doubling of tsadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, [ou'metachtav yitsmach] (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the Messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDavid tsemach tsadeek [...] (and I will raise up a true branch of David [...])." "The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3). Twenty-four books (of the Bible); add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold fifty. "Sixty were the queens," (Song of Songs 6:8), sixty tractates; "and eighty were the concubines," eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates.; and maidens without number," the study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This corresponds to] the sixty letters of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). Three hundred and eighteen [souls mentioned in Genesis 14:14 is the numerical equivalent of] Eliezer. "Inasmuch (ekev) as Avraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings" (Genesis 26:5) - he recognized him when he was three (the numerical equivalent of ekev, being three less than that of Avraham). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of three hundred and sixty-four, the count of the days of the solar year that he rules over all of them to slander, excepting Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami beiRabbi Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before] he fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." "A woman of valor is the crown of her husband" (Proverbs 12:4) - that is Sarah. Her name had been Sarai. Two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod (with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her) was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehoshua came and Moshe added to him a yod - the Lord save you from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod (with a numerical count of ten) corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi (with a numerical count of ninety), [as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet (with a numerical count of eight), [as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof (with a numerical count of one hundred), [as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, [and Levi] was the tenth. [The letter] ayin (with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt), "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received minus the name of God, "And may He give you etc." (Genesis 27:28)]. [The letter] bet (with a numerical count of two) remains, corresponding to two angels (that he saw on the ladder in his dream) rising. There were six hundred and thirteen commandments in the tablets - corresponding to the letters from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments - no less and no more. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, [as it is stated] (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you besides to fear Him [...]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; and Torah has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven - and Torah and fear [of God] along with them, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) [is six hundred] - the rabbis taught: [Add] eight [strings] and five [knots], behold that is six hundred and thirteen. The days of Avraham were one hundred and seventy-five years, [of] Yitzchak were one hundred and eighty years [and of] Yaakov were a hundred and forty-seven years. When you put them together, it is found to be five hundred and two years. And so is the distance of the the heavens to the earth, "like the the days of the heavens above the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al) has a numerical value of one hundred] corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David came and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. Once he ordained them, the pestilence ceased. High (al) [corresponds to] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of suffering. "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov) that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen blessings. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained after it for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "Take tov [in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet), which is the same] as the numerical value of soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'At the time that the Temple existed, we would incinerate the fats and the innards and be cleansed. But now behold our fat, our blood and our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of two hundred and seventy one (the number of the days of the nine months of birthing). The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah [corresponding to the forty mentions] of well water, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. Each seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] challah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value [of le'at] is forty. And one who separates the measure of the challah [tithe] must separate one part in forty three and a fifth from Torah writ like the [numerical] value of challah. The main categories of work [on Shabbat] are forty minus one (thirty-nine), as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one. "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses that the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground were cursed - and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." Those [judges] advocating innocence are more those advocating guilt. [For] it is best for the two to come and push off one. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value in at-bash. Tavel is Ramlah [according to] its numerical value in al-bam (another numerical scheme). "Thus (bezot) shall Aaron enter the shrine; with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering" (Leviticus 16:3). Bezot (which has a numerical count of four hundred and ten) is a hint to the first Temple that stood for four hundred and ten years.

(Numb. 7:2:) “Now the princes of Israel drew near (to make an offering).” You find that when Moses proclaimed and said (in Exod. 35:5), “Take from among you an offering [for the Lord],” what did the princes do?¹⁰⁶Cf. Numb. R. 12:16. They said, “Moses did not know [enough] to tell us that the Tabernacle was being made.” What did they do? They did not give a freewill offering. They said, “These people are making the Tabernacle, and now he is telling us to give a freewill offering?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “By your lives, you should know that I do not need you (princes).” What is written there (in Exod. 36:3)? “And they (i.e., the Children of Israel) still brought freewill offerings unto him in the morning, in the morning.”¹⁰⁷See above, Exod. 7:3, and the notes there. R. Johanan said, “For two mornings they brought all the supplies (mela'khah) for the Tabernacle, and they were more than enough, as stated (in Exod. 36:7), ‘For they had sufficient supplies (mela'khah), more than enough for all the work (mela'khah) to make it.’” And it is written (in Exod. 39:43), “When Moses saw all the work (mela'khah) […]; then Moses blessed them.”¹⁰⁸Above, 2:20. And with what blessing did he bless them? He said to them, “May the Divine Presence dwell in the work of your hands.” In this world Moses has blessed them; but in the world to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bless them, as stated (in Ps. 128:5–6), “The Lord will bless¹⁰⁹Normally the translation would read, MAY THE LORD BLESS, but reading the verb as a simple future indicates that this blessing is reserved for the world to come. you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem…!”

And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12). Since time was calculated by means of the stars, what did Moses do? He stopped the revolution of the sun, the moon, and the coming of nightfall in their tracks, as it is said: The sun and the moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). It is also written: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its hands on high (ibid., v. 10). And Joshua discomfited Amalek, etc. R. Joshua said: He went down and cut off the heads of their mighty men with a sword. Hence we learn that this battle was waged only at the command of the Mighty One. Others say that the following verse was fulfilled with regard to them: Therefore as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee (Exod. 35:6).

(Numb. 7:2:) THAT THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL DREW NEAR TO MAKE AN OFFERING. You find <the following>: when Moses proclaimed and said (in Exod. 35:5): TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING <FOR THE LORD>, what did the princes do?¹²⁶Tanh., 2:27; cf. Numb. R. 12:16. They said: Moses did not know <enough> to tells us that the Tabernacle was being made. What did they do? They did not give a freewill offering. They said: These people are making the Tabernacle. Now he is telling us to give a freewill offering! The Holy One said: By your life, you should know that I do not need you (princes). What is written there (in Exod. 36:3)? AND THEY (i.e., the children of Israel) [STILL] BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM IN THE MORNING, IN THE MORNING.¹²⁷See above, Exod. 7:3, and the notes there. R. Johanan said: For two mornings they brought all the supplies (mela'khah) for the Tabernacle, and they were more than enough, as stated (in Exod. 36:7): FOR THEY HAD SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES (mela'khah), [MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR ALL THE WORK (mela'khah) TO MAKE IT]. (Exod. 39:43:) WHEN MOSES SAW ALL THE WORK (mela'khah), [ …; THEN MOSES BLESSED THEM].¹²⁸Above, 2:20. And with what blessing did he bless them? He said to them: May the Divine Presence dwell in the work of your hands. In this world Moses has blessed them; but in the world to come, the Holy One will bless them, as stated (in Ps. 128:5–6): THE LORD WILL BLESS¹²⁹Normally the translation would read, MAY THE LORD BLESS, but reading the verb as a simple future indicates that this blessing is reserved for the world to come. YOU FROM ZION. {<HE IS> MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. [MAY YOU SEE THE PROSPERITY OF JERUSALEM ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE,] AND MAY YOU SEE YOUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN. PEACE BE UPON ISRAEL!

Another explanation. “Now they brought the Tabernacle…” (Exodus 39:33) This is what is written “Go out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon, upon the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his nuptials and on the day of the joy of his heart.” (Song of Songs 3:11) When was this verse said? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected, when there was great joy in Israel because the Holy One dwelled among them. ‘Daughters of Zion’ (bnot tzion), meaning children who are distinguishable (metuzyanin) by the idolators through their dedication to me. Just as a marker (tziyun) can be identified by pointing, so too Israel can be identified by pointing and thus they are ‘daughters of Zion’ – who are distinguishable (metuzyanin). ‘upon King Solomon’ Upon the King to whom peace (shalom) belongs, who is the King, King of Kings the Holy One blessed be He. ‘upon the crown with which his mother crowned him’ This refers to the Tabernacle. Why did they called it a crown? Just as a crown is decorated, so too the Tabernacle was decorated, as it says “…and an embroiderer with blue, purple, and crimson wool, and linen and [of] weavers, those who do every [manner of] work, and master weavers.” (Exodus 25:35) This is the crown with which his mother crowned him. R’ Yitzchak said: I went over all of the Scriptures, and I did not find anywhere that Batsheva made a crown for Shlomo. R’ Shimon bar Yochai asked R’ Elazar bar R’ Yosi: is it possible that you heard from your father what is this crown with which his mother crowned him? He replied: Yes. It is like a king who had an only daughter. He loved her too much and would call her ‘my daughter.’ He kept loving her until he called her ‘my sister’ and until he called her ‘my mother.’ So too, at first the Holy One call Israel daughter, as it says “Hearken, daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house.” (Psalms 45:11) He kept loving them to the point of calling them ‘my sister,’ as it says “…Open for me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is full of dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” (Song of Songs 5:2) He did not cease to love them to the point of calling them ‘my mother,’ (imi) as it says “Hearken to Me, My people, and My nation (u’lumi), bend your ears to Me, when Torah shall emanate from Me, and My judgment shall be for the light of the peoples, I will give them rest.” (Isaiah 51:4) R’ Shimon bar Yochai stood up and kissed him on his head. ‘on the day of his nuptials’ This was at Sinai. ‘on the day of the joy of his heart’ This is in Jerusalem... Another explanation: On the day of his wedding, in the tabernacle. On the day of his heart's joy, in the Holy Temple. So too David said, "The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth- Mount Zion, by the north side, the city of a great king." (Tehillim 48:3) R' Yochanan be Elazar said: There was once a peddler who went to Jerusalem to sell his wares, he went and sat there and made no sales. He said: this is the place about which they say 'joy of the entire earth?!' After one hour he had sold his entire stock. He said 'the fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth.' R' Yochanan said: there was a chamber of accounting outside of Jerusalem, and anyone who wanted to think about such things would go there. Why? In order that they shouldn't do their calculations in Jerusalem and be troubled by them, because she is called 'joy of the entire earth.' And why all this praise? Because she was 'the city of a great king.' Once she was destroyed, rejoicing passed and the joy of all the earth was exiled. What does the language of ar'va (passed on) mean? It was darkened, obscured, as it says "...it was evening and it was morning, one day." (Bereshit 1:5) In this world the joy of all the earth has ceased, and when the Holy One rebuilds Jerusalem He will return all the joy to her, as it says "For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song." (Yeshayahu 51:3)