Midrash sobre Exodo 36:3

Another interpretation (of Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME (li) A PRIESTLY SHARE. Every offering concerning which li ("to me") is used contains a blessing.¹⁴Tanh., Exod. 7:4. The priestly share contains a blessing. R. Johanan said: Israel brought everything for working on the Tabernacle on two mornings.¹⁵Below, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 11:2; Numb. 2:29; Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Numb. 2:27; Deut. 4:5; Exod. R. 41:2; 51:2; Numb. R. 2:10; 12:16; M. Pss. 101:4. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Exod. 36:3): AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM IN THE MORNING, IN THE MORNING.¹⁶So in literal translation, which conveys R. Johanan’s understanding of the verse. A more usual translation would read: AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM EVERY MORNING. So a blessing was given in the priestly share of the Tabernacle. (Exod. 25:2) AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). Whenever the words for Me are stated in a verse, a blessing accompanies it. Does a blessing also accompany an offering? R. Johanan said: Observe what is written in the verse: And they brought yet unto him free-will offerings every morning(baboker baboker)⁵The word morning is repeated in the text to indicate that it must be brought twice at that time. (Exod. 36:3). Why is the word morning repeated in the text? Because they brought all the gifts that were required for the Tabernacle in two mornings. This happened because a blessing accompanied their gifts. Hence it is stated: That they take for Me… ye shall take My offering (Exod. 25:2). They take for Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because I told you Take for Me an offering, do not scoff at the (giving of an) offering by saying: “He is not a priest that he should eat it,” for if a man fails to give him even one hundredth of his portion, let him realize that he is stealing it, not from the priestly tribe, but from Me, for so it is written: That they take for Me an offering, and ye shall take My offering (Exod. 25:2).

When the Lord enlarges your territory (Deuteronomy 12:20): This is what is stated in the verse (Proverbs 18:16), "A man’s gift eases his way." It is a gift so that a person will give from his, that the Holy One, blessed be He, enlarges [what he has]. There is a [relevant] story about Abbun Ramah (probably a nickname, meaning the father of tricking) who lived in Batsra. His rabbis went to there and were seeking sustenance. He sat and did not decide [what he would give] at first, until all the people of the city decided, so that he could decide corresponding to all [the others]. That is why he was called Abbun Ramah, as he would be tricky with all of the commandments. From when he knew how much all of the people of the city had decided, he decided corresponding to all of them. What did our rabbis do? They took him and sat him at the edge next to them, in order to fulfill that which is stated, "A man’s gift eases his way [and places him next to the great]." Another interpretation of "A man’s gift eases his way": This is [referring to] Avraham. When he chased the [four] kings, the king of Sodom came out to greet him. He said to him (Genesis 14:21), "Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself." Avraham said [back], "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High [.... I will not take] so much as a thread or a sandal strap, etc." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You have said, 'a thread [or a sandal strap]." By your life, I will sustain your children with that same expression, 'How lovely are your feet in sandals' (Song of Songs 7:2)." Another interpretation of "A man’s gift eases his way": This is [referring to] Israel. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them to bring a freewill offering, what is written there? "These continued to bring freewill offerings to [Moshe] morning after morning" (Exodus 36:3), two mornings. What did they merit [by this]? He enlarged their territory, as stated, "When the Lord enlarges your territory." In the merit of what does He enlarge it, "as he stated to you" (Deuteronomy 12:20)? In the merit of the ten statements (Ten Commandments) that you accepted. Another interpretation: "As he stated," in the merit of your forefathers.

R. Johanan stated: On two mornings they brought everything required, as it is written: And they brought unto him free-will offerings every morning (Exod. 36:3),¹¹The word boker (“morning”) is repeated in the text, indicating that it took two mornings. and they were sufficient. Thereupon Moses issued the order that was announced through the camp, that said: For the stuff they had was sufficient (ibid., vv. 6–7).

(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…!”

(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!