Pensée juive sur L’Exode 24:8

The Talmud Nedarim 31 relates the following. Rabbi Eleazar son of Azaryah said, "The foreskin is ugly, since evil people are characterized as having it." Jeremiah 9,25 says, "For all the nations are uncircumcised." Samuel I 17,36 describes Goliath as being an uncircumcised Philistine. In Samuel II chapter one, we read about "the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoicing." Rabbi Ishmael said, "Great is circumcision for thirteen covenants were entered into on account of it." Rabbi Yossi said, "The commandment of circumcision is great since it overrides the commandment of the Sabbath." Rabbi Nechemyah said that circumcision is great since Moses was not allowed to tarry with performing it for even one hour. Rabbi Meir said that circumcision is great since Abraham was not called "perfect" until he had circumcised himself, as is written, "Walk before Me and become perfect, and I will place My covenant between Myself and you." Another thought. Milah is great because but for it G-d would not have created the universe, as we know from Jeremiah 33,25, "If not for My covenant, neither day nor night, nor the laws of heaven and earth would I have established." Rabbi Shimon said, “Milah is great since it is of equal weight to all the other commandments in the Torah as is stated (Exodus 24,8), "This is the blood of the covenant on account of which G-d entered into a covenant with you concerning all these matters."

They are: 1) Favourable external conditions, commonly called mazzal) Expertise by those engaged in the project. 3) Command of the theory underlying the project. 4) Divine assistance in overcoming human inadequacy. 5) Outstanding moral and intellectual stature, which freely translated means "Divine inspiration." Since Moses possessed all these qualities, even if he was deemed to have erected the tabernacle, "the tabernacle was erected by itself," i.e. no human effort by itself would have sufficed, not even that of Moses.