Commentaire de citation sur L’Exode 27:10

מקבילת הללאת אשה אל אחתה — Be careful that you make the loops (place them on the curtains) to one measurement: that the spaces between one loop and the other be exactly the same, and further, as their measurement is on the one so shall it be on the other, so that when you lay out one section next to the other the loops of the one shall come exactly opposite those of the other. That is what is meant by the expression מקבילות, viz., “one opposite the other”. In the Targum the translation of נֶגֶד “opposite” is לקבל (hence the term מקבילות from קבל). The curtains were twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide, so when they joined five curtains together along their lengths it followed that their width was twenty cubits. The same was the case with the other section. The Tabernacle was thirty cubits in length from East to West, for it is said, (Exodus 36:23) “twenty boards for the south side (which was the long side of the Tabernacle) southward,” and the same is stated with reference to the north side; and as each board was one cubit and a half in breadth you have thirty cubits from East to West. The width of the Tabernacle from North to South was ten cubits, for it is said, (Exodus 36:27, 28) “and for the side of the dwelling westward he made six boards … and two boards … for the corners of the dwelling,” so you have ten cubits (this appears to give a breadth of twelve cubits, but each of the corner boards stood partly behind the thickness of the adjoining board that stood at right angles with it, and as the thickness was one cubit it took off a cubit on each side from the inside measurement). — I shall explain these verses each on its place. — They spread the curtains with their length over the breadth of the Tabernacle, whereby the ten middle cubits served as a roofing for the inside over the width of the Tabernacle and a cubit on each side of these ten cubits went to cover the thickness of the boards which were one cubit thick, so that there remained altogether sixteen cubits — eight hanging over on the north side and eight on the south side, covering the vertical boards which were ten cubits in height; consequently the two lowest cubits of the boards were left showing. The breadth of the curtains after having been joined together was forty cubits, twenty cubits for each section. Thirty cubits of these served as a roofing for the inside of the Tabernacle over its length, and one cubit for the thickness of the tops of the boards of the westside and one more cubit to cover the thickness of the columns in the east side — for there were no boards in the east side but there were five columns on the hooks of which the screen was spread and hung as a kind of curtain (cf. Exodus 27:10). Thus there remained eight cubits which hung on the back of the Tabernacle on the west side, leaving the two lowest cubits showing. This I have found in the Boraitha מ"ט מדות. But in Treatise Shabbat 98b it is stated that the curtains did not cover the thickness of the columns on the east side, and consequently there were nine cubits of the curtains hanging on the back of the Tabernacle. The text of this section suppports this view, since it says (v. 33) “and thou shalt hang up the partition veil under the catches;” for if it were as the Boraitha states the partition veil would have been distant from the catches one cubit to the West.

והקטיר עליו אהרן קטורת סמים, “Aaron is to burn up on it the incense comprised of a variety of spices.” Nachmanides writes that contrary to first impressions, the command to offer the incense was not addressed to Aaron in his capacity as the High Priest, exclusively, but in his capacity as representative of the priesthood. The same holds true for the lighting of the menorah, which is mentioned immediately after this verse, and where the Torah also mentions Aaron by name, although he was not the only one authorized to perform this service. In that instance, the Torah adds that Aaron’s sons were charged with performing this task. (compare 27,21) I do not know why the High Priest Aaron has been mentioned twice, both with the incense and the lighting of the lamps on the menorah, nor does the Torah refer to him with the definitive article, i.e. הכהן. Perhaps, seeing that in verse 10, where the Torah describes Aaron as bringing atonement by way of the animals’ horns, once a year, only Aaron (i.e. the High Priest) is meant, we might have concluded that the same applies to the burning of incense on the golden altar, seeing the Torah also at the legislation about the kindling of the lamps refers to Aaron without mentioning his sons (Leviticus 24,2). We might have been misled, therefore at the end of that legislation, when the Torah speaks of חוקת עולם, an enduring statute, these words refer to the legislation itself, not to who is to kindle the lamps. Aaron was singled out because he was the first one to ever kindle that menorah, but other priests were allowed to do it subsequently.

CHASHAK’ (HE TOOK DELIGHT). The meaning thereof is that He had “bound” Himself with you with a mighty bond that He will never be separated from you, similar in expression to ‘vachashukeihem’ (and their fillets — silver threads encircling the pillars of the Tabernacle) shall be of silver.³³⁶Exodus 27:10. And He has chosen you from among all peoples that you be His treasure and inheritance, for “being chosen” always implies selection from others. And he stated the reason, But because the Eternal loved you³³⁷Verse 8. He chose you, meaning, He saw you to be worthier than all peoples to be loved by Him and to be chosen for love. He mentioned for this no [other] reason except that you were chosen [because of His love for you], for he who is chosen to be loved, is known to be ready to suffer whatever comes upon him from his lover, and the Israelites are more qualified for that than any other people. As the Rabbis have said:³³⁸Beitzah 25 b. “Three [creatures] are of strong character, Israel among the nations etc.,” for Israel has stood by Him in all trials. [When challenged by the nations, Israel has stubbornly declared,] “Either [we remain loyal] Jews or [we will be] nailed to the stake.”³³⁹Shemoth Rabbah 42:9. And the purport of the word you [and He chose ‘you’] is “because of your fathers,” who became so worthy that He swore to them³⁴⁰Verse 8. in order that no sin should cause [His] promise [to them] to be nullified. Therefore He brought you out from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand. And He redeemed you³³⁷Verse 8. — this is an allusion that He smote them in your stead, similar to what is said, I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.³⁴¹Isaiah 43:3.