Commentaire de citation sur L’Exode 36:1

כלות משה MOSES HAD FINISHED — Bezalel and Ohaliab and all the wise-hearted men made the Tabernacle (cf. Exodus 36:1), but Scripture attributes it to Moses (describes it as his work), because he devoted himself wholeheartedly to it, to see that the shape of each article was exactly as He had shewn him on the mountain — to show the workmen how it should be made; nor did he err in a single shape. — A similar thing do we find in the case of David: because he devoted himself to the building of the Holy Temple, — as it is said, (Psalms 132:1—5) “Lord, remember David, and all his affliction: How he swore unto the Lord … [I will not give sleep to mine eyes … until I find out a place for the Lord …]”, therefore it is called by his name, as it is said, (1 Kings 12:16) “Now see your own house, David" (Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 13).

"And fall" can indicate many - as in "Let, then, Bezalel and Oholiab" [Exodus 36:1]; "even if the sign or portent comes true" [Deuteronomy 13:3]; "and if a lion or bear came" [I Samuel 17:34].

with all your heart The “heart” denotes consciousness (and is here an allusion to the spirit of intelligence, corresponding to the first Divine Wheel [Ezekiel 1: 15]), as in “wise of heart” [Exodus 31: 6] and “acquires a heart” [Proverbs 15: 32].

And Hur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezalel Figure that each of them was less than eight years old when they begot, for Caleb was forty years old during the episode of the spies, as it is written (Jos. 14: 7): “I was forty years old when [Moses, the servant of the Lord] sent, etc.,” and at that time they all were already born, for the Tabernacle that Bezalel made had been erected. Caleb was eight years old when he begot Azuba Ishah, nine years old when he begot Jerioth, and after the death of Azubah, his wife, he took Ephrath, and she bore him Hur in the following year, making him ten years old, and Hur was eight years old when he begot Uri, and Uri was eight years old when he begot Bezalel, thus making 26 years, and it is written (Exod. 36:1): “and every wise hearted man,” and a man is not less than thirteen years old. So Bezalel was thirteen years old when he made the Tabernacle. Thus, we have forty years less one. We find that each one of them was less than eight years old when they begot children, and so it is explained in Chapter “Ben sorer umoreh“ (Sanh. 69a). According to the Midrash, they begot at the age of six.