פירוש על שמות 31:22

Kap. 31. V. 1. Mit dem vorigen Kapitel sind die Vorschriften über die Herstellung des Heiligtums vollendet. Es fehlt nur noch die Anweisung der ausführenden Künstler und die Erteilung des Gegenstandes, der nicht von Menschenhand, der von Gott zu erteilen war, und dem das ganze Heiligtum von Menschenhänden zur Stätte errichtet werden sollte, die Erteilung des Gesetzeszeugnisses. Beides, jene Anweisung und diese Erteilung, erfolgt in diesem Kapitel.

קראתי בשם I HAVE CALLED BY NAME — to accomplish My work — BEZALEL.

SEE, I HAVE CALLED BY NAME BEZALEL THE SON OF URI, THE SON OF HUR. G-d said to Moses, See, I have called by name, and Moses said to Israel, See, the Eternal hath called by name.²⁰⁴And the question appears: Why was that special designation called for? The answer is that it was needed because etc. The reason for this is because Israel in Egypt had been crushed under the work in mortar and in brick,²⁰⁵Above, 1:14. and had acquired no knowledge of how to work with silver and gold, and the cutting of precious stones, and had never seen them at all. It was thus a wonder that there was to be found amongst them such a great wise-hearted man who knew how to work with silver and gold, and in cutting of stones [for setting] and in carving of wood, a craftsman, an embroiderer, and a weaver.²⁰⁶See further, 35:35. For even amongst those who study before the experts, you cannot find one who is proficient in all these crafts. And even those who know them and are used to doing them, if their hands are continually engaged in [work with] lime and mud, lose the ability to do with them such artistic and delicate work. Moreover, he [i.e. Bezalel] was a great Sage in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge,²⁰⁷Verse 3. to understand the secret of the Tabernacle and all its vessels, why they were commanded and to what they hinted. Therefore G-d said to Moses that when he sees this wonder he should know that I filled him with the spirit of G-d,²⁰⁷Verse 3. to know all these things in order that he would make the Tabernacle. For it was His Will to make the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and He created him for His glory,²⁰⁸See Isaiah 43:7. And in Chapter Kinyan Torah: “Whatsoever the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world He created it but for His glory.” Bezalel thus was born for that sacred purpose, as the thought continues to be unfolded by Ramban. for it is He that called the generations from the beginning,²⁰⁹Isaiah 41:4. — See Vol. I, p. 59, Note 240, for important note on this topic. it being similar in meaning to the verse, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee.²¹⁰Jeremiah 1:5. The same type of expression we find in the verse, See that the Eternal hath given you the Sabbath; therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days.²¹¹Above, 16:29. Here too the sense of the verse is: “See the wonder…”
Our Rabbis have on this topic a Midrash:²¹²Shemoth Rabbah 40:2. “G-d showed Moses the book of the first man and told him: ‘Each person I have given a role from that moment on, and Bezalel too I have given a role already then, as it is said, See, I have called by name Bezalel.” This is similar to what I have explained. The Rabbis have also said:²¹³Berachoth 55a. “Bezalel knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth were created.” The purport of this saying is that the Tabernacle alludes to these matters [heaven and earth], and he knew and understood its secret.

ראה קראתי בשם, try and understand that I did not appoint Betzalel for this task arbitrarily, as it is of the essence that someone who is very senior also in spiritual matters must carry out such a sacred task as fashioning the parts of the Tabernacle. Such a person must not only have in mind the desire to technically execute first class artisanship, but he must constantly be conscious of performing a Divine commandment.

ראה קראתי בשם בצלאל, "See, I have called by name Betzalel, etc." Perhaps the extra word בשם is intended to draw our attention not only to Betzalel's name but also to that of his father and grandfather and how those names reflected Betzalel's impact on his contemporaries. The name בצל־אל suggests that he was the man through whom a shelter was provided for G'd on earth. בן אורי suggests that Betzalel's father looked upon G'd as the source of his inspiration and enlightenment. בן חור is a reference to freedom, בן חורים. Betzalel helped free the Israelites from the remaining stigma of the golden calf by helping Israel to regain its good graces. Our sages in Shemot Rabbah 51,4 in connection with the words משכן העדות in Exodus 38,21 point out that the reason for that designation of the Tabernacle was that its existence was testimony, עדות, that G'd had forgiven the Jewish people for the sin of the golden calf. This very thought was also anchored in Betzalel's name and the name of his forebears. The allusions we just referred to would justify the conjunctive letter ו in front of the words ו־אמלא אותו רוח אלוקים בחכמה,"and I will fill him with a spirit of wisdom." This may also be the reason that the Torah speaks of בחכמה, instead of simply חכמה when describing G'd's input as additional to Betzalel's natural talents and virtues. Alternatively, the word בחכמה may reflect a statement of our sages in Berachot 55 based on Daniel 2,21 that G'd adds additional wisdom to people aleady possessed of a measure of wisdom. Accordingly, the words ואמלא…בחכמה, mean: "and I will add wisdom to Betzalel who already possesses wisdom."

See, I have called. “See” in this context is a call to caution. The fact that the mishkon could only be fashioned by one whom God had imbued with Divine spirit, wisdom, understanding and knowledge, was an indication of its loftiness. Therefore it was fitting for them to behave towards it with special care.

ראה קראתי בשם בצלאל, “See, I have called by name, Betzalel.” Moses repeats this description of Betzalel’s qualifications when he says to them in This was necessary, as it was a miracle that a people who had been forced to perform basic slave labour for hundreds of years should have produced among themselves artisans capable of performing highly skilled work such as was envisioned for the making of the priestly garments, and for the furnishings of the Tabernacle. Betzalel, personally, had been endowed by G’d not only with the wisdom to carry out the physical work required, but he had been endowed with the spiritual insights necessary to comprehend the mystical aspects of the Tabernacle and everything connected with it. He was fully aware of the significance of both the materials used, the measurements G’d had commanded, and the manner in which the entire project represented a re-enactment of מעשה בראשית, the way in which G’d had created the universe. Our sages, in attempting to give us an inkling of all this, stated that G’d had shown Betzalel the book of Adam, the first human being. They meant that just as Adam, initially, had been on intimate terms with his Creator, so Betzalel had been endowed with something parallel, as much as this is possible in the present imperfect world. Some commentators interpret the word: “ראה” as meaning “I want you to know that in My eyes this man appears to be good.” Seeing that this is so, I want you, Moses, to relate to him in a similar manner.

To do My work. . . Rashi is answering the question: Why does it not say קראתי שם לבצלאל — “I gave a name to Betzalel”? Therefore he explains that it means: “I have called [someone] by name to do My work.” And whom did I call? Betzalel.

V. 2. ראה קראתי בשם. Ebenso Mosche an Israel: ראו קרא ד׳ בשם (Kap. 35, 30). קרא בשם: jemanden mit Namen, d. h. speziell und ausdrücklich zu etwas berufen. Indem es heißt: ich habe berufen, und Mosche und Israel aufgefordert sind ראו ,ראה, somit für das Tatsächliche dieser Berufung an ihre eigene Einsicht und Erfahrung appelliert wird, so kann diese Berufung nur in der so ganz speziellen und offenkundigen Begabung Bezalels für diese Aufgabe sich ausgesprochen haben, dass er selbst nach dem Urteile seiner Zeitgenossen als der einzige für den Beruf dagestanden. Diese Begabung und Befähigung wird aber durch Gottes Wort: קראתי בשם als Wirkung einer ganz besonderen göttlichen Fürsorge bezeichnet. Schön weist רמב׳׳ן zur Stelle darauf hin, wie Israels Vergangenheit unter dem Druck der Sklavenarbeit in Ägypten wenig geeignet war, Kunstsinn und Kunstfertigkeit zu wecken und auszubilden, und das Vorhandensein eines Bezalel und seiner Künstlergenossen im Volke nur ein Werk ganz besonderer göttlicher Fürsorge gewesen sein konnte. — Daran, dass hier Gott an Mosche und Mosche an des Volkes zustimmende Einsicht bei Berufung des Bezalel appelliert, knüpfen die Weisen das bedeutsame Wort: אין מעמידין פרנס על הצבור אלא אם כן נמלכים בצבור (Berachoth 55 a), man oktroyiert dem Volke keinen Beamten, man bestellt keinen, ohne das Volk zuvor um dessen Zustimmung zu fragen.

בצלאל בן אורי בן חור, “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur;” the reason why the Torah mentions also the grandfather of Betzalel, whereas in the case of his assistant, Oholiov, it mentions only his father, (verse 6) is that Chur had died a martyr’s death in opposing the Israelites‘ dancing around the golden calf. The major function of the Tabernacle was to atone for that sin. This is why his name is mentioned here in connection with the Tabernacle.

בצלאל בו אורי בן חור, “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur;” Betzalel’s ancestry is given for 3 generations, whereas that of his assistant Oholiov is only traced to his father. The reason is that Betzalel’s grandfather had become a martyr during the episode of the golden calf, when he tried to prevent the people from dancing around the golden calf. Seeing that the building of the Tabernacle was primarily in order to facilitate atonement for the sin of the golden calf, it is appropriate that the Torah mentions Chur’s name in this connection.

חכמה WISDOM is what a person hears from others and learns (makes his own).

V.3. über die Bedeutung von דעת ,בינה ,חכמה, und deren Verhältnis zu einander siehe zu Bereschit 41, 33. Indem diese höchsten geistigen Vermögen bei Bezalel vorausgesetzt werden, so ist damit evident, dass hier nicht bloß ein äußeres Kunstwerk äußerlich hergestellt werden soll, sondern dass es sich um den Bau eines in allen seinen Teilen symbolischen Werkes handelt, dessen in ihm und durch dasselbe zum Ausdruck kommende Ideen bei der Ausführung als leitende Gedanken gegenwärtig und als bewusstvolle Absicht vorschweben sollen.

תבונה UNDERSTANDING is understanding a matter by one’s own intelligence deducing it from the things one has already learned.

דעת means holy inspiration.

לחשב מחשבה lit., TO DEVISE DEVICES — this refers to the weaving of an artist’s work.

ובחרשת denotes artisanship generally, as (Isaiah 40:20) “a clever artisan (חרש חכם)”. Onkelos, however, more closely defines the term each time it occurs in this verse and varies the definition he gives of them: the first he renders by אמנות and the second by נגרות, because the lapidary is called in Aramaic אמן, whilst the worker in wood is called נגר, and he therefore uses the abstract forms of these nouns to specify the particular kind of artisanship here intended.

למלאת TO SET IN — i. e. to put it into its setting, so as to fill it in (למלאת) by making the setting according to the size of the bottom of the stones and its thickness.

ובלב כל חכם לב וגו׳ AND IN THE HEARTS OF ALL THAT ARE WISE HEARTED [I HAVE GIVEN WISDOM] — and there are still other wise-hearted men among you (beside Bezalel and Oholiab) and all these in whom I have given wisdom shall make all that I have commanded thee.

ובלב כל חכם לב, who came forward to carry out this work G’d had already equipped him with the required talent to carry out the work.

I have also granted skill to all who are skillful: In Brachot 55 they (the sages) said that the Holy One Blessed be God only gave wisdom to those who had wisdom. (The Gemara asks) What is the basis for this? And thus the explanation is given that it is from Sefer Daniel (2:21) " “He gives wisdom unto the wise..." And the intention in this is that the root of wisdom is explained by two teachings/manners:1) logic and discernment 2) Learning and researching what others have already learned. And this is the explanation of the verse in Proverbs (4:7) The beginning of wisdom is—acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment. First comes the logical reasoning of the human as he behaves with learning - that he must first gain wisdom of others and afterwards he will be able to acquire wisdom learning one thing from another on his own intuition. ...

ואני הנני נתתי אתו את אהליאב בן אחיתמך למטה דן, “As for Me, here I have given him as an assistant Oholiav son of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan.” We read in the name of Rabbi Chanina in Shemot Rabbah 40,4 that no tribe was more exalted than Yehudah and none was less regarded than the tribe of Dan, seeing he was descended from one of the maidservants of Yaakov. G’d decided that Betzalel and a descendant of Dan should partner each other so that neither Betzalel nor his tribe should become haughty. All human beings are equal before G’d. The fact that the Tabernacle was built by these two architects was an important object lesson teaching this parity between the tribes in their social standing. Interestingly enough, when Solomon built the Temple this pattern was repeated seeing that the principal participants in constructing it were Solomon of the tribe of Yehudah, and Chirom the son of a mother from the tribe of Dan (compare Chronicles II 2,13).

And the other wise-hearted. . . [Rashi explains this] so we will not think they were all with Betzalel, helping him. If they were, why is Oholiav specifically mentioned, above the other wise-hearted? Therefore Rashi explains as he does, saying that Oholiav helped Betzalel with all the craftwork that Betzalel did himself. But the other wise-hearted merely did the craftwork that Betzalel and Oholiav gave them to do. Accordingly, the passage reads as follows: “I have designated Betzalel. . . and I have also appointed Oholiav to be with him. Furthermore, the other wise-hearted among you, and all those I have given wisdom to, will do all that I have commanded you.”

V. 6. וכלב כל חכם לב נתתי חכמה. Die Weisen sehen in diesem Satze die Wahrheit begründet: אין הב׳׳ה נותן חכמה אלא למי שיש בו חכמה, Gott gibt nur dem Weisheit, dem bereits Weisheit innewohnt, wie es ja auch (Daniel 2, 21) heiße: יהב חכמתא לחכימין ומנרעא לידעי בינה (Berachoth 55 a), d. h. Gott macht nur den zum Gefäße göttlicher Weisheit, der bereits die natürliche, menschliche Begabung der Weisheit besitzt und aus sich entwickelt hat. Von jenem Gotteswunder, das den Einfältigen von gestern zum geistvollen und begeisterten Gottesmanne von heute macht, weiß die jüdische Wahrheit nichts. —

ואת הארן לעדת AND THE ARK FOR THE TESTIMONY — for the purpose of the Tablets of the testimony (not, “the ark to serve as the testimony”; the ל denotes “for” in the sense of “for the use of”, and the term עדת is an abbreviation of לחות העדות).

VV. 7 u. 8. ואת כל כלי האהל, da das אהל keine anderen Geräte als die im V. 8 genannten hat, so kann V. 8 nur Erläuterung zu diesem Schlusssatz des V .7 sein und das Waw kopulativum: ואת השלחן וגו׳ nur als: sowohl als usw. verstanden werden. Damit erklärt sich denn auch wohl, warum es beim שלחן hier nur כליו und nicht כל כליו heißt. Die Geräte des Tisches gehören, mit Ausnahme der ל קערות, mit zum Zubehör desselben und befinden sich immer an und auf ihm im אהל gegenwärtig. Sie sind bereits in dem Ausdruck: כל כלי האהל inbegriffen. Die כלי המנורה sind aber nur Geräte des Dienstes am Leuchter, gehören nicht zu ihm und sind überhaupt nicht im אהל gegenwärtig, sie waren somit besonders durch כל zu bezeichnen.

הטהרה THE (PURE [CANDELABRUM] — It is called טהרה because the term זהב טהר, pure gold, is used of it (cf. Exodus 25:31) (not טהרה in contrast to טמאה).

So called on account of its pure gold. Rashi is answering the question: Does this not imply that the other vessels were not pure? Alternatively, Rashi is explaining that טהור means “refined,” not “ritually pure.” (Re”m)

ואת המנורה הטהורה, “and the candlestick, the pure one;” none of the other furnishings of the Tabernacle have had the adjective; “the pure one” added to it, except the candlestick and the table in Leviticus 24,6. The reason is that neither the table nor the candlestick ever had blood sprinkled on them.

‎ואת בגדי השרד AND THE GARMENTS OF THE SERVICE — I think — according to the plain sense of the verse — that one cannot say that Scripture is here speaking of (referring to) the priestly garments, because to them refer the next words: “and the garments of holiness for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to minister as priests”. But these בגדי שרד are identical with the garments of blue purple wool, and red purple wool, and crimson wool which are mentioned in the chapter (Numbers IV.) giving an account of Israel’s encampments: (Numbers 4:12) “and they shall put them in a garment of blue purple”; (Numbers 4:13) “and spread a garment of red purple thereon”; (Numbers 4:8) “and they shall spread upon them a garment of crimson”. And indeed my opinion appears correct, because it is said, (Exodus 39:1) “And of the blue purple, and of the red purple, and of the crimson, they made garments of the service (בגדי שרד) to minister in the holiness”, and linen is not mentioned among them (these materials). Now if Scripture were speaking of the priestly garments it could not have omitted “linen”“, for we do not find in respect of even one of them (of the priestly garments) mention of red purple or crimson without linen.

AND THE GARMENTS OF ‘HA’SROD.’²¹⁴Rashi explains it as “the garments of net-work” [with which the sacred vessels were covered during the journeyings]. Ramban will differ with this interpretation. I do not know why He did not command the making of these garments at the beginning, as He did concerning all the [rest of the] work of the Tabernacle and the garments of Aaron and his sons, for it would have been proper that He say to Moses, “and thou shalt make cloth of blue-purple to cover with it the ark,²¹⁵Numbers 4:6. and a red-purple cloth to cover with it the altar,²¹⁶Ibid., Verse 13. and a cloth of scarlet to cover with it the table,” and now when charging Moses about those who were to make these things, He should have included these garments with the rest of the work. Perhaps there was no insistence on how they were to be made, and they could have made these garments of srod of one kind alone, but they made them of blue-purple, red-purple and scarlet. They did not want to make them of linen, as that is not distinguished, as are those other colors. After they made them, G-d willed that the blue-purple cloth be for the ark, the red-purple for the altar, and the scarlet for the table. Therefore, it was sufficient to command them in brief [here] when He gave the command about those who were to do all the work, for these garments of ‘ha’srod’ were to be made according to their understanding.
Now it is not befitting that a garment made to cover [the sacred vessels] should have many holes in it, as Rashi has said. Rather, the word ha’srod is of the term sarid (a lone survivor), because all these garments were of one kind,²¹⁷I.e. wool, excepting that they were colored differently: blue-purple, red-purple, and scarlet. as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said.
All this I have written in accordance with the line of thought of Rashi. Yet all this availeth me nothing.²¹⁸Esther 5:13. For what meaning is there in the Holy One, blessed be He, saying to Moses that they should make “garments of kela,”²¹⁹The Hebrew word kla’im (hangings) (above 27:9) Onkelos translates s’radin. Similarly he translates the Hebrew word michbar (grate) (ibid., Verse 4) as s’rada. On the basis of these translations of Onkelos, Rashi suggests here that the word ha’srod is an Aramaic term, which means “garments of net-work,” because they were made with many holes. — It is with reference to this basis for Rashi’s explanation that Ramban says, “garments of kela.” or “garments of s’ridah,” without explaining to him how many of them there should be, two or a hundred, how long and wide they should be, and why they should be made altogether, since the matter cannot be understood at all from this communication [stated here]? Moreover, why are they mentioned always before the garments of Aaron?²²⁰In the verse before us: And the garments of ‘ha’srod,’ and the holy garments for Aaron etc. — Likewise further, 35:19, and 39:41. Besides, what is the meaning of the phrase, the garments of ‘ha’srod’, for ministering in the holy place,²²¹Further, 35:19. for this seems to refer to the sacrificial rites in the holy place, just as He says, or when they come near to the altar to minister²²²Above, 30:20. in the holy place. Similarly, even he who cometh into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the holy place²²³Ibid., 29:30. does not refer to outer work, or the carrying of the holy vessels. Furthermore, it is written, and they will make all that I commanded thee: the Tent of Meeting etc., and the garments of ‘ha’srod’ etc., and the incense of sweet spices; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.²²⁴Verses 6-11. But He had not commanded him before about the garments of ‘ha’srod’ at all!
What appears from the words of our Rabbis is that the garments of ‘ha’srod’ are the actual garments of the priesthood. This is mentioned in Tractate Yoma.²²⁵Yoma 72 a-b. “What is the meaning of the verse, the garments of ‘ha’srod’ for ministering in the holy place (further 35:19)? If not for the garments of the priesthood [which are worn during the service which brings atonement to Israel], there would not have been left a survivor [a sarid] of Israel’s enemies.” The final expression is a euphemism. But the whole quotation shows that the garments of ‘ha’srod’ refer to the actual garments of the priests. If that is so, it is correct that we translate the garments of ‘ha’srod’ as “the garments of uniqueness,” that is to say, the garments which when worn designate the outstanding one of the people, the highest among his brethren.²²⁶Leviticus 21:10. Similarly, ‘u’basridim’ whom the Eternal shall call²²⁷Joel 3:5. means the remnants of those who have survived, [the word being] of the root, escape ‘v’sarid’ (and remain).²²⁸Jeremiah 44:14. [The garments of ‘ha’srod’] thus allude to the garments of Aaron, which are so called [‘unique’] because only one of the generation may wear them — Aaron in his lifetime, and after him the priest that is highest… upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments.²²⁶Leviticus 21:10. And Scripture always mentions Aaron’s garments in a way of honor, as it says: for splendor and for beauty;²²⁹Above, 28:2. holy garments;²³⁰Ibid., Verse 4. the golden plate, the holy crown.²³¹Leviticus 8:9. It is for this reason that they are called the garments of ‘ha’srod’ — garments of royalty. This is the meaning of the verse, And the garments of ‘ha’srod’ (the High Priest) to minister in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, Scripture thus reverting [in the second half of the verse] to explain [that the garments of ha’srod are for Aaron]. Similarly it is mentioned in the section beginning, And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses.²³²Further, 39:33. In Verse 41 there it is stated: the garments of ‘ha’srod'… the holy garments for Aaron the priest. And the reason why in this section of See, I have called by name²³³Verse 2. it says, And the garments of ‘ha’srod,’ ‘and’ the holy garments for Aaron the priest [when the second half of the verse should have been without the connective vav which signifies “and,” since, as explained, it is in apposition to the first²³⁴See also Note 232; further in 39:41 the connective “and” is not used by Scripture. The question then appears why is it mentioned here.], is to indicate that these garments are superior in two qualities: they are garments of ha’srod [the High Priesthood], and they are garments of holiness. This is in order to tell us that only the outstanding one among the people should wear them, [and only] when he comes in to minister in the holy place. And seeing that He did not mention here the phrase, to minister in the holy place,²²³Ibid., 29:30. He added in explanation that they are garments of s’rod and garments of holiness. Besides, there are many cases in Scripture where a redundant vav occurs. And the reason why Scripture states, And of the blue-purple, and red-purple, and scarlet, they made garments of ‘srod,’²³⁵Further, 39:1. And if, as explained above, srod is a term referring to the garments of the High Priest, why then does the verse not mention the linen, of which the garments of Aaron were also made? This is because etc. is because it comes to explain These are the accounts of the Tabernacle,²³⁶Ibid., 38:21. giving an accounting — because of their importance — of the gold, silver and brass, how much of them the Israelites brought and what they did with them; therefore it then said afterwards that of the blue-purple, and the red-purple, and scarlet which were brought to them they made the garments of ‘srod’ (the High Priest), neither more nor less. Thus it did not mention the linen because it is not as costly a matter [as the rest]. Perhaps they brought so much [of the linen] that it was left over [and therefore Scripture did not mention it]. Then Scripture there refers back and explains [what they did with the blue-purple, the red-purple, etc.] and says, and they made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Eternal commanded Moses,²³⁵Further, 39:1. And if, as explained above, srod is a term referring to the garments of the High Priest, why then does the verse not mention the linen, of which the garments of Aaron were also made? This is because etc. And he made the ephod of gold,²³⁷Ibid., 39:2. and then finished the [whole] subject.

בגדי השרד, hanging protective curtains which would be draped over the furnishings of the Tabernacle, such as the Table, The Ark, and the Menorah, as detailed in Parshat Bamidbar. (Numbers 4,6; 4,13; 4,8) These fabrics had been plaited prior to their serving as protective covers.

ואת בגדי השרד, “and the knit vestments, etc.” According to Rashi the vestments mentioned here were the covers in which the furnishings of the Tabernacle were wrapped while the Israelites were en route from one encampment to the next. The literal meaning of the word שרד appears to be that the fabric of these vestments was very porous, like knitwear. According to Nachmanides this is not the issue, but the word שרד indicates that only one single kind of yarn was used in the construction of these covers, as opposed to the ceremonial garments of the High Priest which consisted of a variety of yarns all used in the making of a single garment. At any rate, I have an additional and basic difficulty with Rashi’s commentary. It appears unlikely that G’d would instruct Moses to have vestments made without telling him how many, what size, and what materials these were to be made of. Furthermore, what is astounding, if Rashi were correct, is that such auxiliary vestments would be mentioned ahead of the ceremonial garments of Aaron, or even before the garments of the ordinary priests. Moreover, the expression לשרת בקודש used in 35,19 is totally incomprehensible; what “service” would these vestments possibly perform if their purpose were just to serve as covers for the Tabernacle’s furnishings? Also what is the meaning of the words in verse 6 ועשו את כל אשר צויתיך, “they are to do in accordance with all that I commanded you,” and what follows are a list of things including the בגדי השרד?” Seeing the making of the בגדי השרד had not been commanded to Moses as yet how could they have been included in what is described in verses 7-11? From the words of our sages it would appear that the vestments referred to as בגדי השרד are none other than the priestly garments, and the reason that they are here referred to by the description בגדי השרד, is that the wearer be uniquely distinguished among his people. The word שריד appears in a similar context as referring to the unique phenomenon of someone escaping the general slaughter of Israel’s enemies in Joshua 8,22, and again in the sense of someone unique in Jeremiah The message here is that only one single individual in his generation may be clothed in these garments, i.e. the High Priest Aaron, and after his death the High Priest who replaces him. This may also be the reason why these garments are referred to for all times as בגדי אהרן, Aaron’s garments, not plain “the High Priest’s garments.” The term בגדי אהרן reflects the unique honour bestowed upon Aaron for whom these garments were designed and fashioned. It is not for nothing that the Torah refers to these garments as being לכבוד ולתפארת, “as marks of honour and glory.” This is also why in our literature the term בגדי השרד is equated with בגדי מלכות, “Royal garments,” garments reflecting the glory and authority of the king. As such they become automatically בגדי הקודש, the garments reflecting the sacred duties performed by their wearer. No one else is allowed to wear them. [we know of the unique image of the wearer of these garments when Haman desired to be dressed in the king’s clothes as a mark of the king’s regard for him. Esther, 6, 7-10. Ed.] When we are told in Parshat Pekudey that these garments were woven from blue wool, purple coloured wool, and red wool; it is noticeable that on that occasion no mention is made of the material שש, i.e. fine linen; the reason is that linen, even the finest linen, was considered as inferior to the three kinds of dyed wool mentioned. (compare Exodus) Possibly, there had been no excess donations of these three kinds of woolen threads. Seeing that in our verse the mention of the purpose of these garments to perform holy service in them has been omitted, the Torah may instead have referred to them as בגדי השרד as an alternate way of informing us of the distinction of these garments.

For it states. . . I.e., it is written immediately afterwards, indicating that they are different items.

V. 10. שרד .ואת בגדי השרד, lautverwandt mit einschneiden שׂרט, hat als Grundbedeutung: sondern, aussondern, daher שָרִיד: der einem allgemeinen Verderben, oder einer allgemeinen Verderbnis Entgangene. Man hat daher unter בגדי השרד: Schutzgewänder, die zur Einhüllung der heiligen Geräte auf den Wanderzügen bestimmten Decken (Bamidbar 4) verstanden. Dafür späche hier das Waw bei dem folgenden: ואת בגדי הקדש, wodurch die בגדי השרד von den בגדי הקדש verschieden erscheinen. Allein Kap. 35. 19; 39, 1 u. 39, 41 wird als Bestimmung dieser לשרת בקדש :בגדי שרד beigefügt und dürfte dies doch schwerlich von dem Verpacken auf der Reise verstanden werden können. Dazu käme das Auffallende, dass diese Gewänder als so sekundär zu betrachten sein müssten, dass sie unter den oben zur Anfertigung vorgeschriebenen Gewändern gar nicht genannt sind, und gleichwohl bei der Ausführung überall zuerst genannt sein sollten. Es ist daher wohl kaum möglich, in ihnen etwas anderes als eine Bezeichnung der Priesterkleider zu erblicken, und das Waw: ואת בגדי הקדש ebenso wie V. 8 ואת השלחן nach ואת כל כלי האהל zu verstehen (siehe daselbst). Nahe liegt es sodann, שׂרָד als Aussonderung, Auszeichnung zu begreifen und ist es auch erklärlich, warum dieses negative Merkmal der Heiligung gerade bei der Anfertigung und Ablieferung der Priestergewänder aus den Händen der Künstler besonders hervortritt. Mit diesen Gewändern sollten ja die zum Priesteramte Designierten aus der bisherigen Gemeinsamkeit mit den Künstlern und der Nation, in deren Namen sie arbeiteten, scheiden und ausgesondert werden. Das Volk selbst fertigte durch seine Künstler die Gewänder der Auszeichnung an, durch welche fortan eine Familie für alle Zeiten so bedeutsam von allen anderen und über alle andere gesondert und erhoben werden sollte. Den Künstlern und der Nation, in deren Namen sie arbeiteten, war dieses שרד wohl gegenwärtig, und es geschah frei und freudig. — Onkelos übersetzt בגדי השרד immer: לבושי שמושא, somit gleichbedeutend mit בגדי השרת. Unmöglich ist es nicht, daß שרד auch bedienen hieße. Lautverwandt ist שרת und שרד, und begrifflich lässt sich auch Bedienen als eine Tätigkeit anschauen, die denjenigen, dem sie zugewandt wird, der Notwendigkeit überhebt, sich mit Dingen zu befassen, die, seinem Stande, seinen Neigungen usw. zufolge, ihm gegenüber untergeordnet, gemein, niedrig usw. erscheinen. Bedienen schließt somit immer eine auszeichnende, absondernde Fernhaltung ein.

ואת בגדי השרד, “and the service garments;” according to Rashi these were not priestly garments, but garments woven alternately of blue wool and red wool, i.e. תכלת וארגמן as described in the portion dealing with the journeys of the Israelites (Numbers 4,7-9). This sounds quite unlikely, as these garments are referred to throughout the Talmud as priestly vestments.

ואת בגדי השרד, “and the service vestments.” The word שרד is reminiscent of פליט ושריד in Jeremiah 44,14, where it refers to remnants of escapees after the destruction of the Temple. Here too, the expression is referring to excess materials used for weaving of the carpets forming the inner ceiling of the Tabernacle, and the priestly garments, as well as the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle and the dividing curtain between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. From these remnants the covers for the furnishings of the Tabernacle while it was in transit were constructed. These covers were alluded to by the same expression in Exodus 39,41.

בגדי השרד GARMENTS OF SERVICE — Some explain שרד to mean work and service (cf. שרת to serve), as the Targum renders it: לבושי שמושא, “garments for the service”. There is, however, no other example of it (of שרד) in Scriptures. I, however, think that it is an Aramaic expression, like the Targum of קלעים, hangings, which Onkelos renders by שרדין, and of מכבר, “grate”, which he renders by שרדא, both words denoting net-work, and they are called “garments of שרד, net-work”, because they were woven not in the ordinary way but with the needle (a kind of crochet-work), made with many holes; “lacies” in old French; English, net or mesh-work.

And the Targum of מכבר . . . It is translated שרדין because it was net-work. Therefore, also שרד means net-work.

ואת קטרת הסמים לקדש AND INCENSE OF AROMATICS FOR THE SANCTUARY — i. e. for the purpose of letting it (the incense) rise in smoke in the היכל which is the “קדש” (that part of the Tabernacle or Temple in front of the קדש קדשים‎.

לקדש, "for the holy place, etc." Seeing that none of the materials used for the Tabrnacle and the priests have been forbidden to be used for profane purposes with the exception of the oil for anointing and the incense, the Torah had to underline that these two had to be made on a holy site as they themselves were for use exclusively for consecrated people or holy structures.

For the purpose of bringing up smoke in the היכל . . .. I.e., the ל [of לקדש ] conveys “for the purpose of.” Rashi does not explain the verse according to its apparent meaning, that לקדש refers back to the anointing oil as well. This is because the verse should then say לְקַדֵש — “to render holy” — [for “to render holy” is the purpose of the anointing oil]. Whereas לַקֹדֶש conveys that it is already holy. (Gur Aryeh)

ואת קטורת הסמים לקדש, “and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place;” i.e. for use in the holy places.

ויאמר ה׳ אל משה, G'd said to Moses, etc. We have to examine why the Torah changed here to using the word ויאמר when describing G'd as speaking to Moses whereas all the time He was described as וידבר, speaking in a stern voice. I have seen a comment by our sages in the Mechilta according to which the term ויאמר ה׳ indicates that G'd did not speak to Moses through an intermediary, i.e. angel, but directly. If so, we must still analyse what change had occurred since 31,1 where G'd was still reported as speaking through an intermediary, i.e. וידבר ה׳ אל משה לאמר. Not only that, but why did the author of the Mechilta wait until here to give us this information? This should have been explained when we find that G'd was speaking to Moses as וידבר ה׳ the first time this occurs. [The author suggests an answer based on a variant text of the Mechilta not at my disposal. Ed.]

(Exodus 30:11) "And the L rd spoke to Moses": Not through an interpreter, and not through an angel, and not through a messenger.

V. 12. ויאמר, es wird hiermit kein neues Gesetz eingeführt. Das Schabbatgesetz war bereits gegeben, es erhält hier neue, erläuternde Seiten und insbesondere in Beziehung zu dem vorangehenden gebotenen Werke des Heiligtumbaues. Darum wohl heißt es: ויאמר ד׳ וגו׳ und nicht wie bei sonstigen bleibenden Gesetzaussprüchen gewöhnlich: וידבר. In Beziehung auf das gebotene Werk des Heiligtumbaues erläuterte Gott, wie es in dieser Hinsicht mit dem Schabbat gehalten werden sollte.

ואתה דבר אל בני ישראל SPEAK THOU ALSO UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — AND thou, although I have given thee charge to command them concerning the work of the Tabernacle let it not appear a light thing to thee to set the Sabbath aside on account of that work.

ACH’ (BUT) YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. “Even though you may be anxious²³⁸Our Rashi adds: “and alert.” to do the work promptly, do not set aside the Sabbath on its account. All [Scriptural expressions containing] the words ach (but) or rak (only), intimate limiting qualifications; [in this case] it is to exclude the Sabbath from [the days on which] the work of the Tabernacle may be done.” This is Rashi’s language. But I have not been able to explain it. For according to the method used by our Rabbis to interpret the words ach (but) and rak (only), it should limit the scope of Sabbath-observance [and permit the work of the Tabernacle on the Sabbath], for the limiting qualifications [of ach and rak] everywhere apply to the subject of the commandment itself [and since the verse here speaks of Sabbath-observance, the word ach should be restricting its application]. Thus if we are to interpret [and apply] the limiting nature of the word ach to the subject of the work of the Tabernacle, it should follow that it is allowed to be done on the Sabbath! Rather, the limiting nature of the word ach here applies to circumcision [on the eighth day of the child], or to the saving of human life, and similar instances, [to tell us] that they set aside the Sabbath. And so the Rabbis said in Tractate Yoma:²³⁹Yerushalmi Yoma VIII, 5. “And whence do we know that even in a doubt whether life is in danger, the Sabbath may be set aside? Rabbi Abohu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: ‘Ach’ ye shall keep My Sabbaths — [the word ach] has a limiting qualification.” And the reason why the work of the Tabernacle does not override the Sabbath [is not on account of the word ach, but] because He warned [about keeping the Sabbath] here [right next to the subject of the making of the Tabernacle, thus indicating that the Sabbath is not to be set aside on account of it]. And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse states as follows: “You shall do the work of the Tent of Meeting, but My Sabbaths you shall keep forever.” And in the Torath Kohanim²⁴⁰Sifra Kedoshim Section 3, 7:7. [the Rabbis have said as follows]: “I might think that the building of the Sanctuary overrides the Sabbath? Scripture therefore says, Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My Sanctuary: I am the Eternal.”²⁴¹Leviticus 19:30. This teaches that “all of you are obligated to keep My honor” (Yebamoth 6 a), and as the Meiri explains it: “you and the Sanctuary are obligated to keep My honor.” Thus the building of the Sanctuary does not override the Sabbath.
Now the reason for the word Shabtothai [in the plural] is because the Sabbaths of the year are many. By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], He commanded here [the keeping of the “Sabbaths”] by zachor²⁴²‘Remember’ the Sabbath-day (above 20:8). and shamor,²⁴³‘Observe’ the Sabbath-day (Deuteronomy 5:12). as I have hinted with reference to their secret,²⁴⁴Above, 20:8. this being the reason for the plural — My Sabbaths. Of the two of them [zachor and shamor] He says, for it is a sign [when He should have said “for they are a sign,” this is in order to indicate] that “it” [the Sabbath] is the sign between Me and you… that ye may know.²⁴⁵See my Hebrew commentary here, p. 505, for the mystic interpretation thereof. He states, Ye shall keep the Sabbath,²⁴⁶Verse 14. and declares that those that profane it are liable to extinction,²⁴⁶Verse 14. for the spirit returneth unto G-d who gave it,²⁴⁷Ecclesiastes 12:7. but the soul of that one [who profanes the Sabbath] will be cut off from there.²⁴⁸“It is measure for measure. On the Sabbath everything is in perfect Unity. But he who desecrates the Sabbath shows that he does not believe in that Unity, and therefore he deserves to be cut off from it” (Ma’or V’shamesh). He states concerning the seventh day that it is a Sabbath of solemn rest holy to G-d,²⁴⁹Verse 15. because it is the foundation of the world; of the Sabbath He also says that it is a perpetual covenant,²⁵⁰Verse 16. and then He states again that it is a sign between Me and the children of Israel²⁵¹Verse 17. meaning that the Sabbath is the sign on the seventh day, and the purport thereof is that the [seventh] day itself is a sign, and [its sanctification as] the Sabbath is the sign forever.²⁵²The allusions are Cabalistic. According to Ricanti [here] reference is to the thoughts mentioned above in Seder Mishpatim, Note 23. This is also the purport of the expression, He ceased from work and rested,²⁵¹Verse 17. this being an allusion to “the extra [Sabbath] soul” which comes from The Foundation of the world, in Whose hand is the soul of every living thing.²⁵³Job 12:10. Thus the chapter is explained. I have already hinted at its meaning in [my commentary to] the Ten Commandments.²⁴⁴Above, 20:8. The student learned [in the Cabala] will understand.

אך את שבתותי תשמורו, even though it was I Who commanded you to build the Tabernacle and to construct all its appurtenances, and it is to serve as a residence for My presence, this commandment does not override the restrictions associated with proper observance of the Sabbath. The reason is that the Sabbath is

ואתה תדבר אל בני ישראל, "You too speak to the children of Israel, etc." Why does the Torah use the unusual ואתה in this instance? The letter ו is also unusual, as is the repetitive דבר, seeing the Torah already reported G'd as saying to Moses לאמור? Besides, why was the word לאמור repeated once more in this verse? To whom were the children of Israel supposed to communicate this directive? Even though I have already explained at the beginning of פרשת תרומה that the word דבר is needed and it is not enough to write לאמור, in this instance even the word לאמור has been repeated! Another problem is the word שבתותי in the plural. According to Shabbat 69 the reason for the plural is to decrease the liability of someone who through lack of knowledge of the principle of work-prohibition on the Sabbath has violated a string of Sabbaths. His offence would be considered as being only one offence covering all these Sabbaths and a single sin-offering would suffice to obtain atonement for such a person.. In the Mechilta on our verse the use of the plural is explained as including liability for transgressions of rabbinic commandments commonly known as שבות.

אך את שבתותי, even work of constructing the Tabernacle must not be performed on the Sabbath.

אך את שבתותי תשמורו, “However, you must observe My Sabbaths;” a reference to the numerous Sabbath days during the year. Rashi, pointing out that the word אך always precedes a restrictive clause, claims that the verse in front of us specifically addresses the subject of interrupting the construction of even such a sacred project as the building of the Tabernacle in order not to desecrate the Sabbath. Nachmanides questions Rashi’s interpretation, saying that on the contrary, the restrictive nature of the words אך and רק, should be interpreted as lifting the normal restrictions on building activity on the Sabbath out of deference to the sacred nature of the task of building a residence for G’d on earth. In all other examples of the words אך and רק where these appear in conjunction with a Torah commandment, the commandment’s applicability is limited as a result. If we were to interpret the appearance of this word here as a limitation on the work of the Tabernacle, the result would be that it may proceed even on the Sabbath. Other examples of such a restrictive clause being applied on account of these words result in circumcision on the eight’s day overriding the laws of the Sabbath; similarly, the commandment to save a life which is in danger overrides any forbidden activity of the Sabbath, if the life to be saved is in danger on the Sabbath. The Talmud Yerushalmi 8,5 in Yuma actually quotes our verse here as the source that saving someone’s life on the Sabbath when it involves violation of Biblical prohibitions on the Sabbath is not only permitted but mandatory. However, Rabbi Yochanan there adds that where the life in danger is so only marginally, violation of the Sabbath is not permitted on account of this. Mention of the Sabbath here must be viewed as the exception to the general rule in which the words אך and רק are applied, and that is why work on the Tabernacle was interrupted for the sake of observing the Sabbath. The plain meaning of our verse is: “keep working on the sacred project of building the Tabernacle but do not allow this project to interfere with observance of the Sabbath in any shape or form in order to complete this work sooner.”

Though I have charged you. . . Rashi is answering the question: Why was this section placed here?

V. 13. ואתה דבר וגו׳, was Mosche nur als erläuternde Bemerkung gesagt worden war, sollte er jedoch in der ganzen Entschiedenheit des Gesetzausspruches lehren.

אך את שבתותי שמורו, “but you must observe My Sabbaths;” Moses is to tell the people that although they might have thought that having been commanded to construct a residence for G–d on earth, completing it as soon as possible would override any restrictions that are part of the Sabbath, the Sabbath is not to be desecrated on account of building the Tabernacle.

אך את שבתותי תשמורו , “but you must observe My Sabbath days;” the reason why the Torah repeats this instruction was to tell us that this applies not only during the period when the Tabernacle was being constructed, but for all future generations. This is the origin of which type of work is forbidden to be performed on the Sabbath. Any type of work which was performed during the construction of the Tabernacle, i.e. was required to be performed in the construction of the Tabernacle or service in the Tabernacle, was henceforth forbidden to be performed on the Sabbath.

אך את שבתתי תשמרו BUT NEVERTHELESS MY SABBATHS SHALL YE KEEP — Even though you be anxious and alert to do the work promptly the Sabbath nevertheless you must not set aside on its account. The words אך and רק wherever they occur in Scripture have limitative force (Rosh Hashanah 17b; cf. Rashi on Rosh Hashanah 17b on אכין ורקין). Here Scripture intends by the word אך to except the Sabbath from the days on which the work of the Tabernacle may be done.

אות היא ביני וביניכם, a symbol serving as a reminder of our mutual relationship. If you were to ignore this symbol by building a residence for Me on this day, there would be no point in doing so as I would not then take up residence in that Tabernacle.

כי אות היא, for the reason that you are abstaining from such categories of activities is that you are like Me, i.e. you are My people.

To exclude Shabbos. . . You might ask: Was it not explained above that Shabbos is excluded merely by placing this section adjacent to [the work of the mishkon]? The answer is: Above, only the public was excluded [from doing work], such as bringing the public donations. But we might think an individual may do work; therefore, Scripture had to write אך .

Before we offer our own commnetary on the meaning of this verse let us first examine the word אך which introduces this directive. By understanding the significance of that word we will arrive at a clearer understanding of why the Torah wrote the word לאמור twice, as well as the other details we queried at the beginning of this paragraph. Our sages in Shabbat 129 state that it is permitted to violate the Sabbath legislation for the sake of a sick person if the sick person's life would be endangered unless the Sabbath were violated for his sake. Any situation in which a life is at stake overrides the Sabbath prohibitions. This is what the Torah hinted at when it introduced this piece of legislation with the restrictive word אך, "however." The word simply means that situations may arise which override the legislation about to be recorded. The meaning of the plural is that any day which is also described as שבת in the Torah such as the Day of Atonement or the other festivals, falls into the same category when it comes to the principles permitting violation of the Sabbath or even demanding violation of the Sabbath. It also means that for the sake of such sick people one may violate more than one Sabbath if the patient has not recovered in the interval.

אך את שבתתי תשמרו, mit diesem Satze wird שמירת שבת dem gebotenen Heiligtumbau übergeordnet, und es hat selbst מלאכת המשכן vor dem Schabbat zurückzutreten. Es ist hier das erste Mal, dass die Schabbatpflicht unter dem Begriff שמירה auftritt, und dreimal (VV. 13, 14 u. 16) wird in diesem Schabbatkapitel dieser Begriff wiederholt, so dass er sich als den Inbegriff dieses Kapitels ankündigt. Mit diesem Begriffe aber wird uns der Schabbat als ein objektiv gegebenes, anvertrautes Gut begreifen gelehrt, hinsichtlich dessen uns die שומרים-Pflichten obliegen, nicht daran פושע zu sein, nicht שולח יד daran zu sein, es nie aus den Augen zu verlieren, uns daran und damit keine subjektive Willkür zu erlauben, und mit ängstlicher Gewissenhaftigkeit und Umsicht alles fern zu halten und abzuwenden, was dieses anvertraute Heiligtum verletzen könnte. Mit solcher Intensität kommt dieser Begriff der שמירה sonst nur in Beziehung auf die göttlichen Gesetze im allgemeinen, speziell aber vielleicht nur noch hinsichtlich der Peßachgesetze vor: ושמרת את החקה הזאות למועדה, שמר את חדש האביב, ושמרתם את המצות, את חג המצות תשמר — sofern dieses letztere auf פסח zu beziehen ist, — und auch da nur zerstreut, bei wiederholter Gelegenheit, nicht aber wie hier wiederholt in einer Rede. Und es ist nicht der Schabbat im allgemeinen, es werden "שבתותי", es wird jeder konkrete, in die Zeit eintretende Schabbat als ein besonderes Gottesheiligtum unserer "Hut" empfohlen, jeder konkrete Schabbattag bringt unsere Verpflichtung aufs neue, nimmt für sich aufs neue unsere ganze Hüterpflicht in Anspruch, (ימים שבנתים הווין ידיעה לחלק אעפ׳׳י שלא ידע, Schabbat 67 b תוספו׳ das. und nach der Auffassung des ר׳ נחמן בר אבוה das. 69 a). Und es ist keiner privaten, profanen, keiner Gewerbstätigkeit gegenüber, es ist מלאכת המשכן, es ist eine dem höchsten, heiligsten, nationalen und göttlichen Ziele geweihte Werktätigkeit, es ist der die Gottesnähe erzielende Tempelbau, dem gegenüber hier der Schabbat in Schutz genommen wird, und tritt damit die von uns geforderte Schabbathut hinsichtlich aller anderen, minder heiligen Zwecke, in doppelter Prägnanz hervor.

כי אות היא ביני וביניכם, “for it is a sign between you and Me for generations.” By the use of the word: וביניכם, the Torah emphasizes that it is only between G-d and the Jewish people that such a relationship exists. It is only the Jews who use the Sabbath to rest on it as G-d rested on it after having completed creating the universe.

כי אות היא ביני וביניכם FOR IT IS A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU — There is a mark of distinction in the relation that exists between us, viz., the fact that I have chosen you by letting you inherit for rest that day on which “I” rested.

A further ruling derived from the above wording is the case of a patient who requires eight days' consecutive treatment. One should not delay commencement of such treatment in order to violate only a single Sabbath but one has to commence treatment of the patient at once even if this involves the violation of two Sabbath days (based on Yuma 84).

כי אות היא, da der Schabbat im Satze nur im Plural: שבתותי genannt ist, so kann sich das היא nicht auf den Schabbattag, sondern nur auf die gebotene שמירה beziehen, und ist eben damit die Werkeinstellung, שביתת מלאכה, am Schabbat zum אות zum Symbol erhoben, und zwar ist die Bedeutung dieses Symbols eine gegenseitige, ביני וביניכם an diesem Symbol erkennt Gott uns und durch dasselbe erkennen wir Gott nach dem durch dieses Symbol zum Ausdruck kommenden Inhalte an. Dieser Inhalt wird hier angegeben und mit dem Worte: לדעת eingeführt. דעת ist der Zweck eines jeden אות, eines jeden Symbols, es ist ja eben אות, die Vermittlung einer Erkenntnis, und die durch שמירת שבת vermittelte Erkenntnis ist: כי אני ד׳ מקדשכם dass Gott uns heiligt, d. h. ja: dass Gott uns von allem andern heraussondert und uns zu seinem Dienste bereitstellt. Durch שמירת שבת, d. h. durch Unterlassung einer jeden Werkausführung, legen wir uns und unsere Welt und unsere uns von Gott zur Beherrschung derselben verliehenen Kräfte Gott huldigend zu Füßen und bekennen uns und unsere Welt und unsere schaffenden Kräfte als Gott heilig, d. h. als ausschließlich ihm zur Erfüllung Seines Willens angehörig. So lange Menschen waren, war auch der Schabbat — wie wir dies (oben zu Schmot 16, 23) bemerkt — zur Heiligung der Menschen da. Allein er war nur Idee, und es fehlte ihm der sichtbar, sinnlich wahrnehmbare Ausdruck, es fehlte ihm das אות, das Symbol, und daher schwand er in der irrenden Menschheit. Als Gott Israel zum Werkzeug seines Reiches, d. i. zum Werkzeug seiner Huldigung als Schöpfer und Gebieter im Menschenkreise, das ist ja eben nichts anderes als zur Verwirklichung des "Schabbats" erwählte, gab er dem Schabbat in Israel das konkrete Symbol im Werkverbot, und es ward der Gottesschabbat zum Menschenschabbat. Fortan ist die Schabbat-"Feier" das Symbolum der Beziehung Gottes zu Israel und Israels zu Gott, das Erkennungszeichen, dass Gott uns sich geheiligt und heiligt.

לדעת TO KNOW — (not, “for you to know”, but) for the nations of the world to know through it, כי אני ה' מקדשכם THAT I AM THE LORD THAT DOTH SANCTIFY YOU.

When the Torah emphasis that the Sabbaths belong to G'd, i.e. שבתותי, this may be an allusion to the reason behind the legislation to violate the Sabbath when observing it involves danger to one's life. Inasmuch as it is G'd's Sabbath, it is in G'd's interest that we observe the Sabbath as many times as possible. When violating one or several Sabbath-days results in the patient recovering and observing many more Sabbaths when he has recovered, G'd's purpose in giving us the Sabbath legislation will be fulfilled. This is the only case where we do not follow the principle of not telling one person to commit a sin in order to enable others to perform the commandments. We are told in Shabbat 4 that if someone deliberately stuck dough for bread on the walls of the baking oven in order to bake bread on the Sabbath, he may remove it (a prohibited act) in order to escape the death penalty if he had allowed it to become bread. However, a fellow Jew is not allowed to remove that dough in order to rescue the first Jew from the consequences of his sin. Even the king himself is not only allowed but commanded to violate the Sabbath for the sake of saving a patient's life. In fact, failure to do so (in the absence of trained personnel) is considered a slight against G'd's commandments.

כי אות היא ביני וביניכם, "for it is a sign between Me and between you, etc." This means that unless there are people observing the Sabbath, the Sabbath is considered as non-existent.

לדעת, "(for you) to know", etc. With this word the Torah revealed that it considers the sanctity of the Jew's soul as on a higher plane than the sanctity of the Sabbath seeing that the Sabbath is subordinate to the survival of the Jew. The word לדעת means that we are to appreciate that G'd sanctifies us.

Rashi explains that the word אך means that the work of constructing the Tabernacle is not to supersede the Sabbath legislation but that such work must be interrupted in order for even the artisans to observe the Sabbath. Halachically speaking, Rashi is correct; however, the meaning of the word אך is intended to limit the application of the Sabbath itself, not to impose limits on people concerning the Sabbath. Besides, why would anyone have thought that the building of the Tabernacle should override the work prohibition of the Sabbath so that the Torah had to caution the Israelites against making such an error? It is not our intention to cast aspersions on other commentators and especially on Rashi's sacred words; all the various commentaries fall into the category of אלו ואלו דברי אלוקים חיים, "the various commentaries are all inspired by genuine Torah study."

When the Torah said: ואתה דבר it is necessary in light of the exclusions to the Sabbath legislation alluded to by the word אך. Moses did not know when such exclusions would apply. G'd therefore told Moses orally what these exclusions were to be .The words ואתה דבר mean Moses was to relate these rules only by oral instructions and they were not to be written down in the Torah scroll. Our holy Torah not only uses words extremely sparingly but even each individual letter is never wasted. The absence of a letter we would have expected, or an additional letter which we did not expect, teaches man halachot. This is the meaning of the saying of our sages that the written Torah has seventy "faces," four levels of exegesis, and thirty-one tracks. Each "track" in turn consists of many different paths. Bamidbar Rabbah 19,3 commenting on Kings I 5,12 that Solomon composed 3.000 parables, etc., quotes a Rabbi who searched the entire Bible for comments by Solomon and did not find even eight hundred verses attributed to him. He therefore concluded that each utterance of Solomon had a number of meanings and this is what the verse referred to which credited Solomon with the composition of 3.000 parables. This is simply an example of the succinct manner in which the Holy Scriptures employ words. At the same time you must appreciate that there are homilies and halachot with which every person has to be familiar even though some of these may be laws applicable to every single Jew whereas others may be applicable only in very rare situations. There are even some which have no application in practice at all.

Do not ask why G'd in His wisdom has decided to allude to these homilies and halachot only peripherally instead of spelling them out in the written text of the Torah. The answer to such a question is right in front of your eyes. They are matters not suitable for recording in a book. Consider a statement of our sages in Avot de Rabbi Natan chapter 25 where we find the following in the name of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus. He said to Rabbi Akiva: "if all the oceans were to be ink, and all the reeds were turned into quills, and all men scribes, they could not commit to paper all the halachot about ritual purity and impurity which I have learned through constant close association with my teachers during my life." All of these teachings are somehow alluded to in the Holy Torah though it has used words so sparingly. Although it is not given to man to record all these teachings in a book, Moses was taught all of this during the forty days he spent on Mount Sinai. The Sabbath legislation is only one example of the written Torah recording a minimum (apparently) of halachot, whereas the oral Torah augments this many times over. The Torah simply hinted to Moses by the way it expressed itself that there are many more exclusions to the applicability of the Sabbath legislation than the single one hinted at by the word אך. G'd instructed Moses to fill the people in on this when the Torah reports G'd as saying: ואתה דבר.

When the Torah repeats דבר אל בני ישראל לאמור, it means Moses was to tell the people of this habit of the written Torah not to spell out every little detail of its legislation but to reserve much to be communicated orally to the people by Moses. By adopting this approach we may be able to account for the apparently superfluous לאמור in many instances where this occurs. It means that the people are obligated to study these details though they are not spelled out in the Torah.

We may also understand the unusual word ואתה in the light of Shabbat 10 where the words לדעת כי אני ה׳ מקדשכם are explained in these terms: G'd said to Moses 'I have a beautiful gift in My treasure chamber, its name is Sabbath, and I want to give it to the Jewish people.'" We learn from here that if someone wishes to give a gift to a child, he must first let the child's mother know of his intentions. The Talmud asks why G'd had not advised Moses that his face was radiating light when he descended from Mount Sinai (Exodus 34,29). The first answer is that the rule does not apply when the gift becomes self-evident such as in the case of Moses' skin radiating light. G'd therefore had to tell Moses ואתה דבר, so that Moses would not draw a comparison between what had occurred when his skin began to radiate light, but that he would advise the people that the Sabbath was indeed a gift. In the case of Moses, he was bound to find out that G'd had given him this gift of a skin which radiated light. The Jewish people might not become aware of the nature of the Sabbath as a gift unless told specifically. Moses might have concluded that inasmuch as the Sabbath is something visible [such as the fact that no manna fell on that day, Ed.], he did not have to reveal further details just as G'd did not reveal to him the fact that the skin of his face radiated light. He would feel certain that the people would conclude all by themselves that the day was one of rest and enjoyment. G'd therefore told Moses אות היא, that the rest and enjoyment aspect of the Sabbath is only a symbol of the eventual Sabbath, i.e. a time when life on earth will be a "Sabbath" all week long and we do not have to content ourselves with the spiritual elevation we experience once a week when G'd grants us the additional soul, נשמה יתירה, only to remove it again at the termination of the Sabbath. G'd therefore said to Moses דבר…לדעת, to inform the people of the nature of the gift that G'd was bestowing upon them and the spiritual contentment attainable through observance of the Sabbath.

מות יומת SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH by the judges if there are witnesses testifying to the desecration and if the warning required by law had been given to the culprit immediately before he committed the offence.

ושמרתם את השבת, there is yet another reason why the Sabbath regulations must not be overridden for the sake of completing the Tabernacle sooner;

ושמרתם את השבת,"And you shall observe the Sabbath, etc." Why did G'd repeat the need to observe the Sabbath by adding a new rationale, namely that it was holy? Seeing that immediately before this verse the Torah had permitted violation of the Sabbath laws for the sake of sick people, we might have concluded that the holiness of the Sabbath is relative, i.e. that when compared to a sick person the Sabbath is merely secular. As a result people would violate the Sabbath to prepare medications, etc., even when the life of the patient was not in danger. The Torah therefore underlined the holiness of the Sabbath to warn us not to violate its statutes unless there was danger to a patient's life.

ושמרתם את השבת, “you shall observe the Sabbath.” After the Torah had already written את שבתותי תשמרו, “observe My Sabbaths,” why was this commandment repeated? It teaches that there is an aspect to Sabbath observance prior to the Sabbath’s commencement just as there is an aspect of Sabbath observance immediately after the sun has already set. We are to add to the sanctity of the Sabbath by commencing to observe it even before sundown and we are to add to its sanctity at the end of the day by waiting until it is completely dark before declaring it over. Our sages in explaining the verse: “the column of cloud would not depart by day nor the column of fire by night,” (Exodus 13,22) explained in Shabbat 23 that the wording implies that the column of fire did not withdraw from its position until the column of cloud had taken up its position, whereas similarly, the column of fire did not depart from its position in the morning until the column of cloud was firmly in its assigned position. [There was no vacuum when neither column was in its place to perform its task for the Israelites. Rashi explains that the entire verse was unnecessary as the previous verse had already spelled out the function of each ”column.” Ed.].
Our sages (Yuma 81) also commented on the verse מערב עד ערב תשבתו שבתכם, “from evening till evening you shall rest on your Sabbath” (Leviticus 23,32), that at first glance we might have thought that this directive applied only to the Day of Atonement (where it was written). However, seeing that both the word תשבתו and the word שבתכם were really not needed to teach us this for the Day of Atonement, the extra words mean that the same rule applies to the festivals generally as well as to every Sabbath day. The extra word שבתכם means that every day of rest you observe shall be earmarked by a slight addition both at its commencement and at its end.

Provided there are witnesses and a warning. [Rashi knows this] because “Shall be cut off,” mentioned afterwards, is clearly a punishment by the hand of Heaven. If so, [we may infer that] “Shall be put to death” is a punishment by the hand of man. And man is executed only when there are witnesses and a warning is given. See Nachalas Yaakov, who explains why [is the double phrase] מות יומת written for the punishment of death by the hand of man.

V. 14. ושמרתם את השבת וגו׳, dem שבתותי des V. 13 gegenüber: darum bewahret, achtet, erhaltet, schützet, wachet über die Schabbatinstitution, denn sie ist euch ein Heiligtum, d. i. aus ihr fließt eure Gottheiligkeit und sie erhält und erneut die Heiligung eures ganzen persönlichen Wesens an Gott. מחלליה מות יומת כי כל העשה וגו׳, schwierig ist das כי, welches das כל העושה וגו׳ als Motiv zu מחלליה וגו׳ stellt. Indem מחלליה Plural, מות יומת aber Singular ist, kann מחלליה nicht Subjekt, sondern nur Objekt von יומת, dieses aber verbum impersonale sein: man soll diejenigen, die den Schabbat entweihen, gerichtlich töten. Somit ist in diesem Satze nicht sowohl von der Todeswürdigkeit der Schabbatentweiher, als von der Pflicht der Gesamtheit sie hinzurichten die Rede. Darin unterscheidet sich dieser Satz auch von dem כל העושה וגו׳ מות יומת des folgenden Verses. Nun dürfte ja חילול שבת, wörtlich ja "Ertötung des Schabbats" d. i. Vernichtung der lebendigen und belebenden Idee des Schabbats, in eigentlichem Sinne nur durch Verletzung desselben in Gegenwart anderer geschehen: es wird dadurch diesem Heiligtum im Gemüte anderer die Kraft geschwächt oder geraubt. Es spricht daher dieser Satz von der Entweihung des Schabbats vor Zeugen, die überall die Gesamtheit repräsentieren. Eine vor Zeugen geübte Schabbatentweihung heißt somit: vor Augen der Nation die Institution töten, auf deren Basis die ganze Nation mit ihrem Berufe und ihrer Bestimmung beruht, und die Nation hat die Pflicht, dem Schabbatentweiher das Hiersein zu vernichten und dadurch die Heiligkeit der Institution in ihrer Mitte wieder herzustellen. Gehört doch die Ertötung oder Belebung der Schabbatidee in den Gemütern nationaler Genossen als ein so wesentliches Moment mit zu den Zwecken der Schabbatinstitution, dass, wie bei keinem anderen Gesetze, außer dem begrifflich verwandten חילול השם, der Begriff פרהסיא einen so wesentlichen Einfluss übt, dass das Verbrechen der Schabbatentweihung בפרהסיא, d.i. vor dem Bewusstsein einer wirklichen nationalen Gesamtheit, d.i. zehn nationaler Genossen, geübt, מחלל שבת בפרהסיא, dem עובד עבודה זרה gleich geachtet ist und mit dem Gesamtjudentum gebrochen hat: מומר לכל התורה כולה. (In der מכילתא wird der Plural in מחלליה also gefasst, dass darin die Heiligkeit des Schabbats sich auf jeden Moment desselben also erstreckt, dass selbst, wenn ein Teil des Schabbats mit gesetzlicher Befugnis um פקוח נפש willen (siehe zu V. 17) hat verletzt werden müssen, darum doch der Rest des Tages in unangetasteter Heiligkeit bleibe: אפי׳ כהרף עין מחלליה מות יומת). Dem schließt sich nun das folgende mit motivierendem כי in dem Sinne an: wird die Schabbatentweihung vor Zeugen geübt, so hat das menschliche Gericht den Verbrecher aus dem Hiersein auszuscheiden; denn Gott gegenüber hat jeder, der am Schabbat, wenn auch von Menschen ungesehen, ein Werk verrichtet, sein Dasein und seine Zukunft verwirkt.

ושמרתם את השבת, “you must observe the Sabbath;” the reason that this has been repeated is to warn that anyone desecrating the Sabbath purposely and publicly, will be executed. If he does so secretly, he will be cut off from membership in the Jewish people and its eternal future by an act of G-d. Seeing that the penalty has already been spelled out, the warning not to become guilty of this sin and its penalty has to be spelled out also; hence the Torah writes not only: מחלליה מות יומת, but also: כל העושה בו מלאכה מות יומת, “anyone performing forbidden activities on it will be executed.” It does not matter whether such forbidden activity is carried out by day or by night. This is made clear by the repetition of ויום השביעי קודש, “the entire seventh day is holy.”

ונכרתה SHALL BE CUT OFF [FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE] by God, if no such warning had been given (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 31:14:3).

כי קדש היא לכם, מחלליה מות יומת, the Sabbath is not only a holy day for you, i.e. it is not only a positive commandment to observe it, but is also a most important negative commandment, so much so that deliberate violation, desecration of it sanctity, is punishable by death. Seeing that building the Tabernacle is only a positive commandment, it is clear that a positive commandment cannot override something that is both a positive and a negative commandment.

מחלליה מות יומת כי כל העושה בה מלאכה ונכרתה הנפש ההיא, “anyone desecrating it shall be put to death; for anyone performing work on it, that soul shall be cut off, etc.” The meaning of the verse is that the penalty for deliberate desecration of the Sabbath is death by a human tribunal, provided there are witnesses who have warned the guilty party. If there were either no witnesses or no warning, the penalty is death at the hands of heaven (based on Rashi).

We can also understand this verse when considering something we learned in Menachot 64. The Talmud discusses a situation in which doctors estimated that the patient urgently needed figs [which had not yet been plucked off the tree; sometimes one stalk supports more than one fig, sometimes not. Ed.]. The question is raised that if two figs can be found each of which grows on a separate stalk, necessitating two separate pluckings, or there is a single stalk on which three figs grow, which is to be plucked? The Talmud answers that it is obvious that it is better to pluck the three figs which require only a single act of plucking, i.e. a single violation of the Sabbath. [I have quoted the Talmud correctly; the author, or at least the version I have at my disposal, quoted the Talmud incorrectly. Ed.] The author quotes a hypothetical situation where the patient needed to eat two figs in order to recover. There could be found either a) two figs growing on one stalk or b) 3 figs growing on one stalk. Would it be permissible to pluck the three figs seeing that they too grow on a single stalk and only a single violation of the Sabbath takes place? The answer the author gives is that one must pluck the two figs rather than the three. Although from the point of view of the prohibited work to be performed there is no difference if one plucks the stalk supporting three figs or the one supporting only two figs, the effect of the action is different. The Torah demands that "you shall observe the Sabbath," and this means that any work not necessary for the patient in question must not be undertaken, כי קדש היא, because of the sacred nature of the Sabbath. The Torah made the decision dependent on the nature of the Sabbath and not on the nature of the work performed. If one were to cut off more figs than needed this would be a desecration of the holiness of the Sabbath. The lesson from our verse is that the Sabbath does not lose its holiness even when it is being violated for the sake of a person whose life may be in danger unless we violated the Sabbath on his account.

מחלליה means, whosoever treats it as חול, ordinary, in so far as its sanctity is concerned.

כל העושה בה מלאכה ונכרתה הנפש ההיא, another reason for not desecrating the Sabbath in order to carry on with the building of the Tabernacle is the extremely heavy penalty associated with deliberate violation of the laws of the Sabbath. The reason for such a penalty is that anyone violating the concept of the Sabbath prohibitions thereby denies that I, G’d, created the universe out of no preexisting tangible substance. Anyone desecrating the Sabbath deliberately would never benefit from the existence of a building such as the Tabernacle. How could he claim a share in the G’d Who dwells in this Tabernacle?

מחלליה מות יומת. "those who desecrate it shall be executed." It is peculiar that the Torah first speaks about people who desecrate the Sabbath in the plural whereas it speaks of the penalty to be applied to a single violator. We may understand this in light of what we have just explained. There may be a person who was permitted to violate the Sabbath by plucking a stalk on which two figs grew which were needed by the sick person. This person plucked the stalk on which three figs grew, instead. A second person also plucked figs but not for a sick person. Both these people violated the Sabbath. Only one of the two is subject to the death penalty. The person who cut three figs for the patient instead of two is not guilty of the death penalty seeing that the basic act he engaged in when plucking the figs was not prohibited at that time for that purpose. In order to be liable for the death penalty the basic act must have been prohibited at that time.

מקרב עמיה, from those members of his people who are destined to live on in the world to come after their bodies are left behind on earth by their souls.

The plain meaning of the words is that the expression מחלליה plural, refers to people violating the Sabbath intentionally. Most people do not do this if warned of the penalty that follows. Therefore, concerning the individual, i.e. the exception who insists on going through with the violation after having been warned of the consequences, the Torah says that he is to be executed. A person who has deliberately violated the Sabbath and has not been warned is liable to the Karet penalty, i.e. he will die prematurely by Divine decree.

We may also attempt to understand the peculiar wording of our verse in light of Shabbat 106. The subject is the definition of the forbidden activity "hunting." The Talmud describes that a deer had entered a private domain, i.e. the courtyard of a Jew on the Sabbath. The entrance to the courtyard was wide enough to accomodate two people, so that if one sat in the entrance the deer could theoretically still escape by running past that individual. Once two people took up position in the entrance, the deer could no longer escape. The Talmud describes that the two people took up position in the entrance one after the other. In such a situation only the second person is considered as having violated the law against hunting. The word מחלליה plural, in our verse refers to desecrations of the Sabbath which necessitated the participation of more than one person. Inasmuch as only the last person's action completed the act of the violation, only that person is subject to the death penalty, i.e. מות יומת in the singular.

Our verse makes sense also in a different context, such as the one described in Beytzah 34. There several people combine to perform the forbidden work of cooking. One supplies the kindling, the other the flame, the third places the pot in position over the kindling, the fourth supplies the water. The Talmud concludes that if the person who supplies the flame was the last one, he alone is guilty of the violation whereas the others are all not liable to any penalty. When the Torah writes מחלליה, plural, as opposed to מות יומת singular, it may refer to a situation such as outlined in Beytzah.

מות יומת. "he will be executed." I have already explained in Exodus 21,12 why the Torah repeated the word, i.e. that while the person in question is guilty vis-a-vis Heaven, G'd has given the terrestrial tribunal authority to execute this person who had forfeited his life. This is in contrast with another type of person who has also forfeited his life where G'd did not delegate a human tribunal to carry out this judgment. By mentioning such an example in the very next verse, i.e. כל העושה בה מלאכה ונכרתה, it is clear why the word מות is repeated in our verse.

כי כל העושה בה מלאכה, "for whosoever performs any work on it, etc." The Torah underlines here that anyone desecrating the Sabbath when there are no witnesses should not jump to the conclusion that he will escape the death penalty and that he would not be considered any more culpable than someone who violates the positive and negative commandment of the sanctity of the Sabbath. The Torah says that this is not so, but that such a person will face the death penalty at the hands of G'd even if he had not been warned and his deed had not been witnessed here on earth. The clause of מות ימות in the singular which we described as a restrictive clause is applicable only to people who desecrate the Sabbath in public and after having been warned not to do so on pain of death by stoning. However, when a person commits a desecration such as we described when he cut off an extra fig which grew on the same stalk as the ones he was required to cut off, the death penalty does not apply to him even if he had been warned by competent witnesses not to do so. Seeing that the words העושה בה מלאכה suggest that there would not be any exception to the death penalty if the violation is performed knowingly, the Torah adds the word כי to alert us to the fact that such violations as cutting the extra fig by default, (without an additional action by the person cutting it) do not carry the karet penalty.

שבת שבתון denotes, reposeful rest and not rest of a casual character.

ששת ימים יעשה מלאכה, during the six days of the week which correspond to the days when G’d created the universe you can busy yourselves with working on the construction of the Tabernacle. There is no good reason why this project should override the commandments governing the Sabbath. The only time a commandment overrides such commandments is when the Torah linked the commandment which would override it to a specific time frame, such as the circumcision of a baby on the eighth day after its birth, or the type of sacrificial service in the Tabernacle of which the Torah said that it must be performed every day i.e. including on the Sabbath. Any other commandment that is capable of being performed on a day other than the Sabbath does not override the Sabbath.

ששת ימים יעשה מלאכה, "Six days work shall be done, etc." We neeed to examine why this verse which repeats legislation recorded previously had to be written at all. Besides, why does the Torah write יעשה (passive) instead of תעשה, the active form "you shall perform," as the Torah has written repeatedly? Furthermore, why did the Torah choose to describe the Sabbath as the "seventh day," instead of as "the Sabbath," which was the only way the Torah described this day up until now? Why did the Torah revert to describing the violator as כל העושה מלאכה ביום השבת מות יומת, instead of as כל העושה בו מלאכה, or כל העושה מלאכה ביום השביעי?

A restful rest. . . I.e., a rest that is significantly restful.

V. 15. Auch hier ist יֵעָשֶה verb. impers. und מלאכה Objekt. Das zum Bau des Heiligtums gebotene Werk soll man daher in den sechs Wochentagen ausführen, allein der siebente Tag bleibt selbst dem Heiligtumbau gegenüber ein durch gänzliche Einstellung der Werktätigkeit (siehe oben 2. B. M. 16, 23) zu begehendes Gottesheiligtum in seiner unverletzlichen Heiligkeit; selbst wer zum Heiligtumbau am Schabbat ein Werk verrichtete, hatte das Leben verwirkt.

ששת ימים יעשה מלאכה, “during six days work may be performed.” This verse refers to work being performed if you so desire; another verse says ששת ימים תעבוד, “during six days you are to perform the kind of work which is normally felt as something burdensome.” (Exodus 35,2) The reason why the Torah writes both formulations is to tell us that when we observe the Torah, others may perform this kind of labour on our behalf; if we do not observe the Torah, instead of benefiting by an extra day of work, we will experience all seven days as days when we have to perform demeaning work. The repetition of the instruction was necessary on account of the penalty of מות ימות, “he will be executed,” having been written twice.

‘קדש לה HOLINESS TO THE LORD — The observance of its holiness shall be (it shall be kept holy) to the glory of My Name and by My command (because I have commanded it).

שבת שבתון; this expression alludes to the fact that there are activities and even conversations and thoughts which, though not specifically outlawed by the text, are nevertheless something that interfere with the proper Sabbath observance. We have been told already in Exodus 23,12 וביום השביעי תשבות, that the cessation of work etc., has as its objective קדש לה', that this day is to be holy for the Lord, i.e. we are to make it holy. This means that on the Sabbath we ignore secular matters altogether and devote ourselves to spiritual pursuits, and even the mundane pursuits such as eating festive meals must be perceived as part of our honouring G’d on the Sabbath.

Perhaps the Torah alluded to something the sages told us in Shabbat 69 concerning someone who travels in the desert and has lost count of which day of the week it is. Such a person is supposed to begin counting six days once he has become aware that he does not know which day it is. He will observe the seventh day as Sabbath. The Talmud allows such a person to do what is essential in order to keep alive even on the day which -according to his count- is Sabbath. To the query that if so, how can he distinguish "his" Sabbath from the other six days of the week, the Talmud answers that such a person must recite Kiddush and havdalah at the beginning and end of "his" Sabbath. Tossaphot add that he must not continue on his way on that day. The reason that the Talmud did not give the answer that the traveller in question must not continue on his way is that this is not a sufficient distinction vis-a-vis the other days. It could also be that according to the view of the Talmud such a person might be permitted to continue walking even on the "Sabbath."

כל העושה מלאכה...יומת. It follows that when someone performs secular tasks on the Sabbath he automatically loses track of the purpose of the Sabbath, hence he deserves to be executed.

According to the view of Tossaphot we can explain our verse thus: "Six days, etc," i.e. a person who finds himself in the desert unaware of which day it is, יעשה מלאכה may have work performed on a daily basis for six consecutive days. He is not required to perform work, as would be implied by the active form Taasseh, but he will do the minimum, whatever is needed to ensure his survival. However, ביום השביעי, "on the seventh day, the day which is Sabbath according to his calculations, שבת שנתון, it is a kind of Sabbath," i.e. a Shabbaton, a day on which one refrains from work just as one refrains from working the land in the seventh year. (compare the expression שבתון in connection with the שנת השמטה in Leviticus 25,4). The way a traveller "rests" is by not continuing his journey, just as a farmer rests by not tilling his land. The Torah adds: קדש לה׳ to indicate that such a traveller is to recite the kiddush and the הבדלה at the appropriate time as if this day would be the "real" Sabbath.

According to the view that the only difference between this "subjective" Sabbath and the "real" Sabbath is the recital of kiddush and הבדלה respectively, the words שבת שבתון have to be read in conjunction with the words קדש לה׳. The meaning is that this day has to be sanctified. When the Torah continues with: כל העושה מלאכה ביום השבת מות יומת, this penalty of execution is applicable only to a person who violates a "real" Sabbath, not to someone who violates a "seventh day" by his own count. Such a person is free from this penalty even if he had sanctified the day by reciting kiddush and thereby elevating it to the level of "Sabbath."

ושמרו במי ישראל את השבת, in this life, לעשות את השבת, on a day that is totally Shabbat. [the afterlife. Ed]

ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת, "The children of Israel shall observe the Sabbath, etc." Why did the Torah add another "observance?" Besides, why does the Torah use the verb לעשות, "to do," which expresses an activity when the meaning seems to be that the children of Israel are to observe the Sabbath by "abstaining" from a number of activities? Our sages have pursued their own path in explaining this wording.

(Exodus, Ibid. 16) "And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath for their generations, etc." This is as R. Nathan says: Profane for him (one whose life is in danger) one Sabbath so that he will keep many Sabbaths. R. Eliezer says (Ibid.) "to observe the Sabbath … an eternal covenant (to perform on Sabbath) that which seals the covenant — circumcision. R. Elazar b. Prata says: If one keeps the Sabbath, it is as if he made it, it being written (lit.,) "to make the Sabbath." Rebbi says: If a man keeps one Sabbath as ordained, Scripture accounts it to him as if he kept (all of) the Sabbaths from the day the Holy Blessed be He created the world until the resurrection of the dead, it being written (Ibid. 17) "It is a sign forever."

V. 16. ושמרו. Um so gewisser haben Israels Söhne allen übrigen Beziehungen gegenüber den Schabbat unverletzlich zu hüten und ihn durch den Ernst und die Gewissenhaftigkeit dieser Hut ihren Nachkommen als ברית עולם, als ein in völlig unbedingter Absolutheit gegebenes Gottesinstitut (siehe zu Bereschit 6, 18) für alle Zeiten zu vererben.

ושמרו בני ישראל, “The Children of Israel shall observe, etc,;” they shall have in mind the next Sabbath during the six working days, looking forward to it, and to prepare for it in order not to need to desecrate it when it comes. This expression has also been repeated on account of it having to match the expression ברית עולם, “an everlasting covenant.”

Perhaps the Torah employs the word ושמרו to teach the authorities to surround the basic Sabbath legislation with a סיג, a fence, or a framework, which is designed to prevent a person from not knowing which day is the Sabbath. The words לעשות את השבת would mean some action designed to ensure that we know which day is the Sabbath. It is to avoid situations where one recites kiddush when the day in question is not the real Sabbath such as the example we mentioned when discussing the last verse.

Alternatively, the verse addresses itself to someone who had lost track of time in circumstances we have described. Such a person is obligated to establish his own count so that he does not fail to make one day in seven his own personal Sabbath. Even though in this instance the Torah called that seventh day יום השבת, when in reality it is only that person's "seventh day," the Torah wanted to impress on the individual the absolute need to sanctify the seventh day. The first "seventh" day in such a person's count assumes the designation שבת.

The meaning of the word ושמרו may also follow the meaning of the word in Genesis 37,11 where Jacob is described as awaiting realisation of Joseph's dream and the word chosen by the Torah is ושמר. In our context the Torah means that the Sabbath should not be considered as a burden because many activities are prohibited on that day, but that it should be eagerly awaited and looked forward to. The words לעשות את השבת are designed to counter the prevailing perception that the Sabbath is a day on which one is passive, rests up and treats it as a day on which to indulge one's laziness. The basic purpose of the Sabbath is not to provide physical rest for the body but to actively fulfil the various commandments associated with the Sabbath.

The wording may also allude to what we have learned in Yuma 81 that one must add from the week-day to the Sabbath, i.e. that we do not commence the Sabbath only at sundown but that we light candles, abstain from forbidden activities already some time prior to sundown in order to demonstrate how welcome the Sabbath is for us. This additional time demanded by the rabbis based on this verse includes the exhortation to prepare for the Sabbath not after it has commenced, but one bathes oneself, dresses oneself, etc., all before sunset on Friday. Similarly, one does not conclude the Sabbath the moment the three stars become visible in the sky, but one adds some minutes to demonstrate that one does not wish to get rid of the Sabbath as one would get rid of a burden, i.e. at the first possible opportunity. G'd expresses His willingness to also dignify the extra hours or minutes the Israelites add to the Sabbath of their own volition with the name "Sabbath."

The verse may also reflect a conversation between the Sabbath and G'd reported in Bereshit Rabbah 11,8 according to which the Sabbath complained to G'd that whereas all the other days had been given a בן זוג, a mate, only the Sabbath was left "unattached" so to speak. G'd reassured the Sabbath by assigning Israel as its "mate." The meaning of the story is that at its inception the Sabbath lacked a detail to make it complete. G'd provided this missing detail when He commanded the Jewish people to observe it. לעשות then means "to complete it."

The words: ושמרו את השבת, "to carefully guard the Sabbath," also refer to the need to take care that no secular elements intrude into our Sabbath. A person must not think that it is enough for him not to desecrate the Sabbath and that if someone else desecrates it that this is not his concern. It is our collective duty to be on guard to prevent חלול שבת by other Jews also. We take it for granted that one safeguards oneself against possible thieves and posts guards in one's orchard, etc. One must do no less to safeguard the Sabbath. Such measures designed to "guard" the Sabbath include rabbinic ordinances to make it more difficult for us to desecrate the Sabbath through carelessness on our part. One of the best known examples is found in Shabbat 11 where reading on Friday night [with an oil lamp whose light could be adjusted Ed.] is prohibited so that one does not accidentally adjust the flame in order to be better able to read. Our rabbis have "surrounded" the Sabbath with many such ordinances.

The wording the Torah chose to describe observance of the Sabbath is designed to alert us to the totally unique nature of this "observance." This is the only negative commandment in the Torah whose observance is described as something active, i.e. לעשות את השבת. It is possible that the reason is something we learned in Kiddushin 39 where it is stated that if someone sits with his hands folded, totally inactive, not committing a violation, he receives the reward due to someone who has fulfilled a positive commandment. The Talmud questions the logic of this statement and concludes that in the example quoted the person concerned was confronted with the opportunity and the temptation to violate a commandment and he resisted the temptation by remaining inactive. We may apply this rule to Sabbath observance as opportunities to violate the 39 basic work prohibitions of Sabbath are ever present and there is no lack of temptation to do so. Anyone who even passively refrains from exploiting such opportunities to sin is considered as having actively observed the Sabbath.

The fact that the Torah mentioned the need not to violate the Sabbath and the fact that mere non-violation qualifies for reward might have led people to believe that this applies to one and all; the Torah therefore hastens to add the critical words בני ישראל, the children of Israel. The Sabbath legislation is addressed exclusively to the Jewish people. The Torah phrased the observance here in indirect language, i.e. "they will observe;" because it had already written: "you shall observe the Sabbath." Had the Torah not written also: "the children of Israel shall observe the Sabbath," I would have concluded that whereas only Jews are duty-bound to observe the Sabbath, Gentiles are nonetheless not forbidden to do so. As it is, the wording of the Torah precludes Gentiles from work-abstention on the Sabbath for religious reasons, so much so that it is a capital offence for a Gentile to observe the Sabbath (Sanhedrin 58).

The emphasis of the Torah speaking about את השבת, "the Sabbath," leads one to conclude that observance of a single Sabbath may sometimes be all that is required of a Jew; not only that, but if a Jew prepared all that is necessary for the Sabbath it would be accounted for him as if he had actually observed the commandment of the Sabbath. The words: ושמרו את השבת לעשות את השבת teach that if someone died before he could even observe a single Sabbath he will not be deprived of the reward of having observed many Sabbath days seeing he had intended to observe the Sabbath and had made preparations for such observance (Mechilta).

There may also be another hint here concerning the Torah's foregoing this legislation in the event a person's life is at stake, as we have written on the word אך in verse 13. G'd actually commanded desecration of the Sabbath in life-saving situations. The Torah here limits such exceptions to Jews; a Jew does not desecrate the Sabbath in order to save the life of a גר תושב, a Gentile who observes the Noachide laws (Maimonides Hilchot Shabbat chapter 2, item 20 by inference). The words את השבת are interpreted as an exhortation not to let someone die who is supposed to observe the Sabbath. The verse may be interpreted in the following fashion: If you have the choice between Sabbath observance and death of a fellow-Jew, apply the words ושמרו בני ישראל, preserve the Jew, rather than the Sabbath. This rule does not apply if the choice is between saving a Gentile's life or that of observing the Sabbath. In such a situation we apply the exhortation לעשות את השבת "to observe the Sabbath." The reason the Torah permitted the saving of the Jew is only in order to fulfil the end of the verse, i.e. לעשות את השבת לדורותם, "to enable someone to observe the Sabbath in the future." Seeing that Gentiles are not obligated to observe the Sabbath there is no justification to desecrate the Sabbath on their account.

Our verse may also teach us the following: "When do I (G'd) tell you to preserve the life of a Jew even at the expense of desecrating the honour of the Sabbath?" Answer: "when the situation results in לעשות את השבת, in observance of the Sabbath as a result of what you do." If, however, it is clear according to the available medical evidence, that the patient will not survive for another week even if you save his life at this moment one must not desecrate the Sabbath in order to prolong the life of such a patient.

There is yet another dimension to what is recorded here. We are taught in Rosh Hashanah 31 that the hereafter is known as a world which is "all Sabbath." We are also told in Shemot Rabbah 25,12 that the observance of the Sabbath is equal to the observance of all the other commandments in the Torah. The words ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת reflect this thought. The reason this is so is because by observing the Sabbath, לעשות את השבת, they create for themselves the world known as "all Sabbath," i.e. the hereafter. The Torah adds the word לדורותם so that we do not understand the reward of Sabbath-observance as being experienced in this present world. It is ברית עולם, a covenant which assures our eternal existence in the hereafter.

Another lesson resulting from our verse may be related to what we have learned in Beytzah 16 where we are told that we are equipped with an additional soul on the Sabbath as alluded to in the words שבת וינפש, that the rest resulted in an additional life-force, soul. This is a profound secret G'd did not reveal to the nations of the world. The Talmud states that every commandment G'd gave to the Jewish people He gave them publicly, openly, with the exception of the Sabbath. This is based on verse 17 in our chapter: "between Me and the children of Israel it is a sign forever." To the question: "how could G'd punish the Gentiles for not having accepted the Torah when He had not told them about the Sabbath legislation?" The Talmud answers that all that G'd withheld from the Gentiles was the information that he who observes the Sabbath is equipped with an additional soul (spiritual capacity) on that day. [This is not a contradiction to the statement that Gentiles are prohibited from observing the work-prohibitions of the Sabbath on pain of death at the hands of Heaven. The Talmud refers to the initial rejection of the Torah by the various Gentile Nations when G'd offered the Torah to all the nations and they all rejected it except for the Israelites who welcomed it with open arms. Ed.] G'd "punished" the Gentile Nations for rejecting His rules. Why would these nations not be entitled to argue that had they known about this clause of the Sabbath laws they might have accepted the entire Torah or at least the Sabbath? How could G'd punish people for rejecting something they did not know about? I believe that this is what our sages referred to in Shabbat 10 when they referred to G'd as having offered a "beautiful gift whose name was Sabbath." They meant that the Sabbath is different from other commandments inasmuch as it does not represent a demand made by G'd on man but it is a gift granted by G'd to man (in this instance to the Israelites). One does not receive a reward for accepting a gift; ergo the Gentile Nations have not forfeited a reward by not accepting the Sabbath legislation. They cannot claim that G'd deprived them of an opportunity to accumulate merits, to qualify for a reward. One cannot challenge G'd for His not having chosen to bestow a gift on someone. Besides, you will find that the Israelites had accepted the Sabbath before acceptance of the Torah had become an issue, before G'd had offered the Torah to the other nations. At the time the Israelites accepted the Sabbath legislation (at Marah, Exodus 15,25), the granting of an additional soul on the Sabbath had not been part of their acceptance. It was therefore quite fair for the nations of the world to be punished for their refusal to accept the Sabbath legislation which was given to the Israelites publicly. We regularly witness the punishment the nations suffer for their not having accepted the Sabbath.

The concept of the נשמה יתירה is alluded to by our sages when they described it as "a beautiful gift which G'd had reserved in His treasure chamber," a reference to the Celestial Spheres, a region that the souls are "hewn" from. The reason the gift was called שבת is that it described the world which is "totally Sabbath," i.e. the hereafter, the Celestial Regions. There is no sadness in that world and our sages describe it as a world of joy and rejoicing. In order for our Sabbath in this world to parallel the Sabbath in the Celestial Regions it is imperative that we do not allow secular concerns related to our weekday problems to disturb the Sabbath atmosphere in our world. The additional soul, a "guest" from the Celestial Regions, would feel deeply disturbed if it notices our preoccupation with worldly concerns. It may refuse to remain part of us and leave us even before the Sabbath has expired. This is why the sages have warned us that the major element in the work-prohibition on the Sabbath is connected with the thoughts we entertain when violating the actual prohibition. We have been taught in Beytzah 13 that what is culpable is what the sages call מלאכת מחשבת, performance of deliberate activities. Even conversation which is of a secular character is forbidden (Shabbat 113) as we know from Isaiah 58,13: ממצוא חפצך ודבר דבר, "not to look to your affairs, nor speak about them." All of these prohibitions are designed to ensure that we can enjoy the benefits which accrue to us thanks to the נשמה יתירה, the additional soul G'd has equipped us with on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is to give us a taste of the ultimate Sabbath, i.e. the quality of life in the hereafter. All of this is meant when the Torah writes: ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת, i.e. that we are to jealously guard the additional soul called "Sabbath." It alone enables us to fulfil the Torah's directive לעשות את השבת, "to create the true Sabbath." Remember that it is impossible for mortal man to attain a true likeness of the life that awaits him after death even if we do all in our power to observe the Sabbath on earth to the best of our ability. However, in order to attain that kind of life even after we die, we must first have attained a semblance of it by means of true Sabbath observance and all that this entails. The additional soul is our key to such attainment of serenity in the hereafter when the time comes for us to leave this world.

The word לדורותם may also be understood as connected to דירה, residence. The word is spelled defective, i.e. without the letter ו in the middle. This is an allusion to the residence of the souls, i.e. the Celestial Regions which G'd has covenanted with us that He will give to us. This is the meaning of ברית עולם, "the covenant concerning the celestial world." It is also possible that we have here an allusion to the 613 commandments seeing that the Sabbath plus 612 (i.e. the numerical value of the word ברית) add up to 613. The succinct message is that observance of the Sabbath properly is equal to performance of the 613 commandments.

The Torah continues: ביני ובין בני ישראל,"Between Me and the children of Israel, etc." This means that no other nation will be together with us in that world. Perhaps the words even exclude the presence of angels in the Celestial Regions reserved for the Jews who have observed the Sabbath meticulously. The regions reserved for the Jewish people are "higher" than those inhabited by the ministering angels. We may understand Numbers 23,23 כעת יאמר ליעקב ולישראל מה פעל קל, "at a time when Jacob and Israel will be told of the works of the Lord," in the sense that our sages in Bamidbar Rabbah 20,20 understood them when they said that the angels themselves will enquire from the Jewish people who are close to the Lord about His accomplishments.

Another meaning of these words is that they are a reference to matters (words) which G'd has articulated but which no human being has ever understood. This is an aspect of what the sages in Beytzah 16 meant when they said that G'd did not announce the fact that He gave the Jewish people an additional soul on the Sabbath because He did not want to acquaint the Gentile Nations with His secrets. This is also what the Psalmist referred to in Psalms 147,19-20: "He reveals His statutes and commands to Israel; He did not do so for any other nation; of such rules they know nothing." Our sages said in Chagigah 13 that the meaning of the words אות היא לעולם, "it is a sign forever," is that we must not reveal the secret of the Sabbath to anyone. How are we to answer in the event someone were to come and enquire about details of the Sabbath legislation wanting to know what distinguishes that day from all other days? The Torah provides the answer by stating: אות היא לעולם, "it will be revealed to the people who will inhabit the Celestial Regions that the six days are radically different from the Sabbath." The revelation is וביום השביעי שבת וינפש, that G'd will then reveal to us exclusively the meaning of שבת וינפש. [The revelation will be that the meaning of shavat when applied to G'd is that He did so because it was Shabbat. ]

וינפש AND WAS REFRESHED — Take it as the Targum renders it: ונח “and He rested”. Every form of נפש is derived from the noun נֶפֶש, soul; the idea is, that one calms his soul and takes breath when one reposes after the toil of labour. — And He of Whom it is written, (Isaiah 40:28) “[… the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth] fainteth not nor is He weary”, and Whose every action is accomplished by His mere command had the term “repose” written of (ascribed to) Himself in order to make comprehensible to the human ear what it can understand.

וביום השביעי שבת, seeing that on that day the creative activity of G’d had been completed, completion spells rest,

ביני ובין בני ישראל אות היא לעולם, “between Me and the Children of Israel it is an everlasting symbol.” It is possible to understand that the word לעולם in this verse means that the Sabbath is a symbol attesting to the fact that G’d created the world out of nothing. This is why our verse describes how the Sabbath functions as a sign (proof) for the entire world. Cessation of creative activity signals that the person so refraining believes that G’d made the world in six days (without drawing on existing raw materials).
The words ביני ובין בני ישראל, “between Me and between the Children of Israel,” teaches that there was a hidden aspect which had been conveyed to the Israelites privately. There is a mystical, hidden aspect to the Sabbath.” When a king issues a command to a son or trusted servant, something not everyone knows about, he is apt to say to his son: “remember the thing that is between me and you.” These are the things which had been agreed upon between father and son without any written protocol having been made of them. This is the reason our sages explained in Beitzah 16 in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that G’d gave the Israelites all the commandments in public with the exception of the Sabbath. He based himself on the words in our verse [the word לעולם, derived from נעלם, “hidden, secret,” is probably the way Rabbi Shimon understood our verse. Ed.]. Seeing that the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments and as such was certainly given to the Jewish people in public at Mount Sinai, what did the Rabbi mean when he spoke of the Sabbath having been given secretly, in private? Moreover, Isaiah 48,16 states specifically that “from the beginning I did not speak to you in secret, etc.” How do we reconcile his words with those of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai? Also, in Psalms 138,4 David exclaims: “All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, for they have heard the words You spoke.” What did Rabbi Shimon have in mind? The sages referred to a hidden, mystical element which is part of the entire complex of the Sabbath laws and concept, not to the actual positive and negative commandments which have all been spelled out in public.”

Now He, about Whom it is written. . . This is a question: I.e., “Hashem, about Whom it is written, ‘He does not become faint’. . . [how could He attribute rest to Himself?”]

V. 17. Oben (V. 13) war die שמירה, war die Werkunterlassung als אות bezeichnet, hier ist es der Tag an sich. Der Tag an sich ist das Denkmal für Gottes freie Weltschöpfung, unsere Werkunterlassung an diesem Tage das Denkmal für unsere Anerkennung des Schöpfers als unseres Herrn und unsere Berufung durch ihn in seinen Dienst. — נפש :וינפש bezeichnet ja die Individualität, das individuell persönliche Wesen (siehe Jeschurun VIII, S. 435, und Bereschit zu 1, 20). הִנָפֵש heißt somit: sich in seine Persönlichkeit zurückziehen, im Gegensatz zu einer nach außen strebenden Tätigkeit, weshalb es auch ausruhen von einer Anstrengung, buchstäblich: das Zusichkommen, bedeutet (Schmot 23, 12; Sam. II. 16, 14). Hier steht es in der ursprünglichsten Bedeutung. Jetzt erscheint uns Gott nirgend in seiner Schöpfertätigkeit, שoוינ, er hat sich zurückgezogen, es ist Schabbat in der Schöpfung. Allein der Schabbattag ist das Denkmal: dass dieser — s.v.v. — dieser Zurückgezogenheit, diesem Schabbat, eine freie Schöpfertätigkeit vorangegangen: dass sechs Tage Gott Himmel und Erde gebildet und mit dem siebten Tage zu bilden aufgehört hatte, als er sich in die uns jetzt erscheinende Unwahrnehmbarkeit zurückzog. (Siehe zu Bereschit 2, 1 — 3.)

וביום השביעי שבת וינפש, “but on the seventh day He rested and withdrew into His essence.” Rabbi Yehudah Hachassid said that from this verse we can deduce that the Jew receives an additional soul on the Sabbath. When you read the respective last letters in the last four words of the verse backwards, you get the word שתים, “two.” The Talmud relates an interesting conversation between Rabbi Akiva and Turnusrufus, the wicked Roman governor during part of his life when the latter met him once on the Sabbath. Upon seeing him, the governor asked Rabbi Akiva what was so special on that particular day, to which Rabbi Akiva replied: “how are you different from anyone else?” Turnusrufus wanted to know what kind of an answer this was to his question. The Lord had singled him out to be more honoured than other human beings. Rabbi Akiva told him that the same Lord had singled out the Sabbath to be more honoured than any other day He had created. Turnusrufus then wanted to know why that same G–d performs all manner of work on the Sabbath, such as letting the wind blow, the rain fall, etc., whereas He denied the Jews to work on the Sabbath and to travel on the Sabbath? Rabbi Akiva replied that he was aware that the governor was familiar with the Torah G–d had given the Jews, so that he could ask him, why if two Jews share the same courtyard in front of their houses, what is the reason for the law whereby if each of the homeowners does not enter into an arrangement whereby he foregoes his legal claim to the courtyard, neither of them can move his chattels in that courtyard on the Sabbath, whereas when they each waive their claim, they can both use that courtyard freely? How come, he continued, that if a Jew has a palace owned exclusively by himself, and surrounded by a courtyard as large as the city of Damascus, he is free to move all his chattels all over that courtyard on the Sabbath? Similarly, the Lord Who owns both heaven and earth exclusively, is free to let the wind blow and to let the rain fall without thereby violating the laws of His Sabbath. He added, that if proof were needed for what he had told the Roman governor, let him reflect on the fact that that same Creator observed the Sabbath by not having given the Jews in the desert their heavenly bread, manna on that day, but giving them a double portion on the Sabbath eve, so that they would not go hungry on that day. (Tanchuma, section 33 on this portion)

וינפש, this is why the seventh day is one devoted to the נפש, the spirit, resulting in G’d giving Jews an additional soul for use on that day. This additional soul assists us in concentrating on the spiritual dimension of the day. When man was created, G’d made him in His image, i.e. first and foremost concerned with spiritual concerns. The extra soul granted us on the Sabbath is to help us live up to that vision G’d had of man when He created him. (compare Beytzah 16)

Attributes “rest” to Himself. . . I.e., He says that “rest” should be written about Himself.

Der Schabbat ist das Denkmal für unsere Beziehungen zu Gott, der Tempel das Denkmal für unsere Beziehungen zu seinem Gesetz. Es begreift sich, dass der Tempelbau vor dem Schabbat zurücktreten müsse. Der Tempel selber hat seine Voraussetzung im Schabbat. Vor פקוח נפש, vor Lebensrettung tritt der Schabbat zurück, פקוח נפש רוחה שבת wie es in allgemeiner Beziehung auch hinsichtlich anderer Gebote heißt: אשר יעשה אותם האדם וחי בהם ולא שימות בהם, Wajikra 18, 5, oder wie es in betreff des Schabbat speziell angedeutet ist: כי קדש היא לכם היא מסורה בידכם ולא אתם מסורים, בידה (V. 14): eure Heiligung ist Zweck des Schabbat, darum darf seine Erhaltung nicht euer Dasein bedrohen, oder (V. 16): ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת חלל עליו שבת אחת, כדי שישמור שבתות הרבה, der Schabbat bedarf seiner Hüter in Mitte des Menschenkreises, darum verletze um einen Gefährdeten einen Schabbat, damit er deren noch viele hüte (Joma 85 b). In dem erhaltenen Hüter erhältst du den Schabbat selber, sowie in dem gefährdeten Hüter der Schabbat selber gefährdet erscheint.

Only to accustom the ear. . . This is the conclusion of the answer.

ויתן אל משה וגו׳ AND HE GAVE UNTO MOSES etc. — There is no “earlier” or “later” (no chronological order) in the events related in the Torah: in fact the incident of the golden calf (related in ch. 31) happened a considerable time before the command regarding the work of the Tabernacle was given (ch. 25 and the following chapters). For on the seventeenth of Tammuz were the Tablets broken (when the people were worshipping the calf) and on the Day of Atonement God became reconciled with Israel (after Moses had prayed 80 days for forgivenness; so that it is very unlikely that the command for the building of the Tabernacle should have been given before that day) and on the next day, the eleventh of Tishri (cf. Rashi on Exodus 33:11, at end of comment on ושב אל המחנה), they began to bring their contributions for the Tabernacle which was set up on the first of Nisan. (From the seventeenth of Tammuz until the eleventh of Tishri are almost three months — ימים רבים) (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 31).

AND HE GAVE UNTO MOSES. This is connected with the end-part of the verse, where the word “G-d” is mentioned, thus meaning: “and G-d gave unto Moses.” Just as Scripture mentioned concerning G-d’s communicating with Moses, And G-d spoke all these words,²⁵⁴Above, 20:1. and with reference to the work of the Tablets of Law and the writing thereon it says, And the Tablets were the work of G-d, and the writing was the writing of G-d,²⁵⁵Further, 32:16. so also it says concerning the giving, and G-d gave to Moses.

ויתן אל משה ככלותו, after the Torah described all the spiritual accomplishments which should have resulted from the many days Moses had spent on the mountain with G’d, the Torah now has to explain why all these spiritual accomplishments G’d had envisaged did not in fact materialise so that it became necessary to build a Tabernacle, etc., in order to achieve these spiritual accomplishments via a different route. The Torah explains that the cause of this detour in the spiritual ascent of the people was the abuse they had made of the freedom of choice. They, who had been about to receive the set of Tablets made and written by G’d Himself at the end of Moses’ stay on Mount Sinai for forty days, who were all to personify the ideal of being priests, and a holy nation, rebelled, corrupted themselves, as testified in Exodus 33,6 when they divested themselves of the signs of the covenant G’d had made with them, removing the garments emblazoned with the blood of that covenant.

ויתן …שני לוחות הברית "He gave to Moses….the two Tablets of the covenant, etc." Why did G'd insert the words ככלותו לדבר אתו בהר סיני between the announcement that He gave something to Moses and the announcement of what it was that G'd gave to Moses? We would have expected that the Torah would either write: "After G'd finished speaking to Moses, He gave him the two Tablets, etc," or: "G'd gave to Moses the two Tablets of the covenant after He finished speaking to him, etc." Why this peculiar insertion of the words "after He had finished speaking with him at Mount Sinai?" Why did G'd delay giving Moses the two Tablets until this point in time? Seeing that the only thing which was engraved on the two Tablets were the Ten Commandments, why did G'd not give them to Moses immediately, or a day after the revelation at Mount Sinai? Why did He wait for 40 days?

ויתן אל משה, “He gave to Moses, etc.” Nachmanides writes that the subject of the word ויתן in our verse is the word אלוקים, although it appears only at the end of our verse. The construction is similar, in a sense, to Exodus 20,1 where the lineוידבר אלוקים את כל הדברים האלה , “G’d said all these words, etc.,” refer to what is yet to come, instead of to something that preceded it. The same is true in connection with the Tablets, where the Torah describes these Tablets as having been made by the Lord and inscribed by the Lord only in The handing over of the Tablets to Moses certainly preceded the end of G’d’s dialogue with Moses as is evident from

There is no “earlier”. . . [Rashi knows the sin preceded the command] because otherwise, how could Moshe have known that God reconciled Himself [to the point that they may] make the mishkon? For Moshe told them to contribute towards the mishkon. [And if the command was before the sin,] perhaps God’s subsequent reconciliation was only regarding the giving the [second set of] Tablets, about which Moshe was expressly told (34:1), “Carve out two stone tablets for yourself.” [But perhaps God no longer desired the mishkon.] God needed to give them the second Tablets so they would observe Torah law. God could not reject them from Torah observance because they had already converted and accepted Torah and mitzvos upon themselves. Although they went back to their evil ways [of idolatry], they were like apostate Jews, who are considered Jews in every way — certainly then the Bnei Yisrael, for they had repented, as it is written: “Bnei Yisrael [obediently] took off their ornaments. . .” (33:6). So it was only right to give them the Tablets. But God might not have reconciled Himself also for making a mishkon to dwell in, for the mishkon shows a special love. Perforce, [the sin preceded the command].

V. 18. ויתן אל משה, das Subjekt des Satzes, Gott, ist im Satze nicht aus gedrückt, ist somit aus allem Vorhergehenden vorausgesetzt, dem sich der Vers somit anschließt. Die Erteilung der Tafeln ist daher kein besonderer Akt, sondern ist eben dasjenige, das alles Vorangehende zum Abschluss bringt, dem alles Vorangehende, als bedingender Voraussetzung, zur Vorbereitung dient. Wenn Gott Kap. 20, 2l gesprochen: מזבח אדמה תעשה לי, diesem Altarbau alsdann in משפטים den Aufbau der Nation auf die Grundlagen des Rechts, der Humanität und der Sittlichkeit in seinen Grundzügen vorangehen ließ, sodann in תצוה תרומה und כי תשא bis hierher den Bau seines Heiligtums anordnete: so hat ja dieser ganze Bau, wie sich im ganzen und allem einzelnen ausspricht, gar keine andere Bedeutung, als Wohnstätte des göttlichen Gesetzes zu sein, des Gesetzes, dessen Erfüllung die Gegenwart Gottes bedingt, in dessen Huldigung die Huldigung Gottes ihre Betätigung finden will, und als dessen, seinen göttlichen Ursprung bekundendes Zeugnis eben diese Tafeln als sichtbare Bewohner des Heiligtums einziehen sollen. Für dieses "Zeugnis" war die ganze Wohnung zu errichten. Auf sie wird sofort bei der angeordneten Herstellung des ersten allerheiligsten Gefäßes, Kap. 25, 21, hingewiesen. Die Wohnung haben die Menschen hinzustellen, den Bewohner — nicht eine von Menschenhand verfertigte Darstellung irgend eines Göttlichen, wie in anderen Tempeln, sondern die von Gotteshand gezeichnete Verwirklichung des Menschlichen, kein menschliches Götterbild, sondern ein göttliches Menschen- und Volksideal — den Bewohner gibt Gott.

ככלותו לדבר אתו, “when He had concluded speaking with him;” at the end of the sixteenth day in Tammuz, (just before dawn on the seventeenth)

ככלתו WHEN HE FINISHED [SPEAKING] — The word ככלתו is written defectively (without a ו after the ל) to intimate that the Torah was handed over to Moses as a gift (note the word ויתן), complete in every respect, even as the bride (the word ככלתו is taken to be connected with “כלה”, bride) is handed over to the bridegroom completely equipped with all she requires — for in a period brief as this which Moses spent on the mountain, he must have been unable to learn in its entirety every law to be derived from it. Another explanation why the word is written defective is: just as a bride (כלה) bedecks herself with 24 ornaments — those which are mentioned in the book of Isaiah (ch. 3) — so a scholar (תלמיד חכם) ought to be thoroughly versed in the contents of the 24 books of Scripture (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 16).

שני לוחות העדות, the ones of which we heard in Exodus 24,12 where G’d had told Moses prior to his ascending the mountain: “I will give you there the Tablets of stone, etc.” Before G’d had a chance to give the people the written Torah they already began with the golden calf episode so that G’d had to tell Moses to precipitously descend from the mountain warning him that his people had become corrupt. (32,7)

He could not have learned it all. . . Therefore, God gave it to him as a bride [is given to a groom] — i.e., as something that he acquires as his.

According to our sages in the Zohar, volume 2 page 93 all the 613 commandments are somehow contained in the text of the Ten Commandments. Seeing that this was so, the words: "when He had finished speaking with Moses at Mount Sinai," are a hint that seeing the entire Torah is somehow part of the two Tablets, G'd had to wait until He had taught Moses the entire Torah at the end of forty days. The words "שני לוחות העדות" are merely a description of what it was G'd spoke to Moses about for forty days. This comment disposes of both our questions at one and the same time.

לדבר אתו: zuerst waren alle gesetzerteilenden Gottesreden דבור אל משה; nur passiv, empfangend und aufnehmend, verhielt sich Mosche zu dem gesetzgebenden Gottesworte; ככלתו, bevor aber die Gesetzgebung vollendet war, hatte Mosche also die Gotteslehre in sich aufgenommen, nach der Erläuterung ריש לקיש's im רבה, wie der bereits vollkommen unterrichtete Schüler den Gegenstand nochmals in aktiver Gemeinsamkeit mit dem Lehrer durchspricht, daher nicht לדבר אליו, sondern שני לחת — .לדבר אתו העדת wir haben schon zu Bereschit 1, 14 bemerkt, wie der חסר geschriebene plur. fem. die Pluralität mehr als eine Einheit darstellt, d. h. als einen einheitlichen gemeinsamen Begriff, der in mehreren Objekten zusammen seine Verwirklichung findet. So werden hier auch die beiden Tafeln durch die Schreibart לחת als eine gemeinsame, sich gegenseitig ergänzende Einheit begreifen gelehrt, לא זו גדולה מזו, eine genau so groß wie die andere (ש׳׳ר), die Tafel der Gott zugewandten Pflichten, sowie die der sozialen Pflichten, beide gleich groß, beide gleich schwer, nur beide in gleicher Wichtigkeit zusammen das eine göttliche Gesetz konstituierend (siehe oben zu 20, 14). Bildeten sie ja auch zusammen einen geschlossenen Würfel, von dem jeder die Hälfte darstellte (siehe zu Kap. 25, 10). — לחת אבן. Während die Lade, die es aufnehmen soll, vom "Baume" ist, ist die Gesetzestafel von Stein. Das Gesetz ist unveränderlich gegeben, wir, dessen Empfänger und Vollbringer, haben uns eben an ihm und um und durch dasselbe in ewigem Fortschritt zu entwickeln. כתבים באצבע אלקי׳ so unmittelbares Gotteswerk, wie "die Himmel das Werk seiner Finger" (Ps. 8, 4), so augenscheinlich von Gott zeugend, wie die Wunder Ägyptens ein "Fingerzeig Gottes" waren (Kap. 8, 15).

לוחות אבן, “Tablets of stone.” This word is used as meaning that the raw material that these Tablets were made of was indestructible, i.e. not subject to disintegration by natural wear and tear. An alternate interpretation: the word was used as a hint that most capital offences when committed deliberately are subject to the penalty of death by stoning.”[Seeing that the Tablets had been made in the celestial regions, the word “stone” had to be used as we are not familiar with the raw material used, and since Moses smashed them, no one even ever saw the Tablets. Ed.]

לדבר אתו TO SPEAK WITH HIM the statutes and the judgments contained in the section beginning with ואלה המשפטים (ch. Exodus 21 ff.).

The statutes and laws. . . Rashi is answering the question: It is written, “When He finished speaking with him.” What were the matters that God had finished speaking with Moshe? It cannot be the command of erecting the mishkon, as the golden calf incident preceded it, as Rashi explained above. Therefore Rashi explains that He finished speaking with him the statutes and laws in parshas Mishpatim. Re”m writes: This section connects [chronologically] to the end of parshas Mishpatim, where it is written (24:18): “Moshe came into the midst of the cloud and. . . remained on the mountain for forty days.” [Everything in between — the command of the mishkon and the section about Shabbos — was actually after the golden calf incident. And that which Rashi says here, “The statutes and laws in parshas Mishpatim,”] is not in accordance with R. Yishmael. For he says that the ו of ואלה המשפטים indicates a connection to that which preceded: just as the Ten Commandments were given with thunder and lightning, and said in the assembly of all Israel, so too were the laws [of parshas Mishpatim presented. However here, Rashi explains that these laws were said to Moshe alone, during his forty days on the mountain.]

כתובים באצבע אלוקים, "written by the finger of G'd." The Torah here describes what we have have learned in Tanchuma Parshat Eykev that the tablets had been "hewn" from underneath the throne of G'd. Perhaps our verse alludes to this with the words מעשה אלוקים, "the work of G'd (32,16)." We have explained that there are many "lights" of sanctity in the Celestial Regions as alluded to by Solomon in Kohelet 5,7: כי גבוה מעל גבוה שומר וגבוהים עליהם, "for there is One higher than the high Who watches and there are high ones above them." The Zohar volume 2 page 53 relates a miraculous story according to which Moses encountered the angel Sandal during his ascent to Heaven. He disabled this angel and subsequently the angel Mattat. The angel was afraid that the fire above Moses' head would burn him. We are told in Deut. 4,24 that "G'd is a devouring fire." His holy fire consumes every other fire. The Torah tells us here the manner in which the Tablets were written.

לדבר אתו TO SPEAK “WITH” HIM — The use of the word אתו “with him” teaches us that Moses first heard the laws from the mouth of the Almighty and that then they both again repeated each Halacha together (Exodus Rabbah 41:5).

This teaches that Moshe. . . Rashi inferred this because it is written, “Speaking with him,” rather than, “Speaking to him.” Perforce, “This teaches that Moshe would. . .”

The words: "written with the finger of G'd" mean that G'd drew the shape of the letter with His "finger," i.e. using one of the kinds of light at His disposal. It (the light) assumed the appearance of a finger opposite the Tablets corresponding to the dimensions of the requisite letter G'd wanted to inscribe. G'd did this in order to ensure that no more and and no less than the letter should be engraved on the Tablets themselves. Seeing that the light G'd used to do this with was more powerful than the light the Tablets were made of, the light of the "finger" penetrated the requisite area of the Tablets. We may perceive of that area on the Tablets as having either been devoured or pushed aside. What remained were holes forming the letters G'd had engraved. Thanks to the superior power of the light of the "finger" the inscription became visible from either side of the Tablets. This is what is meant when the Torah wrote in 32,16, that the Tablets were written from both sides, i.e. that the inscription was deeply engraved. The Torah uses the expression חרות על הלוחות "engraved on the Tablets," instead of saying חדות בלוחות, engraved in the Tablets. This is the allusion to G'd having placed His finger "on" i.e. opposite the material of the Tablets as we have explained.

לחת TABLETS — The word is written defectively לחת (without a ו between ח and ת), thus intimating that they were both alike in every respect (Exodus Rabbah 41:6).

It is written לחת to indicate. . . [Since לחת is written without a ו , it connotes that] it was like there was only one Tablet.