Midrash su Esodo 38:21

These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). It is written elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, thou place of our Sanctuary (Jer. 17:12). This verse indicates that the Throne of Glory is located directly opposite our Sanctuary.¹See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:292, n. 141. That is why it says: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established (Exod. 15:2). And you find that Jerusalem on high is situated directly opposite the earthly Jerusalem. It was because the earthly Jerusalem was exceedingly precious to Him that He fashioned another one on high, as it is said: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before me (Isa. 49:16). Why was it destroyed? Because thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that make thee waste shall go forth from thee (ibid., v. 17). That is why it was destroyed.

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE…. This text is related (to Prov. 28:20): A FAITHFUL PERSON WILL RECEIVE MANY BLESSINGS, [BUT ONE WHO HASTENS TO BECOME RICH WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED]. In the case of whoever is faithful, you find that the Holy One brings blessings through him; but whoever is unfaithful AND HASTENS TO BECOME RICH WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED.¹Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:1; Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 28:20): A FAITHFUL PERSON WILL RECEIVE MANY BLESSINGS. This was Moses, who became sole treasurer; and although he alone was treasurer, he summoned others and rendered an accounting through them. It is so stated (in Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE.

These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).

[(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE]. This text is related (to II Kings 12:16 [15]): AND THEY DID NOT ASK AN ACCOUNTING FROM THE ONES INTO WHOSE HANDS THEY GAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE TO THOSE DOING THE WORK, BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. This is the generation of King Joash, which did act in good faith.²Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:2. Our masters have taught: Whoever entered the Temple treasury to make a withdrawal did not enter in a hemmed tunic³Gk.: paragaudes (“purple-bordered garment”); Lat.: paragauda (“laced garment”). or with a money girdle,⁴Lat.: funda (“moneybag”). for if he became wealthy, they would say he became rich from what belonged to the Temple treasury.⁵Cf. Sheq. 3:2; Yev. 102b. Thus a person must satisfy the people just as he satisfies Heaven, as stated (in Numb. 32:22): SO YOU SHALL BE BLAMELESS BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE ISRAEL…. Now Moses was sole treasurer over the business of the Tabernacle. When the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 25:8): MAKE ME A SANCTUARY, Moses said to all the children of Israel (in Exod. 35:4–5): THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HAS COMMANDED <…:> TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING…. R. Johanan said: In two mornings they brought < building materials > for the whole Tabernacle, so that they had more than enough.⁶For R. Johanan’s reasoning, see above, 7:3, and the note there. (Exod. 36:6–7:) THEN MOSES COMMANDED, AND THEY HAD IT PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE CAMP…: FOR THEY HAD SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES…. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, We have done all the work for the Tabernacle, and we have more than enough. What shall we do with the surplus? He said to them: Go and make a tabernacle for the commandments. He went and made a tabernacle for the commandments. When he came to give the accounting, he said to them (i.e., to the Israelites) thus and so was spent for the <actual> Tabernacle, and with the rest I made a tabernacle for the testimony. It is so stated (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. What is the meaning of TABERNACLE (MShKN), TABERNACLE (MShKN), <with the word repeated> two times?⁷Exod. R. 51:3. R. {Simeon} [Samuel] said: It was mortgaged (NTMShKN) two times for them.⁸The two mortgages are the two destructions of the Temple, when the Holy One took it in pledge for payment of Israel’s sins. So Exod. R. 31:10. R. Ishmael said: This < usage > is a sign⁹Gk.: semeion. for all who come into the world that there is only forgiveness for Israel alone.¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6; Exod. R. 51:4. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY is testimony for all who come into the world that the Holy One has been reconciled with Israel. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her excessively. He became angry with her and left her. Her woman neighbors said to her: He will not return to you. After some days the king was reconciled to her and entered his palace¹¹Lat.: palatium; Gk.: palation. [with her], where he ate and drank. Now her neighbors would not believe that he had been reconciled to her; but when there was an aroma in the heavens over her, they immediately knew that the king had been reconciled to her. Similarly the Holy One loved Israel, brought them to Mount Sinai, gave them the Torah, and called them kings (in Exod. 19:6). At the end of forty days they made the calf and said (in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. In that hour the peoples of the world said: The Holy One will never again be reconciled to them. When Moses arose and prayed for them, the Holy One said to him (in Numb. 14:20): I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED.¹²Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105. And not only that but I have had my Divine Presence dwell over them and among them, so that everyone may know that I have forgiven them. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY [THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG YOU].

R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth? Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself. How is that so? Concerning the first day, it is written: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1), and it is written elsewhere: Who stretched out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2), and concerning the Tabernacle it is written: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7). About the second day of creation it states: Let there be a firmament and divide between them, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Gen. 1:6). About the Tabernacle it is written: And the veil shall divide between you (Exod. 26:33). With regard to the third day it states: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered (Gen. 1:9). With reference to the Tabernacle it is written: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass … and thou shalt put water therein (Exod. 30:18). On the fourth day he created light, as is stated: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen. 1:14), and concerning the Tabernacle it is said: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Exod. 25:31). On the fifth day He created birds, as it is said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly above the earth (Gen. 1:20), and with reference to the Tabernacle. He directed them to offer sacrifices of lambs and birds, and it says as well: And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high (Exod. 25:20). On the sixth day he created man, as it is said: And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him (Gen. 1:27), and about the Tabernacle it is written: A man who is a high priest who has been anointed to serve and to minister before God.³You write that this is not a direct quote from the Bible. On the seventh day The heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and with regard to the Tabernacle it is written: Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1). Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness in behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).

Why is the word mishkan (“Tabernacle”) repeated (in Exod. 38:21)? R. Samuel said: The Holy One, blessed be He, would in the future seize it (the Temple) twice as a pledge (mashkon); at the time of its first destruction and again at its second destruction. Therefore He repeated the word mishkan.

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. When Hadrian entered the Holy of Holies of the Temple, he became arrogant there and blasphemed the Holy One.¹³Exod. R. 51:5; Tanh., Exod. 11:4. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: David said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, may you consider <the matter > for yourself in this way: If they had been able to make ladders and ascend on high (lema'la), they would have ascended < against you>. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 74:5): LET HIM APPEAR AS ONE WHO WIELDS AXES UPWARD (lema'la) IN A THICKET OF WOOD. However, because they were unable, they left you and came back against us, as stated (in Ps. 79:1): O GOD, THE GENTILES HAVE COME AGAINST YOUR INHERITANCE (i.e., against Israel); THEY HAVE DEFILED YOUR HOLY TEMPLE.

A new vessel filled with old wine. Another explanation of The Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There is no testimony other than the Torah, as it is said: These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances (Deut. 4:45). This may be compared to a king who has a daughter for whom he builds a palace. He sets it in the midst of seven other palaces and then decrees: “Anyone who approaches my daughter will be considered as though he were approaching me.” The Tabernacle was called by two names: The Tabernacle of the testimony, which is the Torah, and elsewhere: A Tabernacle of the Lord (Lev. 17:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Anyone who despises My daughter is considered as though he were despising Me. That is, if a man enters the synagogue and disparages My Torah, it is as though he arose and were disparaging My honor. You know this to be so from the fact that R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: When Hadrian entered the Temple he reviled and blasphemed against God. David said: Master of the world, it should be counted against them as though they had hewn cedars and built ladders in order to ascend into the firmament to wage war against You, as it is said: It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees (Ps. 74:5). Since they are unable to accomplish this, they turned on You and attacked us, as it said: O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; they have defiled Thy holy temple (Ps. 79:1). All of this transpired because the Temple was seized on account of our sins.

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. Whatever Moses did he did through others, as stated (ibid.): <THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY, WHICH WERE DRAWN UP AT MOSES' BIDDING,> THE WORK OF THE LEVITES BY MEANS OF ITHAMAR <BEN AARON >.¹⁴Exod. R. 51:6. He only did <the accounting > after the work on the Tabernacle was finished. He said to them: Come and let me make an accounting before you. All Israel gathered while he sat and made calculations. He forgot one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, of which he had made hooks for the pillars.¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 11:7. He said to them (in vs. 28): AND OF THE ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE < SHEKELS > [HE (Ithamar) MADE HOOKS FOR THE PILLARS]. At that time Israel was mollified¹⁶A form of piyyes, which may come from the Gk. aorist, peisai (“to persuade”). over the building of the Tabernacle. And who brought it about for him? <It was> because he < himself> sat down and mollified them. (Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. But why did he make an accounting with them when the Holy One trusted him? It is so stated (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES; [HE IS TRUSTED IN ALL MY HOUSE]. Yet Moses said: Come and make an accounting with me. It was simply that Moses had heard Israel speaking behind his back, as stated {in Exod. 33:9): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO [TO THE TENT], THE PILLAR OF CLOUD WOULD DESCEND…, AND THE LORD WOULD SPEAK WITH MOSES.} [(in Exod. 33:8): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO OUT UNTO THE TENT, <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE>… AND STARE AFTER MOSES.] And what were they saying?¹⁷Cf. yBik. 3:3 (65c); ySheq. 5:3 (49a), which in what follows omit the attributions to named authorities; also Tanh., Exod. 9:27, which reverses the views of R. Isaac and R. Hama. Exod. R. 51:6 reads R. Johanan instead of R. Isaac. R. Isaac says: They were saying in his favor: Blessed is she who bore this man. All his days the Holy One speaks with him; all his days he genuinely belongs to the Holy One. (Exod. 33:8:) <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE …> AND STARE AFTER MOSES. But R. Hama said: They were saying to his shame: Look at the <fat> neck; look at the <fat> thighs. Moses is eating from what belongs to Jews and drinking from what belongs to Jews, for everything he possesses comes from the Jews. Then an associate of his would reply: Would you not want a person in charge of the work on the Tabernacle to be wealthy? As soon as Moses heard that, he said to them: By your life, after the Tabernacle is finished, I am making an accounting with you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE….

These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). R. Hiyya said: To what may the heathens be compared? They may be compared to a man who hates the king and decides to rebel against him, but is unable to do so. What does he do? He goes to the king’s statue and tries to topple it. However, he becomes fearful that the king might kill him. What does he do then? He takes an iron digging tool and wedges it beneath the statue. He says to himself: “If I weaken the base of the statue, it will topple.” Similarly, when the heathens sought to do battle with the Holy One, blessed be He, they were not able to do so, and so they attacked Israel. David said: The kings of the earth stand up (Ps. 2:2); that is to say, One who is unable to smite the ass smites the saddle. That was the case with the idolatrous nations. When they were unable to ascend to attack God, they turned against Israel. When did that occur? When they had nothing to serve as a pledge (Temple). However, now the Tabernacle is their pledge, as it is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony.

These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished (Prov. 28:20). A faithful man shall abound with blessings refers to Moses, who was appointed treasurer of the Tabernacle, and all things were blessed because of his faithfulness. While He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished alludes to Korah the Levite, who desired priesthood though, as a Levite, he was not eligible for priesthood.

[Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY.] What is the meaning of THE TESTIMONY? This is the Torah in which they would labor.¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 11:8; Exod. R. 51:7. The Holy One said to them: By virtue of the Torah and by virtue of the offerings, I am saving you from Gehinnom. Also in the case of their father Abraham, the Holy One showed him the Torah, the offerings, Gehinnom, and the empires (all of which were revealed to him in the theophany of Gen. 15):¹⁹PRK 5:2; PR 15:2; Gen. R. 44:21; M. Pss. 52:8; Mikhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 9; cf. Lev. R. 13:5. Torah (in Gen. 15:17): AND A FLAMING TORCH;²⁰Cf. Exod. R. 51:7, which relates this verse to the lightning on Mt. Sinai in Exod. 20:15 [18]. the offerings (in vs. 9): AND HE SAID UNTO HIM: BRING ME A THREE-YEAR-OLD HEIFER; Gehinnom (in vs. 17): A SMOKING OVEN; the empires (in vs. 12): AND LO, A GREAT DARK DREAD <FELL UPON HIM>. The Holy One said to him: As long as your children are engaged in <the first> two, they shall be saved from <the other > two. As long as they are engaged in the Torah and the offerings, they shall be saved from Gehinnom and from the empires. Now the Temple is going to be destroyed, and the offerings shall cease. Therefore, how do you say that your children should be enslaved? By Gehinnom or by the empires? Abraham chose the empires. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, Let them be enslaved by the empires, and let not one of them go down into Gehinnom. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:30): <HOW SHOULD ONE HAVE ROUTED A THOUSAND, OR TWO PUT TEN THOUSAND TO FLIGHT, > UNLESS THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM? Now THEIR ROCK can only be their father Abraham, since it is stated (in Is. 51:1): LOOK UNTO THE ROCK OUT OF WHICH YOU WERE HEWN. (Deut. 32:30, cont.:) AND THE LORD HAD GIVEN THEM UP, because the Holy One had concurred with him (i.e., with Abraham in his decision to be enslaved by the empires). R. Hanina said: Abraham was standing in bewilderment, and did not know what to choose. The Holy One said to him: Make the decision. At that time the Holy One gave him a hint to choose the empires.²¹According to Exod. R. 51:7, the hint is found in Ps. 66:12. See also Tanh., Exod. 11:8. Ergo (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE <…> OF THE TESTIMONY, <a testimony that> as long as Israel was engaged in the Torah and in the offerings, they would not go down into Gehinnom. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world you have been enslaved in the hands of empires, but in the world to come I will save you from Gehinnom by virtue of the Torah, which is called a fire, as stated (in Deut. 33:2): AT HIS RIGHT HAND THERE A FIERY LAW (dat) FOR THEM. So the fire (of Torah) puts out the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (in Is. 43:2): WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE SCORCHED, NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME BURN YOU.

Another explanation of A faithful man shall abound with blessings. This refers to Moses, who was appointed sole custodian over the affairs of the Tabernacle. Our sages inform us that no less than two men should be appointed to control the affairs of a community, yet Moses was appointed as the sole custodian because he was extremely trustworthy, as is written: He is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7). Nevertheless he summoned others to audit the accounts with him, as is said: By the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest (Exod. 38:21).

These are the accounts of the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). The Tabernacle bears testimony to the entire world that He forgave them for the episode of the golden calf. This may be likened to a king who marries a woman he loves dearly. After some time he becomes angry with her and leaves her. Her neighbors ridicule her, saying: “Repent or your husband will not return to you.” After some time he returned to her palace and ate and drank with her. Still her neighbors were not convinced that the king had become reconciled with her. However, after they experienced the fragrance of spices ascending from the house, all of them realized that he had become reconciled with her. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel and gave them the Torah and called then a holy nation: A kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod. 19:6). But when they sinned after forty days, the nations exclaimed: “He will not return to them.” Moses arose then and pleaded for mercy in their behalf. And He replied: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Moses asked: Who will make it known to the nations? And He replied to him: Let them make Me a Sanctuary. When the nations smelled the fragrance of the smoke as it ascended from the midst of the Sanctuary, they knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, had become reconciled with them.

These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Thou hast also delivered Me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44), and it is written elsewhere: Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people (Ps. 18:44). The contentions of the people refers to the nations of the world, and the contentions of My people alludes to Israel. David said: Master of the Universe, the Israelites are a contentious lot; do You wish them to murmur against me amongst themselves? A proof of this is that after the Tabernacle was erected, though everything was done according to numbers and weights, as it is written: The whole by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time (Ezra 8:34), they became contentious, as is said: And the people spoke against God, and against Moses (Num. 21:15). Hence, it says: Thou mayest deliver me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44). This verse alludes to Moses. At the time he erected the Tabernacle, Moses said: I know that the Israelites are a troublesome lot. They speak against their brothers and their mothers, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons (Ps. 50:20). What is meant by Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother? R. Johanan said: You must not believe that one is permitted to speak against a brother born of one’s father, but not against a brother born of one’s mother, for if you should speak against your brother born of your father, you will eventually speak against your brother born of your mother, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thine own brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons.

The tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). This refers the Torah in which they labored. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the Torah and the sacrifices, I will rescue you from Gehinnom. You may know this from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Abraham the Torah, the sacrifices, Gehinnom, and the servitude experienced by the exiles. The Torah: A flaming torch (Gen. 15:17), for it is written: At this hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2), and the people perceived the thunder and lightning (Exod. 20:15); the sacrifices: Take me a heifer of three years (Gen. 15:9); Gehinnom: A smoking furnace and a flaming torch (ibid., v. 17); the servitude at the hands of the nations: For, behold, there was thick darkness (ibid.).

These are the accounts of the tabernacle … and the bronze of the offering (Exod. 38:21, 29). The bronze of the offering (tenufah) refers to the bronze vessels given to a bride, for in Greek they call a bride nymphé.¹⁴A play on words: tenufah (“offering”) and nymphé, a Greek bride. You find that while the Israelites were making bricks in Egypt, Pharaoh decreed that they were not to sleep at home so that they would not have intercourse with their wives. R. Simeon the son of Halafta said: What did the Israelite women do? They would go to the Nile to draw water, and the Holy One, blessed be He, would fill their jugs with little fishes.¹⁵Small fishes arouse sexual desire (Berakhot 40a). They would (sell some), cook and prepare (the fish), and buy some wine (with the proceeds of the sale), and then bring it to their husbands in the fields, as it is said: In all manner of service in the field (Exod. 1:14). While the men were eating and drinking, the women would take out their mirrors and glance into them with their husbands. They would say: “I am more attractive than you,” and the men would reply: “I am handsomer than you.” In that way they would arose their sexual desires and become fruitful and multiply. The Holy One, blessed be He, caused them to conceive on the spot.

...Even though Moshe was the Gizbar: he called others to perform the accounting. The verse does not read ‘these are the records that were drawn up by Moshe’ but instead these are the records that were drawn up at the (LIT mouth) request Moshe. (Moshe did what he could do to be assured that he would be held accountable; accounted for by the mouth of Moshe; the work of the Leviim under the direction of Itamar