Talmud su Esodo 25:78

HALAKHAH: “Five [persons] cannot give heave,” etc. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman understood all of these from here (Ex. 25:2–3)³While the verses deal with the voluntary heave for the Tabernacle, it is assumed that the word “heave” always has the same meaning (cf. Berakhot, Chapter 1, Note 70) and, therefore, is under the same restrictions.: “Speak to the Children of Israel that they should give heave for Me”, excluding the Gentile, “from every man”, excluding the minor, “whose intention is to volunteer”, excluding the deaf-mute and the insane. “The following is the heave you shall accept from them”, except from one who gives heave for what is not his.

HALAKHAH: “Five [persons] cannot give heave,” etc. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman understood all of these from here (Ex. 25:2–3)³While the verses deal with the voluntary heave for the Tabernacle, it is assumed that the word “heave” always has the same meaning (cf. Berakhot, Chapter 1, Note 70) and, therefore, is under the same restrictions.: “Speak to the Children of Israel that they should give heave for Me”, excluding the Gentile, “from every man”, excluding the minor, “whose intention is to volunteer”, excluding the deaf-mute and the insane. “The following is the heave you shall accept from them”, except from one who gives heave for what is not his.

Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi: May one read this and not be ashamed³⁰In B: afraid. In the biblical narrative, all good actions are ascribed to individuals, the bad to the entire people.? In a good sense, every one of goodwill³¹Ex. 35:5.; in a bad sense, all the people took off the gold rings in their ears³²Ex. 32:3.. In a good sense, Moses led the people out³³Ex. 19:1.; in a bad sense, all of you ganged up against me³⁴Deut. 1:22.. In a good sense, then Moses and the Children of Israel sang³⁵Ex. 15:1.; in a bad sense, the entire congregation started wailing³⁶Num. 14:1.. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, indeed they got up early to destroy³⁷Zeph. 3:7.. Any destructive action they made early in the morning. Rebbi Abba bar Aḥa said, one cannot understand the character of this people; they are asked for the {golden} calf and are giving, for the Sanctuary and are giving. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina stated this baraita:³⁸To answer R. Ḥiyya bar Abba’s question. You shall make a cover of pure gold³⁹Ex. 25:17., may the gold of the cover come and atone for the gold of the calf.

⁴⁴This paragraph is from Šabbat Chapter 1, Notes 118 ff. While here the problem is that a roof less than 10 hand-breadths from the ground does not have the status of a cover, for the rules of the Sabbath public domain reaches only from the ground to a height of 10 hand-breadths, while private domain extends to an indefinite height. The parallel discussion in the Babli is Sukkah5a. Since the entire discussion is Amoraic, one must conclude that for earlier times the limitation of the public domain to 10 hand-breadths from the ground and the minimal height required for a sukkah was tradition not subject to verification from biblical sources. From where that higher than ten [hand-breadths] is a different domain? Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: There I shall make My Appearance to you, and I shall speak to you from above the cover⁴⁵Ex. 25:6.. And it is written, you have seen that from Heaven I spoke to you⁴⁶Ex. 20:22.. Since speech mentioned there is from another domain, also speech mentioned here is from another domain. But is the Ark not nine hand-breadths⁴⁷1.5 cubits (Ex. 25:10).? In the House of Rebbi Yannai they said, the cover was one hand-breadth⁴⁸In the Babli 5b, this is questioned but in the end accepted. The biblical data do not fit the assertion. The cover was square of surface area 3.75(cubit)² (Ex. 25:17). The hand-breadth and the cubit are not well defined.. If we take a small hand-breadth of 8.5 cm, cubit 51 cm, then a cover 2 cubits long, 1.5 cubits wide, and one hand-breadth height would have a volume of 108(hand-breadths)³ = 66 (dm)³. Since the cover was of pure gold, of specific weight about 19, the total weight would have been 1260 kg. But the total weight of gold contributed for the Tabernacle (Ex. 38:24) was 29.25 talents or, on a basis of 12.5 g for the sheqel, about 1097 kg, not to speak of the fact that a weight of 1.26 tons would have crushed the wooden ark. All these data were well within the knowledge of antiquity. One has to conclude that they imagined the cover to be hollow.. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, from where that the cover was one hand-breadth? Rebbi Ḥananiah bar Samuel stated, for all the vessels in the Sanctuary the Torah gave the measure of length and width, and gave the measure of its height. Except for the cover where the Torah gave the measure of length and width, but did not give the measure of its height. Therefore we shall learn it from the smallest vessel in the Sanctuary, you shall make for it a frame of one hand-breadth all around⁴⁹This cryptic statement is explained in the Babli (in the name of Rav Aḥa bar Jacob’s teacher Rav Huna) as referring to Lev. 16:2 where Aaron is warned not to appear before the face of the cover except on the day of Atonement. This implies that the cover was not simply a sheet lying over the Ark but had a face, a vertical dimension which is not negligible.. Since there it was one hand-breadth, so also here one hand-breadth. But maybe it refers only to: make a golden wreath as its frame all around⁵⁰It is impossible to say that in general a new domain starts at 10 hand-breadths since it is commonly accepted that a private domain remains private to an indeterminate height. The Ark was standing in the private domain of the Sanctuary; a reference to it seems to be irrelevant.? Since there it is a minimal size, so here also a minimal size. What about it? Rav Aḥa bar Jacob said, face. There is no face less than a hand-breadth⁵¹In the desert, the Ark was travelling in front of the people (Num. 10:33) while the Sanctuary was carried in the middle (v. 17). At the resting place, the Ark automatically assumed a West-East direction so that the Sanctuary could be placed around it and the tribes camped correctly in the four directions of the compass (Num.2). The Ark had functions outside the Sanctuary; the reference is legitimate..

Rebbi Ḥaggai in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman. Three contributions are mentioned in the paragraph⁴⁰Ex. 25:2–3, as explained in the text., the contribution for the bases⁴¹As noted in Ex. 38:27–28, the silver contributed by half-sheqalim contributed by a head tax according to Ex. 30:11–16 was used to cast the bases, hooks, and covers, for the poles for the posts securing the sanctuary and its gobelins., the contribution for sheqalim⁴²Since the receipt of the first tax was used for construction purposes, there must have been a second tax (in the amount of the first but collected only in the following years, not the year of construction) to provide for the communal sacrifices., and the contribution for the Sanctuary⁴³². Speak to the Children of Israel, they shall take for me a contribution, that is the contribution for the bases. From any man of goodwill take my contribution, this refers to the contribution for sheqalim. This is the contribution which you shall take from them, that is the contribution for the Sanctuary. The contribution for the Sanctuary is for the Sanctuary, they may use it in any way they want. The contribution for sheqalim is for sacrifices, they may use it in any way they want, so that everybody’s part of it be the same. The contribution for the bases [is for the bases]⁴⁴Addition by the corrector following B but probably incorrect; the fact that it is equal for everybody distinguishes it from the contributions to the Sanctuary., the rich may not increase and the poor may not decrease⁴⁵Ex. 30:15.. Rebbi Abun said, also in this paragraph⁴⁶In Ex. 30:11–16. The expression תְּרוּמָה לַיי or תְּרומַת יי appears in vv.. 13,14,15 Babli Megillah29b. are three contributions mentioned.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths. Who stated “a cubit of six hand-breadths“? This is Rebbi Meןr’s. [As we have stated³³Mishnah Kelim17:10.: “Rebbi Meןr says, all cubits were of buildings; Rebbi Jehudah says, the cubit of buildings six, of vessels five.”] According to Rebbi Meןr who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths, the length of the Ark was fifteen cubits, as it is written³⁴Ex. 25:10.: Its length two cubits and a half. Each cubit was six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the widths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. Apply them to the cylinder³⁶The Torah scroll.. [On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as place to put there the Torah scroll.]³⁷Corrector’s addition from B, to be deleted. The width of the Ark was nine hand-breadths, as it is written: A cubit and half a cubit. A cubit six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the lengths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as a place to put there the Torah scroll.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths. Who stated “a cubit of six hand-breadths“? This is Rebbi Meןr’s. [As we have stated³³Mishnah Kelim17:10.: “Rebbi Meןr says, all cubits were of buildings; Rebbi Jehudah says, the cubit of buildings six, of vessels five.”] According to Rebbi Meןr who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths, the length of the Ark was fifteen cubits, as it is written³⁴Ex. 25:10.: Its length two cubits and a half. Each cubit was six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the widths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. Apply them to the cylinder³⁶The Torah scroll.. [On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as place to put there the Torah scroll.]³⁷Corrector’s addition from B, to be deleted. The width of the Ark was nine hand-breadths, as it is written: A cubit and half a cubit. A cubit six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the lengths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as a place to put there the Torah scroll.

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, the Ark was made using a cubit of five hand-breadths. Who stated “a cubit of five hand-breadths”? This is Rebbi Jehudah. As we have stated there³³Mishnah Kelim17:10.: “Rebbi Jehudah says, the builders’ cubit was of six hand-breadths, but that of vessels five hand-breadths.” And the Ark is a vessel. According to Rebbi Jehudah who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of five hand-breadths, the length of the Ark was twelve and one half cubits, as it is written³⁴Ex. 25:10.: Its length two cubits and a half. Each cubit was five and half a cubit two and one half. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the width of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there remains there half a handbreadth. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side. The width of the Ark was seven and a half hand-breadths, as it is written, Its width a cubit and half a cubit. A cubit five and half a cubit two and a half. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark.. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the lengths of the tablets in the width of the Ark, there was one and a half hand-breadths left. ³⁹This sentence is not a continuation of the preceding text but the conclusion of an additional argument about the width of the Ark, reproduced in B and Soṭah. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side and on each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle.

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, the Ark was made using a cubit of five hand-breadths. Who stated “a cubit of five hand-breadths”? This is Rebbi Jehudah. As we have stated there³³Mishnah Kelim17:10.: “Rebbi Jehudah says, the builders’ cubit was of six hand-breadths, but that of vessels five hand-breadths.” And the Ark is a vessel. According to Rebbi Jehudah who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of five hand-breadths, the length of the Ark was twelve and one half cubits, as it is written³⁴Ex. 25:10.: Its length two cubits and a half. Each cubit was five and half a cubit two and one half. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the width of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there remains there half a handbreadth. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side. The width of the Ark was seven and a half hand-breadths, as it is written, Its width a cubit and half a cubit. A cubit five and half a cubit two and a half. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written³⁵Deut. 10:2.: Which you broke and put into the Ark.. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the lengths of the tablets in the width of the Ark, there was one and a half hand-breadths left. ³⁹This sentence is not a continuation of the preceding text but the conclusion of an additional argument about the width of the Ark, reproduced in B and Soṭah. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side and on each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle.

How did Beṣalel make the Ark? Rebbi Ḥanina said, he made three boxes, two of gold and one of wood. He put (the one of wood inside one of gold and) one of gold inside the one of wood, [and the one of wood inside the other one of gold] and covered it, as is written⁴⁰Ex.25:11. As usual, the proof is by the part of the verse not quoted: You shall cover it, with pure gold inside and out you shall cover it, implying separate covers.: You shall cover it with pure gold inside and out. Why does the verse say, you shall cover it? To include the upper rim. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, he made one box and gilded it, as is written: You shall cover it with pure gold inside and out. Why does the verse say, you shall cover it? Rebbi Phineas said, also between the planks.

⁷⁵One discusses what it means that Aaron and his sons had to sit at the gate of the Tent of Meeting “seven days, day and night”. There, we have stated⁷⁶Mishnah Menaḥot 11:7, describing the order in which the shew-bread was removed from the table in the Tent of Meeting on the Sabbath and new bread deposited when the verse prescribes that the shew-bread always be on the table.: “These take away and those put down. And the hand of one is close to the hand of the other, for it is said⁷⁷Ex. 25:30., before Me always.” The Mishnah is Rebbi Meïr’s⁷⁸Since it is anonymous.. But according to Rebbi Joḥanan does Rebbi Meïr agree that if they removed the old set in the morning and arranged the new set in the evening this is also “always”⁷⁹So even according to R. Meïr the arrangement that the twelve shew-breads were exchanged in a ceremony involving 24 priests so that the table should not be empty for one moment is recommended but not absolutely necessary.. “Rebbi Yose says, also these may remove and those put down; for this also is ‘always’.⁷⁶Mishnah Menaḥot 11:7, describing the order in which the shew-bread was removed from the table in the Tent of Meeting on the Sabbath and new bread deposited when the verse prescribes that the shew-bread always be on the table.” Rebbi Joḥanan said, Rebbi Yose inferred this from the sitting of Aaron and his sons⁸⁰Since it is understood that if there is no Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons could not sit at its gate and, as explained in the following paragraph, the Tent was every day (or also every night) disassembled and reerected, the requirement that they sit there “seven days, day and night” could only mean that every day and every night they were sitting there for some time.. As you are saying, at the sitting of Aaron and his sons it was necessary that the day deliver to the night and the night deliver to the day⁸¹They actually had to be present there only at dusk and dawn., so here it was necessary that the day deliver to the night and the night deliver to the day. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Yose said, it was sufficient that the day deliver to the night⁸²His statement refers to the shew-breads. He reads “always” to mean that there shall be no day on which the table be empty. Since the breads were kept there from Sabbath to Sabbath, he only requires that the new breads be delivered before dusk at the end of the Sabbath.. What does Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Joseph say about the sitting of Aaron and his sons?, Since if there, where it is written “always”, you are saying that it was sufficient that the day deliver to the night, here⁸³At the initiation of the priests. where it is not written “always” not so much more? You have to say that in Rebbi Joḥanan’s opinion there were seven erections and six dismantlings⁸⁴Since it is shown in the next paragraph that every morning the Tent had to be re-erected, and Aaron and his sons were to be present in the sacred precinct day and night, the Tent was erected on day 1, and on days 2–7 was disassembled and re-erected every morning after dawn.. In Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Joseph’s opinion here were fourteen erections and thirteen dismantlings⁸⁵Since Lev. 8:34 requires that Aaron and his sons not leave the sacred domain during 7 days, but v. 35 states that they have to sit there “day and night”, it follows that they could not leave, and therefore the Tent could not be disassembled, during the days, but it could be disassembled in the night after nightfall, then re-erected for the night, and disassembled after dawn.. It was stated⁸⁶Sifra Ṣaw Mekhilta deMilluim 36; Num. rabba 12(18); Seder Olam Chapter 7.: “All seven days of initiation did Moses anoint the Tabernacle, erected and dismantled it, and performed in it the services⁸⁷Since Aaron and his sons entered service only on day 8, for the first 7 days Moses acted as High Priest (Note 64).. On the eighth day, he erected it and did not dismantle. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah said, on the eighth day also he erected, anointed, and dismantled.” Rebbi Zeˋira said, this implies that erection in the night is invalid for service during the day⁸⁸Since it was necessary to disassemble the Tent after the seventh night, it follows that services could be held only in presence of a Tent erected during daytime. Num. rabba 12(18).. You have to say that in Rebbi Joḥanan’s opinion following Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah there were fourteen erections and thirteen dismantlings. In Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Joseph’s opinion following Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah there were 21 erections and 20 dismantlings⁸⁹Since for R. Joḥanan the Tent has to be standing every dawn and dusk (except for the first dawn) and R. Yose ben R. Jehudah requires (in the interpretation of R. Zeˋira) that the Tent be re-erected in the night but not for service, in 7 days and 7 nights there must be 14 erections and one less dismantling.
According to R. Ḥiyya ben Joseph the tent was erected every morning for services, disassembled and re-erected for dusk, and disassembled and re-erected for the night. In this opinion it makes no difference whether the Tent was disassembled before or after dawn. There are different name attributions in Num. rabba 12(18)..

Rebbi Tanḥuma said, I asked before Rebbi Phineas: It is acceptable following Rebbi Jehudah⁴⁹The verse quoted next which implies that the Torah scroll was not in the Ark., it is not acceptable following Rebbi Meןr. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? To take this Torah scroll and put it next to the side of the Ark of the Eternal’s covenant⁵⁰Deut. 31:26., etc In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, who said, where the Torah scroll was put? They made for it a kind of case⁵¹Greek γλωσσοκομε̅ι̅ον, τό. outside and the Torah scroll was put into it. What is the reason of Rebbi Meןr? You should put the cover on top of the Ark⁵²Ex. 25:21.. In the opinion of Rebbi Meןr who says that there is no earlier and later in the Torah, in the Ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give to you⁵³Ex. 25:16., and after that, you should put the cover on top of the Ark. Rebbi Phineas in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: ⁵⁴Text of B: The Torah which He gave to Moses was white fire engraved in black fire; it is of fire quarried from fire, born from fire, given into the right hand of the Holy One, praise to Him, at it is said, From His right hand, the fiery law to them. The Torah which the Holy One, Praise to Him, gave to Moses, was white fire engraved in black fire. It was fire mixed with fire; hewn from fire, given from fire: That is what is written⁵⁵Deut33:2.: From His right hand, the fiery law to them.

Rebbi Tanḥuma said, I asked before Rebbi Phineas: It is acceptable following Rebbi Jehudah⁴⁹The verse quoted next which implies that the Torah scroll was not in the Ark., it is not acceptable following Rebbi Meןr. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? To take this Torah scroll and put it next to the side of the Ark of the Eternal’s covenant⁵⁰Deut. 31:26., etc In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, who said, where the Torah scroll was put? They made for it a kind of case⁵¹Greek γλωσσοκομε̅ι̅ον, τό. outside and the Torah scroll was put into it. What is the reason of Rebbi Meןr? You should put the cover on top of the Ark⁵²Ex. 25:21.. In the opinion of Rebbi Meןr who says that there is no earlier and later in the Torah, in the Ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give to you⁵³Ex. 25:16., and after that, you should put the cover on top of the Ark. Rebbi Phineas in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: ⁵⁴Text of B: The Torah which He gave to Moses was white fire engraved in black fire; it is of fire quarried from fire, born from fire, given into the right hand of the Holy One, praise to Him, at it is said, From His right hand, the fiery law to them. The Torah which the Holy One, Praise to Him, gave to Moses, was white fire engraved in black fire. It was fire mixed with fire; hewn from fire, given from fire: That is what is written⁵⁵Deut33:2.: From His right hand, the fiery law to them.

Rebbi Tanḥuma said, I asked before Rebbi Phineas: It is acceptable following Rebbi Jehudah⁴⁹The verse quoted next which implies that the Torah scroll was not in the Ark., it is not acceptable following Rebbi Meןr. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? To take this Torah scroll and put it next to the side of the Ark of the Eternal’s covenant⁵⁰Deut. 31:26., etc In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, who said, where the Torah scroll was put? They made for it a kind of case⁵¹Greek γλωσσοκομε̅ι̅ον, τό. outside and the Torah scroll was put into it. What is the reason of Rebbi Meןr? You should put the cover on top of the Ark⁵²Ex. 25:21.. In the opinion of Rebbi Meןr who says that there is no earlier and later in the Torah, in the Ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give to you⁵³Ex. 25:16., and after that, you should put the cover on top of the Ark. Rebbi Phineas in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: ⁵⁴Text of B: The Torah which He gave to Moses was white fire engraved in black fire; it is of fire quarried from fire, born from fire, given into the right hand of the Holy One, praise to Him, at it is said, From His right hand, the fiery law to them. The Torah which the Holy One, Praise to Him, gave to Moses, was white fire engraved in black fire. It was fire mixed with fire; hewn from fire, given from fire: That is what is written⁵⁵Deut33:2.: From His right hand, the fiery law to them.

¹¹⁸A copy of this paragraph, closer to the original, is in Sukkah 1:1 (ס) 51d l. 56. The parallel discussion in the Babli is Sukkah 5a. Since the entire discussion is Amoraic, one must conclude that for earlier times the limitation of the public domain to 10 hand-breadths from the ground was tradition not subject to verification from biblical sources. From where that higher than ten [hand-breadths] is a different domain? Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: There I shall make My Appearance to you, and I shall speak to you from above the cover (which is on the Ark of the Covenant)from between the two Cherubim¹¹⁹Ex. 25:6. The words in parentheses are not in the verse and not in ס; they are added to indicate that the argument is about the Ark.. And it is written, you have seen that from Heaven I spoke to you¹²⁰Ex. 20:22.. Since speech mentioned there is from another domain, also speech mentioned here is from another domain. But is the Ark not nine hand-breadths¹²¹1.5 cubits (Ex. 25:10).? In the House of Rebbi Yannai they said, the cover was one hand-breadth¹²²In the Babli, Sukkah 5b, this is questioned but in the end accepted. The biblical data do not fit the assertion. The cover was square of surface area 3.75(cubit)² (Ex. 25:17). The hand-breadth and the cubit are not well defined. If we take a small hand-breadth of 9 cm, cubit 54 cm, then a cover of one hand-breadth height would have a volume of 98.415 (dm)³. Since the cover was of pure gold, of specific weight about 19, the total weight would have been 1870 kg. But the total weight of gold contributed for the Tabernacle (Ex. 38:24) was 29.25 talents or, on a basis of 12.5 g for the sheqel, about 1097 kg, not to speak of the fact that a weight of almost 1.9 tons would have crushed the wooden ark. All these data were well within the knowledge of antiquity. One has to conclude that they imagined the cover to be hollow.. Rebbi Zeˋira asked, from where that the cover was one hand-breadth? Rebbi Ḥananiah bar Samuel stated, for all the vessels in the Sanctuary the Torah gave the measure of length and width, and gave the measure of its height. Except for the cover where the Torah gave the measure of length and width, but did not give the measure of its height. Therefore we shall learn it from the smallest vessel in the Sanctuary, you shall make for it a frame of one hand-breadth all around¹²²In the Babli, Sukkah 5b, this is questioned but in the end accepted. The biblical data do not fit the assertion. The cover was square of surface area 3.75(cubit)² (Ex. 25:17). The hand-breadth and the cubit are not well defined. If we take a small hand-breadth of 9 cm, cubit 54 cm, then a cover of one hand-breadth height would have a volume of 98.415 (dm)³. Since the cover was of pure gold, of specific weight about 19, the total weight would have been 1870 kg. But the total weight of gold contributed for the Tabernacle (Ex. 38:24) was 29.25 talents or, on a basis of 12.5 g for the sheqel, about 1097 kg, not to speak of the fact that a weight of almost 1.9 tons would have crushed the wooden ark. All these data were well within the knowledge of antiquity. One has to conclude that they imagined the cover to be hollow.. Since there it was one hand-breadth, so also here one hand-breadth. But maybe it is only make a golden wreath as its frame all around¹²²In the Babli, Sukkah 5b, this is questioned but in the end accepted. The biblical data do not fit the assertion. The cover was square of surface area 3.75(cubit)² (Ex. 25:17). The hand-breadth and the cubit are not well defined. If we take a small hand-breadth of 9 cm, cubit 54 cm, then a cover of one hand-breadth height would have a volume of 98.415 (dm)³. Since the cover was of pure gold, of specific weight about 19, the total weight would have been 1870 kg. But the total weight of gold contributed for the Tabernacle (Ex. 38:24) was 29.25 talents or, on a basis of 12.5 g for the sheqel, about 1097 kg, not to speak of the fact that a weight of almost 1.9 tons would have crushed the wooden ark. All these data were well within the knowledge of antiquity. One has to conclude that they imagined the cover to be hollow.? Since there it is a minimal size, so here also a minimal size. What about it? Rav Aḥa bar Jacob said, face. There is no face less than a hand-breadth¹²³This cryptic statement is explained in the Babli (in the name of Rav Aḥa bar Jacob’s teacher Rav Huna) as referring to Lev. 16:2 where Aaron is warned not to appear before the face of the cover except on the day of Atonement. This implies that the cover was not simply a sheet lying over the ark but had a face, a vertical dimension which is not negligible..

“Who dyes it.” What kind of dying was in the Tabernacle? They were clobbering an animal for red skins of rams³⁷⁹Ex. 25:5, 26:14.. Rebbi Yose said, this implies that he is liable who causes a wound which results in echymosis³⁸⁰If the blue spot stays blue more than 24 hours.. He who colors his lips red is liable³⁷⁴In the Babli 95a this is characterized as R. Eliezer’s opinion and is not practice since it is only temporary painting.. He who causes bleeding, because of taking away life force at that place³⁸¹Lev. 17:11. This does not refer to slaughter which is mentioned separately in Mishnah 3, but to a non-lethal wound. Babli 75a/b.. He who makes a shape, the first one is liable because of writing and the second one because of dying³⁸²Assuming that the first person draws an outline and the second fills it with color. The Babli 75b notes that if the object is decoration of the vessel, he also is liable because of “hitting with a hammer”.. If he left out a limb and another came and finished it, he is liable because of hitting with a hammer⁷A name for the formal end of any production process.. Wringing and washing are the same category of work. It was stated: Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa says, the dyers in Jerusalem made wringing a separate category of work. In the opinion of Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa, there are 40 categories of work³⁸³Since it is not listed separately in the Mishnah.. Should we state this? We come to state only items to which everybody agrees.

MISHNAH: There were thirteen tables in the Temple¹⁰⁰For the sacred service. There were more tables in the back part of the Temple domain, between the walls of the Temple and the walls of the enclosure, where the Cohanim had to eat their part of the most holy sacrifices. Thirteen, as the number of the Divine attributes of mercy, is a most lucky number in religious matters.. Eight marble ones in the slaughterhouse on which one was soaking the intestines¹⁰¹Which must be washed before being sacrifices, Lev. 1:9,13.. Two West of the ramp, one of marble and one of silver. On the marble one they put the limbs, on the silver one the vessels of service¹⁰²Where the flour and wine sacrifices were deposited before being brought up to the altar.. And two in the vestibule¹⁰³The small hall in front of the main Temple hall in the Temples of Solomon and Herod, in contrast to the Tabernacle. inside, near the entrance to the Temple Hall, one of marble and one of gold. On the marble one they put the shew-bread when it was brought in, and on the golden one when it was brought out, for one increases in holiness and does not decrease¹⁰⁴The bread was brought in on Friday, but was exchanged for the old bread in the main Temple hall only on the Sabbath. The removed bread was deposited in the vestibule until it could be distributed to the Cohanim at the end of the musaf service. Since it was laying during the week on the golden table inside, it could not be deposited on a table of lesser value. Babli Menaḥot99b.. And a golden one inside on which the shew-bread was permanently¹⁰⁵Ex. 25:30..

HALAKHAH: It was stated, “on the silver one”¹⁰⁶It is not perfectly clear to what this baraita refers. In the Babli version, there were no marble tables, only silver ones. In the Yerushalmi version, it either can mean that in the vestibule there was a silver table instead of the marble one mentioned in the Mishnah, or that the sentence is not from a baraita, but a quote from the Mishnah, implying that according to R. Joḥanan there was no silver table at all in the Temple, and that wine and flour offerings also had to be kept cool.. Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac; Rebbi Ḥananiah brought it in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: There was none of silver because it heats¹⁰⁷Assuming one speaks about the silver table mentioned in the Mishnah, one has to be careful to keep the flour offering cool lest it become leavened and forbidden in the Temple. If it is indicated that the table in the vestibule was of silver, the question is whether putting the new shew-bread on a warm table would spoil it. Tamid31b.. But did we not state¹⁰⁸Babli Yoma21a, in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi., this is one of the wonders which happened in the Temple, that just as they were putting it down hot, so they were removing it hot, [as it is written]¹⁰⁹Corrector’s addition from B, missing in ג and deleted by the scribe himself in the Leiden ms., to put hot bread as on the day it was removed¹¹⁰1S. 21:7. The implication is that a warm silver table would be more appropriate for the shew bread than a cold marble one.. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, one does not mention wonders¹¹¹One may not act trusting that a wonder will occur in one’s behalf. Babli Berakhot60a, Yebamot121b, Ḥulin43a.. They asked before Rebbi Ila: If they did not have bread, may they leave it for the coming week¹¹²Since the shew-bread has to be exchanged every Sabbath (Lev.24:8), if there was no replacement available is it better to leave the table empty or leave the old bread in its place.? He said to them, it is written¹¹³Ex. 25:30.: you shall put on the table the shew-bread before Me permanently. The shew-bread, even disqualified¹¹⁴Since the shew-bread removed from the sanctuary had to be eaten by the Cohanim as most holy sacrifice (Lev.24:9), it must be eaten on the day it becomes available and will be disqualified the next morning, to be burned. But this rule does not apply to bread never removed from the Sanctuary..

Rebbi Eleazar asked, may one make the Tent¹⁰⁶Is a tent made of leather from an impure animal a tent in the meaning of Num.19 in which a corpse causes impurity for all persons and vessels inside. of leather from an impure animal? But is it not written¹⁰⁷Ex. 25:5. Since taḥaš is not mentioned in the lists of pure animals in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14, one must assume that it was impure. But the Tabernacle is the prime example of a “tent”; if its cover was of leather from an impure animal the question should not arise., and taḥaš skins. ¹⁰⁸A parallel exists in Eccl. rabba 1(28). Rebbi Jehudah, Rebbi Nehemiah and the rabbis. Rebbi Jehudah says, violet¹⁰⁹Following Buxtorf, accepted by most moderns, this is Greek ἰάνθινος, -η, -ον, adj., “violet-colored”. In Eccl. r., one reads אלטינון.; it was called thus because of its color. Rebbi Nehemiah said, blue¹¹⁰This is identified as Greek γλαύκινος, -η, -ον, adj., “bluish-gray”. In Eccl. r., גלטינון.. But the rabbis say, a kind of pure animal which grows up in the desert. It comes like what Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Abbahu¹¹¹Read: R. Abbahu (the Amora) in the name of R. Eleazar ben R. Yose (the Tanna)., Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish in the name of Rebbi Meïr said: ¹¹²The same interpretation in the Babli, 28b. The Holy One, praise to Him, created for Moses in the desert a kind of pure aniMal. After the work of the Tabernacle had been finished it was hidden. Rebbi Abun said, its name was qereš. Rebbi Hoshaia stated, a unicorn. It is preferable to the Eternal over a cattle ox which sprouts a horn and has split hooves¹¹³Ps. 69:32.. The All-Merciful wrote¹¹⁴The Psalms, as Holy Scriptures, are considered of divine origin., it sprouts a horn.

Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya²⁹⁵In the Babli, Sanhedrin 16b, he is referred to as Rav Shimi bar Hiyya (in one ms. Shimi bar Ashi; this can be disregarded, replacing a hapax by a frequently quoted name). in the name of Rav quotes it from the words of the Torah. As all that I am showing you, the shape of the building and the shape … of all its vessels, so you shall execute²⁹⁶Ex. 25:9. The final clause in the sentence seems to be redundant; it is explained as referring to future buildings.. So you shall execute in all generations. Moses is king and prophet. Aaron represents Urim and Tummim. Assemble for me seventy men from the Elders of Israel²⁹⁷Num. 11:16., that is the Synhedrion; ask your father and he will tell you, etc. Song, after them went Hoshaia and half the officers of Judea. Thanksgiving sacrifices, I put up two large thanksgiving sacrifices being in procession going to their right on the wall going to the dung gate. Rebbi Samuel bar Yudan said, what is written, walking? No, being in procession, only being taken by others.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Ark was made with a cubit of six handbreadths. Who stated “a cubit of six handbreadths”? This is Rebbi Meïr. As we have stated⁹⁸Mishnah Kelim 17:10.: “Rebbi Meïr says, all cubits were average⁹⁹There was also a small cubit of 5 handbreadths and a large one of 7..” According to Rebbi Meïr who says that the Ark was made with a a cubit of six handbreadths, the length of the Ark was fifteen cubits, as it is written¹⁰⁰Ex. 25:10.: “Its length two cubits and a half.” Each cubit was six and half a cubit three¹⁰¹This Aramaic insert of elementary counting seems to be a gloss.. Four tablets were in it, two broken ones and two whole ones¹⁰²In the Babli (Baba batra 14b, Menaḥot 99a) attributed to the fourth generation Amora Rav Joseph., as it is written¹⁰³Deut. 10:2. This explanation of the verse requires the removal of the masoretic dividing accent. and a revocalization וַשַּׂמְתָּם with waw conversive.: “Which you broke and put into the Ark.” Each of the tablets was six handbreadths in length and three in width¹⁰⁴In the Babli (Baba batra 14a, Nedarim 38a, Menaḥot 99a), the tablets are said to have been six by six handbreadths with a height of three, lying one after the other in the Ark for a total length of 12 and width 6.. If the widths of the tablets were in the length of the Ark, there were three handbreadths left¹⁰⁵Four tablets lying side by side with their long sides touching one another fill an area of 12 by 6 handbreadths.. Apply them to the cylinder¹⁰⁶Probably the Torah scroll, cf. Note 95. The Torah scroll should have been “next to the Ark”, Deut. 31:26.. The width of the Ark was nine handbreadths, as it is written: “A cubit and half a cubit.” A cubit six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two broken ones and two whole ones. Each of the tablets was six handbreadths in length and three in width. If the lengths of the tablets were in the length of the Ark⁹⁷In Šeqalim: תֵּן אָרְכָּן שֶׁלַּלּוּחוֹת לְאָרְכּוֹ שֶׁלָּאָרוֹן “If the lengths of the tablets were in the length of the Ark”. This text is the correct one since in the text here the second case is identical with the first., there were three handbreadths left¹⁰⁷If the tablets were put into the Ark lengthwise in pairs, they fill a rectangle of length 12 and width 6.. On each side half a handbreadth to have a handle, and two handbreadths as place to put there the Torah scroll¹⁰⁸The first hand in Šeqalim here also has “for the cylinder” (اٌسطونة), proving the equivalence of “cylinder” and “Torah scroll”; cf. Note 121..

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, the Ark was made using a cubit of five handbreadths. Who stated “a cubit of five handbreadths”? This is Rebbi Jehudah. As we have stated there⁹⁸Mishnah Kelim 17:10.: “Rebbi Jehudah says, the builders’ cubit was of six handbreadths, but that of vessels five handbeadths.” And the Ark is a vessel. According to Rebbi Jehudah who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of five handbreadths, the length of the Ark was twelve and one half cubits, as it is written¹⁰⁰Ex. 25:10.: “Its length two cubits and a half.” Each cubit was five and half a cubit two and one half¹⁰¹This Aramaic insert of elementary counting seems to be a gloss.. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones¹⁰²In the Babli (Baba batra 14b, Menaḥot 99a) attributed to the fourth generation Amora Rav Joseph., as it is written¹⁰³Deut. 10:2. This explanation of the verse requires the removal of the masoretic dividing accent. and a revocalization וַשַּׂמְתָּם with waw conversive.: “Which you broke and put into the Ark.” Each of the tablets was six handbreadths in length and three in width¹⁰⁴In the Babli (Baba batra 14a, Nedarim 38a, Menaḥot 99a), the tablets are said to have been six by six handbreadths with a height of three, lying one after the other in the Ark for a total length of 12 and width 6.. If the widths of the tablets were in the length of the Ark, there was half a handbreadth left¹⁰⁹12.5 - 4·3 = 0.5.. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side. The width of the Ark was seven and one half handbreadths, as it is written¹⁰⁰Ex. 25:10.: “A cubit and half a cubit.” A cubit five and half a cubit two and one half. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written¹⁰³Deut. 10:2. This explanation of the verse requires the removal of the masoretic dividing accent. and a revocalization וַשַּׂמְתָּם with waw conversive.: “Which you broke and put into the Ark.”. Each of the tablets was six handbreadths in length and three in width. If the lengths of the tablets were in the width of the Ark, there were one and a half handbreadths left¹¹⁰7.5 - 6 = 1.5.. One finger’s thickness for the wall on either side, and on each side half a handbreadth to have a handle¹¹¹In this opinion, the Torah scroll by necessity was outside the Ark; cf. Note 106..

How did Beṣalel make the Ark? Rebbi Ḥanina said¹¹²In the Babli, Yoma 72b, this is the opinion of Rav Jehudah, contemporary of R. Ḥanina. The other opinion is not mentioned there., he made three boxes, two of gold and one of wood. He put one of gold inside the one of wood, and the one of wood inside the other one of gold. That is what is written¹¹³Ex. 25:11: “You shall cover it with pure gold, inside and out you shall cover it”.: “You shall cover it inside and out with pure gold inside and out.” Why does the verse say, “you shall cover it”? To include the upper rim¹¹⁴Which was covered by the gold cover separate from the Ark (Ex. 25:17–21.). Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, he made one box and gilded it. That is what is written: “You shall cover it inside and out with pure gold inside and out.” Why does the verse say, “you shall cover it”? Rebbi Phineas said, also between the planks.

Rebbi Tanḥuma said, I asked before Rebbi Phineas: It is acceptable following Rebbi Jehudah, it is not acceptable following Rebbi Meïr¹²³The verses seem to imply that the Torah scroll was not in the ark.. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? “To take this Torah scroll¹²⁴Deut. 31:26, “and put it beside the Ark”, cf. Note 106.”. In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, who said, where the Torah scroll was put? They made for it a kind of case¹²⁵Read גלוסקום for גלוסקוס; Greek γλωσσόκομον “case, covering, chest”. outside and the Torah scroll was put into it. What is the reason of Rebbi Meïr? “You should put the cover on top of the Ark.¹²⁶Ex. 25:21.” In the opinion of Rebbi Meïr who says that there is no earlier and later in the Torah¹²⁷The order of verses in the Torah does not imply either logical or temporal dependency. Accepted in the Babli, Pesaḥim 6b; Num. rabba 9(44)., “in the Ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give to you,¹²⁸Ex. 25:16, five verses earlier.” and after that, “you should put the cover on top of the Ark.” Rebbi Phineas in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish¹²⁹Cf. Tanḥuma Berešit 1, Cant. rabba 5(12).: The Torah which the Holy One, Praise to Him, gave, its leather was white fire, its inscription was black fire, it was fire mixed with fire; hewn from fire, given from fire: “From His right hand, the fiery law to them.¹³⁰Deut. 33:2.”

Rebbi Tanḥuma said, I asked before Rebbi Phineas: It is acceptable following Rebbi Jehudah, it is not acceptable following Rebbi Meïr¹²³The verses seem to imply that the Torah scroll was not in the ark.. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? “To take this Torah scroll¹²⁴Deut. 31:26, “and put it beside the Ark”, cf. Note 106.”. In the opinion of Rebbi Jehudah, who said, where the Torah scroll was put? They made for it a kind of case¹²⁵Read גלוסקום for גלוסקוס; Greek γλωσσόκομον “case, covering, chest”. outside and the Torah scroll was put into it. What is the reason of Rebbi Meïr? “You should put the cover on top of the Ark.¹²⁶Ex. 25:21.” In the opinion of Rebbi Meïr who says that there is no earlier and later in the Torah¹²⁷The order of verses in the Torah does not imply either logical or temporal dependency. Accepted in the Babli, Pesaḥim 6b; Num. rabba 9(44)., “in the Ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give to you,¹²⁸Ex. 25:16, five verses earlier.” and after that, “you should put the cover on top of the Ark.” Rebbi Phineas in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish¹²⁹Cf. Tanḥuma Berešit 1, Cant. rabba 5(12).: The Torah which the Holy One, Praise to Him, gave, its leather was white fire, its inscription was black fire, it was fire mixed with fire; hewn from fire, given from fire: “From His right hand, the fiery law to them.¹³⁰Deut. 33:2.”

Rebbi Onias said, Rebbi Ḥama bar Uqba raised a difficulty: If he wanted to deflect him to another subject³²⁴If R. Joshua’s intention only was to deflect R. Ismael’s inquiry there were many other questions to be asked., he should have removed him to the five indeterminate places in the Torah³²⁵In the absence of masoretic accents it may be difficult to parse a sentence. In Babli sources, this is called “verses that have no decision,” i. e., where to place the caesura. In our masoretic texts only Ex. 25:34 remains undecided in this sense. Parallel sources are Babli Yoma52a/b, Gen. rabba80(5) (Theodor-Albeck #957/958, Sokoloff Geniza Fragments p. 170), Midrash Cant. 1(18), Mekhilta dR. Ismael, Amaleq1, Mekhilta dR. Simeon ben Iohai Epstein-Melamed p. 121, Tanḥuma Bešallaḥ26.The list itself is attributed in most sources to Issy ben Jehudah. [A discussion in principle about this subject is found in ש. קוגוט, המקרא בין טעמים לפרשנות, י־ם תשנד; מ. ברויאר, מקראות שאין להם הכרע, לשוננו נח (תשנה) 189־199.], which are the following: “gift, cursed, tomorrow, almond shaped, rise”. Behold if you choose well the gift or the gift if you do not choose well³²⁶Gen.4:7. They must have read הֲלוֹא אִם־תֵּיטִ֔יב שְׂאֵ֕ת וְאִם֙ לֹא תֵיטִ֔יב but also in the masoretic text הֲלוֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת there is a stop between תֵּיטִיב֙ and שְׂאֵ֔ת.. For in their rage they killed a man and by their will castrated a cursed ox or cursed be their rage for it is strong³²⁷Gen.49:6–7. It is a question whether to read one or two sentences.. Moses said to Joshua . . go fight Amaleq tomorrow or tomorrow I shall stand on top of the hill³²⁸Ex. 17:9.. On the candelabra four cups almond shaped or almond shaped their knobs and their flowers³²⁹Ex. 25:34..The Eternal said to Moses, you will lie with your fathers and rise or rise will this people and whore³³⁰Deut. 31:16.. Rebbi Tanḥuma added the following: Jacob’s sons came from the field when they heard or when they heard the men were offended³³¹Gen. 34:7. Most translations follow the masoretic punctuation in choosing the first alternative but the German translation by Torczyner et al. (Berlin 1934) which opts for the second.. Rebbi La said, there are things about which one kisses the mouth, as it is said, may he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth³³²This answers R. Ḥama bar Uqba’s question. The verse Cant. 1:2 was chosen because its first part, quoted now, tells R. Ismael to be silent since a person who is kissed on his mouth cannot speak at that time. The first part clearly refers to a male; nevertheless R. Ismael had a point reading the second part as addressing a female since the sentence switches from third to second person, possibly indicating a change of speaker.. Rebbi Isaac said, and me did the Eternal command³³³Deut. 4:14. Here starts a rather defective Genizah fragment (Ginzberg pp. 276–277.). “Me, and me.” Things were said to me that were said to you. And things were said to me alone³³⁴Not everything has to be told to everybody..

Shemaya and Avatalyon received from them. Shemaya would say: Love work, hate power, and do not become too familiar with the authorities.
Love work.” How so? This teaches us that a person should love work, and not hate work. For just as the Torah was given in a covenant, so work was given in a covenant, as it says (Exodus 20:10), “For six days you shall labor and do all your work, and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Eternal your God.” Rabbi Akiva would say: Sometimes a person labors and escapes death, and sometimes a person does not labor and becomes liable for death from Heaven. How so? Say a person sat around all week and did no labor, and then on the eve of the Sabbath he had nothing to eat. But he had money that had been designated [to the Temple] in his house. So he took from this and ate, and thus became liable to death from Heaven. However, if he had labored on the building of the Temple, then even though they paid him in money designated for the Temple and he took that money and used it for food, he would still escape the death penalty.
Rabbi Dostai would say: How do we know that if someone did no work all six days, he will end up doing work on the seventh? For, see, if he sat all the days of the week and did no work, and then on the eve of the Sabbath he had nothing to eat, he would then go out looking, and end up seized by conscription officers, who would grab him by the collar and force him to do on the Sabbath all the work that he did not do for six days.
Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: Even Adam did not taste anything until he worked, as it says (Genesis 2:15–16), “And God placed him in the garden, to work it and guard it”; and then [it says (verse 17)], “From every tree of the garden you may certainly eat.”
Rabbi Tarfon would say: Even the Holy Blessed One did not rest His presence upon Israel until they had done work, as it says (Exodus 25:5), “Make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.”
Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira would say: If someone who has no work to do, what should he do? If he has a dilapidated yard or field, he should go and work on them, as it says (Exodus 20:10), “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” What do we learn from the phrase, “do all your work”? That even someone who has dilapidated yards or fields should work on them.
Rabbi Yosei HaGalili would say: A person dies only because of idleness, as it says (Genesis 49:33), “And he expired [or: exhausted himself], and so was gathered to his people.”¹It does not say that Jacob “died,” only that he was “gathered to his people.” Rabbi Yosei is reading that as a reward for “exhausting himself,” i.e., not being idle. And see, if someone is pushed and falls over on his own craftwork and dies, we know his death was because of idleness. And if he was standing on the top of the roof, the top of a palace, or the top of any building, or at the edge of the river, and he fell and died, we know his death was because of idleness.
All this we know to be true for men. And how do we know it is also true for women? For it says (Exodus 36:6), “Let no man or woman do any more work for the donations to the Sanctuary.” And how do we know it is true also for children? For it says (there), “So the people stopped bringing.”
Rabbi Natan said: When Moses was carrying out the work of the Tabernacle, he did not want to take direction from the chiefs of Israel. So the chiefs of Israel sat there quietly and said: Perhaps now Moses will need our help. When they heard the announcement in the camp that said enough work had been done, they said: Alas, we have not participated at all in the work of the Tabernacle! So they got up and added a great thing by themselves, as it says (Exodus 35:27), “And the chiefs brought the shoham stones [for the breastplate of the high priest].”

Shemaya and Avatalyon received from them. Shemaya would say: Love work, hate power, and do not become too familiar with the authorities.
Love work.” How so? This teaches us that a person should love work, and not hate work. For just as the Torah was given in a covenant, so work was given in a covenant, as it says (Exodus 20:10), “For six days you shall labor and do all your work, and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Eternal your God.” Rabbi Akiva would say: Sometimes a person labors and escapes death, and sometimes a person does not labor and becomes liable for death from Heaven. How so? Say a person sat around all week and did no labor, and then on the eve of the Sabbath he had nothing to eat. But he had money that had been designated [to the Temple] in his house. So he took from this and ate, and thus became liable to death from Heaven. However, if he had labored on the building of the Temple, then even though they paid him in money designated for the Temple and he took that money and used it for food, he would still escape the death penalty.
Rabbi Dostai would say: How do we know that if someone did no work all six days, he will end up doing work on the seventh? For, see, if he sat all the days of the week and did no work, and then on the eve of the Sabbath he had nothing to eat, he would then go out looking, and end up seized by conscription officers, who would grab him by the collar and force him to do on the Sabbath all the work that he did not do for six days.
Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: Even Adam did not taste anything until he worked, as it says (Genesis 2:15–16), “And God placed him in the garden, to work it and guard it”; and then [it says (verse 17)], “From every tree of the garden you may certainly eat.”
Rabbi Tarfon would say: Even the Holy Blessed One did not rest His presence upon Israel until they had done work, as it says (Exodus 25:5), “Make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.”
Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira would say: If someone who has no work to do, what should he do? If he has a dilapidated yard or field, he should go and work on them, as it says (Exodus 20:10), “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” What do we learn from the phrase, “do all your work”? That even someone who has dilapidated yards or fields should work on them.
Rabbi Yosei HaGalili would say: A person dies only because of idleness, as it says (Genesis 49:33), “And he expired [or: exhausted himself], and so was gathered to his people.”¹It does not say that Jacob “died,” only that he was “gathered to his people.” Rabbi Yosei is reading that as a reward for “exhausting himself,” i.e., not being idle. And see, if someone is pushed and falls over on his own craftwork and dies, we know his death was because of idleness. And if he was standing on the top of the roof, the top of a palace, or the top of any building, or at the edge of the river, and he fell and died, we know his death was because of idleness.
All this we know to be true for men. And how do we know it is also true for women? For it says (Exodus 36:6), “Let no man or woman do any more work for the donations to the Sanctuary.” And how do we know it is true also for children? For it says (there), “So the people stopped bringing.”
Rabbi Natan said: When Moses was carrying out the work of the Tabernacle, he did not want to take direction from the chiefs of Israel. So the chiefs of Israel sat there quietly and said: Perhaps now Moses will need our help. When they heard the announcement in the camp that said enough work had been done, they said: Alas, we have not participated at all in the work of the Tabernacle! So they got up and added a great thing by themselves, as it says (Exodus 35:27), “And the chiefs brought the shoham stones [for the breastplate of the high priest].”

The Divine Presence would depart from one place and go to another in ten movements: From the Ark’s cover to a cherub; from a cherub to the threshold of the Temple; from the threshold to in between the two cherubs; from in between the two cherubs to the roof of the Sanctuary; from the roof of the Sanctuary to the wall of the outer court; from the wall of the outer court to the altar; from the altar to the city; from the city to the (Temple) Mount; from the (Temple) Mount into the desert. From the Ark’s cover to a cherub, as it is written (II Samuel 22:2), “And He mounted a chariot and flew.” From a cherub to the threshold of the Temple, as it is written (Ezekiel 9:3), “(And the presence of God) went up from the cherub on which it had rested to the threshold of the Temple.” From the threshold to in between the two cherubs, as it is written (Ezekiel 10:18), “And the presence of the Eternal went out from the threshold of the Temple and stopped above the cherubs.” From in between the two cherubs to the roof of the Sanctuary, as it is written (Proverbs 21:9), “It is better to rest upon the corner of a roof.” From the roof of the Sanctuary to the wall of the outer court, as it is written (Amos 7:7), “And behold, my Lord was standing on a wall measured by a plumb line.” From the wall of the outer court to the altar, as it is written (Amos 9:1), “I saw my Lord standing by the altar.” From the altar to the city, as it is written (Micah 6:9), “The voice of the Eternal calls to the city.” From the city to the Mount, as it is written (Ezekiel 11:23), “The Presence of the Eternal ascended from the midst of the city and stood upon the Mount.” From the Mount into the desert, as it is written (Proverbs 21:19), “It is better to dwell in a desert land.” And finally it departed upward, as it says (Hosea 5:15), “I will go and return to My place.”

These are the things that were made and then hidden: The Tent of Meeting, and the items inside it; the Ark and the broken tablets; the jar of manna; the rod [of Moses]; [the flask of anointing oil]; the staff of Aaron, with its almonds and flowers; the priestly garments and garments of the high priest. But the mortar and pestle of the House of Avtinus, the table, the lamp, the curtain, and the headband of the high priest – those are still kept in Rome.