출애굽기 39:42 해설: Ramban, Or HaChaim, Rabbeinu Bahya & Chizkuni

ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE ETERNAL COMMANDED MOSES, SO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID ALL ‘HA’AVODAH’ (THE WORK) — all the work of the Tabernacle. Scripture calls it avodah [a term which means also “the Service” to G-d], in order to indicate that they did it for the service of the Glorious Name, it being similar to that which is said, ‘v’avad’tem’ (and ye shall serve) the Eternal your G-d;³⁹Above, 23:25. and Him ‘ta’avodu’ (shall ye serve).⁴⁰Deuteronomy 13:5. It is possible that the phrase all the ‘avodah’ refers here also to all the vessels, similar to the expression, “all the vessels of the ‘avodah’ (service) of the Tabernacle.”⁴¹The source is unknown to me. Thus Scripture first mentioned the vessels, in order to say that even in making the vessels they were careful to do them exactly as they were commanded, and afterwards it states, And Moses saw all the work…⁴²Verse 43.

ככל אשר צוה השם; in accordance with all that G'd had commanded Moses, etc. We find this statement altogether three times. Perhaps the Torah wanted us to understand that rehabilitation from the vestiges of the sin of the golden calf had to comprise three levels: 1) idolatrous thought; 2) idolatrous speech; 3) idolatrous actions. I have mentioned this aspect in its place in Parshat Ki Tissa.

כן עשו בני ישראל את כל העבודה, “so did the Children of Israel perform all the labour.” We would have expected the Torah to write כל המלאכה instead of כל העבודה. The Torah, however, wanted to remind us that all work performed for the building of the Tabernacle was equivalent in spiritual value to service in the Sanctuary, עבודה, i.e. something sacred, holy. Just as the expression עבודה is always used in connection with directly serving the Lord, so this too was directly serving the Lord. (compare Deut. 13,5 or Exodus 23,25).