Pensamento Judaico sobre Êxodo 26:16

And there is no doubt that these qualities [wisdom and humility] perfect the soul and free it from the terrestrial, causing it to cleave to the celestial until it is ready for prophecy. And if one deviates from wisdom and humility — the virtues of intellect and character — the bodily faculties within him will grow strong (his material element appertaining to the animal in him and not to the man) and will create a great gulf between him and the Blessed One. As the prophet has said (Isaiah 59:2): "Your transgressions have made a separation between you and your G-d…" Therefore, the prophet must divest himself of lowliness and embody the true perfections, wisdom and humility. Also posing a difficulty to their interpretation is the fact that "strong" is derived (Nedarim 38a) from its being written (Exodus 40:19): "And he spread the tent over the tabernacle," concerning which Rav said (Shabbath 92a): "Moses our teacher, may peace be upon him, did so," and it is written (Exodus 26:16): "The length of the beam shall be ten ells." And it is asked there (Nedarim, Ibid): "Perhaps he was tall and small [in strength]!" and it is answered: "[We know that he was strong] from the verse (Deuteronomy 9:17): 'And I took hold of the two tablets…,' and we learned that the tablets were six ells long, six ells broad, and three ells wide. We know that he was wealthy from the verse (Exodus 34:1): 'Hew for yourself two tablets of stone' — you may keep the chippings for yourself." And they also derived this from Jonah, as it is written (Jonah 1:3): "And he paid its hire," concerning which R. Yochanan said: "The hire of the whole ship." And R. Romnos said: "The hire of the whole ship was four thousand golden dinars." It is clear, then, that "strong" and "wealthy" are to be taken literally. Also posing a difficulty to their interpretation is (Shabbath 92a): "…Let us derive it from Moses Perhaps Moses is different, for the master said: 'The Shechinah comes to rest only upon one who is wise, strong, wealthy, and tall.'" Now there is no eminence of character or of intellect in being tall! It is obvious, then, that "strong" and "wealthy" are to be taken literally.