Comentários de Citação sobre Êxodo 35:27

And in this I have found a resolution to a certain difficulty. Since the donations were counted in order of their value — gold, silver, and copper — why then are the shoham stones and the filling stones listed at the end, as the stones are undoubtedly more valuable than gold? Although we could resolve this by saying that since the princes brought the shoham stones and filling stones at the end, as Rashi mentions (Exodus 35:27), therefore their donation is mentioned last. Nevertheless, according to our approach, we can also say that the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to show that whether one gives little or much, all are equal before Him. Therefore, He mentioned the most valuable item last, so that the wealthy would not glory over the poor by saying, “My donation is great, and the Torah lists it first.” Furthermore, He mentioned their donation last because their haughtiness brought them to this — that they donated last, saying, “Let the congregation donate, and whatever they lack, we will complete.” All this is a way of pride and arrogance, saying, “We have the means to fill what they lack.” Therefore, He mentioned their donation last, for whoever exalts himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, humbles him. Not only that, but vehanesi’am [the princes] is written without a yod, because only one letter of the great Name is engraved in the word “nasi” [prince], namely the yod. And because they exalted themselves in their words, God took from their name this letter from His blessed Name, which entirely points to the attribute of humility, as explained in the verse, In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you. This matter is one of the secrets of the Torah, and the shape of the yod also indicates humility and smallness.

COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. “This is the section containing the [actual] commandment of lighting the lamps. And the section of V’atah Tetzaveh (And thou shalt command)⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. [where the same subject is mentioned], is stated only for the sake of giving an orderly account of the work of the Tabernacle, explaining what the purpose of the candelabrum is, and the sense of the verse there is as follows: ‘and thou wilt at some future time command the children of Israel on this matter.’” This is Rashi’s language.
But it does not appear to me to be correct, for that section [there in Exodus 27:20] is not in fact adjoined to the section of the candelabrum [which is mentioned previously in Exodus 25:31-40]; and [also] it has already been stated, And he lighted the lamps before the Eternal, as the Eternal commanded Moses,⁵⁰⁹Ibid., 40:25. thus both the commandment and fulfillment were already mentioned and kept! Rather, the need for [restatement of] this section is for two purposes. For there He commanded that they bring you a donation on the behalf of the children of Israel,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. that is to say, from every man with whom was found pure olive oil [beaten] for the light,⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. together with the other donations for the Tabernacle. And so they did, as it is said, And the princes brought etc. and the spice, and the oil, for the light.⁵¹¹Ibid., 35:27-28. And although it says there, it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. this refers to the lighting of the lamps. But now the oil which the princes brought as a donation was used up, and therefore He commanded that the children of Israel take from the public treasury throughout the generations⁵¹²Verse 3 here. pure olive oil beaten for the light, as was the first oil [of the princes]. This is similar to the expression, that they bring thee a Red Heifer,⁵¹³Numbers 19:2. meaning that they should seek it and it is to be brought from the public treasury. Also, there [in the section of V’atah Tetzaveh]⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. He stated only, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order etc.,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. which might mean [set it in order] on the candelabrum, or without the candelabrum if it is broken or lost, as happened when they returned from the [Babylonian] exile.⁵¹⁴Bamidbar Rabbah 15:7: “Therefore when the [First] Sanctuary was destroyed the candelabrum was hidden. And this was one of the five things that were hidden: the ark, the candelabrum, etc.” Therefore now He stated clearly, He shall order the lamps upon the pure candelabrum,⁵¹⁵Verse 4. teaching that they should only light the lamps upon the pure candelabrum. And the interpretation of our Rabbis is as follows:⁵¹⁶Torath Kohanim, Emor 13:12. “Upon the pure candelabrum.⁵¹⁵Verse 4. This means upon the very candelabrum itself, that he is not to support them [i.e., the lamps] with pieces of wood or pebbles [but the lamps are to be upon the candelabrum itself, with nothing intervening between them]. He shall set the lamps before the Eternal.⁵¹⁵Verse 4. This teaches that he is not to set them outside the Sanctuary and bring them inside. Continually,⁵¹⁵Verse 4. even on the Sabbath; continually, even in impurity.”⁵¹⁷If all the priests have been rendered impure, they may yet proceed to minister the Service.

“And the chieftains brought lapis lazuli” [35:27]. The highest chieftains of Israel brought precious stones that the high priest should make a garment from them to wear on his heart. It is known that the prince or the head of the community is arrogant and wants to hold himself high. Therefore, the chieftains brought the precious stones that the high priest wore on his heart to forgive the arrogance that the person pursues with his heart. The princes said: let all of Israel first bring silver and gold and everything. Afterwards, whatever will be missing, we will bring a sufficient quantity. However, the Israelites brought enough silver and all the other things and the chieftains did not have anything to bring. They had to bring the precious stones and therefore Scripture did not write the names if the chieftains in full in the Torah because they came last with their donation. Even though their intention was good, yet the Torah embarrassed them. From here one should learn that no person should remain behind when they want to do a mitzvah or give a donation. Each one should place himself in the front to help with the mitzvah. His reward is greater from the Holy One.²¹Bahya, Exodus, 35:27.