Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Exodo 31:3

It is possible to explain the fact that the word תרומה occurs here three times in two verses as meaning that the Torah speaks of three different contributions by means of which the world is elevated. They are: חכמה, תבונה, ודעת, “wisdom-insight-know-ledge.” This is based on Proverbs 3,19-20: “G’d founded the earth with wisdom; He established the heavens with understanding. By His knowledge the depths were broken up.” The reason why these facts were alluded to here was that the construction of the Tabernacle was comparable to the construction of the universe (Bamidbar Rabbah 12,13). The first of these gifts was the one mentioned here which was used for the construction of the Tabernacle. The second תרומה consisted of the half-shekel which every male over the age of 20 had to contribute after the sin of the golden calf for the construction of the sockets of the beams making up the walls of the Tabernacle (Exodus 30,13). The third was the contribution known as תרומת המזבח, the half shekel contributed by all the males for financing the cost of the daily public offerings to be brought on behalf of the entire people. This is the תרומה mentioned in Numbers 1,2 where Moses was commanded to count the males above the age of twenty. The counting took place by means of each Israelite contributing a coin of a half-shekel. Of these three תרומות, contributions, two were considered sacred (the money), whereas the third, the one mentioned in 30,13 was not of sacred character as the occasion was the need to atone for the donor’s part in the sin of the golden calf. This is spelled out in detail by the words ונתנו איש כופר נפשו, “they shall each contribute (the half shekel) as an atonement for his soul” (30,12). When the Israelites entered the Holy Land they were once more commanded three times to contribute a תרומה. Two of these contributions were sacred in character, whereas the third was profane. The third, i.e. חלה, was profane seeing that it is applicable not only in the Holy Land but also in the Diaspora. The reason that the commandment of חלה, a תרומה for the priest, is the exception in that it also has to be set aside in the Diaspora is to ensure that the knowledge of this commandment will not be forgotten during the long years of exile the Jewish people experienced. In order to make it clear to us that the Tabernacle’s construction equaled that of the creation of the universe the Torah mentioned all the three תרומות which contributed to the founding of earth (as per the verse in Proverbs) at the beginning of the portion before we hear the details of the materials and quantities and measurements required. This is why the Torah writes about Betzalel the master-craftsman in charge of the construction of the Tabernacle: “I have filled him with a Godly spirit, with wisdom, insight, and knowledge, and with every craft” (Exodus 31,3). According to Berachot 55 Betzalel was able to combine the letters of the alphabet or of the Torah in the manner in which they had been used to create the universe. The wording of our verse is what I have just quoted, and the wording in Proverbs is: “G’d founded earth with wisdom, etc.” Our sages wanted to hint when writing all this that there was a parallelism of the wisdom required in creating the universe and in the wisdom required to carry out the instructions pertaining to constructing the Tabernacle and its contents.

נפתולי אלוקים נפתלתי עם אחותי, “I have wrestled mightily with my sister;” Rachel meant that she had managed to put up with a great deal of pain in her struggle with her sister but had managed thus far to hold her own. An alternate explanation: the expression נפתל is similar its meaning to the line in Deuteronomy 32, ,5: דור עקש ופתלתול, “a crooked and perverse generation.” She had to behave in a perverse manner through making allowance for her sister’s fertility. Nonetheless, she felt that she had prevailed seeing that she now had also two children to her credit. A third approach to this statement by Rachel: the word is related to the word פתיל as in צמיד פתיל in Numbers 19,15, where it means “a close connection,” She hinted that whereas Betzalel, the chief artisan that would build the Tabernacle in the future of whom the Torah stated that he was endowed with a great deal of wisdom, (Exodus 31,3) would be descended from Leah, her sister, at least his chief assistant Oholiov, would be descended from the tribe of Dan, one of her descendants through Bilhah. (Exodus 31,6) She would enjoy the vicarious satisfaction of having a share in that undertaking. She would also prevail, יכולתי, when it would come to the building of Solomon’s Temple when Chirom from the tribe of Naftali helped Solomon greatly. (Kings I, 7,14).

AND EVERY WISE-HEARTED MAN AMONG THEM THAT WROUGHT THE WORK, MADE THE TABERNACLE OF TEN CURTAINS. The Torah has repeated the [description of the] work of the Tabernacle five times.⁵⁵1. When commanding to make it — designating each part specifically [in the section of Terumah — Chapters 25-27, and in parts of Tetzaveh]. 2. In a general way [in the section of Ki Thisa — 31:6-11]. 3. At the time of the actual making thereof — in a general way [at the beginning of this section — 35:10-19]. 4. Specifically at the time of construction. For even though this is not mentioned expressly, yet Moses surely told them details, such as that the curtains should be of such and such a length, etc., as will be explained by Ramban further on. 5. The specific account of how each part was made [beginning with our verse here]. It mentions the whole of it at the time of the command in detail, and in general terms. First it says, “and you shall make it thus,” “and you shall make it thus,” and then it mentioned all things in a general way, and they will make all that I have commanded thee: the Tent of Meeting, and the ark of the Testimony,⁵⁶Above, 31:6-7. — This is the second time it is mentioned (see above, Note 55). until according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.⁵⁷Ibid., Verse 11. The reason [why the command is repeated in a general way], is that G-d commanded Moses that he should tell Bezalel and Oholiab and all the wise men about the work in general terms, and only afterwards should they begin to do it, for they would not be suited for the sacred work until they had heard the scope of the whole undertaking and understood it all, and only then could they accept it upon themselves, when they know how to finish it. At the time of its actual construction he described it to them first in the general way as mentioned here, saying, let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that the Eternal hath commanded: the Tabernacle, its tent, etc.⁵⁸Ibid., 35:10-11. This is the third time (see Note 55). The statement of the details is, however, missing here; for surely Moses had to say to the wise men who did the work: “make the Tabernacle of ten curtains, each curtain of such-and-such a length and such-and-such a width,” and so on with the whole work. This procedure [of Moses’ telling the workers the exact details of the measurements] Scripture does not mention, for it is understood that he told them everything in order, since they made each part exactly as prescribed. And the reason why Scripture does not mention it is that it was not necessary for Moses to go with them into the smallest details as they are mentioned at the command and the construction; instead, he told it to them briefly, as if to say that they should make the Tabernacle of ten curtains, five opposite five, and they themselves understood that they had to make loops corresponding to clasps of gold in order to couple the curtains together. Similarly with the rest of the work, he hinted to them the matter in brief, and they understood everything. It is for this reason that Scripture does not dwell at length on this detail [of Moses’ instruction to the workers], since its hints [at the same time] at their wisdom, understanding, and good sense. After this Scripture describes again the whole work in a specific way as at first, stating, And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work made the Tabernacle; and he made curtains of goats’ hair;⁵⁹Further, Verse 14. and he made the boards etc.⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 20.
Now it would have been sufficient in this whole subject for Scripture to have said, “and Moses told the whole congregation of the children of Israel all the work which G-d had commanded him,” and then say, “and the children of Israel did according to all that the Eternal had commanded Moses, so did they.⁶¹Ibid., 39:42. And Moses saw all the work, and behold they had done it, as the Eternal had commanded, even so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.”⁶²Ibid., Verse 43. Scripture, however, wanted to state that Moses mentioned to the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the wise men who were there all the work in general, for he intended thereby to stir the people to donate sufficiently for the large work, and in order also that the wise men should hear [the entire scope of the work] and would know if they could undertake to do everything as he had been commanded. Then Scripture mentions in detail the whole work in order to tell us that all the wise men worked on the Tabernacle. It is with reference to this that Scripture states here, And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work made the Tabernacle of ten curtains. The verses stating, and he made curtains of goats’ hair,⁵⁹Further, Verse 14. and he made the boards,⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 20. mean: “and every wise-hearted man made the curtains of goats’ hair,” [not Bezalel alone].
In the case of the ark, however, Scripture mentions specifically, and Bezalel made the ark,⁶³Ibid., 37:1. in order to say that the greatest craftsman amongst them made the ark alone. The reason for this is because he was filled with the spirit of G-d, in wisdom, and understanding, and in knowledge,⁶⁴Above, 31:3. so that he could contemplate its meaning and make it with the proper intention. For in the actual making of the ark there was no great craftsmanship entailed, there being amongst the other work things which required greater skill than that of the ark. [Hence we must conclude that Bezalel was required to make the ark on account of its great significance.]
Then Scripture again states without elaboration, and he made the table,⁶⁵Further, 37:10. and he made the candelabrum.⁶⁶Ibid., Verse 17. In the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra,⁶³Ibid., 37:1. this alludes to Bezalel who made all the sacred vessels. But this is not my opinion, for in the case of the court of the Tabernacle it likewise says, and he made the court.⁶⁷Ibid., 38:9. And it would not be reasonable to say that Bezalel alone made the court. Rather, this refers back to every wise-hearted man as mentioned in the making of the Tabernacle.⁶⁸Mentioned here in the verse before us (36:8), and as explained above.
After Scripture completed the account of the construction of the Tabernacle in general and particular terms, it mentions their bringing it to Moses in a general way, stating, And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its vessels etc.,⁶⁹Further, 39:33. in order to tell of their wisdom, in that they brought everything in order and no one brought his work to Moses until the whole work had been completed, as Scripture says, Thus was finished all the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.⁷⁰Ibid., Verse 32. After it was finished they all gathered and showed it to Moses in order, saying at first: “Our Rabbi, here is the Tent and there are its vessels,” and afterwards they said, “Here is the ark and here are its staves,” and so on with everything.
Now [in this whole section of Vayakheil] Scripture does not state that the Tabernacle and its vessels were made “as the Eternal commanded Moses.” But in the next section of Eileh Pekudei, with reference to the garments of priesthood, it mentions such a statement at each item. The reason for this is that the whole work of the Tabernacle is included in the verse mentioned at the end, And Bezalel the son of Uri… made all that the Eternal commanded Moses.⁷¹Ibid., 38:22. Perhaps it is because of the change of the order, as our Rabbis have mentioned.⁷²Berachoth 55a. Moses told Bezalel to make “the ark, vessels and the Tabernacle.” But Bezalel said to him, “It is the way of the world first to build a house and then to place in it its various utensils. Perhaps G-d told you to make the Tabernacle, and then the ark and vessels.” Moses consented, and Bezalel made them in this order.
In general, then, all this repetition in the account of the Tabernacle is a sign of love and distinction, showing that G-d desires the work, and He mentions it in His Torah many times in order to increase the reward of those who engage themselves in its study. This is similar to what the Rabbis have said in the Midrash:⁷³Bereshith Rabbah 60:11. “The ordinary conversation of the servants of the patriarchs’ homes is more pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, than even the Torah-discourses of their children, for the section about Eliezer [as he recounts his journey],⁷⁴Genesis 24:34-48. comprises two or three columns in the Torah, [whereas many important principles of the Torah are derived from only slight references in the text].”

He was filled with the wisdom and understanding and the knowledge [skill]. The three tools¹⁹These three qualities, wisdom, understanding and skill are the same three qualities that Betzalel, the builder of the Mishkon, possessed. See Shemos 31:3. with which the universe was created, as it is stated, “By wisdom He founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens, by His knowledge the depths were broken up.”²⁰Mishlei 3:19— 20. The Beis [Hamikdosh] was built with these three.