Chapter 35

אויקהל משה. לְמָחֳרַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כְּשֶׁיָּרַד מִן הָהָר, וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל, שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹסֵף אֲנָשִׁים בְּיָּדַיִם, אֶלָּא הֵן נֶאֱסָפִין עַל פִּי דִּבּוּרוֹ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְאַכְנֵישׁ:

1ויקהל משה AND MOSES ASSEMBLED [ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] — on the morrow after the Day of Atonement when he came down from the mountain. It (the word ויקהל) is used in the verbal form that expresses the idea of causing a thing to be done, because one does not actually assemble people with one’s hands, but they are assembled by his command. The Targum therefore should be ואכניש (not וכנש as some editions have).

אששת ימים. הִקְדִּים לָהֶם אַזְהָרַת שַׁבָּת לְצִוּוּי מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת (מכילתא):

1ששת ימים SIX DAYS [MAY WORK BE DONE] — He intentionally mentioned to them the prohibition in reference to the Sabbath before the command about the building of the Tabernacle in order to intimate that it does not set aside (supersede) the Sabbath (cf. Mekhilta).

אלא תבערו אש. יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים הַבְעָרָה לְלָאו יָצָאת, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים לְחַלֵּק יָצָאת (שבת ע'):

1לא תבערו אש YE SHALL NOT KINDLE A FIRE [THROUGHOUT YOUR HABITATIONS ON THEE SABBATH DAY] — There are some of our Rabbis who say that the law about kindling fire is singled out (more lit., goes forth from the general proposition; i. e. it is specially mentioned here although it is included in לא תעשה כל מלאכה, the law prohibiting all work on Sabbath) in order to constitute it a mere negative command (thus indicating that, like all other negative commands, its infringement is punishable by lashes but does not make the offender liable to death as does the doing of other work on Sabbath). Others, however, say that it was singled out in order to separate the various kinds of work comprised in the term כל מלאכה (thus indicating that each transgression of the Sabbath law is to be atoned for separately if several of them have been committed at the same time and under the same circumstances) (cf. Shabbat 70a; Yevamot 6b; Sanhedrin 35b; cf. also Pesachim 5b).

אזה הדבר אשר צוה ה'. לִי לאמר לָכֶם:

1זה הדבר אשד צוה ה׳ THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED me, לאמר TO TELL you.

אנדיב לבו. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁלִּבּוֹ נוֹדְבוֹ, קָרוּי נְדִיב לֵב. כְּבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי נִדְבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּמְלַאכְתּוֹ בִּמְקוֹם צַוָּאתָן:

1נדיב לבו [WHOSOEVER] IS OF A WILLING HEART — Because his heart prompts one to generosity, he is called נדיב לב, one who is prompted to generosity by the heart. I have already explained the various materials which formed the contribution towards the Tabernacle and the work done for it in the passages where the commands about them were given.

אאת המשכן. יְרִיעוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת הַנִּרְאוֹת בְּתוֹכוֹ קְרוּיִים מִשְׁכָּן:

1את המשכן THE TABERNACLE — The lower curtains which were visible within the building are called משכן.

באת אהלו. הִיא אֹהֶל יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים, הֶעָשׂוּי לְגַג:

2את אהלו ITS TENT — this is the covering of goats’ skins which was made to serve as a roofing.

גואת מכסהו. מִכְסֵה עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים וְהַתְּחָשִׁים:

3ואת מכסהו AND ITS COVERING — the covering of rams’ skins and tachash skins.

אואת פרכת המסך. פָּרֹכֶת הַמְּחִיצָה; כָּל דָּבָר הַמֵּגֵן, בֵּין מִלְמַעְלָה בֵּין מִכְּנֶגֶד, קָרוּי מָסָךְ וּסְכָךְ, וְכֵן סַכְתָּ בַעֲדוֹ (איוב א'), הִנְנִי סָךְ אֶת דַּרְכֵּךְ (הושע ב'):

1ואת פרכת המסך means THE CURTAIN OF (that serves for) PARTITIONING — Everything that screens an object, whether it hangs above or in front of it is called מָסָךְ or סְכַךְ. Of similar meaning are: (Job 1:10) “[Hast Thou not] put a partition in front of him?” (שכת = סכת); (Hosea 2:8) “Behold I will partition off (סך = שך) thy way [with thorns]”.

אלחם הפנים. כְּבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ פָּנִים לְכָאן וּלְכָאן, שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי כְּמִין תֵּבָה פְרוּצָה:

1לחם הפנים THE SHOW BREAD — I have already explained (Exodus 25:29) that it was so called because it had two faces turning in this direction and in that, because it was made like a case open on two sides.

אואת כליה. מֶלְקָחַיִם וּמַחְתּוֹת:

1ואת כליה AND ITS VESSELS — the tongs and snuff-dishes.

בנרתיה. לוצי"יש בְּלַעַז, בָּזִיכִים שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶן וְהַפְּתִילוֹת נְתוּנִין בָּהֶן:

2נרתיה ITS LAMPS — luces in old French — bowls into which the oil and the wicks were placed.

גואת שמן המאור. אַף הוּא צָרִיךְ חַכְמֵי לֵב, שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁנֶּה מִשְּׁאָר שְׁמָנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בִּמְנָחוֹת (דף פ"ו), מְגַרְגְּרוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַזַּיִת, וְהוּא כָּתִית וְזַךְ:

3ואת שמן המאר AND THE OIL ALSO FOR THE LIGHT — This also required wise-hearted men for preparing it (and therefore Scripture mentions it also after its statement v. 10 “And every wise hearted man … shall make…”), for it was different from other oils, as it is explained in Menachot 86a: he lets it (the olive) ripen on the top of the olive-tree etc. and thus it (the oil) is “beaten and yet clear” as Scripture prescribes (Exodus 27:20).

אמסך הפתח. וִילוֹן שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַמִּזְרָח, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ שָׁם קְרָשִׁים וְלֹא יְרִיעוֹת:

1מסך הפתח THE SCREEN FOR THE ENTRANCE — the curtain that was in front of the east side of the Tabernacle, for there were neither boards nor curtains there.

אאת עמדיו ואת אדניה. הֲרֵי חָצֵר קָרוּי כָּאן לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, וְכֵן דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה:

1את עמדיו ואת אדניה ITS COLUMNS AND ITS SOCKETS — עמדיו has a masculine and אדניה a feminine suffix; thus חצר is here used as (lit., called) masculine and feminine noun. Similar it is with many things (cf. Rashi on Genesis 32:9).

בואת מסך שער החצר. וִילוֹן פָּרוּשׂ לְצַד הַמִּזְרָח עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה אֶמְצָעִיּוֹת שֶׁל רֹחַב הֶחָצֵר – שֶׁהָיָה חֲמִשִּׁים רֹחַב – וּסְתוּמִין הֵימֶנּוּ לְצַד צָפוֹן ט"ו אַמָּה, וְכֵן לַדָּרוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וַחֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קְלָעִים לַכָּתֵף:

2ואת מסך שער החצר AND THE SCREEN FOR THE GATE OF THE ENCLOSURE — the curtain which was hanging on the east side covering the twenty middle cubits in the width of the enclosure which latter was fifty cubits wide. Of this fifteen cubits on the north side were closed by hangings and so, too, on the south side, as it is said, (Exodus 27:14, 15) “The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits … [and on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits]”.

איתדת. לִתְקֹעַ וְלִקְשׁוֹר בָּהֶם סוֹפֵי הַיְרִיעוֹת בָּאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא יָנוּעוּ בָּרוּחַ:

1יתדת THE PINS — in order to insert them into the ground and to fasten thereby the edges of the curtains that they should not be moved about by the wind.

במיתריהם. חֲבָלִים לִקְשֹׁר:

2מיתריהם THEIR CORDS to bind with.

אבגדי השרד. לְכַסּוֹת הָאָרוֹן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן, הַמְּנוֹרָה וְהַמִּזְבְּחוֹת בִּשְׁעַת סִלּוּק מַסָּעוֹת:

1בגדי השרד THE KNITTED GARMENTS — to cover up the Ark, the table, the candelabrum and the altars at the time of removing and packing up the articles in the Tabernacle when they set out on their journeyings.

א(על הנשים. עִם הַנָּשִׁים וּסְמוּכִין אֲלֵיהֶן):

1על הנשים means with the women and closely following them.

בחח. הוּא תַּכְשִׁיט שֶׁל זָהָב עָגֹל, נָתוּן עַל הַזְּרוֹעַ, וְהוּא הַצָּמִיד:

2חח is a circular golden ornament placed upon the arm; it is the צמיד which is often mentioned in Scripture (cf. e. g., Numbers 31:50).

גוכומז. כְּלִי זָהָב הוּא נָתוּן כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם לָאִשָּׁה, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ שֵׁם כּוּמָז, כָּאן מְקוֹם זִמָּה (שבת ס"ד):

3כומז was a golden ornament worn by the women upon their private parts, Our Rabbis explain the name כּוּמָז as [an acrostic]: כַּאן מְקוֹם זִמָּה, [meaning] here is the place of licentiousness. (cf. Shabbat 64a).

אוכל איש אשר נמצא אתו. תְּכֵלֶת אוֹ אַרְגָּמָן אוֹ תוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי אוֹ עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים אוֹ תְּחָשִׁים כֻּלָּם הֵבִיאוּ:

1וכל איש אשר נמצא אתו AND EVERY MAN WITH WHOM WAS FOUND blue purple, or red purple, or crimson, or rams’ skins, or tachash skins — all of them brought whatever they had.

אטוו את העזים. הִיא הָיְתָה אָמָּנוּת יְתֵרָה, שֶׁמֵּעַל גַּבֵּי הָעִזִּים טוֹוִין אוֹתָם (שבת ע"ד):

1טוו את העזים [AND THE WOMEN] SPUN THE GOATS’ HAIR (lit., the goats) — This required extraordinary skill, for they spun it (the goats’ hair) from off the backs of the goats (whilst it was still on the living animals) (Shabbat 99a).

אוהנשאם הביאו. אָמַר רַ' נָתָן: מָה רָאוּ נְשִׂיאִים לְהִתְנַדֵּב בַּחֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בַּתְּחִלָּה וּבִמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן לֹא הִתְנַדְּבוּ בַּתְּחִלָּה? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמְרוּ נְשִׂיאִים, יִתְנַדְּבוּ צִבּוּר מַה שֶּׁמִּתְנַדְּבִין, וּמַה שֶּׁמְּחַסְּרִים, אָנוּ מַשְׁלִימִין אוֹתוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁלִימוּ צִבּוּר אֶת הַכֹּל – שֶׁנֶּ' וְהַמְּלָאכָה הָיְתָה דַיָּם – אָמְרוּ נְשִׂיאִים מֶה עָלֵינוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת? הביאו את אבני השהם וְגוֹ', לְכָךְ הִתְנַדְּבוּ בַּחֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תְּחִלָּה, וּלְפִי שֶׁנִּתְעַצְּלוּ מִתְּחִלָּה נֶחְסְרָה אוֹת מִשְּׁמָם, וְהַנְּשִׂאִם כְּתִיב (ספרי במדבר מ"ה):

1והנשאם הביאו AND THE PRINCES BROUGHT [ONYX STONES] R. Nathan asked, “What reason had the princes to give their contributions at the dedication of the altar (Numbers 7:12ff.) first of all the people, whereas at the work of the Tabernacle they were not the first, but the last to contribute?” But — replied he — the princes spoke thus: “Let the community in general contribute all they with to give and what will then be lacking we shall supply” But when the community gave everything needed in its entirety — as it is said, (Exodus 36:7) “For the stuff they had was enough [for all the work to make it, and some was left]” — the princes asked, “What can we now do?” therefore הביאו את אבני השהם וגו׳ THEY BROUGHT THE ONYX STONES etc. That is why they were the first to contribute at the consecration of the altar. Because, however, they were dilatory at the beginning, a letter is missing here from their title (thus intimating that something, viz., zeal was lacking in them): for it is written והנשאם instead of והנשיאים (Numbers Rabbah 12:16).

אחור. בְּנָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם הָיָה:

1חור HUR was the son the Miriam (Sotah 11b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 24:14).

אואהליאב. מִשֵּׁבֶט דָּן מִן הַיְרוּדִין שֶׁבַּשְּׁבָטִים – מִבְּנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת – וְהִשְׁוָהוּ הַמָּקוֹם לִבְצַלְאֵל לִמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהוּא מִגְּדוֹלֵי הַשְּׁבָטִים, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּ' וְלֹא נִכַּר שׁוֹעַ לִפְנֵי דָל (איוב ל"ד):

1ואהליאב AND OHOLIAB — he was of the tribe of Dan, of one of the lowest of the tribes, of the sons of the handmaids, and yet the Omnipresent placed him with regard to the work of the Tabernacle on a level with Bezalel although he was a member of one of the noble tribes (Judah)! in order to confirm what Scripture says, (Job 34:19) “He regardeth not the rich more than the poor” (Midrash Tanchuma 2:10:13).

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org