The Construction of the Tabernacle (Exo 35-40)
1 Then Moses assembled all the community of the sons of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do:
Rom 2:13
for it is not the hearers of the law who are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
Jas 1:22
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
2 Six days may work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does work thereon on this day shall be put to death [Moses states the exhortation against working on the Sabbath before charging them with the work of the tabernacle by way of apprising them that it does not override the Sabbath].
Rashi's Commentary
Six days—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 d'Rabbi Yishmael 35:1:1).
Luk 13:14-15
14 But the synagogue leader, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the people in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him?”
Joh 5:16
For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.
Heb 2:2-3
2 For if the message spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and disobedience received a just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
Heb 10:28-29
28 Anyone who has rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has treated as unholy the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
4 Moses said to the whole community of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded [me] to say [to you]:
Rashi's Commentary
This is the thing that the the Lord has commanded me to say to you.
5 Take from yourselves an offering for the Lord; every generous hearted person shall bring it, namely the Lord's offering: gold, silver and bronze;
2Co 8:11-12
11 But now you also must finish the doing of it, so that just as there was the willingness to do it, so there may be also the completion out of what you have. 12 For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
2Co 9:7
Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
14 the lampstand also for the light and its accessories [tongs and snuff-dishes], and its lamps [cups into which the oil and wicks were put] and the oil for the light [this, too, required “wise of heart,” its processing being different from that of other oils];
Rashi's Commentary
And its accessories—The tongs and snuff-dishes.
22 And the men came along with the women. All whose heart prompted them came and brought brooches and earrings and rings and [pudendal] ornaments, all kinds of gold ornaments; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord.
Rashi's Commentary
With the women means the jewelry was still on the women. The men came along with the women and stood near them.
And ornaments—Heb. וְכוּמָז. This 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 lewdness. (cf. Shabbat 64a).
Mat 2:11
After coming into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and bowed down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
5 and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing very much, more than is enough for the work of the articles which the Lord commanded us to do.”
Rashi's Commentary
More than is enough for the work means more than is sufficient for the needs of the work.
2Co 8:2-3
2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
Phi 4:17-18
17 Not that I desire the gift itself, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts sent from you, a a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
6 So Moses gave an order and they announced in the camp, saying: “Let no man or woman do any more work for the offering for the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more.
Rashi's Commentary
Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more—Heb. וַיִּכָּלֵא, an expression denoting withholding.
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
Rashi's Commentary
Bezalel made—Because he gave himself over to the work more whole-heartedly than the other wise men it is called after his name (his name alone is associated with the act) (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 10).
1 And he built the altar for the burnt offerings of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar was square, and it was three cubits high.
Rom 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Heb 13:10
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
1Pe 2:5
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
8 And he made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze from [the bronze of] the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions, who congregated [to bring their contributions] at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Rashi's Commentary
Who congregated to bring their contribution.
Mat 26:69
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
Luk 2:37
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but worshiped God night and day with fastings and prayers.
Joh 13:10
Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.”
Joh 18:16
but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.
1Ti 5:5
Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.
21 These are the amounts of the [materials for and the appurtenances of] the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, which were recorded at Moses’ command; this was the service of the Levites [the Levites carrying them, setting them up, and taking them down] under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron, the priest [Ithamar assigning to each Levitical “father's house” its specific service].
Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 2:4
Why is the word tabernacle repeated (in Exo 38:21)? R. Samuel said: The Holy One, blessed be he, would in the future seize it (the temple) twice as a pledge; at the time of its first destruction and again at its second destruction. Therefore He repeated the word tabernacle.
Rashi's Commentary
These are the amounts—In this section are enumerated all the weights of the materials given as a contribution for the tabernacle, of silver, gold and copper, and also there are enumerated the vessels used for every kind of service in it.
The tabernacle, the tabernacle—The word מִשְׁכָּן is mentioned here twice in allusion to the temple that was taken in pledge (מַשְׁכּוֹן)—as it were—(as a security for Israel’s repentance) by being twice destroyed for Israel’s iniquities (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 5).
Under the direction of Ithamar—He was the officer appointed over them (the Levites) with the duty to hand over to each “house of the father” the service that devolved upon it.
Mat 17:4
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three shelters here—one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
2Co 5:1
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not built with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Heb 8:2
a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord set up, not man.
Heb 9:2-3, 11
2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first room, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain there was a room which is called the Holy of Holies,
11 But when Christ came as a high priest of the good
things to come, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
2Pe 1:13
Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by reminding you,
Rev 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be among them,”
27 The hundred talents of silver were used for casting the bases of the [beams of the] sanctuary [the tabernacle (ninety-six bases for forty-eight beams)] and the bases of the curtain [four bases for four pillars]—a hundred bases for a hundred talents, one talent for each base.
Rashi's Commentary
For casting—Heb. לָצֶקֶת, means as the Targum has it: לְאַתָּכָא, lit., to pour.
28 and the turban of fine linen, and the glorious caps of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twisted linen,
Rashi's Commentary
And the glorious caps means the glory of the caps—this is equivalent to: the glorious caps.
20 He took the testimony [the tablets] and placed it into the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover on the ark from above.
Rashi's Commentary
The testimony—The tablets.
Heb 4:16
Let us therefore approach boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Rev 15:8
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
3 Speak [today, on the first of the month] to the whole community of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month [the “taking” of the Passover sacrifice of Egypt was on the tenth, but not that of future generations] each man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father [and, in the event that the family is large and one lamb will not suffice for it], a lamb for each household [i.e., for each household within that family].
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:2
Speak to the whole community of Israel—R. Achai b. R. Yoshiyah says: Now did they both speak? Is it not written (Ibid. 7:2) “You (Moses) shall speak all that I command you?” Moses accorded honor to Aaron and said “Teach me,” and Aaron did likewise with Moses, and the speech emanated from both as if both were speaking.
Pesachim 96a:7
The Gemara discusses the meaning of this difficult phrase, as obviously, the Passover sacrifice is slaughtered on the fourteenth and eaten on the evening of the fifteenth. GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where do we conclude that the requirements of the Passover sacrifice sacrificed in Egypt do not apply to later generations? As it is written: “Speak to the whole community of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month each man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for each household” (Exo 12:3); and we derive from the superfluous word “this” that this Passover sacrifice offered in Egypt had to be taken from the tenth of Nisan, and the Passover sacrifice of later generations is not taken from the tenth of Nisan.
Rashi’s Commentary
Speak to the whole community—But did Aaron speak? Has it not already been stated, “You shall speak” (Exo 7:2)? But the explanation is: they paid respect one to the other, saying to each other, “Instruct me what to say” and the divine communication in question issued
from both of them, so that it was as though they were both speaking (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:2).
This work "The Construction of the Tabernacle" is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0