“These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses: the service of the Levites was by means of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest” (Exodus 38:21). “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began as follows: “A man of trust will abound with blessings” (Proverbs 28:20) – you find that anyone who is trustworthy, the Holy One blessed be He brings blessings through him. Of one who is not trustworthy it is stated: “But one who hastens to become rich will not be absolved” (Proverbs 28:20). “A man of trust” – this is Moses, who is the trusted one of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Not so is My servant Moses; in My entire house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7). That is, “a man of trust will abound with blessings,” as all the matters over which he was appointed executor would be blessed, because he was trustworthy. “But one who hastens to become rich will not be absolved” – this is Koraḥ, who was a Levite and sought to take the high priesthood. What was his end? “The earth opened its mouth [and swallowed them up]” (Numbers 16:32). Another matter: “A man of trust” (Proverbs 28:20) – this is Moses, who became the executor for the labor of the Tabernacle. Our Rabbis taught: One does not appoint an authority over the public in monetary matters that is fewer than two [people],1Mishna Shekalim 5:2. but you find that Moses was executor himself, and yet you say: One does not appoint fewer than two? Rather, even though Moses was executor himself, he would call others and calculate with them, as it is stated: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” It is not written here, “as Moses reckoned,” but rather, “as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses” – by means of Moses, “by means of Itamar.”
In his regard it is stated: “They did not require a reckoning from the men [by whose hand] they gave the silver [to give to the workmen, as they acted with trustworthiness]” (II Kings 12:16).2This is describing the situation in the reign of Yoash, king of Judah, but the midrash applies it to Moses. “They did not require a reckoning” – this was in the generation of Yoash, when they would act with trustworthiness. Our Rabbis taught: The one who would enter to collect from the chamber would not enter while wearing a cuffed garment or with a soft shoe, for if he would [do so and] become wealthy they might say he became rich from the collection of the chamber. As, a person must pass [the scrutiny] of people just as he must pass [the scrutiny] of the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “And you shall be vindicated before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22).3Mishna Shekalim 3:2. Yet Moses was the executor of the labor of the Tabernacle by himself. It is because when the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to craft the Tabernacle, immediately, “Every man [whose heart inspired him] came…[and brought the gift of the Lord for the labor of the Tent of Meeting]” (Exodus 35:21). In how many days did they bring all the gifts? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They brought it in two mornings,4This is based on the double usage of the Hebrew term for morning in Exodus 36:3. and there was a surplus, as it is stated: “The labor was sufficient…[and beyond]” (Exodus 36:7).5Because the funds were raised so quickly, Moses did not have time to appoint additional executors (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, although Moses was the sole executor his behavior was beyond suspicion, as he announced that people should stop bringing gifts because there was already enough material (Exodus 36:6), and yet he still made a reckoning of what had been done with the materials together with others, as the midrash understands based on Exodus 38:21 (Maharzu). Moses came to Betzalel and saw that he had a surplus [of materials] from the Tabernacle. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, we performed the labor of the Tabernacle and have a surplus. What shall we do with the surplus?’ He said to him: ‘Go and craft with them a tabernacle for the Testimony.’6Construct a tent for the Ark, within the Tabernacle (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, construct a tent similar to the Tabernacle outside the camp, to which people will go to study Torah (see Rabbi David Luria; Maharzu). Moses went and he crafted it with [the surplus materials]. When he came to give a reckoning, he said to them: ‘Such and such was expended for the Tabernacle, and with the surplus I crafted a tabernacle for the Testimony.’ That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
Why [is the word] Tabernacle [mishkan] stated twice? Rabbi Shmuel bar Marta said: It was twice taken as collateral [nitmashken] on their account.7The reference here is to the two Temples in Jerusalem, and the derivation from the Tabernacle is because the Tabernacle was a precursor to the Temple. Both Temples were destroyed due to the sins of the people, instead of the people themselves being destroyed. In that sense, it is comparable to one who collects a debt from the collateral given by the borrower rather than from the borrower himself. That is what the members of the Great Assembly say: “We have done injury to You, and have not observed the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances” (Nehemiah 1:7). What is “we have done injury [ḥavol ḥavalnu] to You”? That is that it was twice taken as collateral. Ḥavol is nothing other than collateral, as it is stated: “One shall not take as collateral [lo yaḥavol] the lower millstone or the upper millstone” (Deuteronomy 24:6). That is why, in the verse “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony,” it is written twice.
What is “the Testimony”? Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yishmael said: It is testimony for all who enter the world that there is forgiveness for Israel. Alternatively, it is testimony for the entire world that [Moses] was appointed by the Holy One blessed be He.8The fact that God rested His presence in the Tabernacle was an indication that He had forgiven Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf. Alternatively, it was an indication that He had commanded the construction of the Tabernacle, in contrast to the view of those who thought God would never have issued such a command because a finite space cannot contain the presence of an infinite God (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her exceedingly. He became angry at her and left her, and her neighbors would say to her: ‘He will never come back to you.’ Sometime later, he sent to her and said: ‘Sweep my palace and make the beds, as on such and such day I will come to you.’ When that day arrived, the king came to her and reconciled with her. He entered the palace [and came] to her, and ate and drank with her. Her neighbors did not believe it. When they smelled the fragrance of perfume, they knew that the king had reconciled with her. So too, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel and brought them before Mount Sinai. He gave them the Torah and called them a kingdom of priests, as it is stated: “You will be for Me a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Forty days later, they sinned. At that moment, the idolaters said: He will never again be reconciled with them, as it is stated: “They said among the nations: They will not reside here anymore” (Lamentations 4:15). When Moses went to ask for mercy for them, the Holy One blessed be He immediately forgave them, as it is stated: “The Lord said: “I have forgiven in accordance with your statement” (Numbers 14:20). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, I am satisfied that You have pardoned Israel, but proclaim before the eyes of all the nations that there is no residual resentment in Your heart against them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, I will rest My Divine Presence in their midst,’ as it is stated: “They shall craft a Sanctuary for Me [and I will dwell among them]” (Exodus 25:8), ‘and they will recognize that I have pardoned them.’ That is, “the Tabernacle of Testimony,” as it is testimony for Israel that the Holy One blessed be He has pardoned them.
Another matter: “The Tabernacle of Testimony” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: When Hadrian entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies, he was acting with arrogance there and blaspheming God. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: David said: ‘Master of the universe, may it be considered before You in this way: Had they been able to chop down cedars and fashion ladders, they would have ascended on High.’9David asked God to consider the actions of Hadrian and his men as though they had actually waged war directly against God. From where is it derived? As it is written: “Let it be known as bringing axes upward in a thicket of trees” (Psalms 74:5). ‘However, they are unable to do so, and they leave You and come upon us,’ as it is written: “They devised a plot, but they are unable” (Psalms 21:12). ‘They come upon us,’ as it is stated: “God, nations have entered Your inheritance, [they have defiled Your holy Temple.… They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your devoted ones to beasts of the field]” (Psalms 79:1–2). ‘Why did all this transpire? It is because it was taken as collateral on our account,’ as it is stated: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony.” Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: To what are idolaters comparable? To a person who was an enemy of the king and sought to overcome him but was unable to do so. What did he do? He went to a statue [of the king] and sought to topple it, but he feared that the king would kill him. What did he do? He took a bronze chisel and began undermining the wall that was beneath it. He said: By toppling the foundation, the statue will fall. So too, idolaters come to attack the Holy One blessed be He but are unable to do so, so they come and attack Israel. Likewise, David said: “The kings of the earth have assembled, and rulers are gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed one” (Psalms 2:2), but they are unable to do so. What do they do? They attack Israel. What is written thereafter? “Let us snap off their chains [and throw off their bonds]” (Psalms 2:3) – let us uproot [Israel] from the world. When? When they have nothing to give as collateral [lemashken].10If Israel had nothing to give as collateral, they would be uprooted from the world. But the Tabernacle served as collateral for them. That is, “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle [hamishkan].” Do not read it in that way, but rather, the collateral[hamashkon].
“The Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses” – everything that they were doing, they were doing at the directive of Moses, as it is stated: “As they were reckoned at the directive of Moses.” And everything that Moses would do, he would do by means of others,11He would do it together with others and not by himself. as it is stated: “The service of the Levites was by means of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest.” He did it only in this way: When the labor of the Sanctuary was completed, he said to them: ‘Come and I will make an accounting before you.’ Moses said to them: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle”; such and such was expended on the Tabernacle. While he was sitting and calculating, he forgot the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels from which he crafted the hooks for the pillars. He began sitting and wondering. He said: Now Israel will find justification to say that Moses took them. What did [God] do? The Holy One blessed be He enlightened his eyes, and he saw that they were crafted into hooks for the pillars. At that moment, all of Israel was satisfied regarding the labor of the Tabernacle. What caused this? It was that [Moses] sat and satisfied them.12Moses reviewed the expenditures undertaken in constructing the Tabernacle, and therefore the entire nation was satisfied with his honesty. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” Why did he make an accounting with them [if] the Holy One blessed be He trusted him, as it is stated: “Not so is My servant Moses; in My entire house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7). Why did Moses say: ‘Come let us engage in the Tabernacle and calculate before you?’ It is because Moses heard the cynics of the generation speaking behind his back, as it is stated: “It would be when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and would stand at the entrance to the tent, and He would speak with Moses” (Exodus 33:9); “and they would gaze after Moses” (Exodus 33:8). What would they say? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Happy is the one who bore this man. What does she see in him? That all his days, the Holy One blessed be He speaks with him; all his days he is faultless with the Holy One blessed be He. That is, “they gazed after Moses.” Rabbi Ḥama said: They would say: Look at the nape of the son of Amram.13The cynics would claim that Moses’ nape was thick, indicating a life of wealth and indulgence. Another says to him: ‘The person who controlled the labor of the Tabernacle, would you not expect him to be wealthy?’ When Moses heard this, Moses said to them: ‘As you live, when the Tabernacle is completed, I will make an accounting for you.’ He said to them: ‘Come, let us make an accounting.’ That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.”
“The Tabernacle of Testimony” – what is “the Testimony”? This is the Torah in which they toil. God said: Due to the merit of the Torah and the merit of the offerings, I will rescue you from Gehenna. Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He showed Abraham the Torah, Gehenna, the offerings, and the exiles, as it is stated: “Behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between those pieces” (Genesis 15:17). These are Torah and Gehenna, as it is stated: “The entire people was seeing the thunder, the flames, the blast of the shofar, and the mountain smoking, and the people saw and trembled and stood at a distance” (Exodus 20:15).14Thus, fire and smoke are associated with Torah. Fire and smoke are associated with Gehenna as well; see Isaiah 30:33 and 31:9. From where are the offerings derived? As it is written: “A three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon” (Genesis 15:9). From where are the exiles derived? As it is stated: “Fear, [a great darkness, fell upon him]” (Genesis 15:12). “Fear [eima]” – this is Babylon, as it is stated; “[For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and impetuous nation.…] It is terrifying [ayom] and awesome; from it will emerge its law and its prominence” (Habakkuk 1:6–7).15The Babylonians are also called Chaldeans. “Darkness” – this is Media, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its edicts. “Great” – this is Greece, as it is stated: “The goat became exceedingly great, and as it became powerful, the great horn was broken, and in its place, there were four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of the heavens” (Daniel 8:8). “Fell upon him” – this is Edom, as it is stated: “[Hear the counsel of the Lord that He took against Edom.…] From the sound of their fall, the earth quaked” (Jeremiah 49:21). The Holy One blessed be He said: All the days that your descendants will be engaged in Torah study and offerings, they will be saved from them; however, your descendants are destined to abrogate the offerings. By what means do you wish your descendants to be subjugated, by Gehenna or by exile? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Abraham chose exile. From where is it derived? As it is stated: “If not that their rock had sold them” (Deuteronomy 32:30) – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Look to the rock from which you were hewn” (Isaiah 51:1). “And the Lord had handed them over” (Deuteronomy 32:30) – that the Holy One blessed be He agreed after him. Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa, and a different elder in the name of Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: Abraham stood wondering and did not know what he should choose, until the Holy One blessed be He said to him that he should choose exile, as it is stated: “You let people ride over our heads” (Psalms 66:12) – You subjugate us by exile. “We went through fire and water” (Psalms 66:12) – this is Gehenna, half of which is fire and half of which is hail, “but You took us out to comfort” (Psalms 66:12).16God saved us from Gehenna by sending us into exile. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.” What is “the Testimony”? As long as Israel engages in Torah study and offerings, it will be testimony for them that they will not descend to Gehenna.
Another matter: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle” – what are “these”? When the Holy One blessed be He gave the Torah to Israel, they did not warrant having the angel of death have dominion over them, as it is stated: “Engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). What is ḥarut? Rabbi Yehuda says: Freedom [ḥerut] from exile. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Freedom from the angel of death. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Ḥama said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: The Holy One blessed be He said: Were the angel of death to come and say to Me: Why was I created? I would say to him: I created you as a sentinel over the idolaters, but not over My children, as when they received the Torah, the Holy One blessed be He adorned them with the aura of His splendor. What was the adornment? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: He adorned them with crowns. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: He gave them weapons, and the great Name was inscribed on it. As long as it was in their possession, the angel of death had no dominion over them. From where do you derive this? It is from what is written there: “Now remove your ornament from upon you, [and I will know what to do with you]” (Exodus 33:5).17This verse, stated in the aftermath of the sin of the Golden Calf, implies that as long as they had these ornaments they could not be punished with death. Rabbi Sisa said: He adorned them in a royal purple garment. Rabbi Huna says: He adorned them with belts. When they sinned, the Holy One blessed be He removed all that goodness from them, as it is stated: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). This mountain was called three names: The mountain of God, Mount Ḥorev, and Mount Sinai. Why the mountain of God? Because it was there that the Holy One blessed be He made known His godliness. Why Sinai? Because he despised [sana] the residents of the upper world and loved the residents of the lower world. Why Ḥorev? Because it was there that the Torah, which is called a sword [ḥerev], was given, as it is stated: “Exaltation of the Almighty is in their throats, and a double-edged sword is in their hand” (Psalms 149:6). Moses was on Sinai receiving the Torah. They went to Aaron and said to him: “[Arise and] craft us a god that will go before us, because this man Moses, who took us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him” (Exodus 32:1). Aaron said to them: Yesterday, you said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform” (Exodus 19:8), and now you are saying: “Arise and craft us a god”? He saw that they had killed Ḥur and he was afraid. He said to them: “Remove the gold [zahav] rings” (Exodus 32:2). Immediately, “[all the people] removed [the gold rings]” (Exodus 32:3), and the entire people was giving him until he said to them: It is enough for you [dayekhem]. So, Moses rebuked them: “Lavan, Ḥatzerot, and Di-Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1). This is analogous to a young man who entered a city. He saw them collecting charity, and they said to him: Give, and he gave, until they said to him: It is enough for you. So too, Israel gave gold for the calf until [Aaron] said to them: Enough, and they donated gold for the Tabernacle until [Moses] said to them: Enough, as it is stated: “[Moses commanded, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying: Let neither man nor woman perform any more labor for the gifts of the Sanctuary; and the people ceased bringing.] The labor was sufficient for all the labor to perform it, and beyond” (Exodus 36:6–7). The Holy One blessed be He said: Let the gold of the Tabernacle come and atone for the gold of the calf. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: When you crafted the calf, you angered Me with: “This [eleh] is your god” (Exodus 32:4). Now that you have crafted the Tabernacle, with these [be’eleh] I am reconciled with you. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: In this world, with these [eleh] I reconciled with you. Likewise in the future, as it is stated: “Behold, these [eleh] will come from afar, and behold, these [eleh] from the north and from the west, and those [ve’eleh] from the land of Sinim” (Isaiah 49:12). And it says: “Who are these [eleh] who fly like a cloud and like doves to their cotes?” (Isaiah 60:8).
וְאֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כָּךְ פָּתַח רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בַּר אַבָּא (משלי כח, כ): אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת רַב בְּרָכוֹת, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא נֶאֱמָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא בְּרָכוֹת עַל יָדָיו, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן (משלי כח, כ): וְאָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר לֹא יִנָּקֶה, אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת, זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁהוּא נֶאֱמָנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב, ז): לֹא כֵן עַבְדִּי משֶׁה בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא, הֱוֵי: אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת רַב בְּרָכוֹת, שֶׁכָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהָיָה גִזְבָּר עֲלֵיהֶם הָיוּ מִתְבָּרְכִים, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא נֶאֱמָן. וְאָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר לֹא יִנָּקֶה, זֶה קֹרַח, שֶׁהָיָה לֵוִי וּבִקֵּשׁ לִטֹּל כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, וּמָה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ (במדבר טז, לב): וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִּיהָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת, זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה גִזְבָּר עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (שקלים יד, ב): אֵין מְמַנִּין שְׂרָרָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר בְּמָמוֹן פָּחוֹת מִשְׁנַיִם, וַהֲרֵי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה גִזְבָּר לְעַצְמוֹ, וְכָאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אֵין מְמַנִּין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם, אֶלָּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה גִזְבָּר לְעַצְמוֹ הוּא קוֹרֵא לַאֲחֵרִים וּמְחַשֵּׁב עַל יְדֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד משֶׁה, אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא: אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי משֶׁה, עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה בְּיַד אִיתָמָר.
“These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses: the service of the Levites was by means of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest” (Exodus 38:21).
“These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began as follows: “A man of trust will abound with blessings” (Proverbs 28:20) – you find that anyone who is trustworthy, the Holy One blessed be He brings blessings through him. Of one who is not trustworthy it is stated: “But one who hastens to become rich will not be absolved” (Proverbs 28:20). “A man of trust” – this is Moses, who is the trusted one of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Not so is My servant Moses; in My entire house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7). That is, “a man of trust will abound with blessings,” as all the matters over which he was appointed executor would be blessed, because he was trustworthy. “But one who hastens to become rich will not be absolved” – this is Koraḥ, who was a Levite and sought to take the high priesthood. What was his end? “The earth opened its mouth [and swallowed them up]” (Numbers 16:32).
Another matter: “A man of trust” (Proverbs 28:20) – this is Moses, who became the executor for the labor of the Tabernacle. Our Rabbis taught: One does not appoint an authority over the public in monetary matters that is fewer than two [people],1Mishna Shekalim 5:2. but you find that Moses was executor himself, and yet you say: One does not appoint fewer than two? Rather, even though Moses was executor himself, he would call others and calculate with them, as it is stated: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” It is not written here, “as Moses reckoned,” but rather, “as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses” – by means of Moses, “by means of Itamar.”
עָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (מלכים ב יב, טז): וְלֹא יְחַשְׁבוּ אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יִתְּנוּ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף, וְלֹא יְחַשְׁבוּ, זֶה דוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יוֹאָשׁ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בֶּאֱמוּנָה. שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (שקלים ח, א): מִי שֶׁהָיָה נִכְנַס לִתְרֹם אֶת הַלִּשְׁכָּה לֹא הָיָה נִכְנַס לֹא בְּפַרְגָּד חָפוּת וְלֹא בְּאַנְפִּלְיָא, שֶׁאִם יַעֲשִׁיר יֹאמְרוּ מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה הֶעֱשִׁיר, שֶׁאָדָם צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת יְדֵי הַבְּרִיּוֹת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת יְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לב, כב): וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וּמשֶׁה הָיָה גִזְבָּר לְעַצְמוֹ עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מִיָּד, (שמות לה, כא): וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל אִישׁ וגו', לְכַמָּה יָמִים הֵבִיאוּ כָּל הַנְּדָבָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לִשְׁנֵי בְּקָרִים הֵבִיאוּ וְהוֹתֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לו, ז): וְהַמְּלָאכָה הָיְתָה דַיָּם. נִכְנַס משֶׁה אֵצֶל בְּצַלְאֵל רָאָה שֶׁהוֹתִיר מִן הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם עָשִׂינוּ אֶת מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהוֹתַרְנוּ, מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה בַּנּוֹתָר, אָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ וַעֲשֵׂה בָהֶם מִשְׁכָּן לָעֵדוּת, הָלַךְ משֶׁה וְעָשָׂה בָהֶן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא לִתֵּן חֶשְׁבּוֹן אָמַר לָהֶם כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָצָא לַמִּשְׁכָּן וּבַיָּתֵר עָשִׂיתִי מִשְׁכָּן לָעֵדוּת, הֱוֵי: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת.
In his regard it is stated: “They did not require a reckoning from the men [by whose hand] they gave the silver [to give to the workmen, as they acted with trustworthiness]” (II Kings 12:16).2This is describing the situation in the reign of Yoash, king of Judah, but the midrash applies it to Moses. “They did not require a reckoning” – this was in the generation of Yoash, when they would act with trustworthiness. Our Rabbis taught: The one who would enter to collect from the chamber would not enter while wearing a cuffed garment or with a soft shoe, for if he would [do so and] become wealthy they might say he became rich from the collection of the chamber. As, a person must pass [the scrutiny] of people just as he must pass [the scrutiny] of the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “And you shall be vindicated before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22).3Mishna Shekalim 3:2. Yet Moses was the executor of the labor of the Tabernacle by himself. It is because when the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to craft the Tabernacle, immediately, “Every man [whose heart inspired him] came…[and brought the gift of the Lord for the labor of the Tent of Meeting]” (Exodus 35:21). In how many days did they bring all the gifts? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They brought it in two mornings,4This is based on the double usage of the Hebrew term for morning in Exodus 36:3. and there was a surplus, as it is stated: “The labor was sufficient…[and beyond]” (Exodus 36:7).5Because the funds were raised so quickly, Moses did not have time to appoint additional executors (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, although Moses was the sole executor his behavior was beyond suspicion, as he announced that people should stop bringing gifts because there was already enough material (Exodus 36:6), and yet he still made a reckoning of what had been done with the materials together with others, as the midrash understands based on Exodus 38:21 (Maharzu). Moses came to Betzalel and saw that he had a surplus [of materials] from the Tabernacle. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, we performed the labor of the Tabernacle and have a surplus. What shall we do with the surplus?’ He said to him: ‘Go and craft with them a tabernacle for the Testimony.’6Construct a tent for the Ark, within the Tabernacle (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, construct a tent similar to the Tabernacle outside the camp, to which people will go to study Torah (see Rabbi David Luria; Maharzu). Moses went and he crafted it with [the surplus materials]. When he came to give a reckoning, he said to them: ‘Such and such was expended for the Tabernacle, and with the surplus I crafted a tabernacle for the Testimony.’ That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
מַהוּ מִשְׁכָּן שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר מַרְתָא שֶׁנִּתְמַשְׁכֵּן שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים עַל יְדֵיהֶם, זֶהוּ שֶׁאַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה אוֹמְרִים (נחמיה א, ז): חֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּ לָךְ וְלֹא שָׁמַרְנוּ אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת וְאֶת הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת, הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים. מַהוּ חֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּ לָךְ, הֱוֵי שֶׁנִּתְמַשְׁכֵּן שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים, וְאֵין חֲבֹל אֶלָּא מַשְׁכּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד, ו): לֹא יַחֲבֹל רֵחַיִם וָרָכֶב. לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים.
Why [is the word] Tabernacle [mishkan] stated twice? Rabbi Shmuel bar Marta said: It was twice taken as collateral [nitmashken] on their account.7The reference here is to the two Temples in Jerusalem, and the derivation from the Tabernacle is because the Tabernacle was a precursor to the Temple. Both Temples were destroyed due to the sins of the people, instead of the people themselves being destroyed. In that sense, it is comparable to one who collects a debt from the collateral given by the borrower rather than from the borrower himself. That is what the members of the Great Assembly say: “We have done injury to You, and have not observed the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances” (Nehemiah 1:7). What is “we have done injury [ḥavol ḥavalnu] to You”? That is that it was twice taken as collateral. Ḥavol is nothing other than collateral, as it is stated: “One shall not take as collateral [lo yaḥavol] the lower millstone or the upper millstone” (Deuteronomy 24:6). That is why, in the verse “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony,” it is written twice.
מַהוּ הָעֵדֻת, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל עֵדוּת הוּא לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ סְלִיחָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֵדוּת הוּא לְכָל הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּתְמַנֶּה מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּטַל אִשָּׁה וְחִבְּבָהּ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, כָּעַס עָלֶיהָ וְהִנִּיחָהּ, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָהּ שְׁכֵנוֹתֶיהָ אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר עָלַיִךְ עוֹד. לְיָמִים שָׁלַח לָהּ וְאָמַר כַּבְּדִי אֶת פָּלָטִין שֶׁלִּי וְהַצִּיעִי אֶת הַמִּטּוֹת שֶׁבְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי אָבֹא אֶצְלֵךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ יוֹם פְּלוֹנִי בָּא הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶצְלָהּ וְנִתְרַצֶּה לָהּ וְנִכְנַס אֶצְלָהּ לַפָּלָטִין וְאָכַל וְשָׁתָה עִמָּהּ וְלֹא הָיוּ שְׁכֵנוֹתֶיהָ מַאֲמִינוֹת, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ מְרִיחוֹת רֵיחַ בְּשָׂמִים בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָדְעוּ שֶׁנִּתְרַצֶּה לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חִבֵּב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וֶהֱבִיאָם לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי, וְנָתַן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וּקְרָאָן מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט, ו): וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים, אַחַר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם חָטְאוּ, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אֵינוֹ מִתְרַצֶּה לָהֶם עוֹד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איכה ד, טו): אָמְרוּ בַּגּוֹיִם לֹא יוֹסִיפוּ לָגוּר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָלַךְ משֶׁה לְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם מִיָּד סָלַח לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ. אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם הֲרֵינִי מְפֻיָּס שֶׁמָּחַלְתָּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא הוֹדִיעַ לְעֵינֵי כָל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבְּךָ עֲלֵיהֶם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ הֲרֵינִי מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי בְּתוֹכָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה, ח): וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ, וּמַכִּירִין שֶׁמָּחַלְתִּי לָהֶם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, שֶׁעֵדוּת הִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּחַל לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
What is “the Testimony”? Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yishmael said: It is testimony for all who enter the world that there is forgiveness for Israel. Alternatively, it is testimony for the entire world that [Moses] was appointed by the Holy One blessed be He.8The fact that God rested His presence in the Tabernacle was an indication that He had forgiven Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf. Alternatively, it was an indication that He had commanded the construction of the Tabernacle, in contrast to the view of those who thought God would never have issued such a command because a finite space cannot contain the presence of an infinite God (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her exceedingly. He became angry at her and left her, and her neighbors would say to her: ‘He will never come back to you.’ Sometime later, he sent to her and said: ‘Sweep my palace and make the beds, as on such and such day I will come to you.’ When that day arrived, the king came to her and reconciled with her. He entered the palace [and came] to her, and ate and drank with her. Her neighbors did not believe it. When they smelled the fragrance of perfume, they knew that the king had reconciled with her. So too, the Holy One blessed be He loved Israel and brought them before Mount Sinai. He gave them the Torah and called them a kingdom of priests, as it is stated: “You will be for Me a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Forty days later, they sinned. At that moment, the idolaters said: He will never again be reconciled with them, as it is stated: “They said among the nations: They will not reside here anymore” (Lamentations 4:15). When Moses went to ask for mercy for them, the Holy One blessed be He immediately forgave them, as it is stated: “The Lord said: “I have forgiven in accordance with your statement” (Numbers 14:20). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, I am satisfied that You have pardoned Israel, but proclaim before the eyes of all the nations that there is no residual resentment in Your heart against them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, I will rest My Divine Presence in their midst,’ as it is stated: “They shall craft a Sanctuary for Me [and I will dwell among them]” (Exodus 25:8), ‘and they will recognize that I have pardoned them.’ That is, “the Tabernacle of Testimony,” as it is testimony for Israel that the Holy One blessed be He has pardoned them.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּכְנַס אַנְדְּרִיָּנוּס לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים הָיָה מִתְגָּאֶה שָׁם וּמְחָרֵף לֵאלֹהִים, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר דָּוִד רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם כָּךְ תַּעֲלֶה לְפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לִקְצֹץ אֲרָזִים לַעֲשׂוֹת סֻלָּמוֹת עוֹלִים הָיוּ לְמַעְלָן, מִנַּיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים עד, ה): יִוָּדַע כְּמֵבִיא לְמָעְלָה בִּסְבָךְ עֵץ קַרְדֻּמּוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינָן יְכוֹלִים, וּמַנִּיחִים אוֹתְךָ וּבָאִים עָלֵינוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים כא, יב): חָשְׁבוּ מְזִמָּה בַּל יוּכָלוּ, וּבָאִים עָלֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עט, א): אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ וגו', וְעַל מָה כָּל אֵלּוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְמַשְׁכֵּן עַל יָדֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא לְמָה הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים דּוֹמִין, לְאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה שׂוֹנֵא לַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ לִשְׁלֹט בּוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל, מֶה עָשָׂה הָלַךְ אֵצֶל אַנְדְּרִיאַנְטוֹס וּבִקֵּשׁ לְהַפִּילוֹ, וְהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא מִן הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁיַּהַרְגֶּנּוּ, מֶה עָשָׂה נָטַל אֶת הַצִּפֹּרֶן שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת וְהָיָה חוֹפֵר הַכֹּתֶל שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו, אָמַר מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֲנִי מַפִּיל אֶת הַבָּסִיס אַנְדְּרִיאַנְטוֹס נוֹפֵל. כָּךְ הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים בָּאִים לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, וְהֵם בָּאִין וּמִתְגָּרִין עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן דָּוִד אָמַר (תהלים ב, ב): יִתְיַצְּבוּ מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ יָחַד עַל ה' וְעַל מְשִׁיחוֹ, וְאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, וּמָה הֵם עוֹשִׂין מִתְגָּרִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (תהלים ב, ב): נְנַתְּקָה אֶת מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ, נַעֲקֹר אוֹתָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, אֵימָתַי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם מַה לְּמַשְׁכֵּן, אֲבָל הַמִּשְׁכָּן נִתְמַשְׁכֵּן עַל יְדֵיהֶם, הֱוֵי: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא כֵן אֶלָּא הַמַּשְׁכּוֹן.
Another matter: “The Tabernacle of Testimony” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: When Hadrian entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies, he was acting with arrogance there and blaspheming God. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: David said: ‘Master of the universe, may it be considered before You in this way: Had they been able to chop down cedars and fashion ladders, they would have ascended on High.’9David asked God to consider the actions of Hadrian and his men as though they had actually waged war directly against God. From where is it derived? As it is written: “Let it be known as bringing axes upward in a thicket of trees” (Psalms 74:5). ‘However, they are unable to do so, and they leave You and come upon us,’ as it is written: “They devised a plot, but they are unable” (Psalms 21:12). ‘They come upon us,’ as it is stated: “God, nations have entered Your inheritance, [they have defiled Your holy Temple.… They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your devoted ones to beasts of the field]” (Psalms 79:1–2). ‘Why did all this transpire? It is because it was taken as collateral on our account,’ as it is stated: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: To what are idolaters comparable? To a person who was an enemy of the king and sought to overcome him but was unable to do so. What did he do? He went to a statue [of the king] and sought to topple it, but he feared that the king would kill him. What did he do? He took a bronze chisel and began undermining the wall that was beneath it. He said: By toppling the foundation, the statue will fall. So too, idolaters come to attack the Holy One blessed be He but are unable to do so, so they come and attack Israel. Likewise, David said: “The kings of the earth have assembled, and rulers are gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed one” (Psalms 2:2), but they are unable to do so. What do they do? They attack Israel. What is written thereafter? “Let us snap off their chains [and throw off their bonds]” (Psalms 2:3) – let us uproot [Israel] from the world. When? When they have nothing to give as collateral [lemashken].10If Israel had nothing to give as collateral, they would be uprooted from the world. But the Tabernacle served as collateral for them. That is, “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle [hamishkan].” Do not read it in that way, but rather, the collateral [hamashkon].
מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי משֶׁה, כָּל מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂין, עוֹשִׂין עַל פִּי משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי משֶׁה. וְכָל מַה שֶּׁהָיָה משֶׁה עוֹשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֲבֹדַת הַלְוִיִם בְּיַד אִיתָמָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, לֹא עָשָׂה אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁנִּגְמְרָה מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, אָמַר לָהֶם בּוֹאוּ וַאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה לִפְנֵיכֶם חֶשְׁבּוֹן. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כָּךְ וְכָךְ יָצָא עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן, עַד שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וּמְחַשֵּׁב שָׁכַח בְּאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים שֶׁקֶל מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים, הִתְחִיל יוֹשֵׁב וּמַתְמִיהַּ, אָמַר עַכְשָׁו יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹצְאִין יְדֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר משֶׁה נְטָלָן. מֶה עָשָׂה הֵאִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵינָיו וְרָאָה אוֹתָם עֲשׂוּיִם וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְפַּיְּסוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מִי גָרַם לוֹ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיָּשַׁב וּפִיְּסָן, הֱוֵי: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וְלָמָה עָשָׂה עִמָּהֶם חֶשְׁבּוֹן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ מַאֲמִינוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב, ז): לֹא כֵן עַבְדִּי משֶׁה בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא, וְלָמָּה אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה בּוֹאוּ וְנַעֲסֹק בַּמִּשְׁכָּן וּנְחַשֵּׁב לִפְנֵיכֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁשָּׁמַע משֶׁה לֵיצָנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְדַבְּרִים מֵאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לג, ט): וְהָיָה כְּבֹא משֶׁה הָאֹהֱלָה יֵרֵד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן וְעָמַד פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְדִבֶּר עִם משֶׁה, (שמות לג, ח): וְהִבִּיטוּ אַחֲרֵי משֶׁה, וּמַה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וּמַה הִיא רוֹאָה בוֹ, כָּל יָמָיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כָּל יָמָיו הוּא מֻשְׁלָם לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, זֶהוּ: וְהִבִּיטוּ אַחֲרֵי משֶׁה. רַבִּי חָמָא אָמַר הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים חָמֵי קְדַל דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּעַמְרָם, וַחֲבֵרוֹ אוֹמֵר לוֹ אָדָם שֶׁשָּׁלַט עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֵין אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ שֶׁיְהֵא עָשִׁיר. כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע משֶׁה כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה, חַיֵּיכֶם, נִגְמַר הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶתֵּן לָכֶם חֶשְׁבּוֹן. אָמַר לָהֶם בּוֹאוּ וְנַעֲשֶׂה חֶשְׁבּוֹן, הֱוֵי: וְאֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן.
“The Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were reckoned at the directive of Moses” – everything that they were doing, they were doing at the directive of Moses, as it is stated: “As they were reckoned at the directive of Moses.” And everything that Moses would do, he would do by means of others,11He would do it together with others and not by himself. as it is stated: “The service of the Levites was by means of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest.” He did it only in this way: When the labor of the Sanctuary was completed, he said to them: ‘Come and I will make an accounting before you.’ Moses said to them: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle”; such and such was expended on the Tabernacle. While he was sitting and calculating, he forgot the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels from which he crafted the hooks for the pillars. He began sitting and wondering. He said: Now Israel will find justification to say that Moses took them. What did [God] do? The Holy One blessed be He enlightened his eyes, and he saw that they were crafted into hooks for the pillars. At that moment, all of Israel was satisfied regarding the labor of the Tabernacle. What caused this? It was that [Moses] sat and satisfied them.12Moses reviewed the expenditures undertaken in constructing the Tabernacle, and therefore the entire nation was satisfied with his honesty. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.”
Why did he make an accounting with them [if] the Holy One blessed be He trusted him, as it is stated: “Not so is My servant Moses; in My entire house he is trusted” (Numbers 12:7). Why did Moses say: ‘Come let us engage in the Tabernacle and calculate before you?’ It is because Moses heard the cynics of the generation speaking behind his back, as it is stated: “It would be when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and would stand at the entrance to the tent, and He would speak with Moses” (Exodus 33:9); “and they would gaze after Moses” (Exodus 33:8). What would they say? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Happy is the one who bore this man. What does she see in him? That all his days, the Holy One blessed be He speaks with him; all his days he is faultless with the Holy One blessed be He. That is, “they gazed after Moses.” Rabbi Ḥama said: They would say: Look at the nape of the son of Amram.13The cynics would claim that Moses’ nape was thick, indicating a life of wealth and indulgence. Another says to him: ‘The person who controlled the labor of the Tabernacle, would you not expect him to be wealthy?’ When Moses heard this, Moses said to them: ‘As you live, when the Tabernacle is completed, I will make an accounting for you.’ He said to them: ‘Come, let us make an accounting.’ That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.”
מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, מָה הָעֵדֻת, זוֹ תּוֹרָה שֶׁהֵם יְגֵעִים בָּהּ. אָמַר הָאֱלֹהִים בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה וּבִזְכוּת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אֲנִי מַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִגֵּיהִנֹּם, וְכֵן לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ הֶרְאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַתּוֹרָה וְהַגֵּיהִנֹּם וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְגָלֻיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יז): וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, זוֹ תּוֹרָה וְגֵיהִנֹּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, טו): וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר וְאֶת הָהָר עָשֵׁן וַיַּרְא הָעָם וַיָּנֻעוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מֵרָחֹק. וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית טו, ט): עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל. וְגָלֻיּוֹת מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יב): אֵימָה, זוֹ בָּבֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (חבקוק א, ז): אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא. חֲשֵׁכָה, זוֹ מָדַי, שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְזֵרוֹתֶיהָ. גְּדוֹלָה, זוֹ יָוָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ח, ח): וּצְפִיר הָעִזִּים הִגְדִּיל עַד מְאֹד וּכְעָצְמוֹ נִשְׁבְּרָה הַקֶּרֶן הַגְּדֹלָה וַתַּעֲלֶנָה חָזוּת אַרְבַּע תַּחְתֶּיהָ לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הַשָּׁמָיִם. נוֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו, זוֹ אֱדוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה מט, כא): מִקּוֹל נָפְלָם רָעֲשָׁה הָאָרֶץ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל יָמִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָנֶיךָ עֲסוּקִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַקַּרְבָּנוֹת הֵם נִצּוֹלִים מֵהֶן, אֶלָּא עֲתִידִין בָּנֶיךָ לְבַטֵּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בַּמֶּה אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּנֶיךָ בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם אוֹ בַּגָּלֻיּוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא אַבְרָהָם בֵּרַר לוֹ הַגָּלֻיּוֹת, וּמִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב, ל): אִם לֹא כִי צוּרָם מְכָרָם, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נא, א): הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר חֻצַּבְתֶּם. וַה' הִסְגִּירָם, שֶׁהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַחֲרָיו. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא וְזָקֵן אַחֵר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי, עָמַד לוֹ אַבְרָהָם תָּמֵהַּ וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶּׁיִּבְרֹר לוֹ, עַד שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיִּבְרֹר אֶת הַגָּלֻיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סו, יב): הִרְכַּבְתָּ אֱנוֹשׁ לְרֹאשֵׁנוּ, שִׁעְבַּדְתָּנוּ בַּגָּלֻיּוֹת. בָּאנוּ בָאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם, זוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם, חֶצְיוֹ אֵשׁ וְחֶצְיוֹ בָּרָד. וַתּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לָרְוָיָה, הֱוֵי: וְאֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת, מַהוּ הָעֵדֻת, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַקָּרְבָּנוֹת תְּהֵא עֵדוּת לָהֶם שֶׁאֵינָם יוֹרְדִין לַגֵּיהִנֹּם.
“The Tabernacle of Testimony” – what is “the Testimony”? This is the Torah in which they toil. God said: Due to the merit of the Torah and the merit of the offerings, I will rescue you from Gehenna. Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He showed Abraham the Torah, Gehenna, the offerings, and the exiles, as it is stated: “Behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between those pieces” (Genesis 15:17). These are Torah and Gehenna, as it is stated: “The entire people was seeing the thunder, the flames, the blast of the shofar, and the mountain smoking, and the people saw and trembled and stood at a distance” (Exodus 20:15).14Thus, fire and smoke are associated with Torah. Fire and smoke are associated with Gehenna as well; see Isaiah 30:33 and 31:9. From where are the offerings derived? As it is written: “A three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon” (Genesis 15:9). From where are the exiles derived? As it is stated: “Fear, [a great darkness, fell upon him]” (Genesis 15:12). “Fear [eima]” – this is Babylon, as it is stated; “[For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and impetuous nation.…] It is terrifying [ayom] and awesome; from it will emerge its law and its prominence” (Habakkuk 1:6–7).15The Babylonians are also called Chaldeans. “Darkness” – this is Media, which darkened the eyes of Israel with its edicts. “Great” – this is Greece, as it is stated: “The goat became exceedingly great, and as it became powerful, the great horn was broken, and in its place, there were four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of the heavens” (Daniel 8:8). “Fell upon him” – this is Edom, as it is stated: “[Hear the counsel of the Lord that He took against Edom.…] From the sound of their fall, the earth quaked” (Jeremiah 49:21).
The Holy One blessed be He said: All the days that your descendants will be engaged in Torah study and offerings, they will be saved from them; however, your descendants are destined to abrogate the offerings. By what means do you wish your descendants to be subjugated, by Gehenna or by exile? Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Abraham chose exile. From where is it derived? As it is stated: “If not that their rock had sold them” (Deuteronomy 32:30) – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Look to the rock from which you were hewn” (Isaiah 51:1). “And the Lord had handed them over” (Deuteronomy 32:30) – that the Holy One blessed be He agreed after him. Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa, and a different elder in the name of Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi]: Abraham stood wondering and did not know what he should choose, until the Holy One blessed be He said to him that he should choose exile, as it is stated: “You let people ride over our heads” (Psalms 66:12) – You subjugate us by exile. “We went through fire and water” (Psalms 66:12) – this is Gehenna, half of which is fire and half of which is hail, “but You took us out to comfort” (Psalms 66:12).16God saved us from Gehenna by sending us into exile. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.” What is “the Testimony”? As long as Israel engages in Torah study and offerings, it will be testimony for them that they will not descend to Gehenna.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, מַהוּ אֵלֶּה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא הָיוּ רְאוּיִם שֶׁיִּשְׁלֹט מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת בָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, טז): חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת מַהוּ חָרוּת, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר חֵרוּת מִן גָּלֻיּוֹת, וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר חֵרוּת מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן חָמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם יָבוֹא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת וְיֹאמַר לִי לָמָּה נִבְרֵאתִי, אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לוֹ סְטַטְיוֹנָר בְּרָאתִיךָ עַל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְלֹא עַל בָּנַי, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה הִלְבִּישָׁם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִזִּיו הֲדָרוֹ. וּמֶה הָיָה הַלְּבוּשׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר עֲטָרוֹת הִלְבִּישָׁן, וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר כְּלִי זַיִן נָתַן לָהֶם וְהַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל חָקוּק עָלָיו. וְכָל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדָם לֹא הָיָה מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת יָכוֹל לִשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם, מִנַּיִן אַתָּה לָמֵד, מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב שָׁם (שמות לג, ה): וְעַתָּה הוֹרֵד עֶדְיְךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ. וְרַבִּי סִיסָא אָמַר פּוֹרְפִּירָא הִלְבִּישָׁן, וְרַבִּי הוּנָא אוֹמֵר זוֹנִיאוֹת הִלְבִּישָׁן, וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ הֶעֱבִיר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵהֶם כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַטּוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לג, ו): וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב. בִּשְׁלשָׁה שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרָא הָהָר הַזֶּה, הַר הָאֱלֹהִים, הַר חוֹרֵב, הַר סִינַי. הַר הָאֱלֹהִים לָמָּה, שֶׁשָּׁם הוֹדִיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱלָהוּתוֹ. סִינַי לָמָּה, שֶׁשָֹּׂנָא אֶת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְאָהַב אֶת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים. חוֹרֵב לָמָּה, שֶׁבּוֹ נִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת חֶרֶב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמט, ו): רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם. וְהָיָה משֶׁה בְּסִינַי מְקַבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, הָלְכוּ אֵצֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ (שמות לב, א): עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ כִּי זֶה משֶׁה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֹא יָדַעְנוּ מֶה הָיָה לוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶם אַהֲרֹן אֶתְמוֹל אֲמַרְתֶּם (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה, וְעַתָּה אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים: קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים. רָאָה שֶׁהָרְגוּ לְחוּר וְנִתְיָרֵא, אָמַר לָהֶם (שמות לב, ב): פָּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב, מִיָּד: וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ, וְהָיוּ כָּל הָעָם נוֹתְנִין לוֹ עַד שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם דַּיֵּכֶם. וְכֵן משֶׁה הוֹכִיחָן (דברים א, א): וְלָבָן וַחֲצֵרֹת וְדִי זָהָב, מָשָׁל לְבָחוּר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַמְּדִינָה רָאָה אוֹתָם גּוֹבִין צְדָקָה וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ תֵּן, וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן, עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ דַּיֶּךָֹּ, הָלַךְ מְעַט וְרָאָה אוֹתָם גּוֹבִין לְתֵיַטְרוֹן, אָמְרוּ לוֹ תֵּן, וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ דַּיֶּךָֹּ, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל נָתְנוּ זָהָב לָעֵגֶל עַד שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם דַּי, וְנָדְבוּ זָהָב לַמִּשְׁכָּן עַד שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם דַּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לו, ז): וְהַמְּלָאכָה הָיְתָה דַּיָּם לְכָל הַמְּלָאכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתָהּ וְהוֹתֵר. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָבוֹא זְהַב הַמִּשְׁכָּן וִיכַפֵּר עַל זְהַב הָעֵגֶל, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת הָעֵגֶל הִכְעַסְתֶּם אוֹתִי בְּאֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּאֵלֶּה אֲנִי מִתְרַצֶּה לָכֶם, הֱוֵי: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּאֵלֶּה נִתְרַצֵּיתִי לָכֶם, וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט, יב): הִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מִצָּפוֹן וּמִיָּם וְאֵלֶּה מֵאֶרֶץ סִינִים. וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה ס, ח): מִי אֵלֶּה כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה וְכַיּוֹנִים אֶל אֲרֻבֹּתֵיהֶם.
Another matter: “These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle” – what are “these”? When the Holy One blessed be He gave the Torah to Israel, they did not warrant having the angel of death have dominion over them, as it is stated: “Engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). What is ḥarut? Rabbi Yehuda says: Freedom [ḥerut] from exile. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Freedom from the angel of death. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Ḥama said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: The Holy One blessed be He said: Were the angel of death to come and say to Me: Why was I created? I would say to him: I created you as a sentinel over the idolaters, but not over My children, as when they received the Torah, the Holy One blessed be He adorned them with the aura of His splendor.
What was the adornment? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: He adorned them with crowns. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: He gave them weapons, and the great Name was inscribed on it. As long as it was in their possession, the angel of death had no dominion over them. From where do you derive this? It is from what is written there: “Now remove your ornament from upon you, [and I will know what to do with you]” (Exodus 33:5).17This verse, stated in the aftermath of the sin of the Golden Calf, implies that as long as they had these ornaments they could not be punished with death. Rabbi Sisa said: He adorned them in a royal purple garment. Rabbi Huna says: He adorned them with belts.
When they sinned, the Holy One blessed be He removed all that goodness from them, as it is stated: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). This mountain was called three names: The mountain of God, Mount Ḥorev, and Mount Sinai. Why the mountain of God? Because it was there that the Holy One blessed be He made known His godliness. Why Sinai? Because he despised [sana] the residents of the upper world and loved the residents of the lower world. Why Ḥorev? Because it was there that the Torah, which is called a sword [ḥerev], was given, as it is stated: “Exaltation of the Almighty is in their throats, and a double-edged sword is in their hand” (Psalms 149:6).
Moses was on Sinai receiving the Torah. They went to Aaron and said to him: “[Arise and] craft us a god that will go before us, because this man Moses, who took us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him” (Exodus 32:1). Aaron said to them: Yesterday, you said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform” (Exodus 19:8), and now you are saying: “Arise and craft us a god”? He saw that they had killed Ḥur and he was afraid. He said to them: “Remove the gold [zahav] rings” (Exodus 32:2). Immediately, “[all the people] removed [the gold rings]” (Exodus 32:3), and the entire people was giving him until he said to them: It is enough for you [dayekhem]. So, Moses rebuked them: “Lavan, Ḥatzerot, and Di-Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1). This is analogous to a young man who entered a city. He saw them collecting charity, and they said to him: Give, and he gave, until they said to him: It is enough for you. So too, Israel gave gold for the calf until [Aaron] said to them: Enough, and they donated gold for the Tabernacle until [Moses] said to them: Enough, as it is stated: “[Moses commanded, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying: Let neither man nor woman perform any more labor for the gifts of the Sanctuary; and the people ceased bringing.] The labor was sufficient for all the labor to perform it, and beyond” (Exodus 36:6–7). The Holy One blessed be He said: Let the gold of the Tabernacle come and atone for the gold of the calf.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: When you crafted the calf, you angered Me with: “This [eleh] is your god” (Exodus 32:4). Now that you have crafted the Tabernacle, with these [be’eleh] I am reconciled with you. That is, “these are the reckonings of the Tabernacle.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: In this world, with these [eleh] I reconciled with you. Likewise in the future, as it is stated: “Behold, these [eleh] will come from afar, and behold, these [eleh] from the north and from the west, and those [ve’eleh] from the land of Sinim” (Isaiah 49:12). And it says: “Who are these [eleh] who fly like a cloud and like doves to their cotes?” (Isaiah 60:8).