FROM THE TORAH
Exodus 38:21-40:38
Moses has descended from Mount Sinai with the second set of Tablets in his hand. Last week, in Sedra Vayakhel, he issued the call and the people complied to supply the required sacred gifts (terumah). Bezalel, assisted by Oholiav, organized and directed the artisans to commence and complete the construction of the Tabernacle and the equipping of Aaron and his sons, the Priests. Now, in Sedra Pekudey, the last sedra of the Book of Exodus, there is an accounting in review of the work done and its cost, and finally we are given the layout of the various components of the Tabernacle complex.
Final Report
Account of the Work
Introduction
38:21
These are the Accounts of (Pekudey) the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony, which were authorized by order of Moses, the work of the Levites by the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the Kohen:
Bezalel and Oholiav
38:22-23
Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur of the tribe of Judah executed all that the Eternal commanded Moses. His associate was Oholiav son of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan, graver and designer, weaver in blue, purple and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.
Precious Metals
38:24-31
The value of all precious metals used in the work of the Sanctuary is as follows:
Gold subjected to the wave offering is 29 talents and 730 sacred shekels.
Silver of those recorded of the congregation is 100 talents and 1,775 sacred shekels, half of a sacred shekel per person for everyone who is counted from the age of 20 years and upward, the total of which is 603,550.
The cost of casting the sockets of the Sanctuary and of the Dividing Curtain is 100 talents of silver, one talent per socket. The remainder of 1,775 shekels is expended for the hooks of the posts, the overlay of their tops, and their bands.
Copper subjected to the wave offering is 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.
With the copper are made sockets for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and the Copper Altar (Mizbach Nechoshet) and its copper grating and all of the implements of the Altar, and the sockets of the Courtyard all around and the sockets of its entrance, and all the Pegs of the Tabernacle and all of the Pegs of the Courtyard around it.
Textiles
39:1
From the blue, purple and crimson yarns are made plaited garments for service in the Sanctuary and holy garments for Aaron as the Eternal commanded Moses.
Ephod
39:2-7
The Ephod is made of gold threads that are worked into the blue, purple and crimson yarns, and twisted fine linen, the work of a designer. They made for it two shoulder pieces attached at their ends. The decorated band upon it is like it and of one piece with it, as the Eternal commanded Moses. Shoham stones, bordered by plaited work of gold, are placed upon them and engraved with seal engravings of the names of the sons of Israel, as stones of remembrance for them, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
Breastplate
39:8-21
The Breastplate (Choshen) is made like the work of the Ephod, from the same materials, the work of a designer. It is a handbreadth square and folded. Different specified stones are set in four rows, three stones in each row. The stones are mounted in borders of plaited gold. The names of the sons of Israel are engraved, each one upon one of the stones, for the twelve tribes.
Two rings of gold are made and placed upon the two ends of the Breastplate. Two braided, interwoven chains of pure gold are made for the Breastplate and attached to the rings. Two frames of gold are made, and the other ends of the two braided, interwoven chains of pure gold are attached to them. The gold frames are attached to the front of the shoulder pieces of the Ephod.
Another two rings of gold are made and attached to the edges of the inner side of the two respective ends of the Breastplate, facing the Ephod. Yet another two rings of gold are made and fastened to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the Ephod yet above the design work upon it. Through these two sets of rings, the Breastplate is attached to the Ephod by blue thread so that the Breastplate rests upon the design work of the Ephod and is not displaced, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
Robe
39:22-26
The Robe (Me’il) of the Ephod is made entirely of blue, the work of a weaver. In the middle is an opening for the head with a binding around it so that it does not tear. Along the hem of the Robe there are bells of pure gold alternating with ornamentation resembling pomegranates. The Robe thus described is for officiating, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
Other Priestly Furnishings
39:27-29
The Tunics (Kotnot) of fine linen, the work of a weaver, are made for Aaron and his sons, also the Headdress (Mitznefet) of fine linen, the adorned Turbans (Migba’ot) of fine linen, the Linen Underpants (Michnesey Vad) of twisted fine linen, and the Sash (Avnet) of twisted fine linen and blue, purple and crimson yarn, the work of a weaver, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
“Holy to the Eternal”
39:30-31
A Consecration Plate (Tzitz Nezer haKodesh) of pure gold is made, and upon it is engraved, in the manner of seal engravings, “Holy to the Eternal.” It is suspended on a blue thread on the front of the Headdress, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
Blessing of Moses
39:32-43
This completes all of the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, the Children of Israel having done all that the Eternal commanded Moses. Then they bring the Tabernacle to Moses along with all of its specified accessories and consumables, including the vestments of Aaron and his sons, as described above, in accordance with all that the Eternal commanded Moses. When Moses sees all of the work thus done, he blesses the Children of Israel.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE TABERNACLE
40:1-33
The Eternal gives Moses instruction as to the arrangement and anointing of the Tabernacle and its appurtenances:
Set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting (cf. Exodus 26:1-13; 36:8-18) on the First Day of the First Month. Put there the Ark of the Testimony (cf. Exodus 25:10-16; 37:1-5), and screen it off with the Dividing Curtain (cf. Exodus 26:31-35; 36:35-36). Bring the Table (cf. Exodus 25:23-30; 37:10-16) and arrange its setting. Bring in the Menorah (cf. Exodus 25:31-40; 37:17-24) and light its lamps. Place the Golden Altar (Mizbach Zahav) for Incense (cf. Exodus 30:1-10; 37:25-29) in front of the Ark of the Testimony, and place the Screen of the Entrance to the Tabernacle (cf. Exodus 26:36-37; 36:37-38).
Position the Altar of Burnt Offering (cf. Exodus 29:37-46; 38:1-7) outside of the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, but place the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar and supply it with water (cf. Exodus 30:17-21; 38:8). Then enclose the Courtyard (cf. Exodus 27:9-19; 38:9-17) around and install the Screen of the Gate of the Courtyard (cf. Exodus 38:18-19).
Use the Anointing Oil (cf. Exodus 30:22-33) to anoint the Tabernacle and all that is in it to make them holy. Then anoint the Altar of Burnt Offering and its implements to make it most holy. Anoint the Laver and its base to make it holy.
Bring Aaron and his sons near to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Wash them with water. Upon Aaron put the holy garments and anoint him to be holy and to serve Me as priest. Upon his sons put the Tunics and anoint them as you anointed their father to serve Me as priests. Their anointing shall validate their priesthood into the future forever. (Cf. Exodus 28:1-29:36)
Moses acts in accordance with all that the Eternal has commanded him. So it is that on the First Day of the First Month of the Second Year, the Tabernacle is set up by Moses with its Boards (cf. Exodus 26:15-30; 36:20-34), its sockets, its poles, and its pillars (cf. Exodus 35:11). He spreads the Tent over the Tabernacle and places the Covering of the Tent over it from above, as the Eternal commanded Moses (cf. Exodus 26:7-14; 36:8-19).
He puts the Testimony into the Ark and positions the poles on the Ark. He puts the Propitiatory upon the Ark from above (cf. Exodus 25:17-22; 37:6-9). He brings the Ark into the Tabernacle and positions the Dividing Curtain to screen off the Ark of the Testimony, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
He places the Table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the Tabernacle outside of the Dividing Curtain. He duly arranges the setting of Bread before the Eternal, as the Eternal commanded Moses (cf. Exodus 25:30). He places the Menorah in the Tent of Meeting opposite the Table, on the south side of the Tabernacle. He kindles the lamps before the Eternal, as the Eternal commanded Moses. He places the Golden Altar in the Tent of Meeting before the Dividing Curtain. He burns Incense of spices (cf. Exodus 30:34-38) on it, as the Eternal commanded Moses. Then he sets up the Screen of the Entrance to the Tabernacle.
He places the Altar of Burnt Offering at the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and he offers upon it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as the Eternal commanded Moses. He sets up the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar and supplies it with water for washing. Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons would wash from it their hands and their feet when coming to the Tent of Meeting and when drawing near to the Altar, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
He sets up the Courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and the Altar, and he installs the Screen at the Gate of the Courtyard.
Moses has completed the work.
PROFOUND PRESENCE OF THE ETERNAL
40:34-38
Then a cloud covers the Tent of Meeting, and the Profound Presence of the Eternal fills the Tabernacle. Moses is thereby prevented from entering the Tent of Meeting. When the cloud is lifted from the Tabernacle, then the Children of Israel can proceed in their journeying. Otherwise they have to wait for the cloud to be lifted. The cloud of the Eternal is over the Tabernacle by day, and fire, by night, in the sight of all the House of Israel throughout their journeys.
Chazak! Chazak! Venitchazek!
Be strong! Be strong! Let us be strong!
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Maftir for Shabbat Hachodesh
Fourth of the Four Special Parashiyot
Exodus 12:1-20
Pesach and Matzot
Commandment of Pesach
12:1-13
The Eternal explains to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is the beginning of months to you; it shall be for you the first month of the year (Exodus 12:2). Direct all of the Congregation of Israel to take, on the tenth of this month, a lamb for each father’s house, a male without blemish, a yearling from the sheep or from the goats. If the household be too small for a whole lamb, then let two neighbors in close proximity share in the cost of one lamb for their two households. Calculate the proportionate cost, taking into account what each household member consumes. Keep watch over the lamb until the fourteenth day of this month, then all the community of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter their lambs at dusk. They shall put some of the blood on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they will eat the lamb that night—its head, legs and entrails—roasted, not cooked in any way with water. They shall eat it fire-roasted with unleavened bread over bitter herbs. They shall be careful not to leave any of it overnight until the morning. They must consume it or burn it up with fire before the morning.
“In this manner shall you eat it: your loins girded, your sandals upon your feet, and your staff in your hand. Eat it purposefully: it is Pesach for the Eternal. On that night I shall pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn of man and beast, and I shall execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt, I the Eternal. The blood that you put upon your houses shall serve as a sign that you are there, such that when I see the blood, I shall pass over and protect you so that my plague of destruction throughout the land of Egypt will not affect you” (Exodus 12:11-13).
Festival of Matzot
12:14-20
“Then the day shall be your commemoration, Matzot, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, a festival to the Eternal throughout your generations, a statute for all time, for by this very day I shall have brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. For seven days you shall eat Unleavened Bread, beginning on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening and concluding on the twenty-first day of the month in the evening. Remove all leaven from your homes by the first day, and throughout the seven days let no leaven be found in your homes. The person who eats anything leavened during these seven days shall be cut off from Israel. In addition, the first day and the seventh day shall be holy convocations for you on which no work shall be done, except for the preparation of food.”
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FROM THE PROPHETS
Haftarah for Shabbat Hachodesh
Ezekiel 45:16-46:18
Procedures for the Nasi and Offerings
Role of the Nasi
45:16-17
All of the populace shall provide the specified terumah (sacred gift) for the Nasi (elevated leader). The Nasi will then have the responsibility for providing the burnt offerings, the meal offering, and the libation, for all of the Sabbaths, New Moons and Festivals, also the sin offering and the well-being offering, to seek atonement on behalf of the House of Israel.
The Pesach and the Festival
45:18-25
Thus declares the Lord God: On the first day of the first month, purify the Sanctuary with the offering of a bull of the herd without blemish. Put some of the blood of the sin offering upon the doorpost of the House and upon the four corners of the ledge of the Altar and upon the doorpost of the gate of the inner court. Repeat this on the seventh day for those who might have erred or did not understand, thereby gaining atonement for the House.
Then on the fourteenth day you shall have the Pesach, a seven-day festival during which Matzot (Unleavened Bread) shall be eaten. On that day the Nasi shall prepare for himself and for all of the people of the Land a bull of sin offering. For each of the seven days of the festival he shall make a burnt offering to the Eternal—seven bulls and seven rams without blemish—and a sin offering of a male goat each day and a meal offering of an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, and of oil a hin for each ephah.
In the seventh month on the fifteenth day of the month, on the Festival, he shall do the same for seven days: for the sin offering, for the burnt offering, for the meal offering, and for the oil.
The Nasi and the Offerings
46:1-15
Thus declares the Lord God: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be closed during the six days of work, but it shall be opened on the Sabbath Day and on the New Moon Day. The Nasi shall enter by way of the vestibule and stop at the doorpost of the gate. The Kohanim shall perform his burnt offering and his well-being offering, he shall prostrate himself upon the threshold, then he shall depart. The gate shall not be closed until the evening. The people also shall prostrate themselves at the entrance of the same gate on Sabbaths and on New Moons before the Eternal.
The burnt offering of the Nasi on the Sabbath Day shall consist of six lambs and a ram, all without blemish, and the meal offering, an ephah for the ram and as much as he chooses for the lambs, and of oil a hin for each ephah. On the New Moon Day it shall consist of a bull of the herd and six lambs and a ram, all without blemish, and the meal offering, an ephah for the bull, an ephah for the ram, and as much as he can afford for the lambs, and of oil a hin for each ephah. On the Festivals and the Appointed Days the meal offering shall consist of an ephah for the bull, an ephah for the ram, and as much as he chooses for the lambs, and of oil a hin for each ephah. On a Day you shall make a burnt offering of a lamb, a year old, without blemish, every morning, and along with it a meal offering, a sixth of an ephah of fine flour and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. These are everlasting statutes to be performed regularly (tamid). Offer the lamb and the meal offering and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.
On the Sabbath Day and on the New Moon Day, the Nasi enters by way of the vestibule of the gate, and he departs by the same way. On the Appointed Days, when the people come before the Eternal, whether they enter by way of the north gate or the south gate to worship, they should continue on the same course and depart by the opposite gate. This includes the Nasi, when he enters with them: he should enter and depart in the midst of the people by the same course that they follow.
If the Nasi should elect to make a burnt offering or well-being offering on a weekday, the gate facing east shall be opened for him and the procedure should be followed as on the Sabbath Day, except that when he departs, the gate should be closed behind him.
The Nasi and Property
46:16-18
Thus declares the Lord God: The Nasi may transfer his own property to his sons. However, if he seeks to transfer property to his servants, that property returns to the Nasi with the year of release (cf. Leviticus 25:10ff.). The Nasi may not appropriate the property of the people.
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FROM TALMUD AND MIDRASH
Exodus Rabbah 51:1
Actions of the Faithful
“These are the Accounts of the Tabernacle…
which were authorized by order of Moses…
by the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the Kohen.”
(Exodus 38:21)
Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba opened his discourse
with these words:
“A man of faithfulness is abundant in blessings,
while one who hastens to grow rich
shall not be held guiltless.”
(Proverbs 28:20)
You will discover that whoever is faithful—the Holy One, blessed be He, brings blessing as a result of that person’s actions; while one who is not “shall not be held guiltless.”
“If I appear to any Prophet among you,
I would be speaking to him through a dream.
But this is not so of My servant Moses;
he is trusted through all of My household [b’chol beytee].”
(Numbers 12:6-7)
The one who is faithful is Moses, “trusted in all matters of My House [b’chol Beytee]” (Numbers 12:7): Whichever projects he oversaw as treasurer were blessed, because he was faithful.
“While one who hastens to grow rich shall not be held guiltless”: This was Korach, who was a Levite, but he sought to usurp the High Priesthood as well. What was his end? “The earth opened its mouth (in judgment of his guilt)” (Numbers 16:32) and swallowed him!
How was Moses a “man of faithfulness” when he was made treasurer of the work of the Tabernacle? Our Rabbis taught: There should be no less than two officers appointed to supervise matters involving money. Yet we find that Moses was appointed sole treasurer! How could this be? Although Moses was the sole treasurer of the precious materials that went into the construction of the Tabernacle, he always called in others and depended upon their calculations, as was said, “These are the Accounts of the Tabernacle,” but not “which Moses (alone) authorized”; rather, “which were authorized by order of Moses” and “by the hand of Ithamar….!” This appears to be the only reason why Ithamar is mentioned, as his role in the supervision of the construction of the Tabernacle appears nowhere else.
Exodus Rabbah 51:4
The Tabernacle is Testimony of God’s Forgiveness
“These are the Accounts of the Tabernacle,
the Tabernacle of the Testimony…”
(Exodus 38:21)
The “Testimony” (Edut) usually is associated specifically with the Tablets in the Ark.
What is the meaning here of “Tabernacle of Testimony?”
It is Testimony to all the world that the Tabernacle was warranted by the Holy One, blessed be He. Mirkin Commentary: Solomon himself expressed the skeptical amazement of the world when he said, “But will God really dwell on earth? Even the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this House that I have built?” (I Kings 8:27) Indeed the nations thought that Moses was making the Tabernacle on his own accord! But when they saw that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed His Presence in the Tabernacle (cf. Exodus 40:34-38), this served as testimony supportive of Moses, that he had been mandated by the Holy One, blessed be He, to make the Tabernacle.
Rabbi Shimon son of Rabbi Ishmael taught: It is testimony to all the inhabitants of the world that there is forgiveness for Israel! Rabbi Isaac related this to a king who married a woman and loved her more than he should have. Eventually he became angry with her and left her, and her neighbors said to her: He is not coming back! But sometime later the king sent word to her: Prepare my palace, open the couches, for on such-and-such a day I shall return to you! On the appointed day the king arrived and was reconciled with her. He joined her in the palace and shared a meal with her. Her neighbors were in disbelief, except that the aroma of spices convinced them that the king was reconciled with her.
“Her sinful prophets and iniquitous priests
shed blood of the just in the midst of Jerusalem;
the people warned them away,
they said among the nations:
They shall dwell there no more!”
(Lamentations 4:13-15)
Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel and brought them before Mount Sinai (as prophets) to give them the Torah and called them “a nation of priests” (Exodus 19:6). But after forty days they sinned with the golden calf, and the gentile nations said that He would never be reconciled with them again, as was said, “They said among the nations, ‘Israel—her sinful prophets and iniquitous priests—shall dwell there no more’” (Lamentations 4:13-15)! But when Moses went to plead for mercy on their behalf, immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave them, as was said, “The Eternal said, ‘I forgive in accordance with your plea’” (Numbers 14:20)!
To this said Moses: Master of the Universe, I for my part am convinced that You have pardoned Israel, but make it evident in the sight of all the nations that You harbor no complaint against them! Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: By your life, I place My Presence in their midst, as was said, “Let them make for Me a Sanctuary, and I shall be present in their midst” (Exodus 25:8), evidence amidst the nations that I have pardoned them! Therefore was it called “the Tabernacle of Testimony,” as testimony it is with respect to Israel in the sight of all the nations that the Holy One, blessed be He, has pardoned them.
Exodus Rabbah 51:5
Israel is Security for God and His Testimony
“These are the Accounts of (Pekudey) the Tabernacle (Mishkan),
the Tabernacle of (Mishkan) the Testimony…”
(Exodus 38:21)
Said Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: When the Roman emperor Hadrian entered the Holy of Holies, he arrogantly blasphemed God. Said Rabbi Chiya bar Abba: This may be understood through the words of David, “It seemed as if they (the foreign nations) were wielding their axes upward in a thicket of trees” (Psalms 74:5): Would You allow that if they could cut down cedars for ladders, they could reach You? But since they cannot so hope to reach You, as is written, “For they attempted evil against You, intending mischief which could not be accomplished” (Psalms 21:12), they attack us instead, as was said, “The nations have attacked Your legacy, they have defiled Your Holy Temple, turning Jerusalem into a heap of ruins” (Psalms 79:1)! And why should they have been allowed to do this? Because we served as security in pledge for Him, as was said, “These are those entrusted for (pekudey) the Divine Presence (Mishkan)…”!
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba enriched his lesson by comparing the idolatrous nations to the king’s enemy who wishes to supplant him but cannot. What does he do? He finds a statue of the king which he would like to topple, but fears that the king would still destroy him if he toppled his image. So, instead, he digs under the base, intending to destabilize the footing of the statue in order to cause it to fall. So do the idolatrous nations wish to wage war against the Holy One, blessed be He, but cannot, so instead they come to wage war against Israel. This is what David said: “The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Eternal and against His anointed one” (Psalms 2:2), but since they cannot succeed, they wage war against Israel: “Let us tear away their cords (which support the Eternal and His anointed)” (ibid. 3): Since we cannot succeed against the Eternal, then let us uproot Israel from the world! When would that be possible? When they have nothing concrete to secure, but for now the Tabernacle of God’s Presence (Mishkan) is secured by them as its pledge; thus read it: “These are those entrusted for (pekudey) the Tabernacle of God’s Presence (Mishkan), Security (Mashkon) for the Testimony!”
Exodus Rabbah 51:8
Discrimination and Reconciliation
“The artisans report to Moses
that the people have brought more than enough gifts…”
(Exodus 36:4-5)
“These are the words [devarim] which Moses spoke to all of Israel
on the other side of the Jordan in the Wilderness…
between Paran and Tophel
and Lavan and Chatzerot and Dee Zahav.
(Deuteronomy 1:1)
When Aaron was confronted with the people’s demand for “a god to lead them” (Exodus 32:1), he said: “Take off the golden rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me” (ibid. 2)! The people complied: “All of the people removed the golden rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron” (ibid. 3). They continued to contribute their gold until Aaron said: You have brought enough! This is suggested subsequently in what must have been a reproof by Moses when he reviewed those events with the people: “These are the words of reproof [devarim] which Moses spoke to all of Israel…dai zahav (‘enough gold!’)” (Deuteronomy 1:1).
It may be likened to a young, inexperienced man who arrives at a place where he is solicited to contribute tzedakah. He responds generously and does not stop contributing until he is told, “Enough!” Then he moves on and encounters another solicitation, not for tzedakah but for a Roman circus (the venue of anti-humanitarian gladiatorial combat). To this the young man responds with indiscriminate generosity until he is told, “Enough!”
In similar manner did Israel contribute gold for the molten calf until they were told, “Enough!” But then, to their redeeming merit, they contributed gold for the Tabernacle also until they are told, “Enough!” as was said: “They take from Moses all of the terumah which the Children of Israel have brought and continue to bring every morning. The artisans report to Moses that the people have brought more than enough gifts of terumah. So Moses causes a notice to be circulated among the people to cease bringing materials, and they cease” (Exodus 36:3-7). Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Let their generous gifts of gold for the Tabernacle count as atonement for the indiscriminate gold of the molten calf!
“These are the Accounts of the Tabernacle …”
(Exodus 38:21)
Morever, said the Holy One, blessed be He, when you made the golden calf, your exact words were, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4)! Now that the contributions that you have brought for the Tabernacle are introduced by the same word, “These are the Accounts of the Tabernacle…” (Exodus 38:21), I am reconciled to you.
Exodus Rabbah 52:3
Like the “Woman of Valor”
“This completes all of the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting…
Then the Children of Israel…bring the Tabernacle to Moses
along with all of its specified accessories and consumables.…”
(Exodus 39:32-33)
This is what is meant by the words:
“A woman of valor, who can find?
For her price is far above rubies…
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the final day.”
(Proverbs 31:10-25)
What is the meaning of “she laughs at the final day?” All rewards for the righteous are set aside in the world to come; therefore, “she laughs at the final day” means that she expects joyfully that her reward awaits her in the world to come.
When Rabbi Abahu departed from the world, he saw all the rewards that were set aside for him in the world to come and began to rejoice: “All of these for Rabbi Abahu?! ‘In vain have I labored, spent my strength for nothing, while my judgment resides with the Eternal and my reward with my God’ (Isaiah 49:4)!” In other words, “she laughs at the final day”: He recognizes joyfully that his reward awaits him in the world to come.
Another interpretation: When does the Torah rejoice for one who labors therein? “She laughs at his final day”: She, the Torah, expects joyfully that his reward awaits him in the world to come!
Zavdi ben Levi and Rabbi Yosi ben Patros and Rabbi Joshua ben Levi—each one pronounced a verse at their departure from the world. One of them declared:
“For this (pointing to his reward)
shall every faithful one pray to You
at the time of finding You (at the time of death);
then indeed the flood of great waters
shall not come near him!”
(Psalms 32:6)
Another one of them declared:
“How great is Your goodness
which You have hidden
for those who fear you,
which You activate (as a reward)
for those who trust in You,
as against the rest of humanity!”
(Psalms 31:20)
And the other one read:
“For in Him [vo]
shall our heart rejoice,
because we have trusted
in His holy Name.”
(Psalms 33:21)
Interpreting:
“For in it [vo] (in our reward)
shall our heart rejoice…”:
When the righteous depart from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to rejoice, seeing their reward, in accordance with the interpretation of Ben Azzai on “Costly [yakar] in the sight of the Eternal is the death of His righteous ones” (Psalms 116:15): “Precious [yakar] in the sight of the Eternal is the death of His righteous ones.” When does the Holy One, blessed be He, disclose to the righteous the precious [yakar] (reward) that has been set aside for them? Immediately before their death, as may be inferred from, “Precious [yakar] in the sight of the Eternal is the death of His righteous ones”: At that very hour they see and rejoice! Therefore “she laughs at the last day”: Laughter is theirs for the final day!
It happened that a student of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai went abroad and returned to the Land of Israel a wealthy man. The other students became envious and wished to derive the same benefit by leaving the Land of Israel. When Rabbi Shimon realized what was happening, he took his students out to a certain valley facing Meron and offered the following prayer: O valley, O valley, be filled with gold dinars! Whereupon the valley began to be filled with gold dinars. He said to them: If it is gold you want, here it is, take it! Only know that the equivalent reward that awaits you in the world to come, for your labor here in Torah, will be deducted. But “she laughs at her final day”: She expects joyfully that her reward awaits her in the world to come!
The story is told of Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta, who realized on Erev Shabbat that he was without means. So he went out of the city, prayed to God, and was granted from Heaven a precious jewel, which he sold for abundant means to observe that Shabbat. His wife inquired: Whence all of this sudden abundance? From the Holy One, blessed be He, he answered cryptically. She responded: Unless you tell me exactly how you came in to this, I will not taste a morsel of it. So he proceeded to tell her how he had prayed to God, was granted a jewel, which he sold for money to purchase elegant Sabbath meals. To which his wife responded: So do you want your table depleted while the table of your neighbor is full?! Whereupon Rabbi Shimon went out to consult with Rabbi, who advised him to return to his wife and tell her that Rabbi assures them: If your table is depleted, I will fill it from mine! Thus he told his wife, and when she heard it, she bid her husband come with her to “the one who taught you Torah.” Rabbi, she said to him, tell me: Does one man see another in the world to come? Rather does not each righteous person occupy his own world? as the Sage taught, “A man goes to his eternal home…” (Ecclesiastes 12:5b) in the singular, not “eternal homes!” So her husband undertook to return the gift to Heaven. Even though our Rabbis taught that the second miracle is far more difficult than the first (since Heaven’s acts are usually final and Man cannot negotiate with Heaven), nonetheless he extended his hand to give back the jewel and an angel came down and took it from him. Why? Because the reward for laboring in Torah is not for this world but for the world to come, “for the final day!” Thus, “she laughs at the final day”: Strength and dignity are her “clothing” as she expects joyfully that her reward awaits her in the world to come!
Another interpretation: “Strength and dignity are her clothing”—this is Moses, of whom was said, “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, when he came down from the Mountain after His speaking with him” (Exodus 34:29). “And she laughs at the final day”—these words evoke the response of Moses to scoffers who, notwithstanding, expressed doubt that the Divine Presence could have rested upon “that son of Amram.” Moses did not react to them at first, but when the Eternal said to him, “Set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting…” (Exodus 40:2b), he began laughing, as was said of the “woman of valor,” “She laughs at the final day,” whereupon the Children of Israel begin to approach Moses, carrying along the various parts of the Tabernacle, as was said, “Then the Children of Israel…bring the Tabernacle to Moses!”
Exodus Rabbah 15:11-12
The Month of Redemption
“This month is for you the beginning of months,
it shall be for you the first of the months of the year.”
(Exodus 12:2)
This is elucidated in:
“By the word of the Eternal were the heavens made,
and by the breath of His mouth, all of their array…
Happy is the nation whose God is the Eternal,
the people whom He has chosen to be His legacy!”
(Psalms 33:6,12)
When the Holy One, blessed be He, chose His world, He established its months and years—“God said: Let there be lights in the expanse of heaven to distinguish between day and night, serving as signs for the set times, for days, and for years” (Genesis 1:14)—and, similarly, when He chose Jacob and his sons to be redeemed, He established his beginning month of redemption—“This month is for you the beginning of months…”(Exodus 12:2a)—the month in which the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt.
Moreover, “…it shall be for you the first of the months of the year” (Exodus 12:2b), suggests that for Israel it is the prime month for redemption. It was the month in which Isaac was born, the month in which Isaac was bound, and the month in which Jacob received the blessing of his father Isaac. It is the same month in which Israel’s descendants would be redeemed in the future, as the Prophet said, “I shall show him wonders as in the days of your going out from the land of Egypt” (Micah 7:15)!
This may be compared to a king who liberates his son from prison and thereupon declares: “Make this day a holiday for all time, for on this day my son went out from darkness to light, from the iron yoke to life, from slavery to freedom, and from servitude to redemption!” Thus did the Holy One, blessed be He, liberate Israel from prison, as was said, “God brings home the lonely, liberates the imprisoned to security…” (Psalms 68:7), from deathly darkness, as was said, “He brought them out from darkness and the shadow of death…” (Psalms 107:14), from the yoke of iron to the yoke of Torah, from slavery to freedom, as was said, “You are children of the Eternal your God…” (Deuteronomy 14:1), from servitude to redemption, as was said, “All of their captors held them in their grasp, they refused to release them, [but] mighty is their Redeemer, the Eternal of Hosts is His Name, He champions their cause…” (Jeremiah 50:33-34)!
Fittingly, He gave them cause to rejoice, wreaking vengeance upon their enemies, as was said, “For I, the Eternal, am your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior, I have made Egypt your ransom, Ethiopia and Saba in exchange for you, because you are precious in My sight, you are honored and I love you, I give men in exchange for you, and other nations in place of your life” (Isaiah 43:3-4)!
Rabbi Meir taught: It was a redemption not only “for you” (Exodus 12:2a) but also, redundantly, “for You” (ibid. 2b), that is, for Me! This is as if to say, “I (God) was redeemed with you!” This is supported by the words of King David: “Who is like Your people Israel, a nation unique on the earth…which You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, nation and God” (II Samuel 7:23)! So establish this month both for yourselves and for Me!
Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 5:13
Israel declares the Appointed Days of the Eternal
“The Eternal says to Moses and to Aaron
in the land of Egypt:
This month is to you the beginning of months,
numbered first for you of the months of the year.”
(Exodus 12:1-2)
“This month (chodesh) is to you…” (Exodus 12:2): The New Moon (Chodesh) is handed over to you to determine and sanctify every month!*
*Talmud Rosh Hashanah explains how the Beit Din determined the beginning of each new month based upon testimony of witnesses to the first appearance of the New Moon crescent. The dating of the “holy convocations” (the festivals such as Pesach) in their respective months would then depend upon the day that the Beit Din determined to be the beginning of that month.
“These are the appointed days of the Eternal,
holy convocations,
such that you shall declare them [otam]
in their appointed time.”
(Leviticus 23:4)
“These are the appointed days of the Eternal, holy convocations, such that you shall declare, you! [atem!], in their appointed time” (Leviticus 23:4)—Rabbi Krispa in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: In the past, “These are the appointed days of the Eternal,” but for now and in the future, “such that you shall declare, you! [atem!]!” In other words, if you declare them, they are My appointed days, but if not, they are no longer My appointed days! “These are the appointed days of the Eternal, holy convocations if you declare them…” (ibid.).
“For who is a great nation to whom God is as close as the Eternal our God is to us whenever we we call to Him” (Deuteronomy 4:7)! What do we “call” to Him? This can mean: “We declare to Him.” We declare to Him the appointed days!
“Blow the Shofar on the New Moon,
when it is concealed,
for our feast day,
as it is a statute for Israel,
a law for the God of Jacob.”
(Psalms 81:4-5)
Rabbi Pinchas, Rabbi Hezekiah in the name of Rabbi Simon: All of the ministering angels gathered near the Holy One, blessed be He, and asked Him: Master of the Universe, when is Rosh Hashanah? He said: Me you ask? Let Me and you ask the terrestrial Beit Din, which determines the New Moon, as the verse may be understood, “Blow the Shofar on the New Moon, even though it is concealed (the astronomical new moon, preceding the thin crescent, is not visible; cf. Talmud Betzah 16a, Pirkey d’Rabbi Eliezer 7 end, and Talmud Rosh Hashanah 19b, regarding the invariability of the preceding month of Elul), for our feast day (presumably Rosh Hashanah, which is the only “feast day” to occur on a New Moon); if it is a statute for Israel (if it is determined to be the New Moon by the terrestrial Beit Din even though it is not visible), then it is a law for the God of Jacob” (Psalms 81:4-5). [Even though it is not yet observable], when it is a statute for Israel, it is a law for the God of Jacob; and if it is not a statute for Israel, it is not, as it were, a law for the God of Jacob!
Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 5:14
Light of Large, Light of Small
“The Eternal says to Moses and to Aaron…:
This month [chodesh] is to you…”
(Exodus 12:1-2)
“This new moon [chodesh] is for you…”
You use the moon for counting, while the other nations do not.
Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yose bar La’i: It is natural for the large to count by the large and for the small to count by the small. Esau (Rome), who is large, counts by the sun, which is large, while Jacob, who is small, counts by the moon, which is small.
Said Rav Nachman: This constitutes a good sign. Just as the large rules over the day and does not rule over the night [the sun can be seen only during the day and never during the night], thus is Esau the wicked ascendant in this world (the world that is seen) but he is not ascendant in the world to come (the world that is unseen). Just as the small rules over the night and over the day [the moon can be seen during the night as well as during the day], thus is Jacob ascendant both in this world and in the world to come!
“Arise, shine [ori], for your Light has come [vah],
the Weighty Presence [K’vod] of the Eternal
shines forth upon you [alayich]!”
(Isaiah 60:1)
Rabbi Nachman explained: As long as the light of the large one (such as the sun) shines in the world, light of the small one (such as the moon) is not noticed. But when the light of the large one sets, then the light of the small one is noticed. Similarly, for as long as the light of Esau the wicked shines forth in the world, the light of Jacob is not noticed. But when the light of Esau the wicked sets, the light of Jacob shall be seen, as the Prophet can be understood:
“Arise, O my light [ori], for your light has set [vah];
now the glory [k’vod] of the Eternal (namely, Jacob)
shines forth over you [alayich]!”
(Isaiah 60:1)!
Talmud Menachot 45a
Exceptional Specifications
| Ezekiel 46:6-7 | Numbers 28:11-15 |
| “On the New Moon Day the offering shall consist of a bull of the herd and six lambs and a ram, all without blemish shall they be, and the meal offering…for the lambs as much as he can afford…” | “On your New Moons, you shall offer a burnt offering of two bulls of the herd, one ram, and seven year-old lambs, without blemish. For the meal offering…” |
What does the Prophet (Ezekiel) mean to teach us by saying only “a bull” when the Torah (Numbers) requires “two bulls?” He is providing the Talmudic Inference (Oral Torah) that if two bulls cannot be found, one should offer a (single) bull!
What does the Prophet mean to teach us by saying only “six lambs” when the Torah requires “seven…lambs?” He is providing the Talmudic Inference that if seven lambs cannot be found, he should offer six lambs, and that if six lambs cannot be found, he should offer five lambs, and that if five lambs cannot be found, he should offer four lambs, and that if four lambs cannot be found, he should offer three lambs, and that if three lambs cannot be found, he should offer two lambs, and that if two lambs cannot be found, should he then offer only one? Yes, even only one, as the Talmudic Inference from “for the lambs as much as he can afford!” But then, since such is written (“for the lambs as much as he can afford”) to imply even only one, what is the point of the Prophet’s saying “six lambs?” To make the point that every effort should be made to provide as many of the required number of lambs as possible! Moreover, however many lambs can be found, if they are more than one, they must all be offered; withholding one invalidates all of the others, as the Prophet implies Talmudically with his additional words not already found in the Torah, “shall they be,” i.e. “shall they all be offered!”
| Ezekiel 45:18 | Numbers 28:11 |
| “On the New Moon of the First Month, purify [chiteytah] the Sanctuary with the offering of a bull of the herd…” | “On your New Moons, you shall offer a burnt offering of two bulls of the herd…” |
Should I read the Prophet’s (Ezekiel) word “purify [chiteytah]” as “sin offering [chatat]” [also in accordance with the following verse, “Put some of the blood of the sin offering upon the doorpost of the house…” (Ezekiel 45:19)? But the Torah (Numbers) requires “a burnt offering”! Said Rabbi Yochanan: This portion of Ezekiel will be explained in the future by Elijah the Prophet. Rav Ashi explained: Ezekiel refers to the sin offering of special sacrifices that would be offered in the time of Ezra of the type that were offered in the time of Moses at the inauguration of the Temple Service on the New Moon of the First Month (cf. Leviticus 9:2 and Talmud Shabbat 87b). (Rashi: Ezekiel was prophesying on the Second Temple.) Both opinions are taught in a baraitha by Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Yosi, respectively. As contemporaneous Mishnaic teachers, Rabbi Judah said to Rabbi Yosi: May your mind be at ease as you have set mine at ease!
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Sedra Summary 