שמות רבה נ״אShemot Rabbah 51

Parashah 51 of 52 in Shemot Rabbah — 8 sections

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Section 1א׳

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], 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.”

Section 2ב׳

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). “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). 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, and there was a surplus, as it is stated: “The labor was sufficient…[and beyond]” (Exodus 36:7). 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.’ 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.”

Section 3ג׳

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. 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.

Section 4ד׳

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. 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.

Section 5ה׳

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.’ 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]. 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].

…and 3 more sections in this chapter.

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Shemot Rabbah — Midrash Rabbah, TE edition, via Sefaria

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 — CC BY