"All the gold that was applied for the work"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon says that David sinned greatly when he ran from Saul, causing so many thousands to be killed including all the priests except Evyatar; this sin still goes unpunished. He tells us that the title verse means that God took the gold the people gave for the Tabernacle as expiation for their sin of creating the golden calf. Finally, he explains that Moses and Betzalel combined above and below, Tiferet with Yesod, while Betzalel and Aholiav combined right and left, Chesed and Gvurah, so that the Tabernacle was the union of upper and lower, left and right.

Ahimelech Daughter David Evyatar Gold Judgment Priests Saul Sin Yehosheva

67. Come and see: When David ran from Saul, he caused all the priests in Nob to perish, all but Evyatar, who escaped. And he caused much misfortune to Yisrael, in that Saul and his sons died, and thousands and tens of thousands from Yisrael fell. But notwithstanding, that sin was hanging over David to cause him misfortune until the day all his sons perished in one day, and no one was left save Yoash, who was stolen BY YEHOSHEVA DAUGHTER OF YORAM. In the same manner, no one was left from Achimelech save Evyatar alone. Until this day that sin impends, to punish Nob for the sin of Nob, as it is written, "This very day he will halt at Nob" (Yeshayah 10:32). And this was already explained.

67. ת"ח, דָּוִד אִיהוּ הֲוָה דְּעָרַק קָמֵיהּ דְּשָׁאוּל. וְעַל דָּא גָּרִים, דְּאִתְאֲבִידוּ כָּל אִינּוּן כַּהֲנֵי דְּנוֹב, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּאַר מְכֻּלְּהוּ בַּר אֶבְיָתָר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי דְּעָרַק. וְדָא גָּרִים כַּמָה בִּישִׁין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִית שָׁאוּל וּבְנוֹי, וְנָפְלוּ מִיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָה אַלְפִין וְרִבְּבָן. וְעכ"ד, הַהוּא חוֹבָה הֲוָה תָּלֵי עַל דָּוִד לִגְבוֹת מִנֵּיהּ, עַד דְּכָל בְּנוֹי דְּדָוִד אִתְאֲבִידוּ בְּיוֹמָא חַד, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּאַר מִנַּיְיהוּ אֶלָּא יוֹאָשׁ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דְּאִתְגְּנִיב. כְּגַוְונָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּאַר מֵאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בַּר אֶבְיָתָר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְעַד כְּעַן הַהוּא חוֹבָא הֲוָה תָּלֵי, לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא עַל נוֹב, עַל הַהוּא חוֹבָה דְּנוֹב, דִּכְתִּיב עוֹד הַיּוֹם בְּנוֹב לַעֲמוֹד וְאוּקְמוּהָ.

Ears Gold Tabernacle

68. Likewise, "All the gold that was applied for the work" (Shemot 38:24). What is the meaning of 'applied'? It means that here the Holy One, blessed be He saw Yisrael giving gold for the calf, and He applied the gold as a remedy beforehand, by putting the gold for the Tabernacle before the gold for the calf. For all the gold they had with them, and about them, they donated to the Tabernacle. FOR could you possibly imagine, that they had gold when they made the calf, and that they would take the gold off their ears, as it is written, "And all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears" (Shemot 32:3)? He therefore took first the gold of the donation to expiate for the making OF THE CALF.

68. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, כָּל הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה. מַאי הֶעָשׂוּי. הָכָא אִסְתָּכַּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּד יָהֲבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּהֲבָא לְעֶגְלָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים לוֹן דַּהֲבָא דָּא לְאַסְוָותָא, דְּהַאי דַּהֲבָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אַקְדִּים לוֹן, לְהַהוּא דַּהֲבָא דְּיָהֲבוּ לְעֶגְלָא, דְּכָל דַּהֲבָא דַּהֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח עִמְּהוֹן, יָהֲבוּ לְאָרָמַת מַשְׁכְּנָא. ס"ד, דְּכַד עָבְדוּ יַת עֶגְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עִמְּהוֹן דַּהֲבָא, וְאִינּוּן פְּרִיקוּ אוּדְנַיְיהוּ לְנַטְלָא הַהוּא דַּהֲבָא, דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּתְפָּרֲקוּ כָּל הָעָם אֶת נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם. וְע"ד אַקְדִּים דַּהֲבָא דְּאָרָמוּתָא. לְכַפְּרָא עַל עוֹבָדָא דָּא.

Bezalel Body Craftsmanship Dan Hands Judah Judgment Moses Tabernacle Tribes

69. "And Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah" (Shemot 38:22) of the aspect of Malchut, "made all that Hashem commanded Moses" (Ibid.). For all the craftsmanship of the Tabernacle was prepared through them, by their hands. Betzalel performed the work and Moses after him made all ready. Moses and Betzalel were as one, Moses above, IN TIFERET, and Betzalel below, IN YESOD, the end of the body being also a part thereof, FOR YESOD AND TIFERET ARE ONE. Betzalel and Aholiav, it has been established, that the one is of the right, CHESED, and the other is of the left, JUDGMENT, and all is one, FOR ONE INCLUDES THE OTHER. That is why it is written, "and Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah...and with him was Aholiav, son of Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan..."

69. וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה, מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא עָשָׂה אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְיָ' אֶת מֹשֶׁה. דְּהָא כָּל אוּמָנוּתָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אִתְתַּקְּנַת בְּהוּ, וְעַל יְדַיְיהוּ. בְּצַלְאֵל אִיהוּ עָבֵיד אוּמָנוּתָא, וּמֹשֶׁה אִיהוּ אַתְקִין כֹּלָּא לְבָתַר. מֹשֶׁה וּבְצַלְאֵל כַּחֲדָא הֲווֹ, מֹשֶׁה לְעֵילָּא, בְּצַלְאֵל תְּחוֹתֵיהּ, סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא כְּגוּפָא. בְּצַלְאֵל וְאָהֳלִיאָב, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דָּא יְמִינָא, וְדָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְכֹלָּא חַד. וּבג"כ, וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה וְגוֹ', וְאִתּוֹ אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה דָּן וְגוֹ'.