"These are the accounts of the Tabernacle," part two

Synopsis

Rabbi Chizkiyah says that although the craftsmen began work on the Temple, it was finished on its own, and although God began work on the creation of the heavens and the earth they were finished on their own. As evidence for this he points out that all the verses pertaining to these events are in the passive tense, and concludes that all holy work is completed of its own accord. He turns to the account of Betzalel and Aholiav working on the Temple, and reiterates that this was the union of right and left. Next Rabbi Yisa tells us that the accounts were taken of the Tabernacle because this confirmed the work when it was finished. This accounting supersedes all previous events in the world.

Tabernacle Tents

44. וְתָא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ אוֹמָנִין שָׁארוּ לְמֶעְבַּד אוּמָנוּתָא, הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא מַמָּשׁ דְּשָׁרָאן, אִיהִי אִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִגַּרְמָהּ. אִינּוּן שָׁרָאן, וְאִיהִי אַשְׁלִימַת עֲבִידְתָּא, אִיהִי מַמָּשׁ, מְנָלָן, דִּכְתִּיב וַתֵּכֶל כָּל עֲבוֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.

Earth Heavens Universe

45. In the same manner, "The heavens and the earth were finished" (Beresheet 2:1), MEANING THAT THEY WERE COMPLETED ON THEIR OWN. You may say IT IS WRITTEN, "And by the seventh day Elohim ended" (Ibid.), HENCE ELOHIM COMPLETED THEM, AND THEY DID NOT COMPLETE THEMSELVES. Assuredly this is so, for though the works were completed one by one, nevertheless, the world was not altogether complete before the arrival of the seventh day. For when the seventh day arrived, all the works were completed and the Holy One, blessed be He completed the universe. This is the meaning of "And by the seventh day Elohim ended His work, which He had done." AND BY THE SEVENTH DAY, all the work He had done was complete. Therefore "by the seventh day Elohim ended His work ."

45. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּכָל עָלְמָא, אע"ג דְּכָל עֲבִידָן אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד, עָלְמָא כֹּלָּא לָא הֲוָה שְׁלִים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, עַד דְּאָתָא יוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, דְּכַד אָתָא יוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ כָּל עֲבִידָן, וְאַשְׁלִים בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, הה"ד וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. בְּהַאי, אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּקִיּוּמָא כָּל עֲבִידְתָּא דְּעָבֵד, וְע"ד וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בְּיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.

Stone Temple, The

46. When the Temple was built, all the work was done on its own. The craftsmen began and the work showed them, how it should be done. And it was traced and completed of its own accord. It was also written, "And the house, when it was built" (I Melachim 6:7), not 'when they built it,' but "when it was built, because it was built on its own." It is further written, "was built of stone made ready before it was brought there" (Ibid.) - "was built" and not 'they built it.' So all work, which is holy, is completed on its own accord.

46. וְכַד אִתְבְּנֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, כָּל עֲבִידְתָּא דְּאִתְעָבֵיד, אִיהִי מִגַּרְמָהּ אִתְעָבֵידַת אוּמָנִין שָׁרָאן, וְעַבִידְתָּא אִתְחֲזִיאַת לוֹן לְמֶעְבַּד, וְאִתְרְשִׁימַת קָמַיְיהוּ, וְאִשְׁתְּלִימַת הִיא מִגַּרְמָהּ. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִּיב וְהַבַּיִת בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. וְהַבַּיִת כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּנֻהוּ לָא כְּתִיב. אֶלָּא בְּהִבָּנוֹתוֹ. דְּאִיהִי אִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִגַּרְמָהּ. וּכְתִיב אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסָּע נִבְנָה. בָּנוּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב. אֶלָּא נִבְנָה הוּא מִגַּרְמֵיהּ נִבְנָה, וְכֵן בְּכָל עֲבִידְתָּא דְּאִיהִי קַדִּישָׁא, אִיהִי אִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִגַּרְמָהּ.

Bezalel Eyes Judah Moses Tribes

47. "And Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur..." (Shemot 38:22): we learned by this verse that the Holy Spirit proclaimed concerning this verse before the eyes of Yisrael, and said, "Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Judah, did all that Hashem commanded Moses. And with him Aholiav, son of Achisamach." HE ASKS: What is the meaning of "And with him"? AND HE REPLIES: We learned that Aholiav did not do the work alone but with Betzalel he did what he did. This is the meaning of "with him" and not on his own. FOR BETZALEL IS RIGHT AND AHOLIAV IS LEFT. From here we learn that the left is always included in the right. Therefore it is written, "I have given with him Aholiav" (Shemot 31:6). The one is right and the other left. AND LEFT IS INCLUDED IN THE RIGHT.

47. וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר. הַאי קְרָא אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אַכְרִיז עָלֵיהּ לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַר וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה עָשָׂה אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְיָ' אֶת מֹשֶׁה. וְאִתּוֹ אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ. מַאי וְאִתּוֹ. אֶלָּא אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְאָהֳלִיאָב לָא עָבֵיד עֲבִידְתָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא עִם בְּצַלְאֵל, וְעִמֵּיהּ עָבֵד כָּל מַה דְּעָבֵד. הה"ד וְאִתּוֹ, וְאִתּוֹ וְלָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. מִכָּאן דִּשְׂמָאלָא אִיהִי בִּכְלַל יְמִינָא תָּדִיר. וְע"ד כְּתִיב וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי אִתּוֹ אֵת אָהֳלִיאָב, דָּא יְמִינָא וְדָא שְׂמָאלָא.

Moses Tabernacle Testimony

48. אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'. ר' יֵיסָא אָמַר, כֵּיוָן דְּעָבְדוּ כָּל חַכִּימַיָּיא יַת מַשְׁכְּנָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֲדָר חוּשְׁבָּנָא, מִכָּל אִינּוּן עֲבִידָן דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בֵּיהּ. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּכָל חוּשְׁבָּן וְחוּשְׁבָּן, כַּד הֲוָה אִתְעַבִיד חוּשְׁבָּנָא, הָכִי אִתְקָיָּים הַהוּא עֲבִידָא, וְאִתְקָיָּים בְּאַתְרֵיהּ.

Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Mochin Tabernacle

49. And all Yisrael, as at first they wanted to donate, so they wanted that account, MEANING THAT BY THEIR WISH THEY DREW THE MOCHIN OF THESE ACCOUNTING, and all the work prevailed by that wish. Therefore, there was need of accounting IN THE TABERNACLE, since through it the work is confirmed. It is therefore written, "These," NAMELY, "THESE ARE THE ACCOUNTS," and not 'And these', BECAUSE WHEREVER IT IS WRITTEN "THESE," WHATEVER WAS WRITTEN BEFORE IS ANNULLED, and that account annuls all the previous accounts in the world, prevails more than the rest, and the Tabernacle exists by that and not by another.

49. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ כְּמָה דְּאִתְרְעוּ בְּמָה דִּנְדִיבוּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְרְעוּ בְּהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְקָיָּים כָּל עֲבִידָא, בְּהַהוּא רְעוּתָא. וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ הָכָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא, בְּגִין דִּבְהַאי אִתְקָיָּים עֲבִידָא. אֵלֶּה כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב וְאֵלֶּה. אֶלָּא דָּא אִיהוּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא דְּפָסִיל כָּל חוּשְׁבָּנִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְדָא אִתְקָיָּים יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, דִּבְהַאי אִתְקָיָּים מַשְׁכְּנָא, וְלָא בְּאַחֲרָא.