Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Terumah/5

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Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Terumah

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Shemot 20:20-22שמות כ׳:כ׳-כ״ב

(20) You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. (21) If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. (22) Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

(כ) מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו אֶת עֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ אֶת צֹאנְךָ וְאֶת בְּקָרֶךָ בְּכׇל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ. (כא) וְאִם מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי לֹא תִבְנֶה אֶתְהֶן גָּזִית כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ וַתְּחַלְלֶהָ. (כב) וְלֹא תַעֲלֶה בְמַעֲלֹת עַל מִזְבְּחִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָתְךָ עָלָיו.

Shemot 27:1-8שמות כ״ז:א׳-ח׳

(1) “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and its height shall be three cubits. (2) You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with brass. (3) You shall make its pots to take away its ashes, its shovels, its basins, its flesh hooks, and its fire pans: all its vessels you shall make of brass. (4) You shall make a grating for it of network of brass: and on the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners. (5) You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar. (6) You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with brass. (7) Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar, when carrying it. (8) You shall make it with hollow planks. They shall make it as it has been shown you on the mountain.

(א) וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת אֹרֶךְ וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת רֹחַב רָבוּעַ יִהְיֶה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת קֹמָתוֹ. (ב) וְעָשִׂיתָ קַרְנֹתָיו עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנֹּתָיו מִמֶּנּוּ תִּהְיֶיןָ קַרְנֹתָיו וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת. (ג) וְעָשִׂיתָ סִּירֹתָיו לְדַשְּׁנוֹ וְיָעָיו וּמִזְרְקֹתָיו וּמִזְלְגֹתָיו וּמַחְתֹּתָיו לְכׇל כֵּלָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה נְחֹשֶׁת. (ד) וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ מִכְבָּר מַעֲשֵׂה רֶשֶׁת נְחֹשֶׁת וְעָשִׂיתָ עַל הָרֶשֶׁת אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת נְחֹשֶׁת עַל אַרְבַּע קְצוֹתָיו. (ה) וְנָתַתָּה אֹתָהּ תַּחַת כַּרְכֹּב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִלְּמָטָּה וְהָיְתָה הָרֶשֶׁת עַד חֲצִי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. (ו) וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדִּים לַמִּזְבֵּחַ בַּדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם נְחֹשֶׁת. (ז) וְהוּבָא אֶת בַּדָּיו בַּטַּבָּעֹת וְהָיוּ הַבַּדִּים עַל שְׁתֵּי צַלְעֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בִּשְׂאֵת אֹתוֹ. (ח) נְבוּב לֻחֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה אֹתְךָ בָּהָר כֵּן יַעֲשׂוּ.

Sifre Devarim 1ספרי דברים א׳

(1) Piska 1 "These are the words which Moses spoke, etc.": Now did Moses prophesy only these? Did he not write the entire Torah, viz. (Ibid. 31:9) "And Moses wrote this Torah"? What, then, is the intent of "These are the words"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 32:15) "And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked, etc." Similarly, (Amos 3:1) "Hear this prophecy which the Lord spoke, etc." Now did Amos prophesy only these? Is it not written (Amos 1:1) "The words of Amos, one of the herders of Tekoa, who saw visions concerning Israel"? The intent (of "this prophecy") is that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 4;1) "Hear this thing, you cows of Bashan on Mount Shomron, etc." The "cows of Bashan" are their (corrupt) judges. Similarly, (Jeremiah 7:1) "The word that came to Jeremiah, etc.", (Ibid. 40:4) "And these are the words that the Lord spoke, etc." Now did Jeremiah prophesy only these? Did he not write the entire book, viz. (Ibid. 51:64) "Until here, the words of Jeremiah"? What, then, is the intent of "And these are the words"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 30:5-7) "A sound of terror have we heard, of fear and not peace. Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins like a woman in childbirth, and all faces turn pale? Woe! For that day is great. There is none like it. It is a time of trouble for Jacob. But from it he will be saved." Similarly, (II Samuel 23:1) "And these are the last words of David': Now did he prophesy only these alone? Is it not written (Ibid. 2) "The spirit of the Lord spoke in me and His word was on my tongue"? What, then, is the intent of "And these are the last words of David"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 6) "And (the men of) Belial shall as thorns be all of them cast away." Similarly, (Koheleth 1:1) "The words of Koheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem": Now did Solomon prophesy only these alone? Did he not write three books? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 4-7) "A generation goes and a generation comes … and the sun shines and the sun sets … It goes to the south and it turns to the north. Round and round (east and west) goes the wind … All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full." The wicked are spoken of as sun, earth, and sea, which have no reward. "to all of Israel": If he rebuked (only) some of them, those who were not present would have contended: "This is what you heard from the son of Amram and you did not object thus and thus? Had we been there, we would have objected four or five times for every thing that he said!" Therefore, Moses assembled all of them great and small, and said to them: Anyone who has any objection let him come and state it!" Variantly: "to all of Israel": They all could stand up under rebuke. R. Tarfon said: I swear if (i.e., that there is not) anyone in this generation who is capable of receiving rebuke. R. Yochanan b. Nuri said: I testify by heaven and earth that more than five times R. Akiva was rebuked on my account before R. Gamliel and I know that he loved me even more (for it), in fulfillment of (Proverbs 9:8) "Reprove not a scorner lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man and he will love you." For reproof leads to peace. And thus do you find with Abraham, viz. (Bereshith 21:25) "And Abraham reproved Avimelech because of the well, etc." And what is written (of this)? (Ibid. 28) "And the two of them made a covenant." And thus with Israel, viz. (Ibid. 26:27) "And Isaac said to them: Why did you come to me when you hate me and you sent me away from you!" And (Ibid. 31) "And they departed from him in peace." "across the Jordan": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did across the Jordan. "in the desert": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did in the desert. They took their small sons and daughters and threw them into Moses' lap and said to him? What provisions did you make for these? What livelihood did you provide for them? R. Yehudah says: This ("in the desert") refers to (Shemoth 16:3) "And the children of Israel said to them (Moses and Aaron): Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt!" Variantly: "in the desert" comprises all that they did in the desert. "in the plain": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did in the plains of Moav, viz. (Bamidbar 25:1) "against Suf": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did at the Red Sea (viz. Shemoth 14:11). R. Yehudah says: They rebelled in the midst of the sea, and they rebelled upon ascending from the sea, turning their backs upon Moses and traveling three journeys, viz. (Psalms 106:7) "And they rebelled at the sea, in the sea of Suf": — "at the Sea," upon ascending from it; — "in the sea," in its very midst. I might think that he rebuked them only at the beginning of a journey. Whence do I derive (that he also did so) between journey and journey? From "between Paran" and "between Tofel." "tofel and lavan (white)": They spoke vain words ("divrei tifluth" [as in "tofel"]) against the manna, saying that it was "white" (i.e. insubstantial), viz. (Bamidbar 21:5) "and our soul loathes this 'light' bread" — whereupon he said to them: "Fools, the very essence of kings is that they are fed only 'light' bread, so they not be seized with diarrhea — but you have grumbled at the good that I have given you, following the precedent of your father (Adam). I told him that I would make a helpmate for him (Bereshith 2:18), and for this good that I granted him he grumbled against Me, (Ibid. 3:12) 'The woman that You gave to me — she gave me from the tree and I ate.'" "and Chatzeroth": He said to them: Should you not have learned from what I did to Miriam in Chatzeroth? (viz. Bamidbar 12). If I did not show favoritism in judgment to Miriam the righteous, how much more so (would I not do so) to others! Variantly: If Miriam, who spoke only against her younger brother, was thus punished, how much more so one who speaks against another greater than he! Variantly: If (in the instance of) Miriam, who spoke thus only in the hearing of the Lord alone — (viz. Ibid. 12:2 - "And the Lord heard") — was thus punished, how much more so, one who demeans his neighbor in public! "and an abundance of gold" (an allusion to the golden calf): He said to them: This thing outweighs all that you have done. The golden calf weighs upon Me more than all! Rebbi was wont to say: An analogy: One caused his neighbor many troubles. In the end, he added an additional trouble, and the other said: This outweighs everything you have done to me. This weighs upon me more than all! Thus did the Holy One Blessed be He say to Israel: This outweighs everything that you have done! Variantly: "and an abundance of gold": R. Shimon b. Yochai says: An analogy: One received sages and disciples, and all praised him. Then Canaanites came, and he received them! — at which they said: This is the man's nature — to receive all! Thus did Moses say to Israel: (You gave) "an abundance of gold" for the mishkan (the tabernacle) — (You gave) "an abundance of gold" for the golden calf! R. B'na'ah says: Israel served idolatry, for which they are liable to extinction — Let the gold of the mishkan atone for the gold of the calf! R. Yossi berebbi Chanina says: It is written "in the desert, in the plain": This alludes to the ten trials wherewith our fathers tried the Holy One Blessed be He in the desert: two at the (Red) sea, (in the descent [Shemoth 14:11] and in the ascent [Psalms 106:7]), two, with water, (at Marah [Shemoth 15:23] and at Refidim [Shemoth 17]), two with manna, ("Let no man go out of his place" [Shemoth 17:29] and "Let no man leave of it" [Shemoth 16:19]), two with the quail, (the first [16:3] and the second [Bamidbar 11:4]), one with the golden calf (Shemoth 32), and one with the spies (Bamidbar 13). R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us (by assigning allegorical interpretations to what are really place names)? I testify by heaven and earth that we have reviewed all of the sources and (we have found that) they are all place names. It is just that they were thus named (as aforementioned) because of an event (that transpired there). Similarly, (Bereshith 26:20) "And he called the name of the well 'Esek' because they strove ('hitasku') with him." And it is written (Ibid. 33) "And he called it 'shivah,' etc." Similarly, R. Yehudah expounded (Zechariah 9:1) "A burden (of prophecy) in the land of chadrach and Damascus is its resting place.": This ("chadrach") refers to the Messiah who will be "chad" ("sharp") to the Canaanites, and "rach" ("soft") to Israel" — whereupon R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us? I testify by heaven and earth that I am from Damascus and there is a place called Chadrach there. And how do I understand "and Damascus is (its) resting place"? (As meaning) that Jerusalem is destined to extend until Damascus; "(its) resting place" is Jerusalem, as it is written (Psalms 132:19) "This (Jerusalem) is My resting place forever." R. Yehudah: How do you understand (Jeremiah 30:18) "And the city will be built on its foundation"? R. Yossi: (As meaning) that (though) Jerusalem is not destined to move from its place (i.e., from its foundation), it will expand from its sides). How do I understand (Ezekiel 91:7) "And there was an enlarging and a winding about upwards, etc."? Eretz Yisrael is destined to broaden and rise from all of her sides like a fig, which is narrow below and broad above, and the gates of Jerusalem are destined to reach until Damascus. And thus is it written (Song of Songs 7:5) "Your nose is like the tower of Levanon, which looks towards Damascus." And the exiles will come and rest therein, as it is written "and Damascus is His resting place," and (Isaiah 2:2-3) "And it will be in the end of days the mountain of the Lord's house will be established in the top of the mountains and will be exalted above the hills, and all the nations will flow unto it. And many peoples will go and say: Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord, to the house of the G-d of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths. For from Zion will go forth Torah, and the words of the Lord from Jerusalem." Similarly, R. Yehudah expounded (Bereshith 41:43) "And he (Pharaoh) had him ride in the chariot next to his, and they called before him "Avrech.": This is Joseph, who was a father ("av") in wisdom and young ("rach") in years — whereupon R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us? I testify by heaven and earth that "avrech" signifies (bending of) the knees ("birkayim"). (Ibid.) "and he set him over all the land of Egypt": that all enter and leave by his command. (2) Piska 2 "Eleven days from Chorev by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea": In eleven days they went from Chorev to Kivroth Hata'avah and from Kivroth Hata'avah to Chatzeroth and from Chatzeroth to the desert of Paran. If Israel had been meritorious, then in eleven days they would have entered Eretz Yisrael, but because they corrupted their ways, the Lord stretched it into forty years, as it is written (Bamidbar 14:34) "According to the number of days that you spied out the land, forty days — a day for a year, a day for a year — shall you bear your sins." R. Yehudah says: Now did it take them eleven days? Did it not take them only three days? As it is written (Ibid. 10:33) "And they traveled from the mountain of the Lord a journey of three days." (The intent is that) in three days Israel traveled an eleven-day distance. If Israel had been meritorious, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael in three days. As it is written (Ibid.) "And the ark of the covenant of the Lord preceded them, a distance of three days to look out a resting place for them," "a resting place" being Eretz Yisrael, as it is written (Devarim 12:9) "For you will not yet have come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your G-d gives you." They said to him: Was it an eleven-day distance? Was it not a forty-day distance, as it is written of Eliyahu (I Kings 19:8) "And he arose and ate and drank, and he walked on the strength of that meal for forty days and forty nights (until the mountain of G-d, Chorev")? … R. B'na'ah says: If Israel had been meritorious, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael in one day, as it is written (Shemoth 13:4-5) "This day you go out, in the month of spring," immediately (followed by) "And it shall be, when the Lord brings you to the land of Canaan." Abba Yossi b. Chanan says in the name of Cohein Bardela: If Israel had been meritorious, as soon as their horses' hooves ascended from the sea, they would have entered Eretz Yisrael, as it is written (Devarim 1:21) "Go up (from the sea) and possess (the land) as the Lord, the G-d of your fathers has spoken to you." (3) "And it was, in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel": What does this ("in the eleventh month") come to teach us? If that a year has eleven months, is it not written (Esther 3:13) "on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar"? And thus is it written (I Kings 4:7) "And Solomon had twelve commissioners over all of Israel … (Ibid. 19) and one commissioner over the land." For which month? The intercalated month, whereby we are taught that the year (itself) is twelve months. R. B'na'ah says: Now before Solomon did we not know that the year was twelve months? Is it not written (I Chronicles 1:27) "… month by month throughout all the months of the year … the twelfth (marshal), for the twelfth month, etc." — But it ("the eleventh month") comes to teach us that in thirty-six days (from the first of Shvat ["the eleventh month"] to the sixth of Adar) Moses explained the entire Torah, as it is written (Devarim 34:8) "And they mourned Moses thirty days" and (Joshua 1:11) "for in three more days you will be crossing this Jordan," and (Ibid. 4:19) "And the people ascended from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month (Nissan)." Subtract thirty-three days retroactively and it is found that Moses died on the seventh of Adar. (And whence is it derived that Moses was born on the seventh of Adar? From (Devarim 31:2) "And he said to them: I am one hundred and twenty years old this day." Let "this day" not be written. Why is it written? (To signify) this day (the full circuit of) my years and days have been completed — whence it is derived that the Holy One Blessed be He "sits" and fills out the years of the righteous from day to day and from month to month and from hour to hour, as it is written (Shemoth 23:26) (If you are righteous) "the number of your days shall I complete." — whence it is derived that in thirty-six days Moses explained the entire Torah. And we are (thus) taught that he rebuked them only close to his death. From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who rebuked his sons only close to his death, as it is written (Bereshith 49:1-3) "And Jacob called to his sons and said: Gather together and I will reveal to you what will happen to you in the end of days … Reuven, you are my first-born, etc." He said to him: My son, I will tell you why I did not rebuke you all these years: It is so that you would not leave me and go and cleave to Esav, my brother. And because of four things a man should rebuke another only close to his death: So that he not rebuke him repeatedly, so that the other not be shamed in his sight, so that he (the rebuker) not bear a grudge in his heart (for his rebuke not being heeded), and so that he (the rebuked) not leave him and go (elsewhere). … And thus (that rebuke leads to peace) do we find with Abraham, viz. (Ibid. 21:28) "And Abraham rebuked Avimelech, etc.", followed by (27) "and the two of them made a covenant." And thus do we find with Isaac, viz. (Ibid. 26:27) "And Isaac said to them: Why have you come to me when you hate me and you sent me away from you?" followed by "… (31) "and Isaac saw them off and they went from him in peace." And thus do you find with Joshua, that he rebuked Israel only close to his death, as it is written (Joshua 24:15) (Joshua said) "If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve — the gods that your forefathers served or the gods of the Emorites in whose land you dwell — and I and my house will serve the Lord." And thus do you find with Samuel, that he rebuked Israel only close to his death, as it is written (I Samuel 12:3) "Here I am (before my death); testify before me in the presence of the Lord and in the presence of His anointed … (4) and they said: You have not robbed us, etc. (5) and he said: The Lord is witness unto you this day. And they said: Witness!" And thus do you find with David, that he charged Solomon his son only close to his death, viz. (I Kings 2:1) "And the days of David drew near to die, etc." "… that Moses spoke to the children of Israel": I might think that Moses prophesied only these words. Whence do I derive (the same for) all the words in the Torah: the less stringent and the more stringent, the identities (gezeiroth shavoth), the general principles, the details, and the inferences? From (Ibid.) "according to all that the Lord commanded him concerning them." (4) Piska 3 "after he had smitten Sichon, king of the Emori": An analogy: A king and his army have sortied into the desert. The king to his soldiers: When we come to an (inhabited) land, I will give you amnonoth (types of delicacies): His soldiers: "Give us amnonoth here." And he gave them. "Give us hot gluskaoth." And he gave them. The commander: "Because the king is wealthy and merciful, you belabor him? In the beginning I said nothing to you, so that you would not say that the king is unable to supply your needs, but now I tell you — Why do you have no faith in him!" Thus Moses said: If I rebuke Israel first, they will say: Because he has no strength he rebukes us! But after they entered the land of Sichon and Og and he defeated them, he rebuked them. Thus, ”after he had smitten Sichon, etc." "Sichon, king of the Emori, who dwelt in Cheshbon": (Even) if Sichon were not formidable, but he lived in Cheshbon, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Sichon dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so, when both the king and the land are formidable! "and Og the king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashteroth": (Even) if Og were not formidable, but he lived in Ashteroth, it would be difficult (to defeat them), the (inhabitants of the) land being formidable. And (even) if the land were not formidable, but Og dwelt therein, it would be difficult, the king being formidable. How much more so when both the king and the land are formidable! "Ashteroth": hard as horns (karnayim), (its full name being Ashteroth Karnayim.) "in Edrei": the site of the war. (5) Piska 4 "Across the Jordan, in the land of Moav, Moses ho'il (began) to explain": "hoalah" is "beginning," as in (Judges 19:6) "Begin ("hoel") now and stay overnight so that you will be refreshed," and (I Chronicles 17:27) "and now you have begun ("hoalta") to bless the house of your servant to be before You forever." And the sages say: "hoalah" is "swearing," as in (Shemoth 2:21) "And Moses swore ("vayoel") to remain with the man," and (I Samuel 14:24) "And Saul beswore ("vayoel") the people, saying 'Cursed be the man who will eat bread until the evening when I will be avenged of my enemies.'" "to explain this Torah, saying": He said to them: I am about to die. Anyone who heard one verse and forgot it, let him come and review it. Anyone who heard one section and forgot it let him come and review it and understand it. This is the intent of "to explain this Torah." (6) Piska 5 "The Lord our G-d spoke to us in Chorev to say": He said to them: It is not of myself that I am telling you, but from the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He. "Much to you dwelling in this mountain": Much reward has accrued to you by dwelling in this mountain: Upon it you accepted the Torah upon yourselves, I appointed for you seventy elders, officers of thousands, officers of hundreds, officers of fifties, and officers of tens, I made for you the mishkan and its vessels — You benefited greatly by your dwelling in this mountain! (7) Piska 6 "Turn and journey" — the way to Arad and Charmah; "and come to the mountain of the Emori and to all its neighbors" — Ammon, Moav, and Mount Seir; "in the plain" — the forest plain; "in the mountain" — the "King's Mountain" (see Gittin 57a); "in the lowland" — of the south; "in the south and by the seacoast" — Ashkelon, Azza, Caesarea, etc.; "the land of the Canaani" — the border of Canaan, viz. (Bereshith 10:19) "And the border of the Canaani was from Tziddon … until Lasha (Kalda)"; "and the Levanon": He said to them: When you come to the land, you must appoint a king for yourselves and build the Temple. And whence is it derived that "Levanon" is a king? From (Ezekiel 17:3) "… came to the Levanon and took the crown of cedar," and (II Kings 14:9) "The thornbush in Levanon (once) sent (word) to the cedar of Levanon, saying: Give your daughter to my son for a wife. The wild beast of Levanon then came by and trampled the thornbush." Variantly: "Levanon" is the Temple, as it is written (Jeremiah 22:6) "Gilead are you (the Temple) unto Me, the summit of the Levanon," and (Isaiah 10:34) "The Levanon will fall by a mighty one." Why is it called "levanon"? Because it "whitens" ("malbin") the sins of Israel, viz. (Ibid 1:18) "If your sins are like scarlet, they will become white as snow." (Devarim, Ibid.) "until the great river, the river Perat": (so-called) because its greater part abuts on Eretz Yisrael, as in the folk homilies "The king's servant is likened to the king," "Rub shoulders with the anointed one and they will bow down to you too." "the river Perat": (so-called) because in its beginning it can be dug up with a shovel, and it branches out ("mafreh" [like "Perat"]) until it must be crossed by boats. Variantly: (so-called) because vegetation "multiplies" (parin veravin) through it. All the rivers say to Perat: Why don't you let yourself be heard, just as we let ourselves be heard from afar? It replies: My deeds make me known. If something is sown upon me, it sprouts in three days; if something is planted upon me, it rises in three days. And thus does Scripture praise me: "until the great river, the river Perat." (8) Piska 7 "See, I have set before you the land": He said to them: I am not giving you approximation or hearsay, but "See (with your own eyes.) … Come and possess the land.": When you enter the land, you will have no need of weapons but only compasses and rulers (to divide the land among you). Piska 8 "which the Lord swore to your fathers": Why need it be mentioned (in addition to this) "to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob"? (To stress that) each one was worthy of this in himself. An analogy: A king gives his servant one field as a gift, as it is. The servant goes and improves it, not leaving it as it is, but planting a vineyard and bequeaths it to his son — who does not leave it as it is, but improves it and bequeaths it to his son — who does not leave it as it is, but improves it. Thus, when the Holy One Blessed be He gave the land to our father Abraham, He gave it to him only as it was, viz. (Bereshith 13:17) "Arise, walk in the land in its length and its breadth, for to you shall I give it." Abraham arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 21:33) "And he planted a fruit grove in Beersheva." Isaac arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 26:12) "And Isaac sowed in that land and he found in that year a hundredfold." Jacob arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 33:19) "And he bought the part of the field where he had pitched his tent." If so, why need "to your fathers" be written? If in respect to the oath to the fathers, this is already written. This refers to the covenant with the tribes, viz. (Habakkuk 3:9) "the oaths to the tribes, an enduring word." "to give to them": those who entered the land. "and to their seed": their children. "after them": the lands conquered by David and Yeravam, viz. (II Kings 14:25) "He (Yeravam the son of Yehoash) restored the boundary of Israel from the approach of Chamath to the sea of the Aravah." Variantly: "to give to them": those who entered the land. "and to their seed": those who came up from Bavel. "after them": those (who will come) in the days of the Messiah. (9) Piska 9 "And I said to you at that time, to say": Moses said to them: It is not of myself that I say this, but at the behest of the Omnipotent. "I shall not be able alone to bear you": Is it possible that Moses was not able to judge Israel? The man who took them out of Egypt and split the sea for them and brought down the manna for them and flew in the quail for them and performed miracles and wonders for them — he should not be able to judge them! — This is what he said to them (Ibid. 10) "The Lord your G-d has 'elevated' you over your judges," (removing the onus from you and placing it on your judges!) And thus did Solomon say (I Kings 3:9) "And give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people… for who can judge this 'heavy' people of Yours!" Is it possible that Solomon could not judge Israel, Solomon of whom it is written (Ibid. 5;10-11) "And the wisdom of Solomon was greater than that of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrachite, and Heiman and Chalkol and Darda, the sons of Machol. And his fame spread to all the people around him" — and he could not judge them! — This is what he said to them. I am not like all the other judges. A Canaanite judge sits on his platform, sentencing one to the sword, strangulation, burning, or stoning, as if nothing had happened. And if he imposes a fine of a sela, he (himself) takes two; two — he takes three; a dinar — he takes a maneh. It is not so with me. If I have (wrongfully) imposed a money fine, He claims "lives"! And thus is it written (Proverbs 22:22) "Rob not the poor man because he is poor, and afflict not the pauper in the gate (of judgment). For the Lord will fight their battle, and He will rob the soul of their robbers!" (10) Piska 10 "And you are this day": existing "as the stars of the heavens in multitude" — whence it was derived: There are seven classes of the righteous in Gan Eden — one higher than the other: the first class — (Psalms 140:14) "Only the righteous will give praise to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence." the second class — (Ibid. 65:5) "Praises to him You choose and draw near to dwell in Your courts." the third class — (Ibid. 84:5) "Praised are the dwellers in Your house." the fourth class — (Ibid. 15:1) "Who shall dwell in Your tent?" the fifth class — (Ibid.) "Who shall dwell on Your holy mountain?" the sixth class — (Ibid. 24:3) "Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord?" the seventh class — (Ibid.) Who shall stand in the place of His sanctity?" R. Shimon b. Yochai says (Psalms 16:11) "sated (sova) with joys in Your presence": Rend it not "sova," but "sheva" (seven). To seven "joys" the faces of the righteous are likened in time to come: the sun, the moon, the firmament, the stars, lightnings, lilies, the menorah of the Temple: the sun and the moon — (Song of Songs 6:10) "beauteous as the moon, clear as the sun." the firmament and the stars — (Daniel 12:3) "The wise will shine like the radiance of the firmament, and the turners of the many to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever." lightnings — (Nachum 2:5) "and they flash like lightning." lillies (Psalms 45:1) "For the chief musician, on the lillies." the menorah of the Temple — (Hoshea 14:7) "and his glory will be like the olive tree." And (Zechariah 4:3) "There are two olive trees over it (the Temple menorah), one at the right of the bowl and one at the left." (11) Piska 11 "May the Lord, the G-d of your fathers, add to you, such as you, a thousand times!" They said to him: Our teacher, Moses, we do not want you to bless us. The Holy One Blessed be He promised Abraham our father (Bereshith 22:17) "… and multiply, will I multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and I will make your seed like the sand on the seashore" — and you set a limit to our blessing! He answered: This is my (blessing). An analogy: A king had many possessions and a young son, and he (the king) had to go abroad. He said: If I leave my possessions in the hand of my son, he will squander them. So saying, he appointed a caretaker (for his possessions) until his son would grow up and he (the caretaker) gave him (his son) enough of his own for his sustenance — whereupon the son cried: Is this all the silver and gold that my father has left me? And the caretaker: Everything I have given you is mine. What your father left for you is in keeping for you. Thus did Moses say to Israel: "May the Lord, the G-d of your fathers, add to you, such as you, a thousand times." This is my (blessing to you). As far as yours is concerned, (Ibid.)_ "and may He bless you as He spoke to you" — as the sand of the seas, and the dust of the earth, and as the fish of the ocean, and as the stars of the heavens, in abundance. (12) Piska 12 "How can I bear alone your contentiousness" — whence we are taught that they were contentious. If one of them saw his neighbor getting the better of him in judgment, he would say: I have witnesses to bring, I have proofs; tomorrow I will add accusers against you! — thus, "your contentiousness." "and your heresy" — whence we are taught that they were "heretics" (against Moses). If Moses left his house (hurriedly to meet them), they would say: Why did the son of Amram leave (so hurriedly)? He is probably not at ease at home. If he was late to leave, they would say: Why isn't the son of Amram leaving? What do you think? He is plotting against you with his wife, as Korach did with his wife! — thus, "and your heresy." "and your caviling": They were grumblers. One would expend a sela (only) to gain two; two, to gain three — thus, "your caviling." (13) Piska 13 "Havu for yourselves": "Havu" connotes "counsel," as in (II Samuel 16:20) "Havu counsel for yourselves," (Shemoth 1:10) "Havah, let us plot (i.e., take counsel) against it." "men": Would it enter our minds (that) women (are to be sought for this purpose)? What, then, is the intent of "men"? Venerable and revered. "wise and understanding": As Arios asked R. Yossi: Who is wise? He answered: One who fulfills what he has learned. Arios: You say "one who fulfills what he has learned," but perhaps it means one who is understanding. Rebbi: "understanding" is already written. What is the difference between "understanding" and "wise"? The wise man is like a traveling money changer. When he is brought (coins to assess), he examines them. When he is not brought (coins), he sits idle. The understanding man is like a rich money-changer. When he is not brought (coins) to examine, he examines his own. "and known among your tribes": They should be familiar to you. If someone comes cloaked in his talith and sits before me, I know nothing about him. But you know about him, for you grew up with him. Thus, "known to your tribes." R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: No (judicial) session begins until people bring it into question: Why did this man consent to sit (as a judge)? And why did this man not consent to sit? "And I shall set them at your heads": For you might think that if you appoint them, they are appointed, and if you do not appoint them, they are not appointed; it is, therefore, written "And I shall set them." If I appoint them, they are appointed; if not, they are not appointed. I might think that if you have accorded them greatness they are great, and if not, they are not great; it is, therefore, written "at your heads." Variantly: "and I shall set them at your heads": If you guard your ways, your heads (i.e., your judges) will be guarded, and if not, your heads will not be guarded — whence we are taught that the guilt of Israel is on the heads of their judges. And thus is it written (Ezekiel 33:7-9) "A sentinel have I made you for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, you must warn them for Me." (If you do not warn the wicked one and he dies, his blood will be on your head.) (14) Piska 14 "And you answered me and you said: Good is the thing that you have spoken to do": You should have said: Our teacher, Moses, from whom is it befitting to learn Torah? From you or from your disciples, or from the disciples of your disciples? And not from you, who suffered over them (i.e., over acquiring words of Torah)? As it is written (Shemoth 34:28) "And he was there (on Mount Sinai) with the Lord forty days and forty nights." But I know that under your breath you were saying: Now he is appointing over us eighty thousand odd judges. If he (the judge appointed over us) does not listen (to us), we will bring him a gift and he will take our view of things. Thus, "And you answered me, and you said, etc." "that you have spoken to do": When I delayed (in judging your case), you said: Let him "do," quickly. (15) Piska 15 "And I took the heads of your tribes": I "took" them with words (of suasion). I said to them: How fortunate you are! For whom are you coming to be appointed? For the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, men who are called "brothers," "friends," "the lot of His inheritance," "the flock of His grazing," and every other term of endearment. "men, wise and known": Of the seven (qualifying) traits mentioned by Yithro to Moses, he found only three: "men," "wise," and "known." "and I made them heads over you": heads (i.e., granted precedence) in buying, in selling, in (business) dealings, in entering and in leaving — entering first and leaving last. Thus, "and I made them heads." "over you": that they be honored by you. "officers of thousands": If there were 1,999 less one, then he (the officer of the 1,000) was made the officer (of the additional 999). "officers of hundreds": If there were (an additional) ninety-nine, he (the officer of the 100), was made their officer. And thus for the officers of fifty and the officers of ten. "and bailiffs for your tribes": wielders of the lash, viz. (II Chronicles 19:11) "and the Levite bailiffs before you," and (Nechemiah 8:11) "and the Levites silenced all the people." (16) Piska 16 ("And I charged your judges at that time, saying:hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah.") "And I charged your judges at that time, saying": In the past, you were independent; now you are obligated to the congregation. It once happened that R. Gamliel placed R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma at the head of the academy, and the disciples were unaware of their absence. Towards evening, they returned and sat with the disciples. Such was the trait of R. Gamliel: When he entered (the house of study) and said "Ask" (what is on your minds), it was known that there were no provocateurs there. When he entered and did not say "Ask," it was known that there were provocateurs there. When he entered and found R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma sitting among the disciples, he said to them: (By your behavior) you have made it known to the congregation that you do not wish to exercise authority over them — In the past, you were independent; from now on, you are obligated to the congregation (for their good and welfare). (Ibid.) "Hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah." "among your brothers": and not among Canaanites. And this was the way of R. Yishmael: When two came to him for judgment, one a Canaanite and one a Jew — If he could find for the Jew by Jewish law, he judged by Jewish law; and if by the laws of the gentiles, he judged by the laws of the gentiles, saying, Why should I not do so? Has the Torah not written "Hear among your brothers"? ... "and judge righteously": (one who may be) a tzaddik (a righteous one) in his righteousness and a claimant (against him) who brings proofs (for his claim); the first, cloaked in his talith; the second saying it is mine (and adducing proofs); the first plowing with his ox; the second saying it is mine; the first sitting in his house; the second saying it is mine; the first holding his fields; the second saying it is mine. This is the intent of "and judge righteously," (between) "the righteous one in his righteousness" and the claimant adducing his proofs, (the rule being: "The burden of the proof is upon him who would take something from his neighbor, who is holding it). "between a man": to exclude a minor — whence they ruled: Orphans (who are minors) are not subject to adjudication. "between a man and his brother": This tells me only of the foregoing. Whence do I derive (the same for) one woman vis-à-vis another, one tribe, one family? From "Hear among your brothers" (All Jews are "brothers.") "and between his ger": One who "piles up" ("oger") claims against him, saying "You plowed in my land" — and he denies it; "your ox killed my servant" — and he denies it. Variantly: "and between his ger" — his neighbor (one who lives ["gar"] near him.) Variantly: his groomsman. Variantly: his tenant. (17) Piska 17 "Do not play favorites in judgment": This is (addressed to) one who is appointed to seat judges. Lest you say: That man is comely; I will make him a judge — that man is strong; I will make him a judge — that man is my kinsman; I will make him a judge — that man lent me money; I will make him a judge — that man is multilingual; I will make him a judge — so that (in his innocence) he exonerates the guilty and incriminates the innocent — not because he is wicked, but because he does not know (the law), Scripture terms (appointing him as a judge) as "playing favorites in judgment." Small and great equally shall you hear": Lest you say: Since this one is poor and the other rich it is a mitzvah to judge in his (the poor man's) behalf, so that he can feed himself honestly; it is, therefore, written "Small and great equally shall you hear." Variantly: "Small and great equally shall you hear": Lest you say: How can I damage this man's reputation for a dinar? I will exonerate him, and when he leaves, I will tell him to give the poor man the money that he owes him. Thus, "Small and great equally shall you hear." "Do not fear any man": If two come to be judged before you, before you hear what they have to say you may remain silent. If you have heard the case but you do not know how to rule for exoneration or incrimination, you may remain silent. Once the judgment is clear to you, you may not remain silent. The same applies to compromise. If two come before you for judgment, before you have heard what they have to say, or after you have heard, but you do not know how to rule, you may tell them: Go out and compromise. Once you have heard their words and you know how to rule, you may not tell them to go out and compromise, as it is written (Proverbs 17:14) "As the letting loose of water is the beginning of contention, and before the (law of) the quarrel is revealed, leave it." And the sages say: The compromiser is a sinner, and one who praises the compromiser is a sinner, as it is written (Psalms 10:3) "And the blesser of the compromiser rejects the Lord," The praiser of (compromising) judges is thus found to reject his Creator. R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Compromise is raising the small and lowering the great. R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: It is a mitzvah to compromise, as it is written (Zechariah 8:16) "These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth, one man to his neighbor. Truth and a judgment of peace shall you judge in your gates." Which is "a judgment of peace"? Compromise. Variantly: "Do not fear any man": Lest you say: I am afraid of that man. He may kill my son, or burn my stacks, or cut down my plants; it is, therefore, written "Do not fear any man." "for the judgment is G-d's." And thus is it written of Yehoshafat (II Chronicles 19:6) "and he said to the judges: Take heed what you do, for you judge not for the man, but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment." "And the thing that is too difficult for you, you shall bring near to me and I shall hear it": The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: You (say that) you are judging a difficult case? By your life, I shall apprise you that you are not judging a difficult case. For I will bring upon you a case that the women can hear (i.e., resolve), which you cannot hear. Which is that? The case of the daughters of Tzelafchad. And thus is it written (Bamidbar 27:5) "And Moses brought forth their judgment before the Lord." Similarly (I Samuel 9:18-19) "And Saul approached Samuel within the gate and said to him: Tell me now, which is the house of the seer. And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer" — whereupon the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: You are the seer? By your life, I shall apprise you that you are not the seer. And when did He apprise him? When He said to him (16:1) "Fill your horn with oil and go and I will send you to Yishai of Bethlehem. For I have seen among his sons a king for Me." What is stated thereafter? (Ibid. 6) "And it was when they came that he (Samuel) saw Eliav and he said: Surely, before the Lord is His anointed one." And the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: Did you not say "I am the seer"? (Ibid. 7) "Do not look at his appearance and at his tall stature, for I have rejected him. For it is not as a man sees. For a man sees to the (beauty of) the eyes, but the Lord sees to the heart." (18-19) Piska 18 "And I charged you at that time with all the things that you shall do (i.e., regarding the ten differences between monetary and capital litigations). And we journeyed from Chorev and we went through all that great and fearful desert.": They saw snakes as (large as) the beams of the olive press and scorpions as large as bows stretched out before them. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If I have subdued before them such unnatural things, how much more so, things which are within the province of nature, (like the seven nations)! Thus, "And we journeyed from Chorev, etc." (20) Piska 19 "And I said to you … as the Lord … has spoken, etc.": Moses said to them: It is not of myself that I speak thus to you, but at the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He. "You have come to the mountain of the Emori which the Lord our G-d gives to us.": An analogy: A king entrusted his son to a pedagogue, who showed him around and said to him: All these vines are yours, and all these vineyards, and all these olive trees. When he tired of showing him, he said to him: Everything that you see is yours. Thus, Moses said to Israel (Ibid. 8:7) "For the Lord your G-d is bringing you to a good land, a land of streams of water, fountains and depths, issuing forth in valleys and in mountains." Once they came to the land, he said to them: "You have come to the mountain of the Emori, which the Lord our G-d gives to us." And if you say the time has not yet arrived, (21) "See, the Lord your G-d has set the land before you." I am telling you not from approximation or from hearsay, but from what you see with your own eyes. "Go up and possess it," immediately, "as the Lord the G-d of your fathers has spoken to you." I am telling you this not of myself, but by the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He. (22) Piska 20 "And all of you drew near to me": promiscuously. And elsewhere it is written (Ibid. 5:26) "And you approached me (deferentially), all the heads of your tribes and your elders." The young honored the elders, and the elders honored the heads. And here it is written "And all of you drew near to me and you said" — promiscuously, the young pushing the elders, and the elders pushing the heads. "and you said: Let us send out men before us and let them spy out the land for us": R. Shimon says: This was a great shame for Israel. When they said: "Let us send out men before us," the Lord said to them: When you were in the land of deserts and pits, I fed and sustained you, how much more so when you come to a good and broad land! How shameful those men who thus asked for themselves! "and let them return to us word": concerning which language they speak. "the (straightest) way by which we should go up": There is no road without turnings; there is no road without traps; there is no road without branchings. "and the cities to which we will come": so that we know by which city to come against them. (23) Piska 21 "And the thing was good in my eyes": but not in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He. But if it was good in his eyes, why is it included in his rebuke? An analogy: A man says to his neighbor: Will you sell me this ass? The other: Yes. The man: Will you let me try it out? The other: Yes, come and I will show you how much it can carry on the mountain and how much it can carry in the valley. When the man saw that the other impeded him in no way, he said: Take your money. This is the intent of "the thing was good in my eyes" (i.e., to "try out," etc. [but it was not good that they asked]). "and I took of you twelve men": of the most select among you; of the finest among you. "one man to a tribe": (If so) why need it be stated "and I took of you twelve men"? To indicate that the tribe of Levi was not among them, (for if it were, there would be thirteen.) (24) Piska 22 "And they turned and they went up to the mountain": We are hereby apprised that it is the way of spies to go up a mountain. And thus Rachav said to the spies of Joshua (Joshua 2:16) "Go up the mountain lest the pursuers catch you." We are hereby taught (Ibid. "Conceal yourselves there for three days until the pursuers turn back") that the holy spirit reposed upon her, for if not, how could she know that they would turn back in three days? "and they came to the river-bed of Eshkol": so-called by reason of the cluster (eshkol) of grapes (that they were to take from there [viz. Bamidbar 13:24]) Similarly, (Shemoth 3:1) "and he came to the mountain of G-d to Chorev": so-called because of what would occur there in the future. "and they spied it out": traversing its boundaries, length and width. (25) Piska 23 "And they took in their hand from the fruit of the land": R. Shimon said: Shameful are these men who took in their hand (such luxuriant fruits [to downgrade their worth]) as one would take in his hand an issar's worth of figs or grapes. "and they brought it down to us" — whence it is seen that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all the (other) lands, as in (Bamidbar 13:30) "Let us go up and inherit it," and (Ibid. 21) "And they went up and spied out the land," and (Bereshith 45:25) "And they went up from Egypt and they came to the land of Canaan." (Devarim, Ibid.) "And they returned word to us and they said: Good is the land that the Lord our G-d gives us." Now did they speak good (of the land)? Did they not speak evil of it? — Who spoke good of it? Joshua and Calev — in spite of which (Ibid. 26) "And you did not desire to go up, and you opposed the word of the Lord your G-d." ... (27) Piska 24 "And you murmured in your tents": We are hereby taught they sat in their dwellings and spoke words as those of condolers, as it is written (Proverbs 26:22) "The words of the murmerers are like (those of) condolers" — but a knife descended from heaven and split their stomachs (viz. Bamidbar 14:29), as it is written (Proverbs, Ibid.) "and they (the words) descend to the chambers of the stomach." Variantly: And you murmured in your tents": We are hereby taught that they sat in their dwellings and cried like mourners, taking their sons and saying to them: "Woe unto you, afflicted ones!" "Woe unto you, tortured ones!" "Tomorrow they will nail you to the stake!" And they would take their daughters and say to them: "Woe to you, afflicted ones!" "Woe to you, tortured ones!" "Tomorrow they will kill (numbers) of you and take captive (numbers) of you, and stand up (numbers) of you to shame!" (Devarim, Ibid.) "in the Lord's hatred of us": Is it possible that the Holy One Blessed be He hates Israel? Is it not written (Malachi 1:2) "I have loved you, said the Lord"? It is, rather, they, who hate the Holy One Blessed be He (as per the folk saying: "As you are disposed to another you think him disposed to you.") "to deliver us into the hands of the Emori to destroy us": as it is written (Joshua 7:9) "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth, etc." (28) Piska 25 "Whither are we going up? Our brothers have melted our hearts, saying, etc.": They said to him: Moses, our teacher, if we had heard such words from others, we would not believe them, but (we heard them) from those whose sons are our sons, and whose daughters are our daughters! "a great people": great in numbers. "higher than we": (i.e.,) taller. "cities great and fortified in heaven": R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Scripture (here) speaks hyperbolically, as it does in (Ibid. 9:1) "Hear, O Israel, you are crossing over the Jordan this day." But when the Holy One Blessed be He says to our father Abraham (Bereshith 26:4) "And I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven," and (Ibid. 13:16) "I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, so will your seed be numbered" — this is not hyperbole. (Devarim, Ibid.) "and also the sons of giants did we see there" — whence we are taught that they saw giants atop giants, as in (Psalms 73:6) "Therefore, pride bestrides them as a giant." (Devarim, Ibid. 20) "And I said to you, etc.", (32) "and in this thing, etc.": I say this to you not of myself, but at the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He. (29) "Do not break and do not fear them": Why? (30) "(For) the Lord your G-d who goes before you, etc." He said to them: He who wrought miracles for you in Egypt, and all of these miracles is destined to perform miracles for you upon your entering the land. "as all that He did with you in Egypt before your eyes": If you do not believe in the future, believe in the past.

רבי בניה אומר עבדו ישראל עבודה זרה הרי הם חייבים כלייה יבוא זהב משכן ויכפר על זהב עגל. רבי יוסי בן חנינה אומר ועשית כפרת זהב טהור, יבא זהב כפורת ויכפר על זהב עגל. – אם אין אתם מאמינים להבא האמינו לשעבר. (סליק סידרא)

Tanchuma Terumah 8תנחומא תרומה ח׳

וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם (שמות כה, כח). אֵימָתַי נֶאֶמְרָה לְמֹשֶׁה הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזּוֹ שֶׁל מִשְׁכָּן, בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים עַצְמוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁפָּרָשַׁת הַמִּשְׁכָּן קוֹדֶמֶת לְמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי שַׁלּוּם: אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: נָעוּ מַעְגְּלֹתֶיהָ לֹא תֵדָע (משלי ה, ו), מְטֻלְטָלוֹת הֵן שְׁבִילֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וּפָרָשִׁיּוֹתֶיהָ. הֱוֵי, בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים נֶאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ. מִנַּיִן? שֶׁכֵּן עָלָה מֹשֶׁה בְּשִׁשָּׁה בְּסִיוָן, וְעָשָׂה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה, וְעוֹד עָשָׂה אַרְבָּעִים, וְעוֹד עָשָׂה אַרְבָּעִים, הֲרֵי מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים. וְאַתָּה מוֹצֵא, שֶׁבְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים נִתְכַּפֵּר לָהֶם, וּבוֹ בַּיּוֹם אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר לָהֶם עַל מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל. וּלְכָךְ נִקְרָא מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת (שמות לח, כט), שֶׁהוּא עֵדוּת לְכָל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹכֵן בְּמִקְדַּשְׁכֶם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: יָבֹא זָהָב שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן וִיכַפֵּר עַל זָהָב שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ כָּל הָעָם אֶת נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב וְגוֹ' (שמות לב, ג). וּלְכָךְ מִתְכַּפְּרִין בַּזָּהָב, וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: כִּי אַעֲלֶה אֲרֻכָה לָךְ וּמִמַּכּוֹתַיִךְ אֶרְפָּאֵךְ (ירמיה ל, יז).

Ramban Shemot 25 Introductionרמב״ן שמות כ״ה הקדמה

כאשר דבר השם עם ישראל פנים בפנים עשרת הדברות, וצוה אותם על ידי משה קצת מצות שהם כמו אבות למצותיה של תורה, כאשר הנהיגו רבותינו עם הגרים שבאים להתיהד (יבמות מז:), וישראל קבלו עליהם לעשות כל מה שיצום על ידו של משה, וכרת עמהם ברית על כל זה, מעתה הנה הם לו לעם והוא להם לאלהים כאשר התנה עמהם מתחלה ועתה אם שמוע תשמעו בקולי ושמרתם את בריתי והייתם לי סגולה (לעיל י"ט:ה'), ואמר ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש (שם י"ט:ו'), והנה הם קדושים ראוים שיהיה בהם מקדש להשרות שכינתו ביניהם ולכן צוה תחלה על דבר המשכן שיהיה לו בית בתוכם מקודש לשמו, ושם ידבר עם משה ויצוה את בני ישראל. והנה עקר החפץ במשכן הוא מקום מנוחת השכינה שהוא הארון, כמו שאמר (להלן כ"ה:כ"ב) ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת, על כן הקדים הארון והכפרת בכאן כי הוא מוקדם במעלה, וסמך לארון השלחן והמנורה שהם כלים כמוהו, ויורו על ענין המשכן שבעבורם נעשה אבל משה הקדים בפרשת ויקהל את המשכן את אהלו ואת מכסהו (להלן ל"ה:י"א), וכן עשה בצלאל (להלן ל"ו:ח'), לפי שהוא הראוי לקדם במעשה. וסוד המשכן הוא, שיהיה הכבוד אשר שכן על הר סיני שוכן עליו בנסתר וכמו שנאמר שם (לעיל כ"ד:ט"ז) וישכן כבוד ה' על הר סיני, וכתיב (דברים ה':כ"א) הן הראנו ה' אלהינו את כבודו ואת גדלו, כן כתוב במשכן וכבוד ה, מלא את המשכן (להלן מ':ל"ד). והזכיר במשכן שני פעמים וכבוד ה' מלא את המשכן, כנגד "את כבודו ואת גדלו", והיה במשכן תמיד עם ישראל הכבוד שנראה להם בהר סיני. ובבא משה (להלן ל"ד:ל"ד) היה אליו הדבור אשר נדבר לו בהר סיני. וכמו שאמר במתן תורה (דברים ד':ל"ו) מן השמים השמיעך את קולו ליסרך ועל הארץ הראך את אשו הגדולה, כך במשכן כתיב (במדבר ז':פ"ט) וישמע את הקול מדבר אליו מעל הכפרת מבין שני הכרובים וידבר אליו. ונכפל "וידבר אליו" להגיד מה שאמרו בקבלה שהיה הקול בא מן השמים אל משה מעל הכפרת ומשם מדבר עמו' כי כל דבור עם משה היה מן השמים ביום ונשמע מבין שני הכרובים, כדרך ודבריו שמעת מתוך האש (דברים ד':ל"ו), ועל כן היו שניהם זהב וכן אמר הכתוב (להלן כט מ"ב:מ"ג) אשר אועד לכם שמה לדבר אליך שם ונקדש בכבודי, כי שם יהיה בית מועד לדבור ונקדש בכבודי. והמסתכל יפה בכתובים הנאמרים במתן תורה ומבין מה שכתבנו בהם (עי' להלן פסוק כ"א) יבין סוד המשכן ובית המקדש, ויוכל להתבונן בו ממה שאמר שלמה בחכמתו בתפלתו בבית המקדש ה' אלהי ישראל (מלכים א ח':כ"ג) כמו שאמר בהר סיני ויראו את אלהי ישראל (לעיל כ"ד:י'), והוסיף שם לפרש "ה'" לענין שרמזנו שם למעלה כי אלהי ישראל יושב הכרובים (מלכים א ח':כ"ג), כמו שאמר וכבוד אלהי ישראל עליהם מלמעלה היא החיה אשר ראיתי תחת אלהי ישראל בנהר כבר ואדע כי כרובים המה (יחזקאל י י"ט:כ') ואמר דוד ולתבנית המרכבה הכרובים זהב לפורשים וסוככים על ארון ברית ה' (דברי הימים א כ"ח:י"ח), וכן יזכיר תמיד בבית המקדש לשם ה, (מלכים א ה':י"ט), לשמך (שם ח':מ"ד), ויאמר בכל פעם ופעם ואתה תשמע השמים (שם ח':ל"ב), במדת רחמים, וכתיב (שם ח מ"ד:מ"ה) והתפללו אל ה' דרך העיר אשר בחרת בה והבית אשר בניתי לשמך ושמעת השמים, ובביאור אמר כי האמנם ישב אלהים את האדם על הארץ הנה שמים ושמי השמים לא יכלכלוך (דברי הימים ב ו':י"ח). וכתיב על הארון להעלות משם את ארון האלהים אשר נקרא שם שם ה' צבאות יושב הכרובים עליו (שמואל ב ו':ב'). ובדברי הימים (א י"ג:ו') להעלות משם את ארון האלהים ה' יושב הכרובים אשר נקרא שם, כי השם יושב הכרובים.

Abarbanel Yirmeyahu 7אברבנאל ירמיהו ז׳

ולכן הנראה לי בפירוש הפסוק הוא שהנה ישראל כשיצאו ממצרים ובאו לפני הר סיני ושמעו התורה והמצות, לא ציום ה' דבר מענין הקרבנות, אבל ציום עניני האמונות והמעשים המשובחים אשר יעשו. האמנם כאשר עשו העגל וראה השם יתברך שרירות לבם הרע, ובכל יום ויום יחטאו לפניו, הוצרך לתקן להם צרי ורפואה למחלתם ורשעיהם. ולכן באו מצוות הקרבנות מהעולות אשר יעשו לכפר על הרהורי לבם ומהחטאת והאשם ושאר מיני הקרבנות כולם שלא נצטוו עליהם אילו לא היו חוטאים. וזהו אומרו כאן כי לא דברתי את אבותיכם ולא צויתים ביום הוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים רומז למעמד הר סיני וקבול המצות שבפרשת וישמע יתרו ומשפטים שבהם לא צוה אותם השם יתברך על דברי עולה וזבח... ועל זה מפני כובד חטאתם הוצרכו למצוות הקרבנות.

Sforno Maamar Kavvanot HaTorah 6:13ספורנו מאמר כוונות התורה ו׳:י״ג

(ו) ובכן ראוי להתבונן כי אמנם קודם לחטא העגל תיכף אחר מתן תורה לא היו ישראל צריכים לכל אלה למען השרות שכינתו בתוכם ולא נצטוו על עשיית משכן וכליו וכהניו ומשרתיו ולא על שום קרבן לחובת צבור או יחיד כלל זולתי אחר מעשה העגל כאמרו יתברך כי לא דברתי את אבותיכם ולא צויתים ביום הוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים על דברי עולה וזבח אבל הודיעם אז תיכף שאינם צריכים לכל אלה ולשום אמצעי להשרות שכינתו בתוכם ולא התחייבו לשום זבח ולא משכן וכלי ואמר שאם יתנדבו עולות ושלמים יספיק מזבח אדמה ואמר בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי והוא כל מקום שיקרא באמת בית אלהים כענין בתי מדרשות וזולתם אבוא אליך וברכתיך. וכל אלה באר תיכף אחר מתן תורה כאמרו כה תאמר אל בני ישראל אתם ראיתם וכו' ואחרי כן תיכף נתן המשפטים ובכן ברדת משה רבינו אז מן ההר אל העם אשר עמדו מרחוק ביראתם הגיד להם את כל דברי ה' אשר בפרשה כה תאמר הנזכר ואת המשפטים אשר תיכף אחריה ולא הגיד דבר ממצות משכן וכליו ועבודותיו ומשרתיו כלל אבל בנה מזבח והקריבו הבכורות עולות ושלמים בלבד ועליהם כרת הברית ועלה אז הוא והזקנים יראו את אלהי ישראל בעודם משתמשים בחושיהם כאמרו ויאכלו וישתו. אמנם אחר חטאם בעגל גם כי בתפלת משה בחירו נעתר לשאת חטאתם ולהשרות שכינתו בתוכם עכ"ז אמר ועשו לי מקדש וכו' ולא באופן אחר כי לא השיבה כלל אל מדריגת מעלתם שהיו בה קודם. (יג) והנה קודם מעשה העגל היו הקרבנות באים נדבה בלבד כמו שנהגו בהם צדיקי הדורות. אמנם אחר העגל היו קצתם חובה לצבור כענין התמיד והמוספין ומנחתם ונסכיהם וקצתם חובה ליחיד ולצבור והם החטאות וקצתם ליחיד בלבד והם האשמות. אמנם נסכי יחיד וקרבן צבור בע"ג נצטוו אחר ענין המרגלים שהיו אז יותר מקולקלים. ובלעדי אלה ראוי להתבונן שבקצת קרבנות נתן דמם על בין הבדים ועל הפרוכת ועל מזבח הזהב להזכיר זכות חכמי הדור השלמים אשר יורה עליהם הארון והם אשר תכלית כל פעולתם לכבוד קונם להביט נפלאות מתורתו ולהיותם דומים לו יתברך כפי האפשר על צד הכוונה הראשונה וזה בהבין יראת ה' ודעת קדושים משרתיו שהם העצמים נבדלים אשר יורו עליהם הכרובים.

Shadal Shemot 25:1שד״ל שמות כ״ה:א׳

אחר שקבלו עליהם המשפטים והתורות והיה ה' בישורון מלך, ראוי שיעשו לו מקדש, כאילו מלכם שוכן בתוכם, כי יהיה סבה חזקה לשמירת האחדות באומה והתמדת דבקותה בתורה, ואעפ"י שעדיין לא נגזר עליהם להתעכב במדבר, לא רצה ה' שימתינו לעשות לו מקדש עד שיכבשו ויחלקו את הארץ ויהיה להם מקום נבחר להיות מרכז לכל הממלכה, וצוה לעשות משכן מיטלטל, שגם בבואם אל הארץ יוכלו להקימו בכל מקום שירצו לפי צורך השעה, והמשכן הזה שמש שמונים שנה וד' מאות שנה עד שנבנה הבית בימי שלמה (מלכים א ו':א').

Hoil Moshe Shemot 20:20הואיל משה שמות כ׳:כ׳

מזבח אדמה – כתוב אחד אומר מזבח אדמה תעשה לי, בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי וגו', וכתוב אחד אומר ועשו לי מקדש, ארון וכרובים, שלחן, מנורה, כיור, מזבחות ובגדי כהונה, זהב וכסף ונחשת? אין תימה בדבר, כאן קודם מעשה העגל, כאן לאחר מעשה העגל (מהר"ר משה ערענרייך הלוי, ועיין עוד בפרשת תשא); מ"מ הודיע האל ית"ש שזה היה חפצו שלא לבחור בבית ובאיש ובעבודה פרטית כי מלא כל הארץ כבודו וכל בני האדם עבדיו, וזבחים ועולות הם יקרי הערך לפניו כשבאים בתורת נדבה (על ענין מצות הקרבנות עיין במשתדל פרשת ויקרא), ומשקלקלו לא היו עוד ראוים לעבודה חפשית כזו וצריכים לגדרים לבלתי יסורו מהדרך הישרה, לכל הפחות בעבודתם את ה', ולא יעבדוהו עבודת זמה וחרפה כעבודת יתר האומות את אלהיהם. אזכיר את שמי – אל"ף במקום ת"ו, וכמהו ותחס עליך (ש"א כ"ד י"ד), רבים עוד הביאם שד"ל בביאור יחזקאל (ה' ו') על פסוק וחרב אריק אחריהם. וכן תרגם הירושלמי בכל אתר דתדכרו ית שמי, ואולי תיקון סופרים הוא אחר איסור הבמות.