Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Parshiot Vayakel and Pekudei are narrative Torah portions that exactingly describe the construction of the Mishkan (Portable Desert Sanctuary) and the creation of the bigdei Kohanim (garments of the Kohanim). The word, “va’ya’os” — “and he made,” is used 40 times throughout these passages, 39 of which are stated anonymously. Consequently, the names of the artisans who created a particular kli (vessel), or even one of the constitutive elements of the Mishkan such as one of the altars, remain unknown. The one exception to this rule is the Aron Luchot HaBrit (Ark of the Covenant): “Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.” (Sefer Shemot 37:1, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). 
 
We may well ask at this juncture is, “Why was Bezalel’s name explicitly mentioned solely in regards to the Aron Luchot HaBrit, when he was designated by Hashem to be the designer and architect of every aspect of the Mishkan?” This is particularly of the moment, since the Torah informs us:

“See, I [Hashem] have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have imbued him with the spirit of G-d, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper, with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work.” (Sefer Shemot 31:2-5)
 
In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) suggests that, “Since he [Bezalel] devoted himself to the work more than the other wise men, it [the Aron Luchot HaBrit] was called by his name [i.e. the work was attributed to him alone].” A generation later, the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) notes in his Commentary on the Torah that although Bezalel joined others in creating all of the Miskan’s holy vessels, his name was associated, in particular, with the Aron Luchot HaBrit because of its singular kedushah (holiness). While both Rashi and the Ibn Ezra help us answer our question, I believe the most holistic response has been offered by Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843-1926) in his Torah commentary entitled, “Meshech Chachma.”
 
Rav Meir Simcha begins his analysis by noting that “other people participated in the construction of the various kalim (vessels) at the time of the first and second Beit HaMikdash, and will do so in the future.” (Commentary on Sefer Shemot 37:1, this and the following translations my own)  This, however, he asserts, is not the case regarding the Aron Luchot HaBrit, whose purpose was to house the Tablets of the Law (Luchot HaBrit), since “from the time it was hidden away [shortly before the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash], no other one could be built, for another set of  HaLuchot could never be constructed.” Rav Meir Simcha continues by explaining that the Aron Luchot HaBrit is therefore called:

the Aron Bezalel, which will exist throughout all the generations — and there will never be another. This is perhaps the reason for our verse’s specificity [when it states, “and Bezalel made,”] to teach us that throughout the generations another Aron HaBrit, and set of Cherubim, may never be produced — but, rather, only those that Bezalel fashioned.
 
Rav Meir Simcha’s first answer to our question is technical in nature: The underlying rationale as to why Bezalel’s name is associated with the Aron Luchot HaBrit is because there can never be another one, since there will never be another set of HaLuchot. As a result, the Aron Luchot HaBrit is forever known as Aron Bezalel — the one and only Aron Luchot HaBrit that was created by Bezalel.
 
Rav Meir Simcha’s second answer to our query is more conceptually-based and responds, as well, to another question: “Why was Bezalel chosen to build the Aron Luchot HaBrit?” In order to properly understand his response, we need to focus upon his view of the order of historical events surrounding the Chet of the Eigel HaZahav (Sin of the Golden Calf) and the Mishkan, something that is hotly debated among the early and later Torah commentators. In Rav Meir Simcha’s view, Hashem initially designated Bezalel as the architect of the Mishkan. Shortly following his appointment, however, klal Yisrael (the Jewish people) participated in the heinous incident of the Eigel HaZahav. At that point, Bezalel was specifically charged with the construction of the Aron Luchot HaBrit:
The Holy One blessed be He was concerned, following the sin of the Eigel HaZahav, that perhaps when someone would build the Aron HaBrit, they would have forbidden thoughts during its construction that would be infused with various kinds of idol worship. Therefore, Bezalel was chosen to build the Aron HaBrit, since his grandfather, [Chur,] was murdered as a result of his refusal to participate in the creation of the Eigel HaZahav.
 
Our writer concludes his trenchant analysis with a solid explanation as to why Bezalel’s name was explicitly mentioned in regards to the Aron Luchot HaBrit:
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Therefore, based upon his (Bezalel’s) training and his natural orientation toward hating anything and everything associated with those who follow after the foolishness, forms and images of all manner [of idol worship,] he would never have embraced any of these foreign thoughts. Therefore, the Torah writes, “And Bezalel made,’ since he, and he alone, constructed the Aron HaLuchot without any [potentially questionable] help whatsoever.
 
According to Rav Meir Simcha, Bezalel emerges as a true hero of the spirit who was blessed by Hashem with the requisite unique talents and abilities not only to design and build the Mishkan in general, but to also construct the Aron Luchot HaBrit in particular, b’taharah v’kedushah (in purity and sanctity). With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to follow in his footsteps and dedicate ourselves to attaining such holiness of purpose in our lives. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The Tanach contains a number of instances when Hashem or his malach (angel) calls to individuals and repeats their name within the same verse. For example, immediately prior to the Almighty’s command to Avraham to cease offering Yitzhak upon the altar (Akeidat Yitzhak), we find: “And an angel of G-d called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” (Sefer Bereishit 22:11, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)   In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Tosefta Berachot I and Sifra Vayikra I, explains that this and, by extension, other cases wherein a name is reiterated, reflect Hashem’s love for the person that is so called.
 
In contrast, our parasha contains a pasuk (verse) that is outside the general rubric of name repetition: “And it came to pass when Moses descended from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand when he descended from the mountain, and Moses did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while He had spoken with him.” (Sefer Shemot 34:29)  This is by no means your classic case wherein Hashem summons people by repeating their names, since our verse is narrative and not dialogical in nature. In addition, this is the only verse in the five books of the Torah of which I am aware wherein a name is found three times. Taken in tandem, this suggests that Moshe’s name is not repeated because of Hashem’s love for him, but, rather, for some other significant reason.
 
In his Commentary on the Torah, the great Spanish exegete, Rabbi Don Yitzhak Abarbanel (1437-1508), addresses the issue of the three-fold repetition of Moshe’s name within our pasuk, and suggests two complementary reasons for this unusual formulation. Both of these focus upon the spiritual-physical change that Moshe underwent, as depicted in the conclusion of our verse, “and Moses did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while He had spoken with him.” The Abarbanel notes that under normal conditions, one would have thought that Moshe’s transformation would have rendered him unrecognizable by the Jewish people. This, however, was not what emerged:

One ought not to think that as a result of the emanation of the brilliant Divine light the Jewish people were no longer able to recognize Moshe’s face. [Although] this lack of recognition takes place regarding an individual when their friend’s face changes because of a variety of reasons, this was most assuredly not the case regarding Moshe. Instead, the Jewish people perceived Moshe’s face as they always had done, and recognized that this was, indeed his face ─ even with the brilliant Divine light coming forth from him. (This and the following translation my own)
 
In my estimation, it was crucial for our ancestors to continue to identify Moshe’s face, as this would eliminate the dire possibility of their once again proclaiming, “Come on! Make us gods that will go before us, because this man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt we don't know what has become of him” ─ as they had a mere two chapters earlier at the outset of the incident of the Eigel Hazahav (Golden Calf, Sefer Shemot 32:1).  As such, in the mind of our forebears, Moshe remained the Moshe they had always known, and his, and their, continuity remained intact.
 
As we have seen, the Abarbanel’s first reason for the three times we find Moshe’s name in our pasuk reflects our ancestors ongoing ability to recognize that “Moshe was Moshe.” His second reason, once again focuses upon the brilliant Divine light that emanated from Moshe’s countenance, and teaches us about the singular nature of his prophetic experiences, and his unique manner of receiving Hashem’s Word:

And the second matter that is made known to us regarding Moshe, and the [mystical] activity of the Divine light emanating from his face, is that he neither sequestered nor removed himself from his four senses ─ unlike the actions of all the other prophets at the time of their prophetic experiences. We know this to be the case, since he, himself, after receiving the Word from Hashem, returned his own veil to his face. This demonstrates that he never ceased to be aware of his senses, and that [during his prophetic communications] he was totally awake in the same exact fashion as he had been prior to receiving his prophecy.
 
Given the Abarbanel’s trenchant analysis, we are now in an ideal position to briefly explore the exceptional elements of Moshe’s prophetic engagements. We are fortunate that the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) addressed precisely this topic in his classic work, Perush HaMishnah:

• Unlike all other prophets, Moshe spoke to Hashem in a direct manner, i.e. without any intermediary.
• In contrast to all other prophets, Moshe communicated with the Almighty during the day and when he was completely conscious.
• All other prophets felt anguish, trembled, shuddered and became weak due to their meeting with Hashem. Moshe, however, remained fully in control of his physical and psychological powers throughout his prophetic engagements with Hashem.
• All prophets, with the exception of Moshe, received their visions whenever the Almighty appeared to them – and without their control. Moshe, however, spoke to Hashem whenever he so chose. (Synopsis based upon, Perush HaMishnah, Sanhedrin, Introduction to Perek Chalek, Rav Kapach edition)

The Rambam describes the spiritual intimacy that obtained between Moshe and Hashem.  The portrait that emerges is that of a unique individual who enjoyed unparalleled access to the Almighty due to his exceptional spiritual gifts.
 
Moshe and his prophetic encounters were unique in the annals of Jewish history. As the Torah teaches us, “And there was no other prophet who arose in Israel like Moses, whom the L-rd knew face to face” (Sefer Devarim 34:10, underlining my own)  While none of us are capable of achieving his exalted level, each of us can do our utmost to reach out to Hashem, and establish a meaningful connection with Him. With the Holy One’s chesed and rachamim (kindness and mercy) may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

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Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha focuses upon the mitzvah of constructing the Mishkan (Portable Desert Sanctuary). The pasuk (verse) that conveys this commandment is found early on in our Torah reading: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary (Mikdash) and I will dwell in their midst.” (Sefer Shemot 25:8, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) formulates this mitzvah in the following manner:

The 20th mitzvah that we are commanded is to build a House of Avodah (the Temple Service). In it we offer sacrifices, burn the eternal flame, offer our prayers, and congregate for the festivals each year...The source of this mitzvah is G-d’s statement (exalted be He), “And they shall make Me a sanctuary.” (Sefer HaMitzvot, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell)
 
As the Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael on our pasuk notes, however, the very act of constructing a Mikdash for Hashem is quite problematic:

And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst;” why was this ever stated? After all, was it not already said, (Sefer Yirmiyahu 23:24) ‘Behold I fill the heavens and the earth?’ [And, therefore, how can any dwelling contain Hashem?] (Translation and brackets my own)
 
This question is echoed, as well, in Yeshayahu’s well-known declaration: “So says the L-rd, ‘the heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?’” (Sefer Yeshayahu 66:1)  Rashi underscores the intent of the prophet’s proclamation in his Commentary on Sefer Yeshayahu: “The heavens are my throne” ─ [Therefore,] I do not need your Temple; “which is the house that you will build for Me” ─ that is fitting for My Schechinah (Divine Presence)?”

We now have a true conundrum: If there is seemingly no need for a Mikdash, why did the Torah command us to build one, and why do we pray three times a day following the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esrai, “May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d, and the G-d of our forefathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt, speedily in our days?” (Translation, The Complete Artscroll Siddur)  My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, addresses our question in his analysis of the underlying rationale for the construction of the Mikdash. He notes that “G-d created the world to reside in it, rather than reside in transcendence.” (This and the following quotations, Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Shemot, page 226)  According to the Rav, this was precisely the extraordinary environment in which Adam and Chava initially lived:

Man could have continually experienced Him instead of trying to infer His Presence through examining nature. But in the wake of the original sin by Adam and Eve, He retreated. “And they heard the voice of the L-rd G-d going in the garden to the direction of the sun, and the man and his wife hid from before the L-rd G-d in the midst of the trees of the garden.” (Sefer Bereishit 3:8)
 
Tragically, as a result of Adam and Chava having eaten from the Pri Etz HaDa’at (Tree of Knowledge), Hashem withdrew into otherworldliness, and, as the Rav explains, humanity’s ability to continually experience Him abruptly ceased:
​
These “footsteps” were those of G-d leaving the garden and departing into infinity. Had they not sinned, G-d would always have been close. As a result of Adam’s hiding and fear of communicating with G-d in the wake of his sin, G-d removed His Divine Presence.
 
In sum, as a result of Adam’s sin and  abject fear of further direct communication with Hashem, the Almighty removed His immanence (the Schechinah) and left mankind’s deep-rooted need for a dynamic connection to the Almighty unmet. Little wonder, then, that the Rav teaches us that the ultimate “…purpose of the tabernacle was to restore the relationship between man and G-d,” in order that His Schechinah could reside amongst us.
 
With Hashem’s help, may we strive to live lives wherein we continually seek the Almighty and search for his Holy Presence. Moreover, “May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d, and the G-d of our forefathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt, speedily in our days” in order that our relationship will be complete once again. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.