Parshas Vayakhel–Pekudei
1. On the verse1 "ויעש בצלאל את הארון וגו'" ("Betzalel made the Ark, etc."),2 Rashi explains: "Betzalel made — because he devoted himself to the work more than the other sages,3 it is called by his name."
It is understood that Rashi's intent in this explanation4 is to resolve a simple question that arises from the words "Betzalel made": What is different about the making of the Ark, that specifically there the verse states explicitly that Betzalel made it, unlike the other vessels of the Mishkan, about which it simply says "he made"? To this Rashi answers that because he devoted himself to the work of the Ark more than the other sages, it is called by his name.
However, this needs clarification. It is obvious that although all "the wise-hearted men" who were knowledgeable in this took part in the overall work of the Mishkan,5 it is impossible that each one of them took part in making each and every detail of the Mishkan. Rather, each one of them did his share of the holy work of the Mishkan in one of its details.6 If so, surely the verse "Betzalel made" can be explained literally — that Betzalel (himself, and he alone) made the Ark.
[And although Betzalel certainly took part (since he was the head of all the wise-hearted, for "He filled him with the spirit of G‑d, with wisdom, etc., to perform every skilled craft, etc., and to teach, etc."4 — and consequently he made, or at least instructed) in the making of all the vessels of the Mishkan, and not only the Ark — nevertheless, one can explain that the Ark was the only vessel that he made himself, or that the Ark alone he made without the help of anyone else. And the reason for this is also understood according to the plain meaning of Scripture: the Ark was the principal7 and most holy of all the vessels of the Mishkan,8 and therefore it was made specifically by Betzalel9 — the wisest and the principal of all those who did the work of the Mishkan.10]
If so, one must wonder: What compelled Rashi to take the verse out of its plain meaning (that "Betzalel made" means that he actually made it), and to explain that the work is only called by his name (because he devoted himself to the work)?
It is also necessary to understand: since the verse says "Betzalel made," Rashi should have written in the language of the verse — "(because he devoted himself to) the making" — and not changed it to say "the work."
2. All this will be understood by first considering what Rashi writes in Parshas Terumah10* regarding the cover (Kapores) of the Ark: "ואעפ"י שלא נתן שעור לעביו פירשו רבותינו שהיה עביו טפח" ("And although [the Torah] did not give a measure for its thickness, our Sages explained11 that its thickness was a handbreadth"). Seemingly, why does Rashi, in his commentary on the plain meaning of Scripture, tell us the measure of the thickness of the Kapores (when the thickness is not stated for the other vessels) — especially since there is no proof for this in the plain meaning of Scripture, but only, as he puts it, "our Sages explained"?
It can be said that in this he comes to explain, incidentally,12 why the verse changed its wording in the command to make the Ark — "ועשו ארון עצי שטים וגו'" ("They shall make (in the plural) an Ark of acacia wood, etc.") — unlike the commands13 to make the other vessels and the garments,14 about which it says "ועשית גו'" ("You shall make, etc.")?15
For it is understood that "You shall make" does not mean literally that Moshe alone would be the one who actually does it (it is impossible that he would perform all those tasks about which it says "You shall make"). On the contrary, the verse states explicitly that it was done by "every wise-hearted man … to do all the work of the holy service, etc.";16 and Rashi states even more explicitly:17 "Moshe did not do any work in the Mishkan." And since the command "You shall make" (at least in most instances, and from them we learn about every place that says "You shall make") cannot be interpreted to mean that the making itself was incumbent on Moshe, but rather that he would command, etc., regarding all the making of the Mishkan —
[And we already find that wording such as "You shall make" is appropriate even when the thing is not done with one's own hands literally. This is compelled by what is written:18 "ויהי בונה עיר" ("And he was building a city"), where Rashi explains: "And Kayin was building a city"19 — is it within the power of one man to build an entire city?! Rather, it means that it was built at his direction. Likewise, the meaning of "You shall make" is that it will be done at his direction] —
if so, what is different about the command to make the Ark, that it says "They shall make"?
One must therefore say that this is what is novel about the making of the Ark — "They shall make," in the plural — to teach that the work of the Ark is not done by one man but specifically by many, unlike the other vessels of the Mishkan — "You shall make," which, as mentioned, includes both an individual and many. And in order to resolve according to the plain meaning20 the question of how the Ark differs from the other vessels in this respect, Rashi is compelled to explain a detail of the Ark because of which it was impossible for an individual to make it (even though the detail is found only in the Oral Torah). Therefore he cites the explanation of our Sages, and introduces it at length: "And although [the Torah] did not give a measure for its thickness" (just as with all the vessels, for which no measure of thickness was given — here it is different, for) "our Sages explained" (not "said," but "explained") "that its thickness was a handbreadth."
It is simply understood that it is not within the power of one man to work and make a piece of gold of such great weight21 — which included the gold of the Kapores and the large amount of gold from which the two Keruvim were made22 — without the help of other people. Therefore it says "They shall make," in the plural.
And although regarding the planks too it is written "ועשית את הקרשים גו'" ("You shall make the planks, etc."),23 and Rashi states explicitly24 that "they were unable to erect it … because of the heaviness of the planks" — the command speaks about the making, and it can be done lying down. Certainly there was nothing there comparable to lifting off the ground and placing on top of the Ark, as there was with the Kapores.25
3. According to the above, in our Parshah, where it says "Betzalel made the Ark, etc.," the plain meaning seemingly is that Betzalel himself made the Ark — and a question arises: But it is stated explicitly in Parshas Terumah, "They shall make an Ark, etc.," meaning that its making would be by many; and furthermore (and principally): it is impossible for it to be made by one man?!
Therefore Rashi explains that "Betzalel made" means (not literally, but) that because he devoted himself to the work of the Ark, it is called by his name.
And since certainly all the wise-hearted devoted themselves to the work of the Mishkan that they did, as it is written regarding each one of them, "אשר נשאו לבו לקרבה אל המלאכה לעשות אותה" ("whose heart uplifted him to approach the work, to do it")26 — Rashi therefore adds that (Betzalel devoted himself) "more than the other sages."
However, there is still a difficulty from the opposite direction: since the chief advantage and uniqueness of Betzalel lay in his role of "ולהורות נתן בלבו" ("He put it in his heart to teach"),27 meaning that he was the teacher and guide of every wise-hearted man in each and every task (for which a lofty and special talent is needed, in addition to perfection "in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge, etc.") — then surely he devoted himself more than the other sages in the making of the other vessels of the Mishkan as well. Why, then, is this virtue emphasized specifically in the making of the Ark?
For this reason Rashi is precise to say "because he devoted himself to the work" (and not "to the making"). There is a difference in content between these two expressions. The concept of "making" something includes in its meaning all the details through which that thing is completed and perfected — including even details that are not actions and labor — for in their combination lies its making and its completeness. As Rashi explains regarding the Work of Creation:28 "ויעש — תקנו על עמדו" ("He made — He set it in its position"); "He fashioned them in their desired form and in their stature." It is understood, consequently, that the same applies to "the making of the Mishkan": the making includes not only the actual labor and work of the Mishkan, but also all the other details needed for building the Mishkan and its vessels — including the study and instruction regarding the building and the work.
"Work" (מלאכה), however, means labor and action. So too regarding "the work of the Mishkan" — the labor and action that took place in the Mishkan.29 This is also proven from Rashi's comment:30 "הקדים להם אזהרת שבת לצווי מלאכת המשכן לומר שאינו דוחה את השבת" ("He placed the warning about Shabbos before the command concerning the work of the Mishkan, to say that it does not override Shabbos"). Seemingly, does everything involved in its making not override Shabbos? It includes several details that are permitted on Shabbos, especially the study and instruction about it! Rather, this is Rashi's precision: "the command concerning the work of the Mishkan" — the actual work.
So too in our case: Betzalel's special devotion regarding the Ark reached as far as "the work of the Ark," that is, even the labor and action of the Ark — which was not so with the other vessels of the Mishkan.
4. The "יינה של תורה" ("wine of Torah") in this comment of Rashi:
The power of mesirus nefesh is above all of a person's powers, both the encompassing ones and the inner ones. The ultimate intent, however, is that the power of mesirus nefesh should permeate all of a person's powers, down to the very lowest power, the power of action, so that his deeds and actions as well should be in keeping with the impulse of his mesirus nefesh.
This is what Rashi alludes to in Betzalel's mesirus nefesh for the Ark: "because he devoted himself to the work" — and, as explained above, "the work" is the actual action. That is, his mesirus nefesh extended through all his powers, down to his power of action, so that even in the work itself it was evident that he had devoted himself.
Through this, not only do all the activities of the powers take on a different character (because of the impulse of mesirus nefesh within them), but even the powers in their own right (as particular powers with particular qualities) are thereby elevated to a loftier level. This is why Rashi continues: "more than the other sages" — through his mesirus nefesh he gained an advantage in all his powers, up to the very highest power, the power of Chochmah (wisdom), which is "more" than wisdom is in its own right (that is, as it is with "the other sages," who did not devote themselves). This is also understood from the saying "אין חכם כבעל הנסיון" ("There is no sage like one who has experience"):31 because his mesirus nefesh was put to the test, that is, in actual deed, his wisdom increased, until "there is no sage" like him.
Rashi concludes: "it is called by his name" — all this came about because through mesirus nefesh one draws down ("נקראת," "is called") the level of Kesser,32 which is called "His Name,"33 which is ("על," "upon") above all the sefiros and acts upon them. Therefore, in a person's soul as well, it brings about an elevation in all the powers ("which are derived from them"34 — from the sefiros Above).
5. This power of mesirus nefesh came to Betzalel as an inheritance from his grandfather Chur,35 who gave up his life to prevent the sin of the Golden Calf36 — which is the opposite of the purpose of the Mishkan, "ושכנתי בתוכם" ("I will dwell among them")37 [which is why He commanded that the Mishkan be made "so that all the nations would know that they had been forgiven for the deed of the Calf"38]. That is, Chur gave up his life so that the dwelling of His Shechinah below would be drawn forth; therefore his grandson, Betzalel, also devoted himself to the work of the Ark, in which lies the principal revelation of "I will dwell among them."39
Therefore the above matter (explained in section 4) is also alluded to in the name40 of Betzalel, the name of his father and the name of his grandfather*40 — "Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur": "Uri" is from the word "אור" ("light"), which is the level of Ze'eir Anpin,41 or Chochmah,42 the first of the ten sefiros; "Chur" means an opening, the level of the Nukva, the sefirah of Malchus,43 the last of all the levels; and "Betzalel" is "בצל א-ל" ("in the shadow of G‑d"),44 a level that is above all those mentioned. For "א-ל" is Chesed45 — the beginning of Ze'eir Anpin, "the day that goes with all the days"46 — or even entirely above Ze'eir Anpin and Malchus, above the middos and above all the ten sefiros, for it is the first Name of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy;47 and all the more so "the shadow of א-ל," which is the encompassing and the shadow of the Name א-ל, is above all those mentioned. This corresponds to the above point that the power of mesirus nefesh is above all the powers, encompassing and inner (Ze'eir Anpin and Malchus — for Ze'eir Anpin relative to Malchus is an encompassing level48), and it draws down from the level that is above all the sefiros, the level of Kesser.
6. With this we can also understand why Moshe commanded Betzalel "to make the vessels first and afterwards the Mishkan," whereas Betzalel "made the Mishkan first and afterwards made the vessels": Since Betzalel's level is above the encompassing and the inner powers, and there the inner ones are rooted higher,49 Moshe therefore wanted him to make the vessels — the inner — first, and afterwards the Mishkan — the encompassing.
Betzalel, however, said that although this is his level, nevertheless, until one reaches this level one must ascend from below to above, from level to level. Therefore he "made the Mishkan first and afterwards made the vessels," for in a person's Divine service one must first draw down the level of the encompassing, and afterwards the encompassing acts upon the inner powers.50
(From the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel–Pekudei 5731)
Notes
1) Our Parshah, 37:1.
2) In the first printing: "the sages" (with the definite article).
3) And as in the explanation of the Sifsei Chachamim.
4) Our Parshah, 36:1–2.
5) Note what is written (our Parshah, 36:7): "each man from his work that they were doing."
6) Our Parshah, 35:31 ff.
7) For the purpose of the Mishkan is "ושכנתי בתוכם" ("I will dwell among them"), and specifically this was through the Ark: "ונועדתי לך שם וגו'" ("I will meet with you there, etc.") (Terumah 25:22).
8) Even according to Rashi's explanation that he devoted himself to the Ark more than the other sages, one is compelled to say this — for otherwise, why did Betzalel devote himself specifically to the Ark?
9) Likewise — "See, G‑d has called Betzalel by name" (35:30); therefore he made the vessel from which all the callings afterwards came (see Rashi, Terumah, ibid.).
10) Regarding the other vessels, this can be explained in several ways: a) Just as G‑d called Betzalel alone by name, so it was in the making of the vessels. b) No vessel was made by one man, and therefore it does not specify who made it. c) Since it was not made by Betzalel (the principal of the wise-hearted), and it is not the Ark (the principal of the vessels), it does not specify who made it and suffices with a plain "he made" (this being the style of Scripture — see Rashi (Vayechi 48:2): "Many verses are brief in language").
10*) 25:17.
11) Sukkah 5b.
12) In Sukkah (5a) it speaks of their height, whereas thickness is in keeping with the plain meaning.
13) For it is not that this is his only intent, since regarding the making of the Mishkan, its vessels and the priestly garments, Rashi cites many things that are not compelled by the plain meaning of Scripture. For even a five-year-old beginning Scripture understands that the details stated in the verses are not all the details they had, and it is simply necessary that there were many more details. Therefore Rashi cites the details learned in the halachic portion, etc., of the Torah that do not contradict the plain meaning of the verses, in order to explain the appearance of the garments and the vessels. See Rashi, Tetzaveh (28:4–6): "My heart tells me, etc. … and my heart further tells me, etc. … I write their making as it is, so that the reader may run through it, etc." Note also the Haftorah of Tetzaveh: "Tell the House of Israel about the House, and let them be ashamed of their iniquities, etc. … And if they are ashamed, etc. … and they shall make them" (Yechezkel 43:10–11).
14) What is written, "ועשו לי מקדש גו'" ("They shall make Me a Sanctuary, etc."), is not relevant to our matter, for there it speaks of the entire Mishkan as a whole — which was incumbent on all the wise-hearted.
15) As the Midrash asks (Shemos Rabbah 34:2), as do several commentators on the Chumash (Ramban, Ohr HaChaim, etc.) — and their answers are in the manner of Midrash, not in the manner of the plain meaning.
16) Our Parshah, 36:1.
17) Pekudei 39:32.
18) Bereishis 4:17. But "He built himself a house, and for his livestock he made booths" (Vayishlach 33:17) — this can be explained as one of the verses that are brief in language, not specifying who the builder was, etc.
19) Incidentally: this comment of Rashi is a striking example of the rule explained several times, that in many of Rashi's comments, Rashi copies words from the verse, meaning that his explanation is as if the words of his explanation were written within the text of the verse, between the words of the verse that he copies. And were it not for the "correction" of the young student, the words of the verse inside Rashi's comment would have to be printed in the same letters as the words that Rashi copies before the start of his explanation; in our case: "And Kayin was building a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son Chanoch."
20) This is not so in the Midrash, in the Ramban, etc. (cited above in note 15).
21) And although regarding the Menorah too it is written (Terumah 25:31), "ועשית מנורת זהב טהור" ("You shall make a Menorah of pure gold"), and the Menorah was "a talent of pure gold" (ibid. 39), which is also a heavy load (see Rashi there, that this is 120 litra) — that was "its weight together with all its utensils" (as the Ramban explains Rashi there). And even if we say that this was the weight of the Menorah by itself (the Rosh, etc., on Rashi there), Rashi explains that Moshe alone carried the talent and threw it into the fire (ibid. 25:31).
22) This is not so with the Ark itself, for there is a dispute whether the thickness of its bottom was a handbreadth (Yoma 72b) (and the halachah does not follow this view — Minchas Chinuch, mitzvah 95). Furthermore, the Kapores also included the gold of the Keruvim, and it had to be lifted and placed on the Ark. Especially since the plain meaning of the verse (Terumah 25:21) implies that placing the Kapores on the Ark is the completion of the making* of the Ark — even though the Kapores is a separate vessel (Sukkah 5a). See also Tzafnas Pa'aneach at the beginning of Parshas Terumah.
*) See below in the text, section 3.
23) Terumah 26:15.
24) Pekudei 39:33.
25) The same applies to the sockets, about which it is written (Terumah 26:19) "you shall make," even though each socket was a talent of silver (Pekudei 38:27) — there was no need to lift them at the time they were made, etc.
26) Our Parshah, 36:2.
27) Ibid., 35:34.
28) Bereishis 1:7, 25.
29) Note carefully Rashi's comment (our Parshah, 36:7), which explains "and the work" as the work of bringing, and not the giving of the contribution.
30) Our Parshah, 35:2.
31) See Akeidah, Sha'ar 14. Note also Sefer HaSichos Summer 5700, p. 45; and elsewhere.
32) Likkutei Torah, Emor 33c ff.
33) Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 7d.
34) Tanya, beginning of ch. 3.
35) According to this, it is all the more understood why it also says "son of Chur" (Tisa 31:2; our Parshah, 35:30) — for mesirus nefesh is found explicitly in his grandfather Chur.
36) Sanhedrin 7a. Rashi, Tisa 32:5.
37) Terumah 25:8.
38) Tanchuma, Terumah 8. See also Rashi, Tisa 31:18; 33:11; beginning of Pekudei. And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 6, p. 153 ff.
39) Ramban, beginning of Terumah. See at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 4, p. 1346; above, p. 118 ff.
40) See Teshuvos U'Biurim, sec. 1.
*40) See Zohar II, 152, end of side a.
41) See Ohr HaTorah, Pekudei p. 2234; Ohr HaTorah, Vayikra p. 231; Ohr HaTorah, Shuvah p. 1517 — that "Uri" is the level of Chesed. [And although it is explained there that Betzalel is the level of Yesod — this can be reconciled with what is explained here, for Yesod is in the middle line, which ascends to the inner dimension of Kesser.]
42) Zohar (cited in several places in Chassidus (Sha'arei Orah 4a (and see there 98b); Mashkeini, first, 5701, ch. 2; and elsewhere), though I have not yet found it in the Zohar). And see Likkutei Torah, Behaalos'cha 34c.
43) See Ohr HaTorah, Tisa p. 950, and there, that Uri and Chur are the levels of the higher unity and the lower unity (Ze'eir Anpin and Malchus).
44) Rashi, Pekudei 38:22.
45) Likkutei Torah, Tazria 23c, in the name of the Etz Chaim; and elsewhere.
46) See Zohar III, 191b; explained in Etz Chaim, Sha'ar 25, ch. 2; Pri Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Chazaras HaShatz, ch. 1; Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 76b; and elsewhere.
47) See Ohr HaTorah, Tisa p. 1949. And see Likkutei Sichos vol. 4, p. 1348, at length, all the opinions.
48) See Siddur 58d, that Ze'eir Anpin and Malchus are the levels of "encompassing" (sovev) and "filling" (memalei). And in Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 29a, that when the drawing down of the light that encompasses all worlds is revealed in the light that fills all worlds, this is called the union of Ze'eir Anpin and Nukva.
49) See Ohr HaTorah, Vayakhel p. 2254 ff. And see Yahel Ohr p. 191, that the line (kav) is rooted in a level above the essence of the light, etc., even though the light encompasses the line.
50) See Torah Ohr, our Parshah, 88c ff.
Key Lesson
True mesirus nefesh is not meant to stay in the heart as a lofty feeling; it must reach down into a person's actual deeds, as Betzalel's devotion reached the physical "work" of the Ark. When self-sacrifice permeates even practical action, it also lifts a person's highest faculties, so that his wisdom grows beyond its natural measure, as "there is no sage like one who has experience."