donations were called “teruma” (a portion [for Hashem] – 35:24)? (f) (1) Why did the nesi’im (sheivet leaders) contribute the precious stones for the eifod and the choshen (3 reasons)? (2) How did the nesi’im compensate for their mistake? (Shemot 35:5,10-11,22-27)
A-3. (a) He wanted Bnei Yisrael to be aware that they had to bring a considerable contribution, i.e., everyone who was “nediv libo” (whose heart motivated him to contribute generously) for the necessary magnitude of each raw material for all of the work that had to be done – he mentioned the specific items but gave the exact details of each item to the craftsmen later; (b) these craftsmen, who had been slaves in Mitzrayim, had neither learned from a teacher nor trained their hands in these crafts but perceived in their own nature how to do such skills, telling Moshe that they will do as Hashem inspired them (Ramban). (c) (1) The Torah says, “the men came with the women”, meaning that the women came first, because (i) donating jewelry was common among the women since they had more jewelry, and (ii) the women removed it immediately to donate it; whereas, (i) fewer men had jewelry, and (ii) even those who owned it did not necessarily have it on them, and they took longer to donate it (Ramban). (2) Arachin 24a bans a man from sanctifying his wife’s jewelry without her consent, and Bava Kama 118b bans a woman from contributing her husband’s property without his consent – “yevi’eha” means “he shall bring her” – a man who contributed his wife’s jewelry had to bring her to show she consented, just as a woman who contributed her husband’s property had to bring him for his consent – “heivi’u” is plural since husbands and wives brought their contributions together (Ba’al haTurim). (d) Ya’akov, before entering Mitzrayim, foresaw with ruach ha-kodesh (Divine inspiration) that Bnei Yisrael would need it for the Mishkan – he took the wood from Avraham’s eishel in Be’er Sheva, planted it in Mitzrayim and instructed his sons to tell their offspring to take it when they left (Medrash Tanchuma). (e) Since gold donations were rare, they were called “tenufa” since one donating it would wave it, showing its importance (Ramban). (f) (1) (i) The nesi’im decided to wait until the rest of Bnei Yisrael made their contributions and supply whatever would be lacking – they mistakenly underestimated Bnei Yisrael’s generosity, and the stones were the only remaining items needed (Rashi). (ii) The word “nesi’im” refers not to Bnei Yisrael’s leaders, but to the Clouds of Glory – the Clouds moved to the Pishon River, where the precious gems were found, and brought them to Bnei Yisrael (Kli Yakar). (iii) Because of the superior spiritual stature
of the nesi’im (leaders), the nesi’im (Clouds of Glory) rewarded them by providing precious gems with their daily mon, allowing them to contribute the gems to the Mishkan (Targum Yonatan). (2) They were the first to bring korbanot at the Mishkan’s inauguration, as listed in Bamidbar 7:10-68 (Rashi).
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Q-4. (a) During what period of time did Bnei Yisrael bring enough for building the Mishkan, its vessels and garments?
(1) Since the goal was that Bnei Yisrael make sufficient donations, why does the Torah detail the craftsmen’s reported excess (2 reasons)? (2) What happened to the materials that Bnei Yisrael contributed to the Mishkan that were left over (3 views)? (c) Why, in describing the size of the kerashim (planks), is the word “amot” (cubits) spelled without a vav (2 views)? (Shemot 36:3,7,21) How was the cheit ha’eigel (i) Moshe’s fault? (ii) Hashem’s fault? (2) Why did Bnei Yisrael not wait until Moshe returned from Sinai (2 views)? (c) (1) What was the “elohim” that the people wanted Aharon to make (2 views)? (2) Why did they ask for elohim, in the plural? (d) What was it that Aharon “saw” that caused him to build a mizbei’ach and proclaim a festival? (e) Why did the idolaters want a calf’s image? (f) (1) After Aharon made the eigel, why did Hashem reward him by appointing him Kohen Gadol? (2) (i) Why Aharon punished for this? (g) When Moshe prayed that Bnei Yisrael be spared, he said, “remember for the sake of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yisrael, Your servants” – why did Moshe say “Yisrael”, not “Ya’akov”? (Shemot 32:1-5,13,18-21,31)
A-4. (a) Keeping the Shabbat atones for all of Bnei Yisrael’s sins, starting with the cheit ha’eigel; (b) (1) (i) Hashem did not want Moshe to take the eirev rav from Mitzrayim – He agreed, when Moshe insisted on taking them to bring them closer to Him – the eirev rav demanded a god to substitute for Moshe and worshipped the eigel (Abarbanel). (ii) Moshe told Hashem that He caused Bnei Yisrael’s sin – by supplying them with so much gold, how could they not sin? (Rashi). (2) (i) They assumed he died after 40 days without food (ibn Ezra). (ii) On 6 Sivan, Moshe told them he would return “at the end of 40 days, during the first 6 hours” – he meant “full days”, and counted from 7 Sivan, but they counted from 6 Sivan – Satan made them believe Moshe had died (Rashi). (c) (1) They asked for leadership in the form of (i) many gods with Divine powers (Rashi). (ii) a “spiritual glory”, like the angels associated with pillars of clouds and fire that led them out of Mitzrayim (ibn Ezra). (iii) a replacement for Moshe to whom Hashem would give inspiration – they did not seek a Divine power; (2) since they did not know what form of a leader for which to ask, they asked for many, so one would emerge as best for them; (d) when Aharon saw that the people were disposed toward evil, he built a mizbei’ach and directed them to offer korbanot for Hashem (Ramban). (e) At matan Torah, Hashem appeared with the 4 faces of the Divine Chariot – a cow, man, lion and eagle – since the eirev rav would not worship a carnivore, an abomination to the Mitzrim, they wanted a herbivorous calf (Shemot Raba). (f) (1) Aharon believed that Bnei Yisrael had a deep-seated longing for idol worship – to expose the sinners, he agreed to their request for the calf – Sheivet Levi, under Moshe’s direction, was able to exterminate them – Aharon was rewarded for this; (2) Aharon erred since the sin was not intrinsic to Bnei Yisrael, only to the eirev rav – he could have separated Bnei Yisrael from any desire for idol worship through persuasion (g) When Hashem named Ya’akov “Yisrael”, He said, “a nation and a congregation of nations shall descend from you” (Bereshit 35:11) – “a nation” referring to Binyamin and “a congregation of nations” referring to Efrayim and Menashe – the promises of these “nations” could not be come from Moshe, who was from Sheivet Levi – Moshe “reminded” Him to carry out His promise by keeping alive all of Yisrael’s shevatim (Maharil Diskin).
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Q-4. a) When Moshe dressed Aharon for the inauguration, why are only 7 of the 8 garments mentioned (3 reasons)? (b) How could Moshe anoint Aharon’s head with oil (29:7) after he had already covered Aharon’s head with the mitznefet (turban – 29:6) (2 views)? (c) Since 29:3 instructs that the bull be brought to the Ohel Mo’ed – why is this repeated in 29:10 (2 views)? (d) Concerning Aharon’s and his sons’ leaning on the 3 korbanot, why does the Torah say twice “ve-samach” (he will lean) (29:10, 29:19) and “ve-samchu” (they will lean) once (29:15)? (e) Why did the Kohen Gadol need to wear the tzitz to do the avoda? (Shemot 29:2-15).
A-4. (a) (1) The michnasayim (pants) were worn for Aaron’s and his sons’ personalresponsibilities – enforcing justice and conducting war; (3) the 9 mitzvot that applied to a king – not to (i) own many horses, (ii) bring the people to Mitzrayim, (iii) marry many wives, (iv) turn his heart from Hashem, (v) gather much wealth, (vi) be arrogant, or (vii) stray from the mitzvot; to (viii) write a sefer Torah and (ix) read it all his life; (4) its protective border stopped the lechem ha-panim from falling off – talmidei chachamim (scholars) restrained the king from departing from the Torah’s ways (R. Bechaya). (c) (1) (i) Each loaf was in a box with sides bent upwards – the surfaces faced and “looked” at the Beit haMikdash’s sides (Rashi). (ii) “Panim” means presence – the lechem had to be “le-fa-niy tamid” (before Me [Hashem] always) (ibn Ezra). (2) 3 – the kohen (i) put the dough he kneaded in one mold, (ii) transferred the dough to a 2nd mold in the oven for baking, and (iii) put the baked bread in a 3rd mold, so it would neither collapse nor break and could be brought to the shulchan (Menachot 94a). (3) The lechem ha-panim represented Hashem’s providing prosperity to Bnei Yisrael – by never leaving the shulchan empty of lechem, Bnei Yisrael asked Hashem to never allow prosperity to leave them (Sefer haChinuch – Mitzvah 97).
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Q-5. (a) (1) What did the menorah represent? (2) How do we know this? (3) Since Hashem provided Bnei Yisrael with light (fire) for 40 years in the midbar (40:38), what was menorah’s purpose? (b) Why was the menorah made (1) from one gold piece? (2) from pure gold? (3) with 22 goblets? (4) with 7 branches (2 reasons)? (c) (1) Which “crown” did the menorah represent? (2) Why did the menorah not have a rim? (d) Why does the Torah say, for the menorah, “it shall be made,” but for the other ritual objects, “you [or they] shall make”? (e) Why did Hashem command making the Mishkan’s ritual objects in the following order – the (1) aron? (2) shulchan? (3) menorah? (4) mizbei’ach? (Shemot 25:31)