Management of and Responsibility for the Tabernacle
38:21Having concluded the account of how the artisans fashioned the various components of the Tabernacle structure, the Torah digresses to discuss who was to be put in charge of it and to note its crucial role in the spiritual life of the people.1 These are the appointments2 over the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a Testimony to the fact that God had forgiven the people for the sin of the Golden Calf and had agreed to let His presence dwell among them. However, He would allow His presence to continue to dwell among them only as long as they maintained a certain level of moral conduct; once they would fail in this regard, the Temple (which eventually superceded the portable Tabernacle) would be destroyed, taken by God as a pledge3 for the people’s repentance. This would happen twice in the Jewish people’s history.4
The various tasks involved in making the Tabernacle and all its accessories were first assigned by Moses, since it was his responsibility to make sure everything was done according to God’s instructions. Moses appointed treasurers to oversee the people’s donations of the raw materials and artisans to do the work. It will be recounted later in detail5 that after the Tabernacle was finally erected and began functioning, God instructed Moses to make the ongoing management of the Tabernacle—dismantling, transporting, erecting, and safeguarding it and its furnishings—the work of the Levites. Specifically, the work of dismantling, transporting, and erecting the Tabernacle itself was to be under the direction of Itamar, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron the priest.6 Itamar would divide these tasks between the Levite families. The work of transporting the Tabernacle’s furnishings was to be under the direction of Aaron’s third son, Eleazar.7
22Moses’ chief artisan, Betzalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, proved to be so insightful that even in those cases where Moses had not told him explicitly what God had told him to do, he intuited God’s instructions on his own and had thus carried out all that God had commanded Moses.8
23 With him was Oholiav son of Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman and weaver, and an embroiderer in turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and in linen.
24To demonstrate how Moses was in charge of the entire process of constructing the Tabernacle, the Torah now gives some examples9 of the quantities of raw materials the people brought to him.10 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the holy work—that is, the gold of the wave-offering—came to 29 talents and 730 shekels, of the sacred shekels (c. 1404 kg or 3095 lbs.). This amount of gold was not enough for all the gold that was needed in making the Tabernacle’s components, so Moses—who was exceptionally wealthy11—made up the difference from his own funds.12
[25] The silver from those of the community who had been counted—i.e., the lay males between ages twenty and sixty13—came to 100 talents and 1775 shekels, of the sacred shekels (c. 4828 kg or 10,645 lbs.):
26 a beka per head, which is a half-shekel of the sacred shekels, for all those of twenty years and over up to age sixty who had passed through the line of those counted in the census, 603,550 in all (see Figure 88).
27 The hundred talents of silver were used for casting the bases for the Tabernacle and the bases for the Curtain: one hundred bases from one hundred talents, one talent for each base. There were forty bases on each side of the Tabernacle,14 sixteen at the back,15 and four under the Curtain.16
28 And with the 1775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars of the Courtyard, overlaid their tops, and banded them.17 The people donated much additional silver beyond the mandatory half-shekel.
[29] The copper of the wave-offering came to 70 talents and 2400 shekels.
30 With it he made the bases for the Screen at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, the copper Altar and its copper Grate, and all the Altar’s utensils,
31 the bases for the pillars of the Courtyard all around and the bases for Screen at the entrance of the Courtyard, all the stakes for the Tabernacle, and all the stakes for the Courtyard all around. But the Laver was made from the copper mirrors the women donated, as described above.18
[39:1] With the turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool they made the netted packing cloths for use in the Tabernacle, and also made Aaron’s sacred garments—as God had commanded Moses.
Making the Ephod
Second Reading (Fifth when combined) 2 The Torah now resumes the account of how the artisans made the Tabernacle and its accoutrements, continuing with the priestly garments. The artisan made the Ephod out of threads composed of 28 strands: four gold threads, one twined with six threads of turquoise wool, one twined with six threads of purple wool, one twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one twined with six threads of twined linen.
3In order to fashion the gold threads, they hammered out the sheets of gold and he cut them into threads, to be intertwined with the turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and the fine linen. The Ephod was made with a woven design.
4 They made attached shoulder straps for it; they were attached by sewing at its two visible ends as seen from the back.
5 The belt that fastened it and that was above it was made like it, of one piece with it, and out of the same 28-strand thread: one gold threadtwined with six threads of turquoise wool, one gold thread twined with six threads of purple wool, one gold thread twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one gold thread twined with six threads of twined linen—as God had commanded Moses.
6 They made the two rectangular onyx stones encased in gold settings; they were engraved, as a signet ring is engraved, with the names of Israel’s sons.
7 He then affixed them to the upper ends of the shoulder straps of the Ephod as stones of remembrance of the righteousness of the sons of Israel—as God had commanded Moses.
Making the Breastplate
8 He made the Breastplate of woven design, out of the same 28-strand of fabric as the Ephod was made: four threads of gold, one twined with six threads of turquoise wool, one twined with six threads of purple wool, one twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one twined with six threads of twined linen.
9 They made the Breastplate to be folded over into a square, a span long and a span wide when folded over.
10 They set it with four rows of mounted gems: The first row was a row containing a carnelian, an emerald, and a topaz.
11 The second row: a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond.
12 The third row: a zircon, an agate, and an amethyst.
13 The fourth row: an aquamarine, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted so as to be encased in settings of gold.
14 The gems bore the names of the twelve sons of Israel, all twelve by name; each one’s name was engraved as on a signet ring, for all twelve tribes.
15 For attaching the top edge of the Breastplate to the shoulder straps of the Ephod, they made pure gold chains, braided like cords.
16 They made two gold settings and two gold rings, and they attached the two rings to the two upper corners of the Breastplate.
17 They attached the two gold braids to the two rings on the upper corners of the Breastplate.
18 They attached the two other ends of the two braids to the two settings, which they affixed towards the front of the shoulder straps of the Ephod.
19 They made two additional gold rings and attached them to the two lower corners of the Breastplate, on the corners of its edge that faces the Ephod, the rings being attached to the inner fold of the Breastplate.
20 They made a third set of two gold rings, and attached them to the outer edge of the lower ends of the two shoulder straps at the back of the Ephod, next to where they were joined to it, above the belt of the Ephod.
21 They linked the Breastplate by its rings to the rings of the Ephod with a cord of turquoise wool so the Breastplate would be situated firmly above the front of the belt of the Ephod and so the Breastplate would not come loose from the Ephod—as God had commanded Moses.
Making the Robe
Third Reading (Sixth when combined) 22 Betzalel made the Robe to be worn under the Ephod, woven completely out of turquoise wool.
23 The edge of the top opening of the Robe was folded inwards, as with the collar of a coat of mail: all around its opening there was an edging so that it would not be torn.
24 On the lower hem of the Robe they made hollow spheres shaped like pomegranates out of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, intertwined.
25 They made bells of pure gold and placed the bells between the pomegranates, all around the lower hem of the Robe, amid the pomegranates:
26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the lower hem of the Robe, for the Tabernacle service—as God had commanded Moses.
Making the Tunics, the Headgear, and the Sash
27 They made the woven linen tunics for Aaron and his sons,
28 and the linen Turban for Aaron, the splendid but less elaborate linen hats for his sons, and the linen trousers for all of them, all out of twined linen.
29 And they made the Sash for Aaron’s Tunic and the other sashes for his sons’ tunics embroidered out of twined linen and turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool—as God had commanded Moses.
Making the Forehead-Plate
30 They made the Forehead-plate, the holy crown, of pure gold, and they inscribed upon it with script like that of a signet ring the words “Holy unto God.”
31 They placed a cord of turquoise wool on it to pass over the top of the Turban—as God had commanded Moses.
Presenting the Work to Moses
32 All the work of making the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting and its accoutrements, was completed by the artisans. The rest of the Israelites brought19 everything they had donated exactly in the manner that God had commanded Moses.
Fourth Reading 33 The people then presented everything that the artisans had done to Moses so he could inspect each article and make sure they had done everything correctly.20 Although they had not been explicitly instructed to assemble and erect the Tabernacle, they surmised that this might be included in the command to fashion the component parts. On the other hand, they knew that most of the commands regarding making the Tabernacle were phrased in the singular,21 so they presumed that erecting the Tabernacle should also be done by only one individual—but the planks proved too heavy for one person to lift. Thus, they concluded that either (a) erecting the Tabernacle could not have been included in the instructions to fashion its component parts, or that (b) it had been, but they had been weakened physically (and not only spiritually) by the incident of the Golden Calf. They therefore brought everything to Moses, confident that he would be able to erect it—either with Divine help, or with his own strength, which had not been diminished by the incident of the Golden Calf.22 They brought the inner, tapestry-covering of the Tabernacle to Moses, the Tent of goat-hair coverings, and all the other accoutrements of the Tabernacle: its clasps, planks, crossbars, pillars, and bases;
34 the roof of red-dyed ram skins, the roof of tachash hides, and the partition Curtain;
35 the Ark of Testimony, its rods, and the Cover;
36 the Table and all its utensils and the showbread;
37 the pure gold Candelabrum with its lamps—the lamps in due order—and all its utensils, and the oil for illumination;
38 the golden Altar, the anointing oil, the incense offering, and the Screen for entrance of the Tent;
39 the copper Altar, its copper Grate, its rods and all its utensils; the Laver and its base;
40 the crocheted hangings of the Courtyard, its poles and its bases; the Screen for the entrance of the Courtyard, its tying ropes and its stakes; and all the utensils for the service in the Tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting;
41 the netted packing cloths for use in the Tabernacle, the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests.
42 The Israelites had done all the work exactly in the manner that God had commanded Moses.
43 Moses saw that they had indeed done all the work exactly as God had commanded, and Moses blessed them, saying, “You have done all this so that God’s presence will again dwell among you. May His presence indeed rest on what you have done.” He prayed: “May the pleasantness of the presence of God, our God, be upon us. God, please validate the work of our hands for us in this way.”23
The Command to Erect the Tabernacle
Fifth Reading (Seventh when combined) 40:1 God spoke to Moses, saying:
2 “You will have to erect the Tabernacle during the week of installation rites24 in order to perform these rites. But this will not constitute the Tabernacle’s official erection as such; this will be indicated by the fact that you will dismantle the Tabernacle each day during this week and also by the fact that you will be allowed to erect and dismantle it by a team of workers rather than by one person. But on the following day, the first day of Nisan, the first month, you shall erect the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, yourself, and leave it standing. Only you may perform this official erection of the Tabernacle;25 even though you were exempt until now from any work involving the construction of the Tabernacle,26 I have reserved its official erection for you. The people were correct in surmising that erecting the Tabernacle was part of the command to build it, but it was not because they had been weakened by the incident of the Golden Calf that they could not lift the planks: the planks are indeed too heavy for one person to lift naturally. They were therefore right to bring everything to you.”27 Moses then asked, “But how will I lift the planks by myself?” God replied, “Do not worry; you will apply yourself to the task and I will help you do it.28
3After you have erected the structure, you shall place there the Ark of Testimony, and you shall screen the Ark with the Curtain.
4 You shall bring in the Table and set up its arrangement of showbread, and you shall bring in the Candelabrum and light its lamps.
5 You shall place the golden incense Altar in front of the Ark of Testimony, and you shall emplace the entrance Screen for the Tabernacle.
6 You shall place the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.
7 You shall then place the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and you shall put water in it.
8 You shall set up the Courtyard all around, and emplace the Screen for the entrance of the Courtyard.
9 You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its contents; you will thereby sanctify it and all its utensils, making it holy.
10 You shall anoint the sacrificial Altar and all its utensils; you will thereby sanctify the Altar, making the Altar become holy of holies.
11 You shall anoint the Laver with its base and thereby make it holy.
12 “You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and immerse them in the water of a mikveh.
13During the week of installation rites, you had to dress Aaron and his sons yourself,29 since they were not yet qualified to function as priests and therefore could not perform any part of the priestly service—including dressing themselves in their priestly vestments. On the 1st of Nisan, however, they shall begin to officiate as priests, so in principle they can dress themselves. Nonetheless, you shall still dress Aaron one last time in the holy garments and anoint him, and you will thereby sanctify him and he shall minister to Me. Since it is Aaron’s offerings this day that will cause My presence to be revealed in the Tabernacle, thereby fulfilling the purpose of its construction, and constructing the Tabernacle is in your charge, you must prepare him for performing this day’s rites by dressing him.
14His sons, however, will not perform this day any rites related to the fulfillment of the Tabernacle’s construction. Still, since this is the first day they will serve as priests, you must inaugurate them into this office by putting on their main priestly vestment, the tunic. Therefore, after they put on their trousers, you shall bring forth his sons and dress them in tunics. They shall then put on their sashes and headdresses themselves.30
15 You shall then anoint them as you anointed their father, and they will minister to Me, and so it shall be that their anointing will endow them with an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”
16On the 23rd of Adar, Moses began performing the installation rites on Aaron and his sons, as God had commanded him31 and as will be described in detail later.32 Then, on the 1st of Nisan, Moses did the rites of this day exactly as God had commanded him.
Erecting the Tabernacle
Sixth Reading 17Thus, it was in Nisan, the first month, of 2449, the second year after the Exodus, on the first of the month, that the Tabernacle was for the first time erected and not dismantled the same day.
18 Moses erected the Tabernacle: he set up its bases, fitted its planks, inserted its crossbars, and erected its pillars. He could not lift the planks on his own, but, as God had told him, he applied himself to the task and the planks rose up by themselves.33
[19] He spread the Tent of goat-hair sheets over the first covering of the Tabernacle, the tapestries, and placed the ram-skin and tachash-skin roof of the Tent over it—as God had commanded Moses.
Moses then began to place the furnishings in their proper place inside and outside of the Tabernacle. As soon as he finished positioning each furnishing, he performed the task for which that furnishing was used. Even though normally, the individual furnishings would not function unless the entire Tabernacle was in place,34 special conditions applied to the inaugural process that took place this day.35 Moses had officiated as the priest during the seven consecration days, performing all the regular daily priestly rites. On the eighth day, the 1st of Nisan, Moses continued doing this.36 Aaron offered only the installation offerings, and only began to officiate at the regular daily rites the next day.
20 He took the Tablets of the Testimony from the wooden ark he had made himself37 and placed them in the Ark. He positioned the rods on the Ark, and placed the Cover on top of the Ark.
21 He brought the Ark into the Tabernacle, and emplaced the partition Curtain so that it would screen the Ark of Testimony—as God had commanded Moses. He then put the broken first set of tablets into the original wooden ark he had made. This ark preceded the people whenever they traveled and was taken with them into the battlefield when they went to war.38
22 He placed the Table in the Tent of Meeting on the northern side of the Tabernacle, outside the Curtain.
23 He then set up an arrangement of showbread on it before God—as God had commanded Moses—even though it was Sunday, and the showbread is normally laid out on the Table only on the Sabbath.39
24 He placed the Candelabrum in the Tent of Meeting opposite the Table, on the southern side of the Tabernacle.
25 He then lit the lamps before God—as God had commanded Moses—even though it was morning, and the lamps are normally lit only in the evening.40
26 He placed the golden Altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Curtain.
27 He then burned an incense offering on it—as God had commanded Moses. He burned the incense once in the morning and once again in the evening, in accordance with the normal practice; there was no exception to the normal practice in the case of the incense.41
Seventh Reading 28 He emplaced the entrance Screen for the Tabernacle.
29 He then placed the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and upon it he sacrificed the daily ascent-offering and its accompanying grain-offering and libation—as God had commanded Moses.42
30 He placed the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and put water in it for washing.
31 From it Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons would wash their hands and feet—Moses on that day only, Aaron and his sons from that day on.
32 They would wash whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or drew near to the Altar—as God had commanded Moses.
33Moses then set up the Courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and the Altar, and he emplaced the Screen of the entrance of the Courtyard. With this, Moses completed the work. Aaron then performed the inauguration rites, as will be described in detail later on.43
Maftir 34 The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of God filled the Tabernacle.
35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting since the cloud had rested on it, and God’s glory filled the Tabernacle. But when God withdrew the cloud, Moses could enter and converse with God.44
36The Tabernacle remained in place from the 1st of Nisan to the 20th of Iyar. Thereafter, whenever the cloud rose from above the Tabernacle, the Israelites would embark on all their journeys.45
37 If the cloud did not rise, they would not travel until the day it rose.
38 For wherever they camped, the cloud of God was above the Tabernacle by day, and fire would be there by night, visible to the entire House of Israel, at all the stations of their journeys.
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