A Good Name Travels the World - Moses, Bezalel, and the Tabernacle

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayakhel 1:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And Moses assembled..." (Exodus 35:1). "And Moses said to the children of Israel: See, the LORD has called <Bezalel> by name..." (ibid. 35:30). This is what Scripture says: "A good name is better than good oil" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). For good oil, how far does its fragrance travel? One mile or two miles. But a good name travels from one end of the world to its other end. Hence, "A good name is better than good oil."

Themes

MosesTempleChanukahAdam EveSolomon

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Legends of the JewsMoses Composed Eleven Psalms Later Found in David's BookThe sages saw it as a collection of voices, a chorus echoing through generations. In Legends of the Jews, Moses himself contributed a significant portion! Just Midrash MishleiWhere Is Wisdom Found and How Do We Seek ItOur tradition teaches that wisdom isn't just something you're born with. It's something you actively seek, something you pray for, something you might even… fasMidrash MishleiThe Woman of Valor and the Secrets of CreationThe Midrash Mishlei, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Proverbs, takes that poem and runs with it. It's not just about one ideal woman, but about aYalkut Shimoni on NachHaman Cast Lots by Astrology to Destroy the JewsThe story of Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is full of them. And according to the Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Bible, HamSifrei BamidbarHow the Menorah Lamps Were Meant to Be LitHow the Menorah Lamps Were Meant to Be Lit is the question behind this passage from Sifrei Bamidbar. The burning question at the heart of this passage is: How eBamidbar RabbahWhy the Righteous Blossom Like a Palm TreeIt all starts with the verse, "Bring the tribe of Levi near and stand it before Aaron the priest, and they shall serve him" (Numbers 3:5–6). The text immediatel