“The Lord spoke to Moses saying: See, I have called by name Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” (Exodus 31:1–2). “The Lord spoke…See, I have called by name Betzalel,” this is how Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Then He saw it and related it, prepared it, and also studied it” (Job 28:27). The Holy One blessed be He foresaw that Israel would accept the Torah, as had it not been so, He would not have created the world, as it is stated: “Then He saw it and related it.”
What is written thereafter? “He said to man [adam]: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). Adam is nothing other than Israel, as it is stated: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are man [adam]” (Ezekiel 34:31). “Then He saw it and related it,” at Sinai; “prepared it,” in the Tent of Meeting; “and also studied it,” on the plains of Moav in the book of Deuteronomy.
Another matter, “then He saw it and related it,” the Rabbis said: A person must take an example1From God. in saying his chapter of halakha, his aggada, or his midrash. When he seeks to say them in public, he should not say: ‘Since I know it well, when I enter to lecture I will speak.’ Rav Aḥa said: You learn it from God. When He sought to relate the Torah to Israel, He said it four times to Himself before He said it to Israel, as it is stated: “Then He saw it and related it, prepared it, and also studied it” and then: “He said to man…” Likewise, “God spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1), and then “saying” (Exodus 20:1) to Israel.
The Rabbis say: One time Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Toreta came before Rabbi Akiva. [Rabbi Akiva] said to him: ‘Stand and read the Torah.’ He said to them: ‘I did not review the portion,’ and the Rabbis praised him. That is, “then He saw it and related it.” Rabbi Hoshaya said: Anyone who is knowledgeable but lacks fear of sin has nothing, [just like] a carpenter who does not have his tools is not a carpenter.
Why? It is because the chains supporting the Torah are the fear of God, as it is stated: “The fear of the Lord, that is his treasure” (Isaiah 33:6).2The beginning of that verse is expounded as a reference to the six orders of Mishna; nevertheless, the true treasure is the fear of God. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anyone who is knowledgeable in Torah but does not perform, it would have been preferable for him had the placenta overturned and he had not come into the world.
That is why it is stated: “He said to man [adam]: Behold, the fear of the Lord, [that is wisdom]” (Job 28:28). Rabbi Ḥiya bar Abba said: What is “Behold, the fear of the Lord…”? God said: ‘If you had good deeds, I will give you reward.’ What reward?
Torah, as it is stated: “He said to man: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and turning away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). ‘If you turned away from evil, I will produce from you people who have understanding of the Torah.’ From where do you derive this? From Yokheved and Miriam, when they feared God; as it is written: “The midwives feared God” (Exodus 1:17). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: The reward for fear is Torah as, from Yokheved, the Holy One blessed be He produced Moses, and he was privileged that the Torah would be ascribed to him, as it is stated: “Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant” (Malachi 3:23), and it is written: “Moses commanded us the Torah” (Deuteronomy 33:4).
Miriam, because she distanced herself from evil and from sin, the Holy One blessed be He produced Betzalel from her, and he merited wisdom and understanding. That is what is written: “See, I have called by name Betzalel” (Exodus 31:2), and it is written: “I have filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge” (Exodus 31:3).