Yalkut Shimoni on Torah Reader

"They shall not dwell in your land" (Exodus 23:33). One might think Scripture speaks of a gentile who has accepted upon himself not to worship idols. Therefore the verse teaches, "You shall not hand over a slave" etc. (Deuteronomy 23:16). What is his remedy? "He shall dwell with you, in your midst" etc. (Deuteronomy 23:17). This was difficult for Rabbi Yoshiyah: this phrase "from his master" (Deuteronomy 23:16) should have said "from his god." Rather, Rabbi Yoshiyah said: it speaks of one who sells his slave outside the land. This was difficult for Rabbi Aha bar Yoshiyah: this phrase "who escapes to you" should have said "who escapes from you." Rather, Rabbi Yoshiyah said: it speaks of a slave who fled from outside the land to the land. It was taught: "You shall not hand over." Rabbi says: it speaks of one who acquires a slave on condition to set him free. How so? Where he wrote to him, "When I acquire you, behold you are acquired to yourself from now."

"And to Moses He said: Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu" (Exodus 24:1). This teaches that Moses and Aaron were walking, and Nadab and Abihu were walking behind them, and they were saying, "When will these two old men die, and we will exercise authority over the community in their place?" Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Aibo said: with their mouths they said it to one another. Rabbi Pinhas said: in their hearts they pondered it. Rabbi Berekhiah said: the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring" (Proverbs 27:1); many colts have died and their hides have been spread upon their mothers' backs. Rav Pappa said: this is what people say, "Many are the old camels laden with the hides of the young." "And you shall bow down from afar" (Exodus 24:1). The Torah was given only in the merit of bowing down. "And he built an altar at the foot of the mountain" (Exodus 24:4). On the fifth day he built the altar etc. "And he sent the young men of the children of Israel" (Exodus 24:5) (this is written at remez 279).

(Exodus 24:5) "And they offered up burnt offerings." The House of Shammai hold that the burnt offerings Israel offered in the wilderness were burnt offerings of appearance [the festival pilgrimage offering]. But the House of Hillel say they were the daily continual burnt offering. Rav Chisda inquired: how is this verse to be construed? "And they offered up burnt offerings" refers to lambs, and "and they sacrificed peace offerings" refers to bullocks; or perhaps both this and that were bullocks? What practical difference does it make? For the division of the cantillation marks. Rav Acha the son of Rava said: if one declares, "It is incumbent upon me to bring a burnt offering like the burnt offering Israel offered in the wilderness," what is the law: were they lambs or were they bullocks? Let it stand unresolved. The school of Elijah taught: this is what Scripture says, "There is none like God, O Jeshurun" (Deuteronomy 33:26). Happy is the man who has words of Torah in him in their truth, and who has not let his seed go forth in vain; even though he is an ordinary Israelite, he is fit to offer up a burnt offering upon the altar like a High Priest, as it is said, "And he sent the young men of the children of Israel" (and so on). And anyone who acts sluggish toward a transgression and does not commit it is nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence like the ministering angels, as it is said (below, verse 11), "And they beheld God, and ate and drank." Rav Chinna bar Rav Ketina sat before Rav Chisda, and he sat and expounded, "And he sent the young men of the children of Israel." He said to him: thus said Rav Ashi, it was brought near and they stopped it, and so on. He thought to refute him from the Mishnah, but he heard him say in the name of Rav Adda bar Ahava: the burnt offering Israel offered in the wilderness did not require flaying and dismembering. So he refuted him from a baraita that holds them equal in all respects, for it was taught: before the Tabernacle was erected the high places were permitted, and the service was performed by the firstborn, and all were fit to be brought near, beast and wild animal and bird, males and females, unblemished, and blemished ones if ritually clean, but not unclean ones, and all were offered as burnt offerings. And the burnt offering that Israel offered required flaying and dismembering, and gentiles in the present time are permitted to do likewise. "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will obey" (this is written in remez 277).

(Exodus 24:6-8) "And Moses took the blood and dashed it upon the people." And it is a received tradition that there is no sprinkling without immersion. From here we learn that our forefathers were circumcised and immersed. And a convert who was circumcised but did not immerse is not a convert. "And Moses took half the blood." From where did Moses know which was half the blood? Rabbi Judah son of Rabbi Ila'i says: the blood divided of its own accord. Rabbi Nathan says: a miracle was performed with it, half of it turned black and half of it turned red. Rabbi Isaac said: a heavenly voice went forth from Mount Horeb and said to Moses, "Up to here is half the blood." Bar Kappara said: an angel came down from heaven in the likeness of Moses and divided it. Rabbi Ishmael taught: Moses was expert in the laws of blood, and he divided it. "And he put it in basins." It is written "in the basins" [two basins], neither one larger than the other. He [the people] said to him: what shall be done with your portion? He said to them: dash it upon the altar, as it is said, "And half the blood he dashed upon the altar." He swore to them and they swore to him, as it is said, "that you should enter into the covenant of the LORD and into His oath" (Deuteronomy 29:11), and he swore to them, "And I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you" (and so on).

(Exodus 24:10) "And they saw the God of Israel, and under His feet" (and so on; this is written in remez). In one place it says, "And the tablets were the work of God" (Exodus 32:16), and it says, "like the work of a pavement of sapphire." It compares one work to the other: just as the work mentioned there was of sapphire, so the work mentioned here was of sapphire. Rabbi Sheila said: regarding Babylon it is written, "like the appearance of a sapphire stone"; regarding Egypt it is written, "like the work of a pavement of sapphire." This teaches you that just as a stone is harder than a brick, so the bondage of Babylon was harder than the bondage of Egypt. (Exodus 24:11-14) "Come up to Me to the mountain." Rabbi Levi bar Chama said, and some say it was Resh Lakish: what is the meaning of what is written, "Come up to Me to the mountain, and I will give you the tablets of stone"? "The tablets" is the Written Torah; "and the Torah" is the Mishnah; "and the commandment" refers to the commandments; "statutes and ordinances" are the legal rulings; "that I have written" refers to the Prophets; "to teach them" is the Talmud. This teaches that they were all given to Moses at Sinai.

"And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand." Rabbi Pinchas said: from here we learn that they were deserving of having a hand laid upon them [deserving of punishment]. Rabbi Hoshaya said: did provisions of food go up with them to Sinai, that you say, "And they beheld God, and ate and drank"? Rather, it teaches that they fed their eyes upon the Divine Presence, like a man who gazes at his fellow from the midst of food and drink. Rabbi Jonathan says: it was actual eating, as it is written, "In the light of the king's countenance is life" (Proverbs 16:15). Rabbi Tanchum said: it teaches that they grew arrogant in their hearts, and stood upon their feet, and fed their eyes upon the Divine Presence. Rabbi Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Moses did not feed his eyes upon the Divine Presence, as it is written, "And Moses hid his face" (Exodus 3:6) (and so on), and therefore he derived benefit from the Divine Presence, as it is written, "And Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone." Nadab and Abihu fed their eyes upon the Divine Presence, "And they beheld God," yet they derived no benefit from the Divine Presence, "And Nadab and Abihu died" (and so on).

"And to the elders he said, Wait here for us." He weighed their honor as equal to his own honor, for they were wise and righteous. But Abraham, since they [his attendants] were not righteous, but only his servants, said to them, "Wait here with the donkey" (Genesis 22:5), a people that resembles a donkey.

Another interpretation: "It is not for yourselves that you are sitting, but for us. See to what kind of place we are going, to the place of seraphim and living creatures and angels. Seek mercy on our behalf, that we may ascend in peace and return in peace." And these things are an inference from minor to major: if Moses, to whom it was said "Come up to Me" and who was given assurance, was nevertheless so afraid, and likewise Jacob, of whom it is written, "And Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed" (Genesis 32:8), then how much more should we seek mercy from before the Omnipresent, that He have compassion upon us and redeem us from every trouble.

"Whoever has a cause to plead, let him approach them." Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman said, Rabbi Jonathan said: from where do we learn that one who would extract a claim from his fellow bears the burden of proof? As it is said, "Whoever has a cause to plead, let him approach them", let him bring his proof to them. But why do I need a verse for this? It is a matter of plain reasoning: he whose pain pains him goes to the physician. Rather, the verse is needed for the teaching of Rav Nachman. For Rav Nachman said in the name of Rabbah bar Abuha: from where do we learn that the court attends to the plaintiff first? As it is said, "Whoever has a cause to plead, let him approach them", let him present his words to them. The scholars of Nehardea said in the name of Rav Nachman: there are times when the court attends to the defendant first, in a case where his property would otherwise lose value.

"And Moses went up, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu." There was an incident in which two came and said, "We saw it [the new moon] in the morning of its renewal, but in the evening we did not see it," and Rabban Gamliel accepted them. Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas said: they gave false testimony. How can one testify that a woman has given birth when the next day her belly is between her teeth [she is still visibly pregnant]? Rabbi Joshua said to him: I see your words. Rabban Gamliel sent to him: I decree upon you that you come to me with your staff and your money on the Day of Atonement that falls according to your reckoning. Rabbi Akiva went and found Rabbi Joshua distressed. He said to him: I have grounds to teach that everything Rabban Gamliel has done is done, as it is said, "These are the appointed times of the LORD" (Leviticus 23:4), whether in their proper time or not in their proper time, I have no appointed times but these. The teacher [tanna] said to him: it says "them" three times, "them" even when inadvertent, "them" even when deliberate, "them" even when mistaken. And in this language he said to him: Akiva, you have comforted me, you have comforted me. He came to Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas. He said to him: if we come to judge the court of Rabban Gamliel, we must judge every single court that has stood from the days of Moses until now, as it is said, "And Moses went up, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel." Why were the names of the elders not specified? So that a person should not say, "So-and-so is like Moses and Aaron, so-and-so is like Eldad and Medad, so-and-so is like Nadab and Abihu," as it is said, "And Samuel said" (and so on) "And the LORD sent Jerubbaal" (and so on), to teach you that even the lightest of the light ones, once he has been appointed leader over the community, is like the mightiest of the mighty. And it is written, "And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days" (Deuteronomy 17:9), and would it enter your mind that a person goes to a judge who was not in his days? And it says, "Do not say, How was it that the former days were better" (and so on). He took his staff and his money and went to Rabban Gamliel at Yavneh on the Day of Atonement that fell according to his reckoning. When Rabban Gamliel saw him, he rose from his seat and kissed him on his head. He said to him: Peace be upon you, my teacher and my disciple, my teacher, in that you have taught me Torah in public, and my disciple, in that I decree upon you and you fulfill it. And in this language he said to him: Happy is the generation in which the great heed the small, and from this the small draw an inference from minor to major upon themselves.

(Exodus 24:15-16) "And the glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai." It was taught: Moses ascended in the cloud, was covered by the cloud, and was sanctified by the cloud, in order to receive the Torah for Israel in purity, as it is said, "And the glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai." This event took place after the Ten Commandments, at the start of the forty days. These are the words of Rabbi Yose the Galilean. Rabbi Akiva says: "And the glory of the LORD abode" on the New Moon; "and the cloud covered it" refers to the mountain; "and He called to Moses on the seventh day," while Moses and all Israel were standing there, and Scripture comes only to assign honor to Moses. Rabbi Natan says: Scripture comes only to purge the food and drink in his innards, to make him like the ministering angels. Rabbi Matya ben Charash says: Scripture comes only to instill awe in him, so that the Torah would be given in awe, fear, trembling, and quaking, as it is said (Psalms 2:11), "Serve the LORD with fear [and rejoice with trembling]" - in the place of rejoicing, there shall be trembling. On what do Rabbi Yose the Galilean and Rabbi Akiva differ? On the dispute of these Tannaim, for it was taught: On the sixth of the month the Torah was given to Israel; Rabbi Yose says, on the seventh of it. The one who says it was given on the sixth holds that Moses ascended on the seventh. The one who says the seventh holds that on the seventh it was given and on the seventh he ascended. Rabbi Yose the Galilean reasons like the first Tanna, who said the Torah was given on the sixth of the month; therefore this event took place after the Ten Commandments. "And the glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai" in order to receive the Torah, for if you should think "And the glory of the LORD abode" was on the New Moon, "and the cloud covered it," the mountain, "and He called to Moses," to receive the Ten Commandments, behold, they already received them on the sixth and the cloud already lifted on the sixth. And Rabbi Akiva reasons like Rabbi Yose, who said the Torah was given on the seventh of the month. It works well for Rabbi Akiva, for this is how you find that on the seventeenth of Tammuz the tablets were broken: the twenty-fourth of Sivan plus sixteen days of Tammuz complete the forty days that he was on the mountain, and on the seventeenth of Tammuz he descended, came, and broke the tablets. But according to Rabbi Yose the Galilean, who reckons six days of separation plus forty days on the mountain, the tablets would not have been broken until the twenty-third of Tammuz. Rabbi Yose the Galilean would answer you: the forty days on the mountain were counted together with the six days of separation. "And He called to Moses on the seventh day," while Moses and all Israel were standing there, and Scripture comes only to assign honor to Moses. They raised an objection: (Numbers 7:89) "And he heard the voice speaking to him" - a voice for him, a voice to him; Moses heard it and all Israel did not hear it. This is no difficulty: this case speaks of the calling, that case of the speaking.

(Exodus 24:17) "And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: Come and see how harsh the power of transgression is. Before they stretched out their hands to sin, what is said of them? "And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire" - yet they were not afraid and did not tremble. But once they stretched out their hands to sin, what is said of them? "And Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, and they were afraid to come near him."

Before Israel sinned, what is written? "And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire." Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Seven walls of fire were glittering, one within the other, and Israel would look upon them and not be afraid or terrified. But once they sinned, they could not even look upon the face of the intermediary [Moses], as it is written, "And Aaron and all the children of Israel saw the face of Moses... and they were afraid to come near him." Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Chanina said: Even the intermediary sensed the sin, as it is said, "Kings of armies flee." Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Eivo said: It is not written here "angels of armies," but rather "kings of armies" - the kings of the angels. Even Michael and Gabriel could not gaze upon his face. Once Israel sinned, he could not even gaze upon the face of the recruits [the lowest ranks], as it is said (Deuteronomy 9:19), "For I was afraid of the anger and the wrath."

Rabbi Yishmael taught: Before Adam, the first man, sinned, the dread of him was set upon every beast, wild animal, and bird; but once he sinned, their dread was set upon him. Before he sinned he would hear the voice [of God] as the speech of a free man, but once he sinned he heard the voice as the speech of a hired man [fearful]. Before he sinned he would hear the voice and stand upon his feet; this is what is written, "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking about" - Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: it is not written here "walking" but "walking about," leaping and ascending. But once he sinned, he heard the voice and "the man and his wife hid themselves." Rabbi Eivo said: at that moment his stature was diminished and became a hundred cubits. Before that incident befell David, what is written? (Psalms 27:1) "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" But once that incident befell David, what is written? "And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and I will terrify him." Before Solomon sinned he ruled over the demons; this is what is written (Ecclesiastes 2:8), "I made for myself male and female singers and the delights of the sons of men, a chest and chests" [shidah and shidot] - for he ruled over the male demons [shedim] and female demons [shedot]. But once he sinned, he would bring sixty mighty men to guard him; this is what is written (Song of Songs 3:7), "Behold, the bed of Solomon" with sixty mighty men around it. Before Saul sinned, what is written of him? "And Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought against all his enemies on every side... and wherever he turned he condemned [yarshia]." What does "yarshia" mean? He triumphed. But once he sinned, what is written? (1 Samuel 28:5) "And Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, and he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly."

(Exodus 24:18) "And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud." It is written (Exodus 40:35), "And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting because the cloud abode upon it," and it is written, "And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud." This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, grasped hold of Moses to bring him into the cloud. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: It is said here "into the midst of the cloud," and it is said elsewhere, "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea." Just as there it means a path, as it is written, "and the waters were a wall for them," so too here it means a path.

"And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights." Rabbi Yochanan was walking and going up from Tiberias to Sepphoris, leaning on the shoulder of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba. They reached a certain field. He said: This was mine, and I sold it in order to toil in Torah. They reached a certain olive grove. He said: This olive grove was mine, and I sold it in order to toil in Torah. They reached a certain vineyard. He said: This vineyard was mine, and I sold it in order to toil in Torah. Rabbi Chiya bar Abba began to weep. He said to him: Why are you weeping? He said to him: I am weeping because you left nothing for your old age. He said to him: Chiya my son, is it a light thing in your eyes that I sold a thing that was given in six days and acquired a thing that was given in forty days and forty nights? The whole world was created only in six days, as it is written, "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth," but the Torah was given over forty days, as it is written (Exodus 34:28), "And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights." When Rabbi Yochanan passed away, his generation applied to him (Song of Songs 8:7), "If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love" - for Rabbi Yochanan loved the Torah - "he would be utterly despised."

Parashat Terumah. (Exodus 25:1-3) "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering." This is what Scripture said (Proverbs 4:2), "For I have given you a good acquisition; do not forsake My Torah" - "a good acquisition." In the way of the world, two merchants were in a city; one deals in silk and one deals in fine wool. They stood together. One said to his fellow: Do you wish to exchange? He said to him: Yes. They exchanged one with the other; this one gives silk and takes fine wool. It turns out that this one has one thing in his hand and that one has one thing in his hand. But the Torah is not so. This one studies the Order of Seeds and that one studies the Order of Damages. The two stood together. One said to his fellow: Teach me the Order of Seeds and I will teach you the Order of Damages. It turns out that this one has two in his hand and that one has two in his hand. Is there a greater acquisition than this? This is "For I have given you a good acquisition."

Another interpretation: One who acquires merchandise and goes out on the road fears the bandits, but the Torah is not so - can bandits take a person's Torah out of his heart? This is "For I have given you a good acquisition." Our rabbis said: There was an incident with a ship that had merchants in it, and there was one scholar there. They said to him: What is your merchandise? He said to them: It is hidden away. They said to him: Why do you not show it to us? He said to them: When I enter the city I will show it to you. They began to search around the ship and did not find it; they began to laugh at him. Officials [customs men or pirates] rose up against them and took everything that was in their hands; they had nothing to eat and nothing to wear. That scholar entered the study house, began to sit and expound, and they began to honor him and to provide for him. Those who had been with him on the ship began to come to him and beg from him. They said to him: Please, since you know us, plead our cause. What caused him to be saved? The Torah that was in his heart. This is "For I have given you a good acquisition."

Another interpretation of "For I give you a good doctrine" (Proverbs 4:2): A person who borrows from others, buys merchandise, and sets out on the road sometimes loses everything. But the Torah is not like that. Rather, a person studies one chapter here and one chapter there, and he is sustained by them. Thus, "For I give you a good doctrine." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "The Torah was Mine, and you took it. Take Me along with it." This is what is written, "And let them take a portion (terumah) for Me" (Exodus 25:2). Resh Lakish said: Thus did our masters teach. Five may not set apart terumah, and if they did set it apart, their terumah is not valid: the deaf-mute, the imbecile, the minor, one who sets apart from what is not his, and a non-Jew who set apart from what belongs to a Jew. Their terumah is not terumah. And all of these are derived from this very verse. "Speak to the children of Israel" (Exodus 25:2): this excludes the deaf-mute, who neither hears nor speaks. "Whose heart moves him": this excludes the imbecile, whose heart does not move him to generosity. "From every man": this excludes the minor, who is not yet a man. And one who sets apart from what is not his, as it is said "from every man" [meaning] from what is theirs. And a non-Jew who set apart from what belongs to a Jew, even with his permission, as it is said "Speak to the children of Israel": this excludes a non-Jew, who is not of Israel.

Another interpretation: It does not say here "Speak to the children of Israel, and let them take a portion (terumah)," but rather "And let them take a portion for Me" (Exodus 25:2). Every matter concerning which "for Me" is said endures in this world and in the world to come.

Another interpretation: "And let them take a portion for Me" (Exodus 25:2). Every matter concerning which "for Me" is said has a blessing in it, and this offering has a blessing in it. Rabbi Yochanan said: All the labor of the Tabernacle the Israelites brought within two mornings, as it is said, "And they still brought to him free offerings morning by morning" (Exodus 36:3), for a blessing was placed in the offering of the Tabernacle. "And let them take a portion for Me." Rabbi says: There are ten offerings: the priestly portion (terumah), the tithe of the tithe, the dough offering (challah), first fruits, the offering of the Land, the offering of the thanksgiving sacrifice, the offering of the shekels, the offering of the Tabernacle, the offering of Midian, and the offering of the peace offerings. The terumah and tithe of the tithe, challah and first fruits, the offering of peace offerings, the offering of the thanksgiving sacrifice, and the offering of the Land go to the priests, the Levites, the Sanctuary, and Jerusalem. The offering of Midian went to Eleazar the priest. The offering of the shekels went for the sockets. The offering of the Tabernacle was that from which they made the body of the Tabernacle, the oil for the light, the incense of spices, the priests' garments, and the garments of the High Priest. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: Three offerings are mentioned in this passage: the offering of the sockets, the offering of the shekels, and the offering of the Tabernacle. "Speak to the children of Israel, and let them take a portion for Me" is the offering of the shekels. "And this is the offering which you shall take" (Exodus 25:3) is the offering of the Tabernacle; for the Tabernacle they could do whatever they wished, so that the hand of all would be equal. The offering of the sockets is for the sockets. "The rich shall not give more" (Exodus 30:15). Rabbi Avin said: In this passage too there are three offerings: "half a shekel as an offering to the LORD" (Exodus 30:13), "shall give the offering of the LORD" (Exodus 30:14), "to give the offering of the LORD" (Exodus 30:15).

"And let them take a portion for Me" (Exodus 25:2). The One of whom it is said, "The earth is the LORD's and all that fills it" (Psalms 24:1), "to whom the sea belongs, for He made it" (Psalms 95:5), and, "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14), does He have need of flesh and blood? Rather, He desires Israel, to cause His Presence to dwell among them, like a father who longs for his children. Therefore it is said, "And let them take for Me." Now this is an argument from minor to major: if to make a Tabernacle, a glory and an atonement for Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said "Speak to the children of Israel" in a language of conciliation, as you say, "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem" (Isaiah 40:2), then the nations who oppress Israel and seize their money against their will, what shall become of them? For whoever seizes money is as though he sheds blood, as it is said, "because of the violence done to the children of Judah, in that they shed innocent blood in their land" (Joel 4:19). A certain heretic said to Rabbi Avin: "Your God is a priest, for it is written, 'And let them take a portion for Me.' When He buried Moses, in what did He immerse Himself? If you say in water, is it not written, 'Who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?' (Isaiah 40:12)." He said to him: "In fire, for it is written, 'For behold, the LORD will come in fire' (Isaiah 66:15)." "But does immersion in fire count?" He said to him: "The essential immersion is in fire, for it is written, 'And everything that does not come into the fire you shall pass through water' (Numbers 31:23)."

"And this is the offering which you shall take, gold and silver, and blue and purple" (Exodus 25:3-4). Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Simon said: Do not think that you are repaying Me with thirteen things corresponding to the thirteen things I did for you in Egypt. And these are they: "And I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shod you with fine leather, and wrapped you in fine linen, and covered you with silk. And I adorned you with ornaments, and put bracelets upon your hands, and a chain upon your neck. And I put a ring upon your nose, and earrings in your ears, and a crown of glory upon your head... And the bread which I gave you, fine flour and oil and honey I fed you" (Ezekiel 16:10-19). Behold, thirteen things that you set apart for Me corresponding to the thirteen things I did for you in Egypt. In the time to come, I will repay you corresponding to these thirteen things. As it is written, "And the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies... and there shall be a booth for shade by day" (Isaiah 4:5-6).

Another interpretation: "And this is the offering." Gold corresponds to the kingdom of Babylon, of which it is written, "You are the head of gold" (Daniel 2:38). And silver, this is the kingdom of Media, of which it is written, "and ten thousand talents of silver" (Esther 3:9). And bronze, this is the kingdom of Greece, which was baser than all of them. And rams' skins dyed red, this is the fourth kingdom, as it is said, "And the first came out ruddy" (Genesis 25:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Although you see these four kingdoms rising up in pride and coming against you, by your lives, I will cause salvation to sprout for you out of the midst of the servitude. What is written afterward? "Oil for the light" (Exodus 25:6), this is the King Messiah, as it is said, "There I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed" (Psalms 132:17), and it says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1). "And this is the offering." This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses three offerings: one of the Tabernacle, one of the First Temple, and one of the Second Temple, as it is said, "gold and silver and bronze." Gold corresponds to the Tabernacle that Moses made, which was as beloved to the Holy One, blessed be He, as gold. And silver, this is the First Temple that Solomon built, of which it is written, "silver was not counted as anything in the days of Solomon" (1 Kings 10:21). Bronze, this is the Second Temple, which lacked five things: the ark, the cover, and the cherubim, fire, and the Holy Spirit.

Another interpretation: Three offerings, corresponding to the three times in the year that they collect from the chamber. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A person who wished could give three shekels three times in the year, as it is said, "And we imposed upon ourselves commandments, to give yearly the third of a shekel" (Nehemiah 10:33). But was it not said only "half a shekel" (Exodus 30:13)? Rather, it speaks only of these three offerings.

"And let them take for Me" (Exodus 25:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: The Torah was Mine, "that the Torah of the LORD may be in your mouth" (Exodus 13:9), and the judgment is Mine, as it is said, "for the judgment is God's" (Deuteronomy 1:17). You took them. Take Me along with them. This is what is written, "And let them take for Me." It is not written here "And let them take an offering," but "And let them take for Me." Every place where "for Me" is said is established forever and to all eternity. With the elders, "Gather to Me" (Numbers 11:16). With the priests, "that he may serve as priest to Me" (Exodus 28:1). With the Levites, "And the Levites shall be Mine" (Numbers 8:14). With Israel, "for to Me the children of Israel are servants" (Leviticus 25:55). With the kings, "for I have seen among his sons a king for Me" (1 Samuel 16:1). With the Land, "for all the earth is Mine" (Exodus 19:5). With the firstborn, "for every firstborn is Mine" (Numbers 8:17). With the Sanctuary, "And let them make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8). With the offering, "And let them take a portion for Me" (Exodus 25:2). With Jerusalem, "the city which I have chosen for Me" (1 Kings 11:13). With the altar, "An altar of earth you shall make for Me" (Exodus 20:21). With the anointing oil, "this shall be a holy anointing oil for Me" (Exodus 30:31). With the sacrifices, "to offer to Me in its appointed time" (Numbers 28:2).

(Exodus 25:5) "And rams' skins dyed red." From where do we learn that one who reddens [dyes a hide red] on the Sabbath is liable? As it is said, "And rams' skins dyed red." "And tachash skins." Rabbi Judah says: a great beast used to grow in the wilderness, and from it they made the curtains. Rabbi Nehemiah says: it was a work of miracles, and at the very hour in which it was created, in that same hour it was hidden away.

"And tachash skins." The tachash that existed in the days of Moses, was it pure or impure? Rav Yosef said: what is the question to him? For it was taught: nothing was fit for the work of Heaven except the hide of a pure animal alone, as it is said (Exodus 13:9), "so that the LORD's Torah may be in your mouth." Rabbi Abba objected: Rabbi Judah says there were two coverings, one of rams' skins dyed red and one of tachash skins. Rabbi Nehemiah says there was a single covering, resembling a kind of tela-ilan [a many-colored hide]. But the tela-ilan is impure! Rather, like a kind of tela-ilan and yet not a tela-ilan: like a tela-ilan in that it had many colors, but not a tela-ilan, for that one is impure and this one is pure. Rav Yosef said: if so, this explains why we render it in Aramaic as "sasgona," for it rejoiced [sas] in many colors [gevanin]. Rabbi Meir used to say: the tachash that existed in the days of Moses was a creature unto itself, and the sages did not decide concerning it whether it was a wild beast or a domestic animal. It had a single horn in its forehead. For that moment it presented itself to Moses, and he made the sanctuary's covering from it, and then it was hidden away. From the fact that he said "it had a single horn in its forehead," infer that it was pure, for Rav Judah said: the ox that Adam the first man offered had a single horn in its forehead, as it is said (Psalms 69:32), "and it shall please the LORD better than an ox, a bullock that has horns and hoofs." But let us then resolve that it was a domestic animal! Since there is the keresh, which is a wild beast and yet has but one horn, one may say it was a wild beast.

(Exodus 25:7) "Onyx stones and stones for the settings." The school of Sheila taught: what is the reasoning of Rabbi Eliezer, who said that a red heifer is not bought from gentiles? Because it is written (Numbers 19:2), "Speak to the children of Israel" - the children of Israel, and not the gentiles, and so on. And should you say that this is indeed so, did not Rav Judah say in the name of Samuel: they asked Rabbi Eliezer the Great, how far does the honoring of father and mother extend? He said to them: go and see what a certain gentile did for his father in Ashkelon, and Dama ben Netina was his name. Once the sages sought from him stones for the ephod at a profit of six hundred thousand - and Rav Kahana taught it as eighty myriads of profit - and the key was lying beneath his father's pillow, and he would not disturb him. "Onyx stones" interrupted the matter [stands apart in the verse]. But surely "and stones for the settings" is written, for it then joins them back together. And further, the latter clause teaches: the next year a red heifer was born in his herd, and so on. Rabbi Eliezer holds two positions.

(Exodus 25:8-9) "And let them make Me a sanctuary." Because it is said (Exodus 39:43), "And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded," and where had He commanded? "And let them make Me a sanctuary." Therefore (ibid.) "and Moses blessed them" - [saying] may it be His will that the Divine Presence rest upon the work of your hands, as it is written here, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them." Rabbi taught it to his son. We learned there: there is in the holy things of the altar what is not in the holy things of Temple upkeep. From the holy things of the altar one does not give to craftsmen as their wage; by implication, from the holy things of Temple upkeep one does give to craftsmen. From where are these matters derived? Rabbi Abbahu said: Scripture says, "And let them make Me a sanctuary" - "for Me," from that which is Mine [from consecrated funds] (written in remez 218).

Three things Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty, and he was alarmed and recoiled backward. At the time He said to him, "And let them make Me a sanctuary," Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, it is written, "Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You" (1 Kings 8:27), and You say, "And let them make Me a sanctuary"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, it is not as you suppose, but twenty boards on the north and twenty boards on the south and eight on the west, and I will come down and contract My Presence below, as it is written (below, verse 22), "And I will meet with you there and speak," and so on. And at the time He said (Numbers 28:2), "My offering, My food," Moses said: if I bring in all the beasts in the world, there is in them but a single offering up, or all the trees in the world, there is in them but a single kindling, [as it is written] (Isaiah 40:16), "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: it is not as you suppose, but (Numbers 28:3), "This is the fire-offering which you shall bring to the LORD: lambs," and not two at once, but (ibid. 28:4), "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning." And at the time He said (Exodus 30:12), "And they shall give every man a ransom for his soul," Moses said: who can give the redemption of his soul? "No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for the redemption of their soul is precious" (Psalms 49:8-9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: not as you suppose, but (Exodus 30:13), "This they shall give" - like this they shall give. A parable: to a king who had a young daughter. Before she grew up and reached the signs of maturity, he would see her in the marketplace and speak with her, in the alleys he would speak with her. Once she grew up and came to the signs of maturity, he said: it is not fitting for my daughter's honor that I should speak with her in public. Rather, make me a pavilion that I may speak with her within it. So too at first, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him" (Hosea 11:1) - in Egypt they saw Him, "And I will pass through the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:12); at the sea they saw Him, "And Israel saw the great hand" (Exodus 14:31); at Sinai they saw Him, "Face to face the LORD spoke with you" (Deuteronomy 5:4). Once they received the Torah at Sinai and became a complete nation to Him, He said: it is not fitting for these people's honor that I should speak with them in public, but rather "let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them." This is what Scripture says (Psalms 3:3): "Many say of my soul" - these are the nations of the world, as it is written (Isaiah 17:12), "Ah, the multitude of many peoples." "They say of my soul" - a nation that heard "I am the LORD your God" and at the end of forty days made the calf, does it have salvation? "There is no salvation for him in God, selah." Israel said: "But You, O LORD" - You agreed with them and said (Exodus 22:19), "He who sacrifices to gods shall be utterly destroyed," "are a shield about me" (Psalms 3:4), for You shielded me by the merit of my fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; "my glory," for You caused Your Presence to dwell among us, as it is said, "And let them make Me a sanctuary," and so on; "and the lifter of my head" - in place of our owing You the lifting of the head, You gave us a raising of the head through Moses and said (Exodus 30:12), "When you take [lift] the head."

Rav Judah said in the name of Samuel: peace-offerings slaughtered before the doors of the Sanctuary are opened are invalid, as it is written, "and he shall slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting" - at a time when it is open, and not at a time when it is shut. But this is written concerning the Tabernacle! We find the Temple called "Tabernacle," as it is written, "And I will set My Tabernacle among you" (Leviticus 26:11), and the Tabernacle called "Sanctuary," as it is written, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them." From where do we know about ritual impurity in the Temple court? Rabbi Eliezer said: one verse says (Numbers 19:13), "he has defiled the Tabernacle of the LORD," and another verse says, "he has defiled the Sanctuary of the LORD." If it is not needed for the matter of impurity outside [in the open], apply it to the matter of impurity within. But are the verses superfluous? Surely each is needed! As it was taught, Rabbi Eliezer says: if "Sanctuary" is stated, why is "Tabernacle" stated, and if "Tabernacle" is stated, why is "Sanctuary" stated? Had "Tabernacle" been stated and not "Sanctuary," I would have said that for the Tabernacle he is liable, since it was anointed with the anointing oil, but for the Sanctuary he would not be liable. And had "Sanctuary" been stated and not "Tabernacle," I would have said that for the Sanctuary he is liable, since its holiness is an eternal holiness, but for the Tabernacle he would not be liable. Therefore "Sanctuary" is stated and "Tabernacle" is stated. Rabbi Eliezer found this difficult: since the Tabernacle is called "Sanctuary" and the Sanctuary is called "Tabernacle," why are two verses needed? If not needed for the matter of impurity outside, apply it to impurity within. Granted that the Temple is called "Tabernacle," as it is written, "And I will set My Tabernacle among you" (Leviticus 26:11), but from where do we know the Tabernacle is called "Sanctuary"? As it is written, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them," and it is written, "according to all that I show you, the pattern of the Tabernacle."

"According to all that I show you." We learned there: one may add to the city [of Jerusalem] and to the Temple courts only by the word of a court of seventy-one. Whether one enters the [original] court or enters an addition to the court while in a state of impurity, he is liable, for one adds to the city and to the courts only with a prophet, and Urim and Thummim, and a Sanhedrin of seventy-one. From where are these matters derived? Rav Shimi bar Hiyya said: Scripture says, "according to all that I show you, the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its vessels, even so shall you make it" - for the generations. Rava objected: all the vessels that Moses made, their anointing consecrated them; from then onward their use initiates them. Why so? Let us say "even so shall you make it" - for the generations! It is different there, for it is written (Numbers 7:1), "and he anointed them and consecrated them" - them by anointing, and not the later generations by anointing. Say, then: "them" by anointing, but the generations either by anointing or by use? Rav Pappa said, and so on. Rather, why is "them" needed? Had "them" not been written, I would have said that for the generations it is either by anointing or by use, since it is written "even so shall you make it." The Merciful One wrote "them": them by anointing, and not the later generations by anointing. (Rav Pappa said: "with which they minister in the holy place" - Scripture made them depend on service.)

(Exodus 25:11-21) "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood." Abba Hanan says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: one verse says (Deuteronomy 10:1), "And you shall make for yourself an ark of wood," and another verse says, "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood." How is this? The one [singular] is at a time when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent; the other [plural] is at a time when Israel does not do the will of the Omnipresent, and so on. Rabbi Jonathan says: whether "take for yourself" or (Exodus 27:20) "and they shall take to you," it is from communal funds. If so, what does "take for yourself" teach? As it were, from yours I desire more than from theirs. Rabbi Yochanan raised a contradiction: it is written, "And you shall make for yourself an ark of wood," and it is written, "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood" - from here we learn that for a Torah scholar, the people of his city are commanded to do his work for him. How did Bezalel make the ark? He made it as three boxes, two of gold and one of wood. He placed the wooden one inside the gold one and the gold one inside the wooden one, and overlaid its upper rim with gold, as it is said, "And you shall overlay it with pure gold." Since there is no need for Scripture to say "within and without you shall overlay it," what does "you shall overlay it" teach? It teaches that he overlaid its upper rim with gold. The cover of gold was set upon it from above, as it is said, "And you shall put the cover upon the ark on top." Four rings of gold were fixed in the ark, two on the north and two on the south, in which they would place the poles, and they never came out from there, as it is said, "the poles shall be in the rings of the ark," and so on. Even though Solomon made a copy of all the vessels, he did not make a copy of the ark, as it is said (1 Kings 8:3), "And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark." The ark was set within the House. "And he divided the House, ten cubits from here and ten cubits from there." And two cherubim of gold stood on their feet on the ground; from the wall to the cherub, five cubits, and from the cherub to the ark, five cubits. And from where do you say that when the priests brought in the ark, the poles lengthened and reached the curtain and touched the entrance, so that the doors of the Holy of Holies were never shut? As it is said, "and the poles were long, and they were seen," and so on. It is impossible to say "they were seen," for it is already said "they shall not be seen," and it is impossible to say "they shall not be seen," for it is already said "they were seen." How is this? They bulged into the curtain and were seen in the Sanctuary like the two breasts of a woman. And from where that they extended within? As it is said, "and they were not seen outside" - thus you learn they extended within. And from where that they extended without? As it is said, "and the heads of the poles were seen from the holy place on the front of the inner sanctuary." And from where do you say that just as the heads of the poles were drawn out, so the ends of the limbs of the cherubim were drawn out and covered the ark and screened the House from above? As it is said (1 Kings 8:7), "and the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above." And where was it hidden? Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: in its place, in the Holy of Holies, as it is said (1 Kings 8:8), "and they are there to this day." And the sages say: in the chamber of the woodshed. Rabbi Eliezer says: it went down to Babylon, as it is said (2 Kings 20:17), "nothing shall be left, says the LORD" - and "thing" [davar] means nothing other than the [ten] utterances [dibberot] within it. Rabbi says: Josiah hid it away, as it is said (2 Chronicles 35:3), "And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD: put the holy ark in the house that Solomon son of David king of Israel built; you need not carry it on your shoulders; now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel." He said to them: it shall not go down with them to Babylon, that you should carry it up on the shoulder. The doors were not shut because of the poles that went out at the entrance, and the curtain was spread before the entrance. The Holy of Holies that Solomon made had a wall, an entrance, and doors, as it is said, "And he made doors for the Sanctuary and for the inner sanctuary." But the latter building had no wall; rather it had two partitions, each one and a half cubits long, and two curtains of gold were spread over them from above, and the place was called the cubit of the partition [amah teraksin].

"And they shall make an ark of acacia wood" (Exodus 25:10). The ark that Moses made was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high, by the cubit of six handbreadths. And the tablets were six handbreadths long, six wide, and three thick, laid along the length of the ark. How many handbreadths of tablets are stored in the ark? Twelve. Three handbreadths remained. Take away one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall, and two handbreadths remained, where a Torah scroll was laid, as it is said, "There was nothing in the ark but the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb" (1 Kings 8:9). What is "nothing in the ark but"? A limitation after a limitation comes only to include a Torah scroll alone. You have accounted for the ark along its length; go and account for the ark along its width. How many handbreadths of tablets are stored in the ark? Six. Three handbreadths remained. Take away one handbreadth, half for this wall and half for that wall, and two handbreadths remained, so that the Torah scroll would not be removed and replaced with difficulty. These are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah says: it is by the cubit of five handbreadths. The tablets were six long, six wide, three thick, laid along the length of the ark. How many handbreadths of tablets are stored? Twelve. Half a handbreadth remained, a fingerbreadth for this wall and a fingerbreadth for that wall. You have accounted for the length; go and account for the width. How many handbreadths of tablets are stored? Six. A handbreadth and a half remained. Take away half a handbreadth, a fingerbreadth for this wall and a fingerbreadth for that, and one handbreadth remained, where the pillars stood, as it is said, "He made himself a palanquin" (Song of Songs 3:9), and it is written, "its pillars he made of silver" (Song of Songs 3:10). And the chest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israel was laid at its side, as it is said, "and the objects of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering, you shall put in the chest at its side" (1 Samuel 6:8), and upon it the Torah scroll stood, as it is said, "Take this scroll of the Torah and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 31:26). And according to Rabbi Judah, before that chest came, where did the Torah scroll sit? A shelf projected out from the ark, and it was laid upon it. And Rabbi Meir, this word "beside" (Deuteronomy 31:26), what does he do with it? He needs it to teach that it was laid beside the ark and not between the tablets. And Rabbi Meir, the broken tablets, from where does he derive them? He derives it from what Rav Joseph taught: "which you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark" (Deuteronomy 10:2) teaches that the whole tablets and the fragments of the tablets were laid in the ark. And the other one needs that verse for the teaching of Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish, who said: the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Well done that you shattered them." Rabbi Judah bar Rabbi Ilai taught: two arks accompanied Israel in the wilderness, one in which the Torah was placed and one in which the fragments of the tablets were placed. The one in which the Torah was placed remained in the Tent of Meeting, as it is said, "but the ark of the covenant of the LORD and Moses did not move out of the camp" (Numbers 14:44). The one in which the fragments of the tablets were placed went out and came back with them. But the Rabbis say: there was only one ark. Once it went out in the days of Eli and was captured. And Scripture supports the Rabbis: "Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods?" (1 Samuel 4:8) for the Philistines saw what they had never seen before. And Scripture supports Rabbi Judah bar Ilai: "And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring the ark of God here" (1 Samuel 14:18), and was not the ark in Kiriath-jearim? Rather, what do the Rabbis make of it? "Bring it here" refers to the frontplate. And Scripture supports Rabbi Judah bar Ilai: "the ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in booths," and was not the ark in Zion? Rather, what do the Rabbis make of it? "Booths" means a covering, for the Chosen House had not yet been built.

"And they shall make an ark of acacia wood" (Exodus 25:10). Why of wood? Because the Torah is called "a tree of life" (Proverbs 3:18). There were beams of acacia in Migdal Tzava'it. They came and asked Rabbi Hananiah: may one make use of them for work? He said to them: since your fathers practiced a prohibition regarding them, do not change the custom of your fathers, may they rest in peace. How were the tablets written? Hananiah, the nephew of Rabbi Joshua, says: five on this tablet and five on that tablet, as it is said, "and He wrote them on two tablets of stone" (Deuteronomy 4:13). But the Rabbis say: ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet, as it is said, "and He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the ten words" (Deuteronomy 4:13), ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai says: twenty on this tablet and twenty on that tablet. And Rabbi Simai says: forty on this tablet and forty on that tablet, written as a shorthand cipher [notarikon, abbreviated forms]. Hananiah, the nephew of Rabbi Joshua, says: between one utterance and the next lay the fine points and the letters of the Torah, "set with beryl" (Song of Songs 5:14), like the great sea. When Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish reached this verse he would say: well did Hananiah, the nephew of Rabbi Joshua, teach me. Just as in this sea, between one great wave and the next there are many small waves, so between one utterance and the next lie the fine points and letters of the Torah. What is the reasoning of Rabbi Meir? "And you shall put the cover upon the ark from above" (Exodus 25:21). It is the view of Rabbi Meir that there is no earlier and later in the Torah; rather, "and into the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give you" (Exodus 25:16), and afterward "and you shall put the cover upon the ark from above." Rabbi Pinhas in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai: the Torah that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to Moses was white fire engraved with black fire; it is from fire, hewn from fire, given from fire, as it is said, "from His right hand a fiery law for them" (Deuteronomy 33:2). "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood." He said to them: you have prepared lodging for Myself, and now prepare lodging for the Torah, that it may dwell beside Me, for it is My delight, with which I delighted two thousand years before the world, as it is said, "then I was beside Him as a nursling" (Proverbs 8:30). "Two and a half cubits."

"The poles shall be in the rings of the ark" (Exodus 25:15). One might think they could shift from their place; therefore the verse says, "and the poles shall be brought into the rings" (Exodus 27:7). "And they shall be brought": one might think they could be taken out and put back in; therefore the verse says, "they shall not be removed from it." How then? They could be loosened but not slip out. Rabbi Eleazar said: one who removes the poles of the ark is liable to lashes, as it is said, "they shall not be removed from it." Rabbi Judah said: Bezalel made three arks: the middle one of wood, nine handbreadths; the inner one of gold, eight; the outer one of gold, ten and something. But was it not taught eleven and something? This is according to the one who says its thickness was a handbreadth; that is according to the one who says its thickness was not a handbreadth. What is the "something"? The crown molding. Rabbi Yohanan said: there are three crowns: that of the altar, that of the ark, and that of the table. The crown of the table David merited and took; the crown of the altar Aaron merited and took; the crown of the ark is set aside, and whoever wishes to take it, let him come and take it. Lest you say it was the least of them, the verse says, "by me kings reign" (Proverbs 8:15). Rabbi Yohanan expounded: it is written "zar" [stranger] but read "zer" [crown]: if one merits, it becomes a crown for him; if he does not merit, it becomes a stranger to him. "Within and without you shall overlay it" (Exodus 25:11). Rava said: any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside is no Torah scholar.

"And you shall make a cover of pure gold" (Exodus 25:17). Rabbi Yudan ben Pazi in the name of Rabbi: "Yes" is read but not destroyed. "Every willing-hearted person" (Exodus 25:2) is not bad. "And all the people broke off [their gold]" (Exodus 32:3) is not good. "Then Moses sang" (Exodus 15:1) is not bad. "And you all approached me" (Deuteronomy 1:22) is not good. "And Moses brought the people out to meet [God]" (Exodus 19:17) is not bad. "And the whole congregation lifted up and gave forth their voice" (Numbers 14:1) is not good. Rabbi Hiyya said: not in this case alone; "surely they rose early and acted corruptly" (Zephaniah 3:7), and every corruption they committed they did with early rising. Rabbi Aha bar Abba said: you cannot make sense of the character of this nation. They are asked for gold for the calf and they give; they are asked for the Tabernacle and they give. Rabbi Yose bar Hanina taught: "And you shall make a cover of pure gold": let the gold of the cover come and atone for the gold of the calf.

"And the cherubim shall spread out their wings" (Exodus 25:20). Rabbi Aha bar Yaakov said: no cherub is less than a handbreadth. What is a "cherub"? Rabbi Abbahu said: like a child, for in Babylon they call an infant "ravya." Rav Pappa said to Abaye: if so, regarding what is written, "the face of the one was the face of the cherub and the face of the second was the face of a man" (Ezekiel 10:14), then the face of the cherub is the same as the face of a man? He said to him: a large face and a small face. It was taught: just as we find in the everlasting House [the Temple], the cherubim stood at a third of the height of the House, as it is written, "and the House that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide, and thirty cubits high" (1 Kings 6:2), and it is written, "the height of the one cherub was ten cubits" (1 Kings 6:26). So too in the Tabernacle the cherubim stood at a third of the height of the Tabernacle. How high was the Tabernacle? Ten, as it is written, "ten cubits the length of the board" (Exodus 26:16). How many handbreadths is that? Sixty. Subtract the ten of the ark and the cover, and twenty remain; and it is written, "and the cherubim shall be spreading their wings upward," above ten. But perhaps their wings were level with their heads? "Upward" is written. And say that they were raised much higher? Does it say "upward, upward"? And from this we learn that a sukkah which is not ten handbreadths high is invalid. This works well for Rabbi Meir, who says all cubits are of the middle size; but for Rabbi Judah, who says the cubits of the vessels are by the cubit of five handbreadths, the measures, the partitions, and the dividers are a law given to Moses at Sinai.

"And I will meet with you there, and I will speak with you from above the cover" (Exodus 25:22). The ark was nine handbreadths and the cover one handbreadth, making ten here. Rabbi Yose says: the Divine Presence never descended below. Granted, the ark was nine, as it is written, "and they shall make an ark of acacia wood" and so on; but the cover being one handbreadth, from where do we know it? As it was taught, Rabbi Hanina said: of all the vessels that Moses made, the Torah gave the measure of their length, the measure of their width, and the measure of their height. Of the cover, the measure of its length and the measure of its width were given, but the measure of its height was not given. Go and learn from the smallest of the vessels, as it is written, "and you shall make for it a molding of a handbreadth" (Exodus 25:25); just as there it is a handbreadth, so here it is a handbreadth. We derive a vessel for which the Torah gave a measure from a vessel for which the Torah gave a measure, and let not the frontplate and the crown prove otherwise, for the Torah did not give them a measure. Rav Huna said: "upon the face of the cover"; and it is written, "from the face of Isaac his father" (Genesis 27:30); and there is no face less than a handbreadth.