Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

Category

Back to Home -> 5771 ->


Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring for any of the work… brought a free-willed offering to Hashem. (35:29)

If one follows the translation of this pasuk – “Every man and woman whose heart motivated them to bring – brought a free-willed offering” – seems redundant: “Whoever was motivated to bring – brought.” Is there any question concerning their offering? The commentators respond to this redundancy, each in his inimitable manner. I will focus on one such interpretation. Horav Yehonasan Eibeshitz, zl, offers a practical explanation. When Moshe Rabbeinu made his appeal for the Mishkan, the entire Jewish nation responded positively – even the erev rav, mixed-multitude. This created a problem, since the members of the erev rav were…

Continue Reading

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Continue Reading

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

Continue Reading

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Continue Reading

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

Continue Reading

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Continue Reading

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

Continue Reading

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Continue Reading

“See Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah.” (35:30)

Every time the Torah details Betzalel’s pedigree, it goes back two generations to his grandfather, Chur. Apparently, Chur played an important role in molding Betzalel’s perspective on life. Indeed, it was probably because he had descended from Chur that Betzalel was selected to build the Mishkan. Only a very special individual, one whose devotion to Hashem had been exemplary, would undertake this unprecedented endeavor. Chur was the individual who challenged the erev rav, mixed multitude, when they rebelled against Hashem to build the Golden Calf. He was killed for his devotion. His spirit of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice, remained alive in…

Continue Reading

“Every wise-hearted person among you shall come and make everything that Hashem commanded.” (35:10)

Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not simply say, “All of the wise- hearted among you shall come and construct the Mishkan? Would it not have been more correct to identify what they were doing, building the Mishkan, rather than just telling them to follow Hashem’s command? Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., makes a profound inference. Man only builds the structure, Hashem actually makes it into a Mishkan/Mikdash when His Shechinah reposes there. All we can do is follow Hashem’s dictate, adhering to His command and instruction. Only then can we aspire for the Shechinah to rest there, thereby transforming this edifice into…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!