Rashi on TanakhExodus 25

Have them take for Me a terumah-offering. לִי [means] for the sake of My Name.

A terumah-offering. [תְּרוּמָה means:] setting aside, [i.e.,] let them set aside from their possessions a donation.

Whose heart impels him to generosity. יִדְּבֶנּוּ has the same root as נְדָבָה — “a donation.” It is a term meaning “good-will,” presant in Old French (wholehearted gift).

Shall you take My terumah-offering. Our Sages said: The expression תְּרוּמָה is mentioned here three times, [thereby alluding to three different terumah-offerings]. One is the terumah-offering of a bekka (half-shekel) per head from which the “sockets” were made, as is explained in the parsha אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי . Another is the terumah-offering for the altar, [which also consisted of] a bekka per head for the coffers [from which] the communal sacrifices were brought. And another is the terumah-offering for the mishkon — the donation of each individual. The thirteen items mentioned in this section were all needed for the works of the mishkon or for the kohanim vestments, [as will become apparent] if you will scrutinize them.

Gold, silver, and copper, etc. All these were brought voluntarily, each person according to how his heart moved him, except for the silver which was donated by everyone equally — a half-shekel by each person. We do not find in all the works of the mishkon that any more silver was needed, as it is said: “And the silver [which was used] in counting the congregation, etc., a bekka per head, etc.” The rest of the silver which was brought voluntarily, they made from it the holy vessels.

Greenish-blue [wool]. Wool that is dyed with the blood of the chilazon-fish whose blood is greenish-blue.

Dark red [wool]. Wool colored by a dye called אַרְגָּמָן .

And linen. This is linen.

And goats’ [hair]. Hair of goats. It is for this reason that Onkelos translates it: וּמְעַזֵי — “that which comes from goats,” and not the goats themselves, for Onkelos’ translation of goats is עִזַּיָּא .

Red-dyed. They were dyed red after they were tanned.

Tachashim. A kind of animal which existed only at that time. It had many colors and Onkelos therefore translated it: סַסְגוֹנָא — [a contraction of שָׂשׂ — “rejoice” and גַוְונָא — “color”] because it rejoices and is proud with its multi-colors.

And acacia wood. Where did they get [acacia wood] in the desert? Rabbi Tanchuma explained: our forefather Yaakov foresaw through Divine inspiration that the Israelites were destined to build a mishkon in the desert and he therefore brought cedars to Egypt and planted them and directed his children to take them along when they would leave Egypt.

Oil for the lamp. Clear olive oil to keep the lamp burning constantly.

Spices for anointing-oil — which was made for the purpose of anointing the vessels of the mishkon, and the mishkon itself for the purpose of sanctifying them. This [oil] required spices as is explained in the parsha כִּי תִשָּׂא .

And for the incense of aromatic spices — which they burnt every evening and morning, as is explained in the parsha וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה . The word קְטֹרֶת indicates the raising of steam (קִיטוֹר) and a column of smoke.

Onyx stones. There were two required for the needs of the eiphod which is discussed in the parsha וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה .

Filling. Because they made for them (i.e., the stones) a setting like a notch, in the gold into which the stone is put to fill the notch, they are called אַבְנֵי מִלּוּאִים — “filling stones.” The place of the setting is called מִשְׁבֶּצֶת .

[Into] the eiphod and the breastplate — the onyx stones for the eiphod and the filling-stones for the breastplate. The choshen and eiphod are described in the parsha וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה . They are kinds of ornaments [for the kohein godol].

They shall make a Sanctuary for Me. They shall make for the sake of My Name a house of holiness.

According to all that I am showing you — here, the form of the mishkon. This verse is connected to the verse that precedes it: [i.e.] “They shall make a sanctuary for Me, according to all that I am showing you.”

And so should you make it — in future generations, in the event that one of the vessels should be lost or when you will make for Me the vessels for the Eternal House (the Beis Hamikdosh), such as the tables, the lamps, the wash basins, and the stands [for the wash basins] which Shlomo made, then make them according to the forms of these. If this verse were not connected [to the verse] that precedes it then it would not have said וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ but, rather, כֵּן תַּעֲשׂוּ (without the ו') and it would have referred to the making of the Tent of Meeting (i.e., the Mishkon) and its vessels [and not to future generations].

They shall make an ark — similar to boxes which are made without legs — made like a chest called escrin [in Old French] which rests on its bottom.

You shall cover it inside and out. Bezalel made three arks, two of gold and one of wood. Each one had four walls and a bottom and were open at the top. (see illustration 1 on page 140) He placed the wooden one intoA the [large] golden oneB and the [small] golden oneC into the wooden one. He then covered the upper rim with gold.D Consequently, it was covered [with gold] on the inside and on the outside.

Golden crown-like rim. There was a crown-like [ornament] circled around above the edge, for he made the outer ark taller than the inner one so that it rose up against the thickness of the cover and somewhat above it. [Consequently] when the cover was lying on the thickness of the walls [of the inner arks] the [crown-like] rim rose above the entire thickness of the cover a slight amount. This was to symbolize the crown of the Torah.

Cast. וְיָצַקְתָּ is a term for casting metal as Onkelos translates it [וְתַתִּיךְ from הַתָּכָה].

Its corners. As Onkelos translates it: זִוְיָתֵיה (its corners). It was at the upper corners, near the cover, that they (the rings) were placedE — two on one side and two on the other, along the width of the ark. The poles were put through them (the rings) and the length of the ark separated the poles — two and a half cubits between the poles so that the two persons carrying the ark were able to walk between them (the poles).F So it is explained in Menachos, Chapt. שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם .

Two rings on one side. These are the very same four rings that are [mentioned] at the beginning of the verse, and now it explains to you where they were [placed]. This [prefix-letter] ו' [of וּשְׁתֵּי] is superfluous and should be interpreted as if it had said: שְׁתֵּי טַבָּעוֹת (without the ו'). However, you can fit it (the ו') as follows: “And two of these [above-mentioned] rings [you shall put] on one side.”

Its side. [Means:] the side of it.

Poles. [Means:] poles.

They must not be removed from them — forever.

You shall then place in the ark. אֶל הָאָרוֹן has the same meaning here as בָּאָרוֹן .

The Testimony. The Torah, which is testimony between Me and you that I have commanded to you the commandments written in it.

A cover. [The כַּפֹּרֶת is] the cover on the ark which was [constructed] open at the top. He placed it [the cover] on top like a flat board.

Two and one-half amohs long. I.e., the same length as the ark. And its width was the same as the width of the ark. It lay on the thickness of the [ark’s] four walls. Though it gives no size for its (the cover’s) thickness, our Sages explained that its thickness was a tefach.

Cherubim. They had the likeness of a child’s face.

Make them by hammering. Do not make them separately and then attach them to the ends of the cover after having made them, as is done by smiths [through a process] that is called soldez in Old French (solder). But, rather, place a large amount of gold at the start of the constructing of the cover. Then hit with a hammer and a mallet at the middle [of this mass of gold] so that the ends will protrude upwards and form the cherubim out of the protrusions of its ends.

Hammered. Batediz in Old French (hammered), as in “they banged (נָקְשָׁן) against each other.”

The ends of the cover. [Meaning:] the extreme ends of the cover.

Make one cherub out of one end. So that you should not [mistakenly] say that there were two cherubim at each end. It was therefore necessary to explain “One cherub out of one end.”

From the cover — itself shall you make the cherubim. This is the explanation of: “You must make them by hammering them,” that you not make them separately and then attach them to the cover.

Shall spread their wings. Do not make their wings lying [against their bodies] but, rather, spread open and reaching up above near their heads, so that there be ten tefachim in the space that is between the wings and the cover, as is cited in Succah (5b).

Place the Testimony in the Ark. I do not know why it is repeated for it has already said: “You shall place in the ark, the Testimony!” It may be said that it comes to teach that when the ark is alone, without the cover, he should beforehand place the Testimony in it and only afterwards place the cover on it. We find [that this actually transpired] when he (Moshe) erected the mishkon it states: “He placed the Testimony in the ark,” and afterward: “He placed the cover on the ark on top.”

I will set My meetings. When I set a meeting for you to speak with you, it is at that place that I will set the meeting, so that I come there to speak to you.

And I will speak with you from above the cover. But elsewhere it says: “God spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting saying,” which refers to the part of the mishkon that is outside of the partition. Consequently there are two verses contradicting each other. The third verse now comes and reconciles them: “When Moshe would come into the Tent of Meeting, etc. he would hear the Voice speaking to him from above the cover, etc.” [We thereby learn that the following actually took place:] Moshe would enter the mishkon and as soon as he would come inside the entranceway the Voice would descend from the heavens to between the cherubim [on top of the cover] and it would emanate from there and be heard by Moshe in the Tent of Meeting.

All that which I will command you concerning the B’nei Yisrael. The letter ו' here is superfluous and of minor importance. There are many such instances in Scripture. This is how it should be interpreted: “And that which I will speak to you there: all that I will command you will be concerning the B’nei Yisrael.”

Its height. I.e., the height of its legs together with the thickness of the table.

A gold crown-like rim. This is a symbol of the royal crown for “the table” represents wealth and greatness, as people express it: “a royal table.”

A ledge. As Onkelos translates it גְדַנְפָא — “a protruding ledge.” Regarding this there is a dispute among the Sages of Israel. There are those who say [that the misgeres] was at the top around the shulchan like the vertical rims that [are to be found]A at the edges of tables of the aristocracy (see illustration 2 on page 140). There are others who say that [the misgeres] was fastened at the bottom from one leg [of the shulchan] to another legB on all four sides of the shulchan, and the flat board of the shulchanC rested on that misgeres.

And make a gold crown-like rim around the ledge. It is the same crown-like rim mentioned above. Here it clarifies for you that it was put onto the ledge.

The rings shall be against the ledge. They were fastened to the legs opposite the edges of the ledge.D

Receptacles for the poles. I.e., these rings shall be receptacles into which the poles will be inserted.

Houses — for the purpose of being receptacles. Receptacles. As Onkelos translates it: “a place for the poles.”

It will be carried by them. [נִשָֹּׂא is in] the נִפְעַל conjugation, i.e., the shulchan will be carried by them (the poles).

Make its dishes and its spoons. “Its dishes” refers to its forms which were made like the shape of the bread. The bread was made in the shape of a [topless] box that was open on two of its sidesA (see illustration 3 on page 140). It had a bottom underneath. It was bent upwards at both ends,B [forming] something like walls.C It is for this reason that it is called לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים — “the bread of the faces,” because it has a “face”D “looking” in two directions towards the sides of the House (i.e., mishkon) in one direction as well as in the other direction. It was placed lengthwise across the width of the shulchan with its walls standing vertically lined up with the edge of the shulchan. A golden form and a metal form were made for it. It was baked in the metal one and upon removing it from the oven it was placed in the golden one until the following day, which was Shabbos, when it was set up on the shulchan. That form is called קְעָרָה — “dish.”

“Its spoons” are [known] as בָּזִיכִין (ladles) into which the frankincense was put. There were two for the two fistfuls of frankincense that were placed on the two piles, as is stated: “You shall put upon the pile pure frankincense.”

Its half-hollow tubes. They are similar to hollow, half tubes which are split along their length.E There were similar to those made of gold and three were placed in a row atop each bread so that the next bread [above] should sit on top of these tubes and they would separate one bread from another so that air would enter between them and prevent them from spoiling. In Arabic anything hollow is called קסוא .

And its supports. Onkelos translates it וּמְכִילָתֵיהּ, which are supports.F They were like golden pegs standing on the ground, rising up very high above the shulchan to the same height as the bread pile. They were notched in six places one above the otherG and the ends of the tubes that were between the breads would be supported by these notches so that the weight of the upper breads not weigh down on the lower ones which would cause them to break. The term מְכִילָתֵיהּ [quoted above from Onkelos] [means] its supports, as in: “I am exhausted from (הָכִיל) carrying it.” But I do not know how the term מְנַקִיוֹת applies to supports. There are among the Sages of Yisrael who say that קְשׂוֹתָיו is a reference to supports because they keep it (the bread) hard and keep it firm so that it does not break. Whereas the term מְנַקִּיוֹתָיו refers to the tubes, so called because they (מְנַקִּין) clean it (the bread) so that it does not spoil. But, Onkelos who translates it מְכִילָתֵיהּ agrees with the [Sage] who says that מְנַקִּיוֹת are supports.

By which they shall be covered. [Meaning:] by which they shall be covered. It is regarding its tubes that אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ is said, for they (the tubes) were as a covering over it (the bread). Similarly, elsewhere it is said: וְאֵת קְשׂוֹת הַנָּסֶךְ — “and the tubes for the נָסֶךְ” — and both יֻסַּךְ and נָסֶךְ have the meaning of “covering.”

Showbread. So called because it has פָּנִים (faces) as I have explained. The amount of bread and the order of piling it up are explained in the parsha אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים .

The Menorah must be made by hammering. It must not be made in sections. [That is] its branches or lamps must not be made as individual parts and afterwards attached as is done by smiths [through a process] called solder in Old French (to solder), but, rather, it should all originate from one piece, hammered with a hammer and cut with special tools, thereby separating the branches in two directions.

Hammering. Onkelos translates it נְגִיד, a term meaning: “drawn out,” for he draws out the parts from the mass [of gold] in two directions by hammering with the hammer. The term מִקְשָׁה means “hammering with a hammer,” batedic (hammered) in Old French, as in: “(נָקְשָׁן) they banged against each other.”

The menorah must be made. [It shall be made] by itself. Because Moshe had difficulties with it, God said to him: “Throw the mass [of gold] into the fire and it will form itself.” Therefore it does not say תַּעֲשֶׂה — “you must make.”

Its base. This refers to the “leg” at the bottom which was made in a shape similar to a box from which the three legs protruded downwards.

Its shaft. [This refers to] its middle branch which rose from the middle of the base vertically upwards. At the top of it was the middle lamp, made similar to a cup into which oil was poured and a wick was placed.

Its cups. They were like goblets which are made of glass long and narrow called madernes [in Old French]. These were made of gold and they protruded and stood out from each branch according to the number given in Scripture. They were there only as ornaments.

Its knobs. They were like round apples around [the branch], projecting outward around the middle branch, in the manner that candelabras are made for the aristocracy, called pomels [in Old French]. Their number is given in this parsha, as to how many knobs protrude from it and how much space between one knob and another.

And its flowers. Engravings made in the shape of flowers.

Shall be of it. [I.e.] all hammered out from the piece of mass and not made separately and then attached.

Shall extend from its sides — in each direction diagonally going upwards until [they reach] the height of the menorah, which is the middle branch. They extend outward from the middle branch, one above the other. The bottom one is the longest one and the one above it is shorter and the top one is even shorter. [This was so] because the height at their top was the same as the height of the seventh middle branch, from which extended the six branches.

Engraved. [מְשֻׁקָּדִים is] as Onkelos translates it [מְצַיְירִין]: They were engraved in the manner that silver and gold vessels are made, called nieler (engraving) [in Old French].

And three cups — protruding from each of the branches.

A knob and a flower — was on each branch.

The [shaft of the] menorah shall have four cups. In the body (center) of the menorah there were four cups, one protruding under the branches and three above from where the branches vented out, those that extended outward from its sides.

Engraved in almond shape patterns with their knob and flowers. This is one of the five verses [in the Torah] in which [an adjective] is left undecided. [Here] it is not known whether [it should read]: גְּבִיעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים or מְשֻׁקָּדִים כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ .

A knob under the two branches. From the knob, the branches extended from the two sides in opposite directions. In the Beraisa d’Meleches Hamishkon we learned as follows: The menorah was altogether 18 tefachim high. [We arrive at this as follows:] 3 tefachim for the legs and the [lowest] flowerA (see illustrations on page 141). This is the flower that is mentioned together with the base, about which it says: “down to its base and its flower.” 2 tefachim [above that were] unadornedB 1 tefach [above that was] a cup,C [i.e., one] of the four cups [mentioned in v. 34] as well as a knob and a flower [each of which was one] of the two knobs and two flowers that are mentioned with the menorah proper (i.e., the center branch), about which it is said (in v. 34): “the knobs and flowers were engraved,” from which we learn that the [center] branch had two knobs and two flowers besides the three knobs from which the [six] branches extended. [Regarding the latter three knobs] it says [here]: “and a knob under the two branches, etc.” 2tefachim [above that were] unadorned.D 1tefach [above that was] a knob,E from which two branches extended in two directions.F They extended upwards to a height equal to the [center] of the menorah. 1 tefach [above that] was unadornedG 1 tefach [above that was] a knobH from which two branches extended.I 1 tefach [above that] was unadorned.J 1 tefach [above that] was a knobK from which two branches extended upward to a height equal to [the center of] the menorah.L 2 tefachim [above that] were unadorned.M 3 tefachim now remainedN, in which there were three cups (= 1 tefach), and one knob (=1 tefach) and one flower (=1 tefach). Consequently the total number of cups was 22: 18 for the six branches, [since there were] three for each one; and 4 in the menorah proper (i.e., the center branch), giving you a total of 22. And the total number of knobs was 11: 6 for the six branches (one for each) and 3 in the menorah proper (i.e., the center branch) from which the branches extended. and an additional 2 in the menorah proper, about which it is said (v. 34): “its knobs were engraved” [which indicates 2] [since] the minimum of anything plural is 2. One of these [knobs] was at the bottom near the base and the other one was in the three upper tefachim, together with the three cups. It (the menorah) had nine flowers: 6 for the six branches (one for each), as it is said (v. 33): “in each branch there was a knob and a flower,” and 3 for the menorah proper (i.e., the center branch). [Two of these are mentioned] when it is said “its knobs and flowers were engraved” and the minimum of “flowers” is 2, and [an additional one] mentioned in the parsha בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ: “down to its base and its flower.” If you study the above beraisa carefully you will find them as they were enumerated, each in its proper place.

Its lamps. They were a kind of cups into which the oil and the wicks were put.

So that they shine toward it. I.e., make the mouths of the six lamps, which were at the top of the branches which extended from its (the menorah’s) sides, turned toward the middle one, so that when the lamps were lit they would shine אֶל עֵבֶר פָּנֶיהָ . [That is,] their shine would be turned towards the front side of the middle branch. which is the menorah proper.O

Its tongs. [וּמַלְקָחֶיהָ] are the tongs which were made to pluck the wicks from the oil to set them up, and to pull them into the mouths of the lamps. Since they are used for “taking” (i.e., plucking) they are called מַלְקָחַיִם (from לְקָח — “take”). The word צִבְתָהָא with which Onkelos translates is from the word צְבָת — tenálies in Old French.

And its scoops. They were like small receptacles which were used to rake out the ashes from the lamp every single morning, when he would clean the lamps from the ashes of the wicks which had burned during the night and were extinguished. The word מַחְתָּה is puisedoire in Old French, as in: “(לַחְתּוֹת) to rake fire from the oven.”

A kikar of pure gold. Its weight, including all its vessels, should be only a kikar, no more and no less. The kikar [used to measure] mundane things was the equivalent of sixty manehs, whereas the one [used to measure] holy things was double that — 120 maneh. A maneh is the equivalent of a litra which is used to weigh silver according to the weight of Cologne. This is equal to one hundred zehuvim (dinars), equal to twenty five sela’im, a sela being four zehuvim (dinars).

Observe and make them. See here on the mountain the pattern which I show you. This tells us that Moshe had difficulties with the constructing of the menorah until God showed him a menorah [model] made of fire.

That will be shown to you. As Onkelos translates it: “that you will be shown in the mountain.” If it were vocalized מַרְאֶה with a patach, its meaning would be: “you will show to others.” But, now that it is vowelized with a kametz (מָרְאֶה), its meaning is: “that you will be shown” — that others show you.