Rashi on TanakhExodus 26

You shall make the mishkon out of ten drapes — to serve as a roof and partitions on the outside of the planks, for the drapes were hung behind them to cover them.

Fine twined linen, greenish-blue, dark red and crimson. Thus you have four kinds [of material] together in each and every thread, one of linen and three of wool. Each and every thread was made six-fold. Hence the four materials when woven together made each strand consist of 24 threadsA (see illustration on page 142).

Figures of cherubim, the work of a craftsman. Cherubim were formed in them (the drapes) through weaving, and not through embroidery which is done through needlework. But, rather, by weaving on two sides, one image on one side and another image on the other side, a lion on this side and an eagle on the other side, just as silken belts are woven [nowadays], which are called feises (woven images) in Old French.

Shall be joined together. They were sewn together with a needle one beside the other — each of five [drapes] separately.

Together. This is the way Scripture speaks (i.e., אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ) of an object in the feminine gender. And when the object is in the masculine gender it says: אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו, as it states regarding the cherubim: “they shall face one another (lit. one man to another).”

Loops. Laçols (loops) in Old French. Onkelos, too, translates it thus: עֲנוּבִין from the word עֲנִיבָה (loop or bow).B (See illustration on page 142)

At the end of the group. [I.e.] on that drape which is at the end of the group. The group of the five [joined] drapes is referred to as חוֹבָרֶת .

Do the same on the edge of the drape which is at the end of the second group. [I.e.] on that drape which is at the end. קִיצוֹנָה is from קָצֶה (end), that is, at the end of the group.

The loops shall be opposite one another. Take care that you make the loops exactly equidistant from one another. And the measurements used for one drape shall be the same as in the other one, so that when you spread out one group next to the other the loops of one drape [should] line up exactly opposite the loops of the other. And that is the meaning of מַקְבִּילוֹת — “one opposite the other” [as indicated by] Onkelos’ translation of נֶגֶד (opposite) is לָקֳבֵל . [Each of] the drapes was 28 [amohs] long and four [amohs] wide. And when the five drapes were joined together their width totaled 20 [amohs]. The same was true for the second group [of drapes]. The [interior] length of the mishkon was 30 amohsA (see illustration on page 143) from east to west, as it is said: “twenty planks for the southern side” and similarly for the northern side, each plank being 1½ amohs wide.B So you have 30 [amohs] east to west. The [interior] width of the mishkon, from north to south, was ten amohs,C as it is said: “For the western side of the mishkon, etc., and make two planks for the corners.” Hence [the eight planks] equaled ten [amohs of interior. [For two of the amohs covered the thickness of the plank on each side]. I will explain these verses in their places. The drapes were placed [so that] their length was across the width of the mishkon, ten of their middle amohs covering the interior of the width of the mishkon. An additional amoh on each side [covered] the thickness of the top of the planksD whose width was one amoh. This left 16 amohs: eight [amohs] on the northern side and eight [amohs] on the southern side covered the height of the planks which were ten amohs high. Consequently, the bottom two [amohs of the planks] remained uncovered. The width of the drapes [totaled] 40 amohs when they were all joined — 20 amohs for each group. Thirty of the total [amohs] covered the interior of the length of the mishkon; one amoh corresponded to the thickness of the tops of the planks on the western side and an additional amoh [was needed] to cover the thickness of the pillars on the eastern side, — for there were no planks on the eastern side, just five pillarsE from which the screen was spread and hung by their (the pillars’) hooks as a sort of a curtain. Consequently there remained eight amohs which hung in back of the mishkon on the western side, leaving the bottom 2 amohs uncovered. The above I found in the Beraisa of 49 midos. However, in Maseches Shabbos (98b) [we find]: The drapes did not cover the eastern beams, and nine amohs hung in back of the mishkon. What is written in this section supports this, [for it states:] “Place the paroches under the clasps,” and if, in fact, it were as is stated in the Beraisa it would result in the paroches being a distance of one amoh westward from the clasps.

Golden Clasps. Fermeilz (hooks or clasps) in Old French. One of their ends is inserted into [one of the] loops of one of the groups [of drapes] and their other end into the loops of the other group [of drapes,] thereby joining them through them.

Drapes of goats’ [hair]. [עִזִּים here means:] of goats’ hair.

For a covering over the mishkon. I.e., to be spread over the lower drapes.

Thirty amohs — so that when they are placed lengthwise across the width of the mishkon, in the same way he placed the first יְרִיעוֹת], it follows that they will overhang an [additional] amoh on this side and an amoh on the other side, so as to cover one of the two amohs of the planks that remained uncovered. The lowest amoh of the plank, which was left uncovered by the drape, is the amoh that is inserted into the opening of the socket,A (see illustration 1 on page 144) for the sockets were one amoh high.

Let the sixth drape overhang. [I.e.] the additional one of these upper [drapes], over and above the lower [drapes]. —

[...shall overhang] before the entrance of the tent. Half of its width hung and folded over the curtain on the eastern side, before the entrance, similar to a modest bride whose face is covered by a veil.

The overlapping excess of the drapes of the tent — over and above the [lower] curtains of the mishkon. The “drapes of the Tent” refer to the upper ones made of goats’ hairs which are referred to [in the Torah] as אֹהֶל, as it says, regarding them: “to be an אֹהֶל over the mishkon.” Wherever אֹהֶל is used regarding them (the upper drapes) it means a cover [and not the literal: “tent”] for they cover and shield over the lower ones. They were longer than the lower [drapes] by [the width of] half a drape on the western side for half of the eleventh drape, which was the one in excess [of the ten lower drapes], folded [downward] toward the entrance of the Tent. Consequently there remained two amohs — half its width — in excess of the width of the lower [curtains].

[These two amohs] Shall overlap the back of the mishkon — to cover the two amohs of the planks that remained uncovered [by the lower drapes].

The back of the mishkon. This refers to the western side, [called the “back” of the mishkon] because the entrance was on the eastern side which is its (the mishkon’s) “front.” The northern and southern sides are called “the right and left sides.”

The [extra] amoh on one side and the [extra] amoh on the other side — on the northern and southern sides.

That were in excess of the length of the drapes of the tent — that they were in excess over the length of the “drapes of the mishkon” (the lower ones) — by two amohs —

shall overlap the sides of the mishkon. [I.e.] the northern and southern sides as I explained above (v. 12, ד"ה אחורי). The Torah thereby teaches a lesson in propriety: that a person should be protective of that which is beautiful.

A covering for the tent. For the roof made of the drapes of goats’ hairs, make an additional covering out of red-dyed ram’s skins. And above that still another covering made out of tachash skins. These coverings covered only the roof. Their length was 30 amohs and their width ten. This is the opinion of Rabbi Nechemiah. However, according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah there was only one covering, half of it [made] of red-dyed rams’ skins and the other half of tachash skins.

Make the planks. It should have said: “Make planks,” as it says regarding each and every thing. Why, then, “the planks”? From those [particular ones] that were prepared and designated for this purpose. [For] our father Yaakov planted cedar trees in Egypt and when he died he commanded his sons to carry them up with them: when they would leave Egypt, and said to them: “God will, at a time in the future, command you to construct a mishkon in the desert, made of acacia wood; see to it that you have them ready.” This is what the liturgist [meant when he] composed in his liturgical composition: “Rapidly did grow the seedlings of the diligent to become the cedars used for the beams of our House” for they were diligent [that the cedars] be ready in their possession in advance.

Out of acacia wood, standing. Estantives (upright) in Old French. [I.e.,] the length of the planks should be placed upright in the walls of the mishkon. Do not make the walls with the planks horizontal, [by placing] the width of the planks along the height of the walls one plank on top of another.

Each plank shall be ten amohs long. From this we learn that the height of the mishkon was ten amohs.

And one and one half amohs shall be the width. From this we learn that the length of the mishkon, [which corresponds] to the twenty planks that were on the northern and southern sides, running from east to west, was thirty amohs.

Each plank shall have two pegs. He cut out the bottom of the plank at its middle to the height of an amoh. He left one fourth of its width on one side and another fourth of its width on the other side and these [protrusions are called] the pegs. The cut out part [was equal to] half the width of the plank in the center. These pegs were inserted into the sockets which were hollow. The sockets were one amoh highB and forty of them were placed in a line one next to another. The pegs of the plank that were inserted into the opening of the sockets were cut out on three of their sides. The width of the part that was cut away correspond to the thickness of the edge of the socket so that the plank would cover the entire top of the socket. For if this were not so it would have resulted in a gap between one plank and another equal to the thickness of the edges of two sockets which would have separated between them (the planks)A (see illustration 2 on page 144). This is what is meant when it is said: “They must be coupled together [to fit exactly];” the sides of the pegs should be cut out so that the planks be flush next to one another.B

Parallel. [מְשֻׁלָּבוֹת means:] made like the (שְׁלִיבוֹת) rungs of a ladder, separated from each other and planed at their ends so as to be inserted into the opening of the socket, like a (שְׁלִיבָה) rung which is inserted in the hole of the upright beams of a ladder.

To each other. [I.e., the pegs] were lined up [exactly] one opposite the other; [meaning] that their cut away sections should be exactly alike. The measurement of one should be the same as the other so that no two pegs should be [misaligned], one pulled more towards the inside while the other is pulled more to the outside in relation to the thickness of the plank which was one amoh. Onkelos’ translation of יָדוֹת is “hinges” because they are similar to the hinges of a door which are inserted in the holes of the threshold.

For the southern side. The form of the word פֵּאָה here (לִפְאַת) does not have the [usual] meaning of “corner” [or “end”], but, rather, the entire side is called פֵּאָה, as Onkelos translates it: “for the southern side.”

For the [west] end. [וּלְיַרְכְּתֵי] has the meaning of “end,” as Onkelos translates it: “And for its end.” Since the entrance is on the eastern side therefore the eastern side is called “the front” and the western side, “the back.” This is why it is referred to as “the end” since the front is “the beginning.”

Make six planks. Hence nine amohs is its width.

Make two planks for the corners. One for the northwestern corner and one for southwestern [corner]. All the eight planks were in one row, but these two [in the corners] did not enclose the interior of the mishkon except that one half amoh of this one (plank) and one half amoh of the other were visible in the interior [of the mishkon] so as to make the total width ten [amohs]. The remaining amoh of each [plank] was lined up against the amoh thickness of the northern and southern mishkon planks so that the ends on the outside would be even.

They must be coupled together. All the planks must be flush with each other at the bottom, so that no gap be formed by the thickness of the edge of any two [adjacent] sockets between them (the planks) to separate them from one another. This is what I meant when I explained that the “hinges” of the pegs must be cut out around their sides so that the width of the plank will protrude at its side beyond the pegs of the plank so as to cover the edge of the socket. The same [applies] to its adjacent plank resulting in their being coupled together. Each corner plank of the western row was cut away in its width in its thickness [lined up] opposite the cut-away part of the planks of the northern and southern sides so that the sockets will not cause a separation between them.

And they must also be coupled together evenly. [תַמִּים has] the same meaning as תוֹאֲמִים (coupled).

On the top. Of each plank.

With one ring. Each and every plank was cut out at the top in its widthA (see illustration 3 on page 144). Two cut-outs at the two ends [of the width] were sufficient [to hold] the thickness of a ring. He inserts them (the two planks) into one ring resulting in its being flush with the adjacent planks.B But I do not know about these rings whether they were fixed [to the planks] or whether they were removable. As for the plank at the corner, the rings were along the thickness of the southernmost and northernmost planks. Then the top of the corner plank along the western row would be inserted into it (the ring), resulting in the two walls being joined.

So must it be done with the two. [I.e.,] the two planks at the corners; the plank at the [western] end of the northern side with the western plank [adjacent to it]. The same applied to both corners.

Thus there will be eight planks. These are the same ones mentioned above: “make six planks... And make two planks for the corners,” thereby resulting in eight planks for the row on the western side. The following is stated in the part dealing with the order of the planks in the [Beraisa] d’Meleches Hamishkon: The sockets were made hollow. The planks were cut out at the bottom [leaving] a quarter [of the width] on one side and a quarter on the other side. Half the width was cut out in the middle thereby forming two pegs that were similar to two חֲמוּקִין (legs — (S.H.)) (To me it seems that it should read: “similar to two חֲוָוקִין”) [meaning:] similar to two rungs of a ladder that are set apart from each other, which were planed down so as to enable them to be inserted into the opening of the socket, as a rung which is inserted into the holes of the upright boards of a ladder. This is what is meant by מְשׁוּלָּבוֹת — made similar to a (שְׁלִיבָה) rung. They are inserted into the two sockets, as it is said: “two sockets [under one plank] and two sockets [under the other plank.” Then the top of the plank is cut out, the width of a finger on one side and the width of a finger on the other side and they are inserted into one golden ring so that they not separate from each other, as it is said: “They must be coupled together, etc.” The above is the Mishnah (i.e., Beraisa), and I have set forth its explanation above according to the order of the verses.

Bars. As Onkelos translates it עַבְּרִין and in Old French esbars (bolts).

Five for the planks of one wall. These five are actually three, but [they are called five] only because the upper and lower bars are [each] made of two pieces. The one extends till the middle of the wall and the other extends till the middle of the wall. One is inserted into the rings on one side and the other is inserted into the rings on the other side, until they reach each other. Consequently the upper and lower ones are two which are made of four. But regarding the middle [bar], its length was equal to the whole wall from one end of the wall till the other end, as it is said: “The middle bar, etc. extended from one end to the other.” For the upper and lower [bars] had rings on the planks through which they were inserted, two rings for each boardA (see illustration 1 on page 145) placed at three equidistant places within the ten amohs of the height of the plank. One section [of the plank] was above the upper ring and one section was beneath the lowest one,C each section being one fourth of the length of the plank. Two [more] sections were between the [upper and lower] rings.D This was in order that all the rings would be lined up one across from the other. However, the middle bar had no rings, but the planks were bored through their thickness, and it (the bar) was inserted through the holesE which were lined up one exactly opposite the other. This is what is meant when it is said: “[The middle bar shall go] through the planks.” The upper and lower bars that were on the northern and southern sides, the length of each was 15 amohs whereas the middle one was 30 amohs. That is what is meant by: “[The middle bar ... will extend] from one end to the other,” from east to west. As for the five bars on the western side: the length of the upper and lower ones was six amohs, whereas the middle one’s length was 12 [amohs], corresponding to the width of the eight planks. This is how it is explained in the [Beraisa] d’Meleches Hamishkon.

To hold the bars. The rings which you will make for them will be housings [for the purpose] of inserting the bars into them.

You shall overlay the bars with gold. This does not mean to imply that the gold was attached onto the bars for they were not coated with anything. But, rather, he would attach to the plank something akin to two gold tubes, similar to two sections of a hollow-cane. He fastened them near the rings in both directions. Their length took up the entire width of the plank, from the ring to one side and from it (the ring) to the other side. The bar was inserted into it (the tube) and from it into the ring and from the ring to the other opening. Consequently the bars [appeared to be] coated with gold when they were attached to the planks. These bars projected to the outside [Hence] the rings and the tubes were not visible inside the mishkon, but the whole wall was smooth on the inside.

You shall erect the mishkon. “After it is completed, erect it!”

Shown to you on the mountain — before this (i.e., before setting it up), for later on I shall teach you and show you the proper order for setting it up.

Paroches. [פָּרוֹכֶת] has the meaning of partition. In the language of the Sages it is called פַּרְגּוֹד, something that separates between the king and the people.

Greenish-blue wool, dark red wool. Each and every kind was intertwined, six threads for every strand.

Work of a craftsman. I have already explained that this refers to [separate] weavings on the two sides and that the images on the two sides were not similar to each other.

Cherubim. He shall make in it images of creatures.

Four pillars of. Four pillars inserted into four sockets,A (see illustration 2 on page 145) into which hooksB were affixed, bent at the top in order to place a pole on themC around which the top of the paroches was wrapped.D These hooks are וָוִין B [referred to in the verse], for they are formed in the shape of the letter ו' . The paroches was ten amohs long along the width of the mishkon and ten amohs wide corresponding to the height of the planks. It was hung one third [the distance from the west] of the mishkon, so that there should be from it further toward the inside, ten amohs, and from it outward twenty amohs. Consequently the chamber of the Holy of Holies was ten [amohs] by ten [amohs]. [This is indicated] by what is said: “Place the paroches under the clasps,” which joined the two groups of the curtains of the mishkon. The width of the group was 20 amohs and when it was spread over the top of the mishkon from the entrance westward, it ended two thirds of the way into the mishkon and the second group covered the remaining third of the mishkon with the remainder [of the drapes] overhanging the back to cover the planks.

Put the table. The shulchan was in the north, drawn back from the northern wall 2½ amohs. The menorah was in the south, drawn back from the southern wall 2½ amohs. The golden altar was placed opposite the space between the shulchan and the menorah, slightly drawn towards the east. All these (the shulchan, the menorah and the altar) were placed in the inner half of the mishkon. How is this so? The length of the mishkon from the entrance to the paroches was twenty amohs. The altar, the shulchan and the menorah were drawn back from the entrance westward ten amohs.

You shall make a screen. A curtain which was a screen opposite the entrance, [מָסָךְ] as in: “(שַׂכְתָּ) Have you protected him?” [both מָסָךְ and שַׂכְתָּ] expressing protection.

The work of an embroiderer. Its images were produced by needlework, the form of one side being the same as the form on the other side.

Embroiderer. [רֹקֵם is] the name of the craftsman and not the name of the craft. Its targum should therefore read: עוֹבַד צַיָּיר — “the work of an embroiderer,” and not עוֹבַד צִיּוּר — “work of embroidery.” The dimensions of the screen were the same as that of the paroches, ten amohs by ten amohs.