All Lit Up

The two Parshios that we Lein this week, Vayakel and Pekudei, turn our focus once again to the Mishkan and the Bigdei Kehunah. Although their content is slightly different—these Parshios are dedicated to the fabrication, while the earlier Parshios of Terumah and Titzaveh contain the Tzivuyim—the Pessukim can seem almost repetitive. As is always the case, however, if we pay attention to the nuances of the Pessukim we can learn important lessons that may otherwise have been missed.

One of the major differences between these Parshios and the earlier ones, is the appearance of Betzalel as the one who would lead the construction of the Mishkan. Although Moshe is told about his appointment in last week’s Parsha, Bnei Yisroel are introduced to Betzelel at the beginning of Parshas Vayakel. Whenever he is mentioned, however, Betzelal is described as one who was extremely skilled and intellectually gifted: “V’Amaleh Oso RUach ELokim B’Chachma U’Visvuna U’vidaas U’vichol Melacha”, and in fact singularly able to carry out the task he was assigned. As we will see, however, the Chachma of Betzalel extended beyond the technical aspects of the Mishkan and Begadim.

After describing the way that the structure of the actual Mishkan—the Adanim, Kerashim and Yerios—were made, the Toah turns to the Kelim themselves. The first one discussed is the Aron Hakodesh, and the Passuk begins quite curiously: “Vayaas Betzalel Es HaAron.” Now, the Pessukim which describe the Asiyas Hamishkan begin with the words “V’Asa Betzalel V’Alihav”, and we therefore know that these individuals were involved in the work being done, why does the Torah add Betzalel’s name here as well?

Rashi seems sensitive to this point, explaining why Betzalel’s name is mentioned here: “L’Fi Shenassan Nafsho Al Hamalacha Yoser M’Shaar Chachamim Nikres Al Shemo.” Because Betzalel dedicated himself to the construction of the Mishkan in greater measure that even the other Chachamim, his name is mentioned explicitly. This comment is a little ambiguous: what Melacha does Rashi refer to—that of the Mishkan in general, or of the Aron specifically?

In order to properly understand the words of Rashi, we must look at the Medrash Tanchuma upon which they seem to be based. The Medrash asks a question: Did Betzalel make everything himself? If not, why does the Torah say “Vayas Betzalel” each time? The answer to this question is the basis of our Rashi: Betzalel extended himself above and beyond his peers, and so his name is mentioned specifically. It should be noted that although it only says “Vayas Betzalel” when discussing the Aron, each of the Pessukim regarding the other Kelim being with the word “Vayas”, and he made, which refer back to Betzalel. We see, then, that Chazal are teaching us that Betzalel was Moser Nefesh when it came to each of the Kelim.

Although the approach that Rashi takes, based of course on the Divrei Chazal, hews very close to the Pashut Pshat in the Passuk, it is not without difficulties. As we noted, the Aron is not the first part of the Mishkan mentioned—the Torah first describes the actual Mishkan itself. If we were meant to learn about the dedication of Betzalel, which went above and beyond that of his peers, why wait to tell us until now? The Pessukim that discuss the Meleches Hamishkan begin with the words “V’Asa Betzalel V’Alihav”, ascribing the work of the Mishkan to the pair of Chachamim, but there is other opportunity for the Torah to use the name of Betzalel alone. Each time the Torah begins speaking about another part of the Mishkan the word “Vayaas” is used, and the name Betzalel could well have been inserted in any of those instances, in which case we would have learned the same lesson. Why then did the Torah wait until it was discussing the Aron to use Betzalel’s name?

Indeed other Meforshim, including Rabbeinu Bachaya, the Daas Zekenim and the Baal Haturim seem to assume that Betzalel’s name is mentioned in connection to the Aron specifically because there is some sort of link between the two. each has his own approach, but the underlying assumption is that the Torah uses Betzalel’s name here because he had a special relationship with, or insight into, the Aron Hakodesh.

The truth is, though, that there are two pieces in the Medrash Rabba which discuss Betzalel and the Aron, though these Medrashim seem to address the reason the Aron was built first. That said., perhaps based on these Divrei Chazal we can develop and approach to understanding not only the connection between Betzalel and the Aron, but also the words of Rashi and the Tanchuma. In doing so, we may also be able to gain a new insight into the purpose and message of the Mishkan itself.

First, let us examine the two approaches mentioned in the Medrash Rabbah.

The first Medrash on this Passuk cites a Machlokes among the Tanaim what was created first by Hakadosh Baruch Hu: the world itself, or Ohr, light. R’ Yehuda holds that Hashem first created Ohr, and only afterward the world itself, similar to one who wishes to build a palace in a dark area—he would first illuminate the intended site, and then begin building. R’ Nechemiah, on the other hand, holds that the world was created first, and then Ohr, just as one generally builds a building first, and then lights it up. The Medrash concludes, based on the words of yet another Tana, that light was in fact created first, and so “Tzadikim Kishehayu Maschinlin B’Davar Poschin B’Oro”, when Tzaddikim begin something they start with its light. Therefore, the Medrash says, when Betzalel came to build the Mishkan, he began with the Aron.

The implication of this Medrash is that the Aron in some way represents the Ohr, light, of the Mishkan, and so it was only natural that Betzalel began with that Kli, in keeping with the dictate of “Tzadikim Kishehayu Maschinlin B’Davar Poschin B’Oro.” What is unsaid, however, is why the Aron is considered the Ohr of the Mishkan, rendering it the appropriate choice to be the first Kli made.

The second Medrash discusses the Chachama of Betzalel in constructing the Aron first, but is similarly cryptic. The Medrash begins by discussing people who heard one Tzivuy from Hakadosh Baruch Hu and deduced a proper course of action that went beyond that specific Tzivuy. Similarly, says the Medrash, when Betzalel was given the Tzivuy, through Moshe Rabbeinu, to build the Mishkan he asked what the purpose of the Mishkan was. Moshe responded that the Mishkan was a place for the Shechina to be Shoreh and teach Torah to Klal Yisroel. Betzalel then asked where the Torah would stay, and Moshe Rabbeinu answered that it would be in the Aron, which would be built after the Mishkan was erected. Betzalel, however, told Moshe “Ain Kvodo Shel Torah B’Kach”, and suggested they make the Aron first. The Medrash ends by saying that this is in fact why Betzalel’s name is associated with the Aron specifically.

Here too we must understand the underlying message of the Medrash. Why did Betzalel feel that it would be a greater Kavod for the Torah if the Aron was built first, and why didn’t Moshe Rabbeinu have the same feeling? What did Betzalel understand about Kavod Hatorah that Moshe Rabbeinu did not?

At first it seems that these two Medrashim have to be understood apart from each other as each seems to point to a different rationale that Betzalael had for bulding the Aron first. Perhaps, however, we can better understand both the Divrei Chazal if we can explain the two Medrashim so that they go hand-in-hand. Maybe they do not contradict each other, but are to be understood in concert.

When Betzalel was given the Tzivuy to build a Mishkan, he asked the first question that anyone should when given a new task: what is the goal and purpose? Moshe explained that the Mishkan was meant as a place of Hashraas Hashechina, but also would be used to teach Klal Yisroel the Torah. If we think about it, the first purpose mentioned, the Hashraas Hashechina, is well understood—that is after all the stated purpose of the Mishkan: “V’Asu Li Mikdash V’Shachanti B’Socham.” But how does the Mishkan serve as a source of Limud Hatorah? Though we know that Moshe heard the Dvar Hashem from the Keruvim, it would seem that there should be a more direct connection between the Mishkan and Limud Hatorah if that was one of the central purposes of the Mishkan itself.

Perhaps it was from this statement of Moshe Rabbeinu that Betzalel deduced that the “Ohr” of the Mishkan was the Torah itself, as the first Medrash mentions. Let us consider this idea.

As we know, the Torah is itself referred to as Ohr: Ki Ner Mitzvah V’Torah Ohr, says the Passuk, or as Chazal tell us, “Ohra Zu Torah.” Though there are many explanations for this comparison, there is a novel approach to this concept that may help us in this case.

We know that at the time of Maiseh Beraishis there was a light created that was so powerful that it enabled a person to see from one end of the world to the other, it was a light that provided total clarity in a physical and spiritual sense. After the Chet of Adam Harishon, however, this light was put away, and saved for Tzaddikim in Gan Eden. This is the light referred to as the Ohr Haganuz, the hidden light.

The Be’er Moshe explains that though the Ohr Haganuz maintains its place in Gan Eden, it is still accessible through the one medium on this world that is linked to Olam Habaah: the Torah Hakedosha. We know that each child is “taught” the entire Torah before he is born, but Chazal tell us that before he is made to forget it, the baby gets a glimpse of the Ohr Haganuz, to teach him that through Limud Hatorah, on this world, he can be Zoche to the Ohr Haganuz even as it is reserved in Gan Eden.

The reality is, however, that as much as we may learn on this world, we are unable to see that Ohr Haganuz, so how are we to understand this to be true? Why are we not Zoche to see the Ohr Haganuz through our won Limud Hatorah? The Be’er Moshe explains, based on a Me’or Enayim, that it is our Aveiros, our distance from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, that prevents us from appreciating the Ohr Haganuz that we should see through Limud Hatorah. Were it not for our own shortcomings, he explains, each of us would in fact be able to see the Ohr that is otherwise reserved in Gan Eden for Tzaddikim.

When Betzalel heard that the Mishkan would be a place of Hashraas Hashechina as well as Limud Hatorah, he realized that the dual purpose of the Mishkan afforded Bnei Yisroel a remarkable opportunity. Through the Kirva brought about when the Shechina rests in our midst, it would be possible to appreciate the reality of Ohra Zu Torah, as we may be able to sense the Ohr Haganuz that is normally masked due to our Richuk from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Thus, he knew that the Ohr of the Mishkan was in fact the Ohr of the Torah, itself an incarnation, so to speak, of the original Ohr. He therefore understood that just as when the world was created, the Ohr came first, so to the Ohr of the Mishkan, the Torah itself, should be addressed prior to the structure of the Mishkan. When Moshe Rabbeinu suggested that the Aron be constructed subsequent to the Mishkan, Betzalel demurred, concerned that the Ohr be taken care of before the remaining tasks so that the opporuntity to access the Ohr Haganuz be maximized.

This approach can also help us understand the Medrash Tanchuma as quoted by Rashi. Perhaps reason that Betzalel was Moser Nefesh more than the other Chachamim involved in the process was because he recognized the powerful opportunity it presented. Because he understood that the combination of Hashraas Hashechina and Limud Hatorah may allow us to access the Ohr Haganuz, Betzalel was all the more committed to the Meleches Hamishkan. Therefore, the words “Vayas Betzalel”, which in fact indicate his dedication to the entire project, appear in connection to the Aron specifically, for it was this Kli that signified Betzalel’s appreciation for the purpose of the Mishkan, the potential for growth it represented, and the source for his increased Mesiras Nefesh.

This idea clearly illuminates the message that we are to take from the Mishkan. Chazal tell us that the Shechina does not only dwell in the Mishkan, but B’Soch Kol Echad V’Echad. Thus the dual purpose of the Mishkan, Hashraas Hashechina and Limud Hatorah applies to each of us personally. We all have the potential to come closer to Hashem and, if even for a moment, pull back the veil which clouds our vision. If we properly apply ourselves, through Limud Hatorah we can be Zoche to a hint of the Ohr Haganuz even on this world—an experience which Chazal refer to as “Olamecha Tireh B’Chayecha”, a glimpse of Olam Habaah even as we lead our lives in Olam Hazeh.