וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָם   35:1

Exod. 35:1  And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel and said to them, “These are the words that the Lord commands to do:”

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קֹדֶשׁ שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתֹון לַיהוָה כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂה בֹו   35:2

מְלָאכָה יוּמָת

Exod. 35:2  “Six days shall you do work, but on the seventh day holiness shall be yours, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord.  Any one doing work on it shall die.”

In this verse and in the ensuing verses, the number of the second-person pronouns will be pointed out.  I believe that they are important in interpreting the Lord’s commands.        More >>

לֹא־תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיֹום הַשַּׁבָּת    25:3

Exod. 35:3  “You shall not kindle a fire in any of your habitations on the Sabbath day.”

This verse forms part of the support by rabbis and scholars for the admonition against igniting any kind of light on the Sabbath.      More >>

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהוָה לֵאמֹר   35:4

Exod. 35:4  And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel saying, “This is the thing that the Lord commands saying,

קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה לַיהוָה כֹּל נְדִיב לִבֹּו יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת   35:5

Exod. 35:5  ‘Take an offering to the Lord from yourselves.  Any one willing in his heart, let him bring an offering of the Lord of gold and silver and brass,

וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתֹולַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים   35:6

Exod. 35:6  and blue and purple and scarlet cloth, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים   35:7

Exod. 35:7  and skins of rams dyed red, and skins of badgers, and wood of acacia,

וְשֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹור וּבְשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים   35:8

Exod. 35:8  and oil for the light and spices for the oil of anointing and for the incense of sweet spices,

וְאַבְנֵי־שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹוד וְלַחֹשֶׁן   35:9

Exod. 35:9  and stones of onyx, and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastplate.’

In v. 35:5, the verbs and pronouns in the first part of the verse are plural.  I believe that Moses is commanding each individual of the community to bring free-will offerings for the tabernacle.  In v. 35:10 below, the pronoun in “among you” and the subsequent verbs are plural.  Again, as I see it, Moses is addressing each one in the congregation who is wise of heart. 

וְכָל־חֲכַם־לֵב בָּכֶם יָבֹאוּ וְיַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה   35:10

Exod. 35:10    ’And all wise of heart among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded,

אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶת־אָהֳלֹו וְאֶת־מִכְסֵהוּ אֶת־קְרָסָיו וְאֶת־קְרָשָׁיו אֶת־בְּרִיחָו* אֶת־עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת־אֲדָנָיו   35:11

Exod. 35:11   the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps and its boards, its bars, its columns and its sockets,

אֶת־הָאָרֹן וְאֶת־בַּדָּיו אֶת־הַכַּפֹּרֶת וְאֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ   35:12

Exod. 35:12   the ark and its staves, the ark cover and the curtain of the screen,

אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְאֶת־בַּדָּיו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְאֵת לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים   35:13

Exod. 35:13   the table and its staves and all its implements, and the show bread,

וְאֶת־מְנֹרַת הַמָּאֹור וְאֶת־כֵּלֶיהָ וְאֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאֹור   35:14

Exod. 35:14   and the lamp stand and its implements and its lamps, and the oil of the light,

וְאֶת־מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת וְאֶת־בַּדָּיו וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֵת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים וְאֶת־מָסַךְ הַפֶּתַח    35:15

לְפֶתַח הַמִּשְׁכָּן

Exod. 35:15   and the altar of incense and its staves, and the oil of anointing and the incense of sweet spices, and the doorway covering for the entrance of the tabernacle,

אֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־מִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־לֹו אֶת־בַּדָּיו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו אֶת־הַכִּיֹּר וְאֶת־כַּנֹּו   35:16

Exod. 35:16   the altar of burnt offering and the grating of bronze that is for it, its staves, and all its implements, the laver and its base,

אֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר אֶת־עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת־אֲדָנֶיהָ וְאֵת מָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר   35:17

Exod. 35:17   the curtains of the court, its columns and their sockets, and the screen of the gate of the court,

אֶת־יִתְדֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת־יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר וְאֶת־מֵיתְרֵיהֶם   35:18

Exod. 35:18   the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court and their cords,

אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַשְּׂרָד לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵי בָנָיו לְכַהֵן   35:19

Exod. 35:19   the plaited garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron, the priest, and the garments of his sons to minister as priests.’”

וַיֵּצְאוּ כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה   35:20

Exod. 35:20   And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from before Moses.

וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂאֹו לִבֹּו וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר נָדְבָה רוּחֹו אֹתֹו הֵבִיאוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה לִמְלֶאכֶת   35:21

אֹהֶל מֹועֵד וּלְכָל־עֲבֹדָתֹו וּלְבִגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ

Exod. 35:21   And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up and everyone whose spirit made him willing, they brought the offerings of the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.

וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים עַל־הַנָּשִׁים כֹּל נְדִיב לֵב הֵבִיאוּ חָח וָנֶזֶם וְטַבַּעַת וְכוּמָז כָּל־כְּלִי זָהָב וְכָל־אִישׁ   35:22

אֲשֶׁר הֵנִיף תְּנוּפַת זָהָב לַיהוָה

Exod. 35:22   And they came, the men followed by the women, all of willing heart, and every person who wielded an offering of gold to the Lord.  They brought bracelet and earring and signet ring and buckle, all articles of gold.

וְכָל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָא אִתֹּו תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתֹולַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים   35:23

וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים הֵבִיאוּ

Exod. 35:23   And every person who had with him blue and purple and scarlet cloth and fine linen and goats’ hair and skins of rams dyed red and skins of badgers brought them.

כָּל־מֵרִים תְּרוּמַת כֶּסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת הֵבִיאוּ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא אִתֹּו עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים לְכָל־   35:24

מְלֶאכֶת הָעֲבֹדָה הֵבִיאוּ

Exod. 35:24   All contributing an offering of silver or bronze brought an offering of the Lord, and everyone who had with him wood of acacia for all the work of the service, they brought.

וְכָל־אִשָּׁה חַכְמַת־לֵב בְּיָדֶיהָ טָווּ וַיָּבִיאוּ מַטְוֶה אֶת־הַתְּכֵלֶת וְאֶת־הָאַרְגָּמָן אֶת־תֹּולַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וְאֶת־  35:25

הַשֵּׁשׁ

Exod. 35:25   And every wise-hearted women with her hands, they spun, and brought what was spun, the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet cloth, and the fine linen.

וְכָל־הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂא לִבָּן אֹתָנָה בְּחָכְמָה טָווּ אֶת־הָעִזִּים   35:26

Exod. 35:26   And all the women whose hearts stirred them up with wisdom spun the goats' hair.

וְהַנְּשִׂאִם הֵבִיאוּ אֵת אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹוד וְלַחֹשֶׁן   35:27

Exod. 35:27   And the chiefs brought the stones of onyx and the setting stones for the ephod and for the breastplate,

וְאֶת־הַבֹּשֶׂם וְאֶת־הַשָּׁמֶן לְמָאֹור וּלְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים   35:28

Exod. 35:28   and the spice, and the oil for the lamp and for the oil of anointing and for the incense of sweet spices.

כָּל־אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָדַב לִבָּם אֹתָם לְהָבִיא לְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה לַעֲשֹׂות בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה   35:29

 הֵבִיאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל נְדָבָה לַיהוָה

Exod. 35:29   Every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring something for all the work that the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses, the children of Israel brought free-will offering to the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּ קָרָא יְהוָה בְּשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן־אוּרִי בֶן־חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה   35:30

Exod. 35:30   And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezaleel son of Uri son of Hur of the tribe of Judah,

וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתֹו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל־מְלָאכָה   35:31

Exod. 35:31   and the spirit of God has filled him with wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge, and with every skill,

וְלַחְשֹׁב מַחַשָׁבֹת לַעֲשֹׂת בַּזָּהָב וּבַכֶּסֶף וּבַנְּחֹשֶׁת   35:32

Exod. 35:32   so as to devise cunning works to fashion in gold and in silver and in brass,

וּבַחֲרֹשֶׁת אֶבֶן לְמַלֹּאת וּבַחֲרֹשֶׁת עֵץ לַעֲשֹׂות בְּכָל־מְלֶאכֶת מַחֲשָׁבֶת   35:33

Exod. 35:33   and in carving of stone for setting, and in carving of wood, fashioning with every means of artistry

וּלְהֹורֹת נָתַן בְּלִבֹּו הוּא וְאָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן־אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה־דָן   35:34

Exod. 35:34   that He has put in his heart to teach, he and Aholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan.”

If the words of vss. 30 to 33 above seem vaguely familiar, that’s because they are a near echo of the words God spoke to Moses in [Exod. 31:1 to 5].  Is this repetition intended to emphasize the uniqueness of Bezaleel?  Maybe, but more important to me, these words offer some support for my speculation that not all the Israelites were slaves (see my remarks pertaining to Exod. 12:43).  Unless the Almighty miraculously endowed Bezaleel with his talents and skills in the wilderness, he honed them in Egypt.  He had to have been a skilled artisan there when his brothers and sdidsters were freed from slavery..

מִלֵּא אֹתָם חָכְמַת־לֵב לַעֲשֹׂות כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת חָרָשׁ וְחֹשֵׁב וְרֹקֵם בַּתְּכֵלֶת וּבָאַרְגָּמָן בְּתֹולַעַת הַשָּׁנִי   35:35

וּבַשֵּׁשׁ וְאֹרֵג עֹשֵׂי כָּל־מְלָאכָה וְחֹשְׁבֵי מַחֲשָׁבֹת

Exod. 35:35   “He has filled them with wisdom of heart to fashion all manner of works of engraving and weaving and embroidering in blue, and in purple, in scarlet cloth, and in fine linen and weaving, producers of all things made and designers of cunning devices.”

Torah Commandments in this Chapter

116. You shall not kindle a fire in any your habitations on the Sabbath.    V. 35:3

Note:  According to my remarks accompanying v. 35:3, I don’t count this as a true commandment.

 

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Exodus 35