Saadia's Tafsir on Shemot 35 (Parashat Vayakhel)

Shemot 35:1

וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר-צִוָּה יְהוָה לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָם

. . .

Then Moses assembled the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them: 'These are the things which God has commanded that they be done.'

Shemot 35:2

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יִהְיֶה לָכֶם קֹדֶשׁ שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן לַיהוָה כָּל-הָעֹשֶׂה בוֹ מְלָאכָה יוּמָת

. . .

Six days shall the crafts be done, but on the seventh day it shall be for you a holy thing — a rest, a Sabbath to God. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Shemot 35:3

לֹא-תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת

. .

You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the day of the Sabbath.

Shemot 35:4

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר-צִוָּה יְהוָה לֵאמֹר

. .

And Moses said to the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying: 'This is the thing which God has commanded.'

Shemot 35:5

קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה לַיהוָה כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת

. . .

Bring from what you have a contribution to God; let everyone whose heart is willing bring a contribution to God — gold, and silver, and copper,

Shemot 35:6

וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים

.

and blue, and purple, and scarlet dye, and fine linen, and fine wool,

Shemot 35:7

וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים

.

and rams' hides of tanned leather, and hides of tachash, and acacia wood,

Shemot 35:8

וְשֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר וּבְשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים

. .

and oil for giving light, and spices for the anointing oil, and incense of resins,

Shemot 35:9

וְאַבְנֵי-שֹׁהַם--וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן

. .

and crystal stones, and stones for setting — for the breastpiece and for the vestment.

Shemot 35:11

אֶת-הַמִּשְׁכָּן--אֶת-אָהֳלוֹ וְאֶת-מִכְסֵהוּ אֶת-קְרָסָיו וְאֶת-קְרָשָׁיו אֶת-בְּרִיחָו אֶת-עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת-אֲדָנָיו

. . .

the tabernacle and its tent and its covering, and its clasps, and its planks, and its bars, and its pillars, and its bases,

Shemot 35:12

אֶת-הָאָרֹן וְאֶת-בַּדָּיו אֶת-הַכַּפֹּרֶת וְאֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ

.

and the ark and its poles, and the cover, and the concealing curtain,

Shemot 35:13

אֶת-הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְאֶת-בַּדָּיו וְאֶת-כָּל-כֵּלָיו וְאֵת לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים

.

and the table and its poles and all its vessels, and the facing bread,

Shemot 35:14

וְאֶת-מְנֹרַת הַמָּאוֹר וְאֶת-כֵּלֶיהָ וְאֶת-נֵרֹתֶיהָ וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר

. .

and the lampstand of light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for giving light,

Shemot 35:15

וְאֶת-מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת וְאֶת-בַּדָּיו וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֵת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים וְאֶת-מָסַךְ הַפֶּתַח לְפֶתַח הַמִּשְׁכָּן

. . .

and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil, and the incense of resins, and the curtain of the entrance of the tent of the tabernacle,

Shemot 35:16

אֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה וְאֶת-מִכְבַּר הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ אֶת-בַּדָּיו וְאֶת-כָּל-כֵּלָיו אֶת-הַכִּיֹּר וְאֶת-כַּנּוֹ

. . .

and the altar of offerings, and the copper grating that belongs to it, and its poles, and all its vessels, and the laver and its base,

Shemot 35:17

אֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר אֶת-עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת-אֲדָנֶיהָ וְאֵת מָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר

. .

and the curtains of the court, and their pillars and their bases, and the curtain of its gate,

Shemot 35:18

אֶת-יִתְדֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת-יִתְדֹת הֶחָצֵר וְאֶת-מֵיתְרֵיהֶם

.

and the pegs of the tabernacle, and the pegs of the court, and their cords,

Shemot 35:19

אֶת-בִּגְדֵי הַשְּׂרָד לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ אֶת-בִּגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת-בִּגְדֵי בָנָיו לְכַהֵן

. . .

and the embroidered garments for service in the sanctuary, and the holy garments for Aaron the imām, and the garments of his sons for the imāmate.'

Shemot 35:20

וַיֵּצְאוּ כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה

And the congregation of the sons of Israel went out from before Moses.

Shemot 35:21

וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-נְשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר נָדְבָה רוּחוֹ אֹתוֹ הֵבִיאוּ אֶת-תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה לִמְלֶאכֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּלְכָל-עֲבֹדָתוֹ וּלְבִגְדֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ

. . . .

And there came every man whose heart was willing, and every one who had a vision — with a contribution to God, for the making of the tent of the assembly and for all its work, and for the holy garments.

Shemot 35:22

וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים עַל-הַנָּשִׁים כֹּל נְדִיב לֵב הֵבִיאוּ חָח וָנֶזֶם וְטַבַּעַת וְכוּמָז כָּל-כְּלִי זָהָב וְכָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֵנִיף תְּנוּפַת זָהָב לַיהוָה

. . . .

There came after that the men together with the women — those among them who were generous — bringing even bracelets and earrings, and signet rings and girdles, and the rest of the vessels of gold; and everyone who set apart a separation of gold for God.

Shemot 35:23

וְכָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-נִמְצָא אִתּוֹ תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי--וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים הֵבִיאוּ

. . . .

And everyone in whose possession there was found blue, and purple, and scarlet dye, and fine linen, and fine wool, and rams' hides of tanned leather, and hides of tachash — they brought them.

Shemot 35:24

כָּל-מֵרִים תְּרוּמַת כֶּסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת הֵבִיאוּ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְהוָה וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא אִתּוֹ עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים לְכָל-מְלֶאכֶת הָעֲבֹדָה--הֵבִיאוּ

. . . . .

And everyone who raised a contribution to God of silver and copper brought it to God; and everyone in whose possession there was acacia wood — for any part of the making of the work — brought it.

Shemot 35:25

וְכָל-אִשָּׁה חַכְמַת-לֵב בְּיָדֶיהָ טָווּ וַיָּבִיאוּ מַטְוֶה אֶת-הַתְּכֵלֶת וְאֶת-הָאַרְגָּמָן אֶת-תּוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וְאֶת-הַשֵּׁשׁ

. . .

And every woman skilled enough to spin with her hand came with spun work of blue, and purple, and scarlet dye, and fine linen.

Shemot 35:26

וְכָל-הַנָּשִׁים--אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂא לִבָּן אֹתָנָה בְּחָכְמָה טָווּ אֶת-הָעִזִּים

.

And every woman outstanding in her skill spun the fine wool.

Shemot 35:27

וְהַנְּשִׂאִם הֵבִיאוּ--אֵת אַבְנֵי הַשֹּׁהַם וְאֵת אַבְנֵי הַמִּלֻּאִים לָאֵפוֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן

. . .

And the nobles brought the crystal stones, and the stones for setting — for the breastpiece and for the vestment.

Shemot 35:28

וְאֶת-הַבֹּשֶׂם וְאֶת-הַשָּׁמֶן לְמָאוֹר--וּלְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים

. . .

And the spices, and the oil for giving light, and the anointing oil, and the incense of resins.

Shemot 35:29

כָּל-אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָדַב לִבָּם אֹתָם לְהָבִיא לְכָל-הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה--הֵבִיאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל נְדָבָה לַיהוָה

. . . . . .

Thus every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring something for all the craftsmanship which God had commanded to be done by the hand of Moses — the sons of Israel brought it as a freewill offering to God.

Shemot 35:30

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רְאוּ קָרָא יְהוָה בְּשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן-אוּרִי בֶן-חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה

. .

And Moses said to the sons of Israel: 'See that God has honored Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

Shemot 35:31

וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל-מְלָאכָה

. .

and has perfected in him knowledge from God — in wisdom, and understanding, and skill in all craftsmanship —

Shemot 35:32

וְלַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבֹת--לַעֲשֹׂת בַּזָּהָב וּבַכֶּסֶף וּבַנְּחֹשֶׁת

.

and proficient in the trades, in the craft of gold, and silver, and copper,

Shemot 35:33

וּבַחֲרֹשֶׁת אֶבֶן לְמַלֹּאת וּבַחֲרֹשֶׁת עֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל-מְלֶאכֶת מַחֲשָׁבֶת

. .

and in the engraving of gems for setting, and in the carpentry of wood, and in doing all the rest of the crafts of the trades.

Shemot 35:34

וּלְהוֹרֹת נָתַן בְּלִבּוֹ הוּא וְאָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן-אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה-דָן

.

And for teaching He has placed in his hand — he and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan —

Shemot 35:35

מִלֵּא אֹתָם חָכְמַת-לֵב לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת חָרָשׁ וְחֹשֵׁב וְרֹקֵם בַּתְּכֵלֶת וּבָאַרְגָּמָן בְּתוֹלַעַת הַשָּׁנִי וּבַשֵּׁשׁ וְאֹרֵג עֹשֵׂי כָּל-מְלָאכָה וְחֹשְׁבֵי מַחֲשָׁבֹת

. . . . . .

He has perfected in their hearts the knowledge of wisdom, that they may make every craft of a master and expert, and an embroiderer in blue, and purple, and scarlet dye, and fine linen, and a weaver; for the two of them are craftsmen of every craft, and proficient in the trades.'