Pekudei
Shabbat Shekalim
Exodus 38:21-40:38
Numbers 28:9-15
II Kings 11:17-12:17
Isaiah 66: 1-24
The last third of the Book of Exodus provides overwhelmingly exhaustive instructions for the building and functioning of the Tabernacle, known in Hebrew as the Mishkan.
In addition, this portion of Exodus also provides a reader with a comprehensive inventory of objects and materials necessary for the construction of the portable shrine housing the cherubim-decorated ark containing the tablets of the pact (Ex. 25:10-22), the table for the bread of display (Ex. 25:23-30), the lamp stand (Ex. 25:31-37), the altar for the burnt offering (Ex. 27:1-2, 4-6), the altar for incense (Ex. 30:1-5) and the bronze laver (Ex. 10:17-21).
Pekudei, this week’s Torah portion, details the execution of this construction and the creation of the priestly vestments. Upon completion, Moses blessed the people and anointed the priests and the Tabernacle and its contents as God’s presence descended over the tent in a cloud. This account of the design and construction of the Tabernacle also provides keen insight into the nature of divinely inspired creativity.
Whereas Moses led the collection of materials and the oversight of the construction, the design and fabrication was completed by two chief artisans: Bezalel [literally, “in the shadow of God”] … “made all that God had commanded Moses; at his side was Oholiab [literally, ‘father is my tent’] carver and designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.” (Ex. 38:22)
Of Bezalel, a preceding text declared, “I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft: to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, to cut stones and to carve wood — to work in every kind of craft.” (Ex. 31:1-5). His pedigree was further endorsed by the midrashic account reporting that Bezalel was the grandson of Hur, a man killed by the Israelites for refusing to participate in the building of the Golden Calf. (Ex. Rab 41:7; Shab 89a)
The selection of a descendant of Hur provided Bezalel with a moral imperative and strengthened the second commandment prohibition against any representational art that portrayed human or animal form: “Thou shalt not make any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Ex. 20:4)
Because Bezalel is portrayed as a man filled with the spirit of God, one who could visualize and translate divine secrets into artistic form, the rabbis, in a play on the name Bezalel, connected the letters that compose his name to those of a word in the creation narrative: “Let us make man b’tzalem — in our image.” (Gen. 1:26)
Furthermore, Rabbi Judah, quoting the talmudic sage Rav, taught that Bezalel had access to hidden, secret knowledge that he utilized to create the Mishkan and its furnishings: “Bezalel knew how to combine the letters by which heaven and earth were created.” (Ber. 55a)
The Midrash also conjures up a scene in which once Moses had descended Mount Sinai, he could not remember God’s menorah design instructions. On two additional ascents, God repeated every detail with great care; still Moses could not reproduce the menorah. Finally, God said, “Go to Bezalel, he will make it.” When Bezalel completed the task without difficulty, Moses confronted him, in yet another play on Bezalel’s name: “The menorah was shown to me many times, yet I found it impossible to copy, but you, without even seeing it, fashioned it with no effort. Surely your talent is divinely inspired because you must have stood b’tzel-el — “in the shadow of God,” and watched while God showed me its construction.” (Midrash Rabbah on Numbers 15.9; Berachot 55a)
Unlike the ancient Greeks who believed that creativity belonged to the gods, the Israelites held that creativity, inspired by God, belongs to human beings. Whereas fictional King Midas of ancient Greece turned everything he touched into gold, everything touched by Bezalel turned into something holy, thereby providing a student of Torah with a model for creative activity to aspire to.
Stephen S. Pearce is senior rabbi at the Reform Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.