Chasidut על ברכות 109:19
Kedushat Levi
Exodus 36,7. “for the stuff (materials contributed) they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, even too much.” [Clearly the meaning of the word מלאכה, used twice in this verse must have a different meaning each time. Ed.] The statement that the materials donated for construction of the Tabernacle first described as adequate, and, as an afterthought, as more than sufficient, poses a problem. Either it was adequate or it was overabundant.
The Or hachayim already deals with this problem, (compare this editor’s translation of that commentary on pages 906/7). Our author approaches the anomaly from a different angle.
One of the names of G’d is א-ל שדי, this name of G’d also appears to contain a contradiction within itself, seeing that the word א-ל refers to strength, power, as in Ezekiel 17,13 אילי הארץ, “the mighty ones of the land,” whereas the word שדי is a derivative of שדים (compare Genesis 49,25) a word used to describe the provision of sustenance for all living creatures. Seeing that the largesse emanating from G’d in His capacity as the Eyn Sof, will automatically keep increasing unless stopped, this term for G’d is used to describe Him as also the One Who called די, “enough,” to an ever expanding universe during the process of creation. A term comprising apparent contradictions is by itself not unique, therefore. [It might not be acceptable when applied to G’d’s creatures, but is certainly not strange when applied to the Creator, Who is the source of all phenomena in His universe. It nevertheless remains our duty to explore how the Torah could apply apparently contradictory terms to contributions made by man rather than by G’d. Ed.] The Talmud in Chagigah 12 sees in the word שדי, the attribute of G’d in His capacity of being able to call a halt to His initiatives, many of which had been assigned to His creatures such as to the oceans and the earth when they received instructions to produce living creatures in the waters and also vegetation on earth. (Compare Genesis 1,20 and 1,24 respectively) It was natural for these “agents” of G’d to use the powers entrusted to them freely, without restriction, so that G’d had to impose limits in order to prevent possible new “chaos” in the universe, one which He had set out to replace by order on the first day of creation. This is all part of the concept of צמצום, “restraint,” imposed by G’d both upon Himself and on those of His creatures not granted בחירה, free will, i.e. human beings. G’d had to impose these limits on His agents, as precisely because they were only agents, מלאכים, they had not been equipped with the ability to understand what G’d had intended in parts of the universe that were not within their parameters. When a creature is showered with too much largesse, it is not a blessing but is liable to prove destructive unless checked. (Compare Yevamot 47 where we are told that even the Israelites while living in their mortal shells on earth are not able to absorb all the goodness or punishment they deserve )
The Or hachayim already deals with this problem, (compare this editor’s translation of that commentary on pages 906/7). Our author approaches the anomaly from a different angle.
One of the names of G’d is א-ל שדי, this name of G’d also appears to contain a contradiction within itself, seeing that the word א-ל refers to strength, power, as in Ezekiel 17,13 אילי הארץ, “the mighty ones of the land,” whereas the word שדי is a derivative of שדים (compare Genesis 49,25) a word used to describe the provision of sustenance for all living creatures. Seeing that the largesse emanating from G’d in His capacity as the Eyn Sof, will automatically keep increasing unless stopped, this term for G’d is used to describe Him as also the One Who called די, “enough,” to an ever expanding universe during the process of creation. A term comprising apparent contradictions is by itself not unique, therefore. [It might not be acceptable when applied to G’d’s creatures, but is certainly not strange when applied to the Creator, Who is the source of all phenomena in His universe. It nevertheless remains our duty to explore how the Torah could apply apparently contradictory terms to contributions made by man rather than by G’d. Ed.] The Talmud in Chagigah 12 sees in the word שדי, the attribute of G’d in His capacity of being able to call a halt to His initiatives, many of which had been assigned to His creatures such as to the oceans and the earth when they received instructions to produce living creatures in the waters and also vegetation on earth. (Compare Genesis 1,20 and 1,24 respectively) It was natural for these “agents” of G’d to use the powers entrusted to them freely, without restriction, so that G’d had to impose limits in order to prevent possible new “chaos” in the universe, one which He had set out to replace by order on the first day of creation. This is all part of the concept of צמצום, “restraint,” imposed by G’d both upon Himself and on those of His creatures not granted בחירה, free will, i.e. human beings. G’d had to impose these limits on His agents, as precisely because they were only agents, מלאכים, they had not been equipped with the ability to understand what G’d had intended in parts of the universe that were not within their parameters. When a creature is showered with too much largesse, it is not a blessing but is liable to prove destructive unless checked. (Compare Yevamot 47 where we are told that even the Israelites while living in their mortal shells on earth are not able to absorb all the goodness or punishment they deserve )
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Kedushat Levi
When Betzalel constructed the Tabernacle and all its components, i.e. the candlestick which represented the attribute of love, the table which reflected the attribute of awe, and the furnishings representing other Divine attributes, he constructed a miniature replica of the universe.
Our sages in B’rachot 55 alluded to this when they said: Betzalel knew how to combine the letters of the holy tongue that had been used by G’d when He created the universe. This enabled Betzalel to fashion the various furnishings of the Tabernacle so that they reflected the attributes which we mentioned. According to the Talmud there the name בצלאל is a combination of the two words: בצל א-ל, “in the Lord’s shadow,” i.e. his soul must have been present when G’d created the universe and have absorbed the secret of how G’d had done so. Betzalel did not know, however, to which particular commandment in the Torah each one of the vessels he fashioned corresponded. It was therefore left for Moses himself to reveal the relationship between each vessel and utensil used in the Tabernacle and how it related to a particular commandment in the Torah. This is hinted at in the verse in Exodus 40,18 which describes Moses as erecting the Tabernacle. According to tradition, Betzalel and his helpers had vainly attempted to do this, and they had to call on Moses to do this. (Tanchuma yashan, 8) “Erecting” the Tabernacle, does not refer to the mere physical act of arranging all the boards, etc, in their proper order, but it is a term used to describe Moses as ensuring that the Tabernacle would fulfill the functions for which it had been made, i.e. to mirror Torah philosophy. The reason that the Tabernacle had to be completely dismantled each time the Israelites broke camp and had to be re-erected anew when they encamped was that their trek through the desert was intended to elevate the “sparks” that had fallen off the Shechinah, a task that would be accomplished in stages each time it was erected again. [The concept of these “sparks” has been discussed on pages 21-22. Ed.]
We know through the Baal Shem Tov how the spiritual elevations, עליות, of these “sparks, נצוצות, work. When these sparks come face to face with something of a mundane or secular nature, or even more so when they encounter something actually evil or sinful, they grasp the opportunity to serve their Creator. [If I have understood the concept correctly, it is based on every phenomenon in the universe containing an element of sanctity, קדושה, though it may be almost completely hidden. [The “fallen” sparks that once were part of the Shechinah, due to their sacred origin, are able to locate that element of Divinity within the phenomenon in question. They are able to utilize any of the Divine attributes they encounter and respond to it in kind, be it love, awe, harmony or any of the attributes of G’d. Ed.] When they do this they elevate the respective phenomenon to a higher spiritual level, i.e. it is a kind of repentance for their erstwhile negligence without which they would not have “fallen off” the main body of the Shechinah in the first place.
When the Tabernacle was dismantled, it had lost its cohesion to the various attributes of G’d, something that had been established when it had last been erected. By having dismantled the Tabernacle, the Israelites had contributed to the spiritual rehabilitation of these “sparks,” as they had been presented with an opportunity to elevate these phenomena to a higher spiritual niveau while they were “in limbo,” so to speak. The Israelites therefore were directly instrumental in “salvaging” part of the Shechinah. Seeing that during the period that the Tabernacle had been dismantled the holy attributes of G’d had had an opportunity to be used negatively, i.e. the attribute of love had been used to love that which is evil, or the attribute of harmony had been used to organise a rebellion against G’d, [as had been the case during the building of the Tower after the deluge, Ed.] the Israelites in the desert, where most of these “sparks” had taken refuge on earth, had become instrumental in contributing to the restoration of the Shechinah to its full glory.
If, after having established the connection with the Divine attribute contained within a phenomenon one does not exploit this good fortune and make this attribute part of one’s personality, one will forfeit all the benefits that one’s discovery had presented. The reason for this is that good attributes that remain in a vacuum are worse than good attributes never discovered. Possessing אהבת השם “a love for G’d,” without following this up by performing the commandments in the Torah that reflect this attribute, results in one’s losing even the theoretical, or “platonic” love of G’d. As soon as the Jewish people became aware that they had become an instrument for restoring one of the “sparks” to the Shechinah, they would re-erect the Tabernacle and make a point of observing the commandments associated with that attribute meticulously. As only Moses was on a level that enabled him to understand all these connections between the terrestrial world and its celestial counterpart, it was his task to erect the Tabernacle (each time). He thereby connected the appropriate sections in the appropriate manner.
Our sages in B’rachot 55 alluded to this when they said: Betzalel knew how to combine the letters of the holy tongue that had been used by G’d when He created the universe. This enabled Betzalel to fashion the various furnishings of the Tabernacle so that they reflected the attributes which we mentioned. According to the Talmud there the name בצלאל is a combination of the two words: בצל א-ל, “in the Lord’s shadow,” i.e. his soul must have been present when G’d created the universe and have absorbed the secret of how G’d had done so. Betzalel did not know, however, to which particular commandment in the Torah each one of the vessels he fashioned corresponded. It was therefore left for Moses himself to reveal the relationship between each vessel and utensil used in the Tabernacle and how it related to a particular commandment in the Torah. This is hinted at in the verse in Exodus 40,18 which describes Moses as erecting the Tabernacle. According to tradition, Betzalel and his helpers had vainly attempted to do this, and they had to call on Moses to do this. (Tanchuma yashan, 8) “Erecting” the Tabernacle, does not refer to the mere physical act of arranging all the boards, etc, in their proper order, but it is a term used to describe Moses as ensuring that the Tabernacle would fulfill the functions for which it had been made, i.e. to mirror Torah philosophy. The reason that the Tabernacle had to be completely dismantled each time the Israelites broke camp and had to be re-erected anew when they encamped was that their trek through the desert was intended to elevate the “sparks” that had fallen off the Shechinah, a task that would be accomplished in stages each time it was erected again. [The concept of these “sparks” has been discussed on pages 21-22. Ed.]
We know through the Baal Shem Tov how the spiritual elevations, עליות, of these “sparks, נצוצות, work. When these sparks come face to face with something of a mundane or secular nature, or even more so when they encounter something actually evil or sinful, they grasp the opportunity to serve their Creator. [If I have understood the concept correctly, it is based on every phenomenon in the universe containing an element of sanctity, קדושה, though it may be almost completely hidden. [The “fallen” sparks that once were part of the Shechinah, due to their sacred origin, are able to locate that element of Divinity within the phenomenon in question. They are able to utilize any of the Divine attributes they encounter and respond to it in kind, be it love, awe, harmony or any of the attributes of G’d. Ed.] When they do this they elevate the respective phenomenon to a higher spiritual level, i.e. it is a kind of repentance for their erstwhile negligence without which they would not have “fallen off” the main body of the Shechinah in the first place.
When the Tabernacle was dismantled, it had lost its cohesion to the various attributes of G’d, something that had been established when it had last been erected. By having dismantled the Tabernacle, the Israelites had contributed to the spiritual rehabilitation of these “sparks,” as they had been presented with an opportunity to elevate these phenomena to a higher spiritual niveau while they were “in limbo,” so to speak. The Israelites therefore were directly instrumental in “salvaging” part of the Shechinah. Seeing that during the period that the Tabernacle had been dismantled the holy attributes of G’d had had an opportunity to be used negatively, i.e. the attribute of love had been used to love that which is evil, or the attribute of harmony had been used to organise a rebellion against G’d, [as had been the case during the building of the Tower after the deluge, Ed.] the Israelites in the desert, where most of these “sparks” had taken refuge on earth, had become instrumental in contributing to the restoration of the Shechinah to its full glory.
If, after having established the connection with the Divine attribute contained within a phenomenon one does not exploit this good fortune and make this attribute part of one’s personality, one will forfeit all the benefits that one’s discovery had presented. The reason for this is that good attributes that remain in a vacuum are worse than good attributes never discovered. Possessing אהבת השם “a love for G’d,” without following this up by performing the commandments in the Torah that reflect this attribute, results in one’s losing even the theoretical, or “platonic” love of G’d. As soon as the Jewish people became aware that they had become an instrument for restoring one of the “sparks” to the Shechinah, they would re-erect the Tabernacle and make a point of observing the commandments associated with that attribute meticulously. As only Moses was on a level that enabled him to understand all these connections between the terrestrial world and its celestial counterpart, it was his task to erect the Tabernacle (each time). He thereby connected the appropriate sections in the appropriate manner.
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Kedushat Levi
Construction of the Tabernacle in the desert was an act that paralleled the creation of heaven and earth and corresponded to all known aspects of the order in which G’d created the universe, (B’rachot 55). Seeing that this was so, Betzalel, the chief architect of the project was granted the wisdom to understand how the letters of the aleph bet were to be used in carrying out all the details of the task entrusted to him.
Nowadays, this ability of Betzalel at the time of his building the Tabernacle, has been granted to the righteous Torah scholars of varying degrees, who are able to reveal insights into the Torah that have not previously been revealed. By doing so, they become partners of G’d in His creation of the universe. Betzalel also imposed restrictions on himself in his use of the gift G’d gave him, so as not to preempt the Torah scholars throughout the ages and to thereby prevent them from revealing new insights. This is what is meant by the word והותר, “there was an overabundance,” i.e. there was enough holy spirit that had been provided to enable Betzalel and his assistants to build the Tabernacle, but instead of exhausting it at the time, Betzalel, in his modesty, was content to leave a surfeit of it to be used by Torah scholars, who in a way are also Torah “architects,” to delight their audiences with their insights in their respective generations.
Nowadays, this ability of Betzalel at the time of his building the Tabernacle, has been granted to the righteous Torah scholars of varying degrees, who are able to reveal insights into the Torah that have not previously been revealed. By doing so, they become partners of G’d in His creation of the universe. Betzalel also imposed restrictions on himself in his use of the gift G’d gave him, so as not to preempt the Torah scholars throughout the ages and to thereby prevent them from revealing new insights. This is what is meant by the word והותר, “there was an overabundance,” i.e. there was enough holy spirit that had been provided to enable Betzalel and his assistants to build the Tabernacle, but instead of exhausting it at the time, Betzalel, in his modesty, was content to leave a surfeit of it to be used by Torah scholars, who in a way are also Torah “architects,” to delight their audiences with their insights in their respective generations.
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