חירם מלך צור, חירם מצור, ואיך להשתתף בבניית בית להקב"ה

I. חירם מלך צור - צדיק או רשע?

(יא) וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח חִירָ֨ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֥ר מַלְאָכִים֮ אֶל־דָּוִד֒ וַעֲצֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וְחָרָשֵׁ֣י עֵ֔ץ וְחָֽרָשֵׁ֖י אֶ֣בֶן קִ֑יר וַיִּבְנֽוּ־בַ֖יִת לְדָוִֽד׃ (יב) וַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔ד כִּֽי־הֱכִינ֧וֹ ה' לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכִי֙ נִשֵּׂ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ בַּעֲב֖וּר עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)

II Samuel 5:11-12

(1) All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. (2) Long before now, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel in war; and the LORD said to you: You shall shepherd My people Israel; you shall be ruler of Israel.” (3) All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them in Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel. (4) David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. (5) In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. (6) The king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the region. David was told, “You will never get in here! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back.” (They meant: David will never enter here.) (7) But David captured the stronghold of Zion; it is now the City of David. (8) On that occasion David said, “Those who attack the Jebusites shall reach the water channel and [strike down] the lame and the blind, who are hateful to David.” That is why they say: “No one who is blind or lame may enter the House.” (9) David occupied the stronghold and renamed it the City of David; David also fortified the surrounding area, from the Millo inward. (10) David kept growing stronger, for the LORD, the God of Hosts, was with him. (11) King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons; and they built a palace for David. (12) Thus David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingship for the sake of His people Israel. (13) After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to David. (14) These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; (15) Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, and Japhia; (16) Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. (17) When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, the Philistines marched up in search of David; but David heard of it, and he went down to the fastness. (18) The Philistines came and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim. (19) David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hands?” And the LORD answered David, “Go up, and I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.” (20) Thereupon David marched to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me as waters break through [a dam].” That is why that place was named Baal-perazim. (21) The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. (22) Once again the Philistines marched up and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim. (23) David inquired of the LORD, and He answered, “Do not go up, but circle around behind them and confront them at the baca trees. (24) And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go into action, for the LORD will be going in front of you to attack the Philistine forces.” (25) David did as the LORD had commanded him; and he routed the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

מלכים א ה׳:ט״ו-כ״ו

(טו) וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח חִירָ֨ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צ֤וֹר אֶת־עֲבָדָיו֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י אֹת֛וֹ מָשְׁח֥וּ לְמֶ֖לֶךְ תַּ֣חַת אָבִ֑יהוּ כִּ֣י אֹהֵ֗ב הָיָ֥ה חִירָ֛ם לְדָוִ֖ד כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (ס) (טז) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶל־חִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יז) אַתָּ֨ה יָדַ֜עְתָּ אֶת־דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֗י כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֗יִת לְשֵׁם֙ ה' אֱלֹקָ֔יו מִפְּנֵ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבָבֻ֑הוּ עַ֤ד תֵּת־ה' אֹתָ֔ם תַּ֖חַת כַּפּ֥וֹת רגלו [רַגְלָֽי׃] ... (כ) וְעַתָּ֡ה צַוֵּה֩ וְיִכְרְתוּ־לִ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים מִן־הַלְּבָנ֗וֹן וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ יִהְי֣וּ עִם־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּשְׂכַ֤ר עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לְךָ֔ כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמֵ֑ר כִּ֣י ׀ אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתָּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין בָּ֛נוּ אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ לִכְרָת־עֵצִ֖ים כַּצִּדֹנִֽים׃ (כא) וַיְהִ֞י כִּשְׁמֹ֧עַ חִירָ֛ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֣ח מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ ה' הַיּ֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן לְדָוִד֙ בֵּ֣ן חָכָ֔ם עַל־הָעָ֥ם הָרָ֖ב הַזֶּֽה׃ (כב) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח חִירָם֙ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר שָׁמַ֕עְתִּי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֖חְתָּ אֵלָ֑י אֲנִ֤י אֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֶפְצְךָ֔ בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִ֖ים וּבַעֲצֵ֥י בְרוֹשִֽׁים׃ ... (כו) וַה' נָתַ֤ן חָכְמָה֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־ל֑וֹ וַיְהִ֣י שָׁלֹ֗ם בֵּ֤ין חִירָם֙ וּבֵ֣ין שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ בְרִ֖ית שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

I Kings 5:15-26

(1) Solomon’s rule extended over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and the boundary of Egypt. They brought Solomon tribute and were subject to him all his life. (2) Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of 30 kors of semolina, and 60 kors of [ordinary] flour, (3) -10 fattened oxen, 20 pasture-fed oxen, and 100 sheep and goats, besides deer and gazelles, roebucks and fatted geese. (4) For he controlled the whole region west of the Euphrates—all the kings west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all his borders roundabout. (5) All the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba dwelt in safety, everyone under his own vine and under his own fig tree. (6) Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariotry and 12,000 horsemen. (7) All those prefects, each during his month, would furnish provisions for King Solomon and for all who were admitted to King Solomon’s table; they did not fall short in anything. (8) They would also, each in his turn, deliver barley and straw for the horses and the swift steeds to the places where they were stationed. (9) God endowed Solomon with wisdom and discernment in great measure, with understanding as vast as the sands on the seashore. (10) Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the Kedemites and than all the wis dom of the Egyptians. (11) He was the wisest of all men: [wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalkol, and Darda the sons of Mahol. His fame spread among all the surrounding nations. (12) He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered one thousand and five. (13) He discoursed about trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall; and he discoursed about beasts, birds, creeping things, and fishes. (14) Men of all peoples came to hear Solomon’s wisdom, [sent] by all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. (15) King Hiram of Tyre sent his officials to Solomon when he heard that he had been anointed king in place of his father; for Hiram had always been a friend of David. (16) Solomon sent this message to Hiram: (17) “You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the enemies that encompassed him, until the LORD had placed them under the soles of his feet. (18) But now the LORD my God has given me respite all around; there is no adversary and no mischance. (19) And so I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD promised my father David, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for My name.’ (20) Please, then, give orders for cedars to be cut for me in the Lebanon. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay you any wages you may ask for your servants; for as you know, there is none among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.” (21) When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was overjoyed. “Praised be the LORD this day,” he said, “for granting David a wise son to govern this great people.” (22) So Hiram sent word to Solomon: “I have your message; I will supply all the cedar and cypress logs you require. (23) My servants will bring them down to the sea from the Lebanon; and at the sea I will make them into floats and [deliver them] to any place that you designate to me. There I shall break them up for you to carry away. You, in turn, will supply the food I require for my household.” (24) So Hiram kept Solomon provided with all the cedar and cypress wood he required, (25) and Solomon delivered to Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as provisions for his household and 20 kors of beaten oil. Such was Solomon’s annual payment to Hiram. (26) The LORD had given Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him. There was friendship between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. (27) King Solomon imposed forced labor on all Israel; the levy came to 30,000 men. (28) He sent them to the Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 a month: they would spend one month in the Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. (29) Solomon also had 70,000 porters and 80,000 quarriers in the hills, (30) apart from Solomon’s 3,300 officials who were in charge of the work and supervised the gangs doing the work. (31) The king ordered huge blocks of choice stone to be quarried, so that the foundations of the house might be laid with hewn stones. (32) Solomon’s masons, Hiram’s masons, and the men of Gebal shaped them. Thus the timber and the stones for building the house were made ready.1

תוספות על יבמות כ״ג א:י״ג:א׳

ההוא בשבעה אומות כתיב ... ואם תאמר והיכי כרת ברית שלמה עם חירם מלך צור דכתיב ויכרתו ברית שניהם (מלכים א ה) והכתיב לא תכרות להם ברית ולא תחנם (דברים ז) ובכל האומות עובדי עבודת כוכבים איירי כמו ולא תחנם וי"ל דשמא לא אסר אלא כריתת ברית לשם עבודת כוכבים כדכתיב באידך קרא לא תכרות להם ולאלהיהם ברית (שמות כג) או שמא חירם מלך צור גר תושב היה:

Tosafot on Yevamot 23a:13:1

...

מלכים א ט׳:י׳-י״ג

(י) וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּנָ֥ה שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י הַבָּתִּ֑ים אֶת־בֵּ֥ית ה' וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (יא) חִירָ֣ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֠ר נִשָּׂ֨א אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה בַּעֲצֵי֩ אֲרָזִ֨ים וּבַעֲצֵ֧י בְרוֹשִׁ֛ים וּבַזָּהָ֖ב לְכָל־חֶפְצ֑וֹ אָ֡ז יִתֵּן֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה לְחִירָם֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים עִ֔יר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ הַגָּלִֽיל׃ (יב) וַיֵּצֵ֤א חִירָם֙ מִצֹּ֔ר לִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַן־ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יָשְׁר֖וּ בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מָ֚ה הֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י אָחִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ כָּב֔וּל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

I Kings 9:10-13

(1) When Solomon had finished building the House of the LORD and the royal palace and everything that Solomon had set his heart on constructing, (2) the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. (3) The LORD said to him, “I have heard the prayer and the supplication which you have offered to Me. I consecrate this House which you have built and I set My name there forever. My eyes and My heart shall ever be there. (4) As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked before Me, wholeheartedly and with uprightness, doing all that I have commanded you [and] keeping My laws and My rules, (5) then I will establish your throne of kingship over Israel forever, as I promised your father David, saying, ‘Your line on the throne of Israel shall never end.’ (6) [But] if you and your descendants turn away from Me and do not keep the commandments [and] the laws which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, (7) then I will sweep Israel off the land which I gave them; I will reject the House which I have consecrated to My name; and Israel shall become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. (8) And as for this House, once so exalted, everyone passing by it shall be appalled and shall hiss. And when they ask, ‘Why did the LORD do thus to the land and to this House?’ (9) they shall be told, ‘It is because they forsook the LORD their God who freed them from the land of Egypt, and they embraced other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity upon them.’” (10) At the end of the twenty years during which Solomon constructed the two buildings, the LORD’s House and the royal palace— (11) since King Hiram of Tyre had supplied Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber and gold that he required—King Solomon in turn gave Hiram twenty towns in the region of Galilee. (12) But when Hiram came from Tyre to inspect the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. (13) “My brother,” he said, “what sort of towns are these you have given me?” So they were named the land of Cabul, as is still the case. (14) However, Hiram sent the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold. (15) This was the purpose of the forced labor which Solomon imposed: It was to build the House of the LORD, his own palace, the Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and [to fortify] Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. ( (16) Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer; he destroyed it by fire, killed the Canaanites who dwelt in the town, and gave it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.) (17) So Solomon fortified Gezer, lower Beth-horon, (18) Baalith, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land [of Judah], (19) and all of Solomon’s garrison towns, chariot towns, and cavalry towns—everything that Solomon set his heart on building in Jerusalem and in the Lebanon, and throughout the territory that he ruled. (20) All the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who were not of the Israelite stock— (21) those of their descendants who remained in the land and whom the Israelites were not able to annihilate—of these Solomon made a slave force, as is still the case. (22) But he did not reduce any Israelites to slavery; they served, rather, as warriors and as his attendants, officials, and officers, and as commanders of his chariotry and cavalry. (23) These were the prefects that were in charge of Solomon’s works and were foremen over the people engaged in the work, who numbered 550. (24) As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter went up from the City of David to the palace that he had built for her, he built the Millo. (25) Solomon used to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being three times a year on the altar that he had built for the LORD, and he used to offer incense on the one that was before the LORD. And he kept the House in repair. (26) King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Sea of Reeds in the land of Edom. (27) Hiram sent servants of his with the fleet, mariners who were experienced on the sea, to serve with Solomon’s men. (28) They came to Ophir; there they obtained gold in the amount of four hundred and twenty talents, which they delivered to King Solomon.

שבת נ״ד א:ב׳-ד׳

(מלכים א ט, יג) מה הערים [האלה] אשר נתת לי אחי ויקרא (להן) ארץ כבול עד היום הזה מאי ארץ כבול א"ר הונא שהיו בה בני אדם שמכובלין בכסף ובזהב אמר ליה רבא אי הכי היינו דכתיב (מלכים א ט, יב) כי לא ישרו בעיניו מפני שמכובלין בכסף ובזהב לא ישרו בעיניו אמר ליה אין כיון דעתירי ומפנקי לא עבדי עבידתא רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר ארץ חומטון היתה ואמאי קרי לה כבול דמשתרגא בה כרעא עד כבלא ואמרי אינשי ארעא מכבלא דלא עבד פירי:

Shabbat 54a:2-4

with the attire of a harlot [shit zona] and wily of heart” (Proverbs 7:10). Sheḥuzot can be interpreted as an acronym of the words shit zona, attire of a harlot, with the letters tav and ḥet, which are similar in form, interchanged. We learned in the mishna: Ewes may go out kevulot. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of kevulot? It means that they bind their tails down with animal hide so that the males will not mount them. The Gemara explains: From where may it be inferred that this word kavul is a term meaning does not produce fruit? As it is written, when Solomon gave a portion of land to Hiram, he complained: “What cities are these which you have given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Kavul to this day” (I Kings 9:13). What is the meaning of the land of Kavul? Rav Huna said: That the people living there were bound [mekhubalin] and surrounded by silver and gold. Rava said to him: If so, is that what is written: “And Hiram came out of Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they pleased him not” (I Kings 9:12)? Because the people there were bound in silver and gold, the cities were not pleasing in his eyes? Rav Huna said to him: Yes, indeed, it was precisely the abundant wealth that displeased Hiram. Since the people were wealthy and delicate, they did not perform labor. Hiram was seeking people whom he could enlist in the service of the king. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It was a sandy [ḥomton] expanse of land. And why was it called Kavul? It is because the leg sinks into it up to the ankle [kavla]. And people say in describing poor quality land: Land that is bound [mekhabela] shut, i.e., that does not produce fruit. We learned in the mishna: Ewes may go out kevunot. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of kevunot? It is that they covered [mekhabnin] the animal to produce fine wool. Sheep were wrapped in cloth from the day they were born so that their wool would remain perfectly clean and it could be used in fashioning especially fine wool garments. As we learned in a mishna: The color of a leprous sore [se’et] is like that of white wool. The Gemara asked: What is white wool? Rav Beivai bar Abaye said: Like the clean wool of a newborn lamb, which they cover from birth to produce fine wool. Our mishna continues: And the she-goats may go out with their udders bound. Rabbi Yosei prohibits doing so. Rabbi Yehuda distinguishes between a case where the udders were bound to dry the milk supply and a case where they were bound to conserve the milk. It was stated that the amora’im disagreed with regard to the ruling in this dispute: Rav said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, and Shmuel said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. And there are those who teach this halakha independent of the mishna. Rav said: If the udders were bound to dry the milk supply it is permitted, and not if they were bound to conserve the milk. And Shmuel said: Both this and that are prohibited. And there are those who taught this dispute with regard to this baraita: Goats may go out with their udders bound to dry the milk supply but not to conserve the milk. In the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira they said: That is the halakha, based on the letter of the law, but who can cast lots to determine by sight alone which udder is bound to dry the milk supply and which was bound to conserve the milk? And since one cannot distinguish between them, the Sages said: Both this and that are prohibited. Shmuel said, and some say Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira. In terms of practical halakha, according to all versions of the disagreement, Shmuel holds that it is prohibited in both cases. When Ravin came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of the anonymous first tanna of the mishna. He permits goats to go out with their udders bound in all cases. MISHNA: And with what may an animal not go out into the public domain on Shabbat? A camel may not go out with a saddlecloth, nor may it go out akud or ragul, which are different ways of tying its legs together, as will be explained in the Gemara. And likewise, tying all other animals in those manners is prohibited. And likewise, one may not tie camels one to the other and pull the lead camel, thereby pulling the others after it. However, he may place the ropes tied to each of the camels in his hand and pull them all, provided that he does not intertwine the ropes. GEMARA: It was taught in the Tosefta: A camel may not go out with a saddlecloth tied to its tail alone. However, it may go out with a saddlecloth tied to both its tail and its hump, as in that case one can assume that the saddlecloth will not fall off. Rabba bar Rav Huna said: A female camel may go out with a saddlecloth tied to its afterbirth. Because any movement of the saddlecloth will cause pain, the animal will not attempt to detach it. Therefore, there is no room for concern lest it fall. We learned in the mishna: A camel may not go out akud or ragul. Rav Yehuda said: Akud means that the animal’s foreleg and hind leg are bound together, similar to the binding of Isaac, son of Abraham, with regard to whom the term vaya’akod is employed. Ragul means that one may not bend the lower part of the foreleg onto the upper foreleg and tie it. That was done so that the camel would have the use of only three legs and would be unable to run away. The Gemara raises an objection from the following baraita: Akud means that the animal’s two forelegs and two hind legs are bound together. Ragul means that one may not bend the lower part of the foreleg onto the upper foreleg and tie it. The Gemara answers: Rav Yehuda holds in accordance with this tanna, as it was taught in a baraita: Akud means that either the animal’s foreleg and hind leg or its two forelegs and two hind legs are bound together. Ragul means that one may not bend the lower part of the foreleg onto the upper foreleg and tie it. The Gemara asks: And this baraita and Rav Yehuda’s statement are still not the same. Granted, the first clause, the first case of akud, and the last clause, the case of ragul, work out well. The baraita and the opinion of Rav Yehuda correspond. However, the middle clause is difficult. According to the baraita, when the animal’s two forelegs and two hind legs are bound together, that is also considered akud, contrary to Rav Yehuda’s opinion. Rather, Rav Yehuda stated his opinion in accordance with this tanna, who said in a baraita: Akud means that the animal’s foreleg and hind leg are bound together, similar to the binding of Isaac, son of Abraham. Ragul means that one may not bend the lower part of the foreleg onto the upper foreleg and tie it. We learned in the mishna: And one may not tie camels one to the other and pull the lead camel, thereby pulling the others after it. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for this? Rav Ashi said: Because he appears like one going to the market [ḥinga] to sell merchandise or to deliver a caravan of camels. In deference to Shabbat, one may not create that impression. The mishna continues: However, he may place the ropes tied to each of the camels in his hand and pull them all, provided that he does not intertwine the ropes. Rav Ashi said: This prohibition was taught not with regard to the halakhot of Shabbat but only with regard to the halakhot of prohibited mixtures of diverse kinds. The Gemara asks: Diverse kinds of what? If you say that it is referring to the prohibited mixture of the diverse kinds of man and animal, i.e., a person may not be tied to an animal, just as plowing with the diverse kinds of an ox and a donkey is prohibited, that is difficult. Didn’t we learn in a mishna: A person is permitted to plow and to pull a wagon together with all animals, as the prohibition is limited to diverse kinds of animals? Rather, the problem here is one of diverse kinds of ropes. If one rope is made of wool and another of linen, it is prohibited to intertwine them because that would create a forbidden mixture of the diverse kinds of wool and linen. However, this too is difficult, as, wasn’t it taught in a baraita: One who attaches a swatch of wool and a swatch of linen with a single stitch or knot, it is not considered a connection with regard to the prohibition of diverse kinds? All the more so in this case, where the ropes are not tied together at all but are merely intertwined, it should not be considered a connection. The Gemara answers: Actually, the problem here is one of diverse kinds of ropes, and the mishna is saying as follows: Provided that he does not intertwine the ropes and tie them together. Ropes that are intertwined and tied together constitute a double knot, which is considered a connection with regard to the prohibition of diverse kinds of wool and linen. Shmuel said that there is another restriction that applies to pulling camels with ropes on Shabbat. It is only permitted provided that a handbreadth of the rope does not hang below his hand to avoid the appearance that he is carrying a rope in his hand on Shabbat. The Gemara raises an objection: Didn’t a Sage of the school of Shmuel teach a baraita: Provided that two handbreadths of the rope do not hang below his hand? Abaye said: Now that Shmuel said one handbreadth, and a Sage of the school of Shmuel taught two handbreadths, it is reasonable to conclude that Shmuel came to teach us the practical halakha. Even though the tanna’im permitted pulling the camel as long as there is less than two handbreadths of rope hanging below his hand, in practice, one should be stringent and not leave even one handbreadth hanging.

ספרי דברים שכ״ב:ז׳-ח׳

(ז) פן ינכרו צרימו - בשעת צרתם של ישראל אומות העולם מנכרים אותם, ועושים אותם כאלו אין מכירים אותם בעולם ... ובשעת טובתם של ישראל אומות העולם מכחשים להם ועושים אותם כאלו הם אחין, וכן עשו אמר ליעקב אחי יהי לך אשר לך וכן חירם אמר לשלמה מה הערים האלה אשר נתתה לי אחי:

Sifrei Devarim 322:7-8

(1) (Devarim 32:26) "I said 'afeihem'": I said in My "wrath" ('api') "Where are they?" ('ayei hem') ['api-ayei-hem' (acronymic of 'afeihem')]

(2) (Devarim, Ibid.) "I will wipe their memory from mankind": They will no longer be in the world. But what can I do to them?

(3) "Lulei": ("Were it not") (Psalms 124:1-2) "'Lulei ('Were it not') for the L-rd who was with us,' let Israel now say. 'Lulei for the L-rd who was with us when (evil) men assailed us…'"

(4) Variantly: "Lulei" (Psalms 106:23) "And He thought to destroy them lulei Moses, His chosen one…"

(5) (Devarim, Ibid.) "Were it not ("lulei") that the anger of the foe was stored up (agur)": What caused them to be punished by these nations? The fact that their anger was stored up (i.e., concealed) within them (behind a façade of friendliness).

(6) "agur": "gathered together," as in (Proverbs 30:1) "the words of "agur bin yakeh" (Solomon) the gatherer of wisdom." And (Psalms 55:16) "Let Him incite death against them; let them go down alive into Sheol. For evils are stored up ('b'meguram') in their midst."

(7) (Devarim, Ibid.) "lest their oppressors estrange them": When Israel is in distress, the nations estrange them, as if they did not exist in the world. And thus we find that when Israel wanted to flee to the north they handed them over (to their foes), viz. (Amos 1:9) "Thus said the L-rd: For three transgressions of Tyre, etc." When they wanted to flee to the south, they handed them over, viz. (Ibid. 6) "Thus said the L-rd: For three transgressions of Azza, etc." When they wanted to flee to the east, they handed them over, viz. "Thus said the L-rd: For the three transgressions of Damascus, etc." When they wanted to flee to the west, they handed them over, viz. (Isaiah 21:13) "The prophecy for Arav: In the forest, in Arav shall you lodge, O caravans of the Dedanites, etc."

(8) And when Israel prospers, the nations dissimulate, presenting themselves as "brothers." As Esav said to Jacob (Bereshith 33:9) "My brother, let there be yours what is yours." And thus did Chiram say to Solomon (I Kings 9:13) "What are these cities that you have given me, my brother?" (Devarim, Ibid.) "Lest they say: 'Our hand is exalted, etc.'" as in (Amos 6:13) "Behold, with our strength we have taken power for ourselves." (Devarim, Ibid. 28) "For it is a nation devoid of counsel":

(9) R. Yehoshua expounded it in connection with Israel; R. Nechemiah, in connection with the nations.

(10) R. Yehoshua — Israel has lost goodly counsel that was given to them, "counsel" being Torah, as in (Proverbs 8:14) "With me (Torah) is counsel and wisdom."

(11) (Devarim, Ibid.) "and there is no understanding in them" — There is not one among them who reflects and says (viz. Ibid. 30) "Last night one of us pursued a thousand of the nations, and two, ten thousand; and now one of them pursues a thousand of us; and two of them, ten thousand of us! (This could not have happened) if their Rock had not delivered them."

(12) R. Nechemiah — The nations have lost the seven mitzvoth that I gave them.

(13) "and there is no understanding in them": There is not one among them who reflects and says "Now one of us pursues a thousand; and two, ten thousand. But in the days of the Messiah, one of Israel will pursue a thousand of us; and two, ten thousand." (This could not have happened) "if their Rock had not delivered them." And it once happened with the (Roman) army in Yehudah that a decurio (a commander of ten horsemen) rode after a Jew to kill him, but could not catch up with him — whereupon a serpent wound itself around his (the Jew's) ankle, (but did him no harm) — at which he (the Jew) said to a bystander: Tell that man one thing: Do not say to yourself "We are strong and they are weak." (But say to yourself: This [our subjugation of the Jews] could not have happened) "if their Rock had not sold them, and the L-rd had not delivered them" (into our hands).

בבא בתרא ע״ה א:י״ח-ע״ה ב:א׳

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא לחירם מלך צור בך נסתכלתי ובראתי נקבים נקבים באדם ואיכא דאמרי הכי קאמר בך נסתכלתי וקנסתי מיתה על אדם הראשון:

Bava Batra 75a:18-75b:1

a hunt of the leviathan, as it is stated: “Can you draw out leviathan with a fish hook? Or press down his tongue with a cord?” (Job 40:25). And were the Holy One, Blessed be He, not assisting Gabriel, he would not be able to hunt it, as it is stated: “Only He Who made him can use His sword to approach him” (Job 40:19). When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the leviathan is hungry, he produces breath from his mouth and thereby boils all of the waters in the depths of the sea. As it is stated: “He makes the deep boil like a pot” (Job 41:23). And if the leviathan did not place its head in the Garden of Eden, no creature could withstand his foul smell, as it is stated: “He makes the sea like a seething mixture [merkaḥa]” (Job 41:23), and the term merkaḥa is also used to describe something with a smell (see Exodus 30:25). And when he is thirsty, he makes many furrows in the sea, as it is stated: “He makes a path to shine after him” (Job 41:24). Rav Aḥa bar Yaakov says: After the leviathan drinks from the sea, the depth of the sea does not return to its normal condition until seventy years have passed, as it is stated: “One would think the deep to be hoary” (Job 41:24), and hoary indicates a person who is no less than seventy years old. Rabba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will make a feast for the righteous from the flesh of the leviathan, as it is stated: “The ḥabbarim will make a feast [yikhru] of him” (Job 40:30). And kera means nothing other than a feast, as it is stated: “And he prepared [va’yikhreh] for them a great feast [kera]; and they ate and drank” (II Kings 6:23). And ḥabbarim means nothing other than Torah scholars, as it is stated: “You that dwell in the gardens, the companions [ḥaverim] hearken for your voice: Cause me to hear it” (Song of Songs 8:13). This verse is interpreted as referring to Torah scholars, who listen to God’s voice. And with regard to the remainder of the leviathan, they will divide it and use it for commerce in the markets of Jerusalem, as it is stated: “They will part him among the kena’anim” (Job 40:30). And kena’anim means nothing other than merchants, as it is stated: “As for the merchant [kena’an], the balances of deceit are in his hand. He loves to oppress” (Hosea 12:8). And if you wish, say that the proof is from here: “Whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers [kinaneha] are the honorable of the earth” (Isaiah 23:8). And Rabba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will prepare a sukka for the righteous from the skin of the leviathan, as it is stated: “Can you fill his skin with barbed irons [besukkot]” (Job 40:31). If one is deserving of being called righteous, an entire sukka is prepared for him from the skin of the leviathan; if one is not deserving of this honor, a covering is prepared for his head, as it is stated: “Or his head with fish-spears” (Job 40:31). If one is deserving at least of this reward, a covering is prepared for him, and if one is not deserving, a necklace is prepared for him, as it is stated: “And necklaces about your neck” (Proverbs 1:9). If one is somewhat deserving, a necklace is prepared for him, and if one is not deserving even of this, only an amu-let is prepared for him from the skin of the leviathan, as it is stated: “Or will you bind him for your maidens” (Job 40:29), i.e., a small amulet is prepared for him, like the amulets tied on children’s necks. And with regard to the remaining part of the skin of the leviathan, the Holy One, Blessed be He, spreads it on the walls of Jerusalem, and its glory radiates from one end of the world until the other end. As it is stated: “And nations shall walk in your light, and kings at the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:3). § With regard to the future glory of Jerusalem, the Gemara interprets the verse: “And I will make your pinnacles of kadkhod” (Isaiah 54:12). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Two angels in heaven, Gabriel and Michael, disagree with regard to the material that will be used to form the walls of Jerusalem. And some say that this dispute is between two amora’im in the West, i.e., Eretz Yisrael. And who are they? They are Yehuda and Ḥizkiyya, the sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya. One said they will be made of onyx, and one said of jasper. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Let it be like this [kedein] and like that [ukhedein], i.e., let them be formed from both together. This compromise is indicated by the word kadkhod, a combination of this [kedein] and that [ukhedein]. The Gemara analyzes the rest of that verse: “And your gates of precious stones” (Isaiah 54:12). This should be understood in light of that incident where Rabbi Yoḥanan sat and taught: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring precious stones and pearls that are thirty by thirty cubits, and He will hollow out in them a hole of ten by twenty cubits and set them in the gates of Jerusalem. A certain unnamed student sneered at him, saying: Now we do not find precious stones even of the size of an egg of a dove, and yet all of this we will find? After a period of time that student’s ship went to sea, where he saw ministering angels sitting and sawing precious stones and pearls that were thirty by thirty cubits, and hollowed out in them were holes of ten by twenty cubits. He said to the angels: For whom are these? They said to him that in the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will place them in the gates of Jerusalem. Later, the student came before Rabbi Yoḥanan and said to him: Continue to interpret, my teacher, it is fitting for you to interpret, as I saw just as you said. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Worthless man, if you had not seen, you would not have believed; clearly, you are mocking the statement of the Sages. Rabbi Yoḥanan set his eyes upon him, and the student was instantly killed and turned into a pile of bones. The Gemara raises an objection against Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement, based on a baraita. The verse states: “And I will make you go upright [komemiyyut]” (Leviticus 26:13). Rabbi Meir says: In the future, the Jewish people will have the stature of two hundred cubits, equivalent to two times the height [komot] of Adam the first man, whose height was one hundred cubits. Rabbi Meir interprets the word komemiyyut as two komot. Rabbi Yehuda says: They will have the stature of one hundred cubits, corresponding to the Sanctuary and its walls, as it is stated: “We whose sons are as plants grown up in their youth; whose daughters are as corner-pillars carved after the fashion of the Sanctuary” (Psalms 144:12). But if they are each one hundred cubits tall, how could the Jews enter the gates of Jerusalem, whose entrance gate will be ten by twenty cubits, as claimed by Rabbi Yoḥanan? The Gemara answers: When Rabbi Yoḥanan stated that idea, he was not referring to the gates themselves but to the windows that allow wind to enter. § And Rabba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will fashion seven canopies for each and every righteous individual, as it is stated: “And the Lord will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over those who are invited to it, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy” (Isaiah 4:5). This teaches that for each and every righteous individual, the Holy One, Blessed be He, fashions for him a canopy seven times over, in accordance with his honor, i.e., greater individuals receive grander and larger canopies. The Gemara asks a question with regard to the above verse: Why should there be smoke in a canopy? Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is because anyone whose eyes are narrow, i.e., is stingy, toward Torah scholars in this world, his eyes fill with smoke in the World-to-Come. And why should there be fire in a canopy? Rabbi Ḥanina said: This teaches that each and every one is burned from embarrassment at the size of the canopy of the other, and says: Woe for this embarrassment, woe for this disgrace, that I did not merit a canopy as large as his. In a similar manner, you can say that God said to Moses about Joshua: “And you shall put of your honor upon him” (Numbers 27:20), which indicates that you should put some of your honor, but not all of your honor. The elders of that generation said: The face of Moses was as bright as the face of the sun; the face of Joshua was like the face of the moon. Woe for this embarrassment, woe for this disgrace, that we did not merit another leader of the stature of Moses. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, fashioned ten canopies for Adam the first man, in the Garden of Eden; as it is stated to Hiram, king of Tyre: “You were in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the carnelian, the topaz, and the emerald, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the carbuncle, and the smaragd, and gold; the workmanship of your drums and of your holes was in you; they were prepared on the day that you were created” (Ezekiel 28:13). This verse mentions ten items, from carnelian to gold. Mar Zutra said: There were eleven canopies, as it states: “Every precious stone,” which is also part of the tally. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And the worst of all of them was gold, as it is counted last, which indicates that the other items are more valuable. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “The workmanship of your drums and of your holes [nekavekha]” (Ezekiel 28:13)? Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Hiram, king of Tyre: Were you in the Garden of Eden when I created all of this for you? I looked at you, saw that you would one day claim divinity for yourself, and created many orifices [nekavim] in man, i.e., the excretory system, so that you would know that you are human and not a god. And there are those who say that this is what God said to Hiram: I looked at you

יחזקאל כ״ח:א׳-י״ח

(א) וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ה' אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם אֱמֹר֩ לִנְגִ֨יד צֹ֜ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אדושם ה' יַ֣עַן גָּבַ֤הּ לִבְּךָ֙ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ל אָ֔נִי מוֹשַׁ֧ב אֱלֹקִ֛ים יָשַׁ֖בְתִּי בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּ֑ים וְאַתָּ֤ה אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וַתִּתֵּ֥ן לִבְּךָ֖ כְּלֵ֥ב אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ג) הִנֵּ֥ה חָכָ֛ם אַתָּ֖ה מדנאל [מִדָּֽנִיֵּ֑אל] כָּל־סָת֖וּם לֹ֥א עֲמָמֽוּךָ׃ (ד) בְּחָכְמָֽתְךָ֙ וּבִתְבוּנָ֣תְךָ֔ עָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ חָ֑יִל וַתַּ֛עַשׂ זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ ... (יא) וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ה' אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יב) בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם שָׂ֥א קִינָ֖ה עַל־מֶ֣לֶךְ צ֑וֹר וְאָמַ֣רְתָּ לּ֗וֹ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אדושם ה' אַתָּה֙ חוֹתֵ֣ם תָּכְנִ֔ית מָלֵ֥א חָכְמָ֖ה וּכְלִ֥יל יֹֽפִי׃ (יג) בְּעֵ֨דֶן גַּן־אֱלֹקִ֜ים הָיִ֗יתָ כָּל־אֶ֨בֶן יְקָרָ֤ה מְסֻכָתֶ֙ךָ֙ אֹ֣דֶם פִּטְדָ֞ה וְיָהֲלֹ֗ם תַּרְשִׁ֥ישׁ שֹׁ֙הַם֙ וְיָ֣שְׁפֵ֔ה סַפִּ֣יר נֹ֔פֶךְ וּבָרְקַ֖ת וְזָהָ֑ב מְלֶ֨אכֶת תֻּפֶּ֤יךָ וּנְקָבֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּי֥וֹם הִבָּרַאֲךָ֖ כּוֹנָֽנוּ׃ ... (יז) גָּבַ֤הּ לִבְּךָ֙ בְּיָפְיֶ֔ךָ שִׁחַ֥תָּ חָכְמָתְךָ֖ עַל־יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּ֗יךָ לִפְנֵ֧י מְלָכִ֛ים נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְרַ֥אֲוָה בָֽךְ׃ (יח) מֵרֹ֣ב עֲוֺנֶ֗יךָ בְּעֶ֙וֶל֙ רְכֻלָּ֣תְךָ֔ חִלַּ֖לְתָּ מִקְדָּשֶׁ֑יךָ וָֽאוֹצִא־אֵ֤שׁ מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙ הִ֣יא אֲכָלַ֔תְךָ וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֤ לְאֵ֙פֶר֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־רֹאֶֽיךָ׃

Ezekiel 28:1-18

(1) The word of the LORD came to me: (2) O mortal, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus said the Lord GOD: Because you have been so haughty and have said, “I am a god; I sit enthroned like a god in the heart of the seas,” whereas you are not a god but a man, though you deemed your mind equal to a god’s— (3) Yes, you are wiser than Daniel; In no hidden matter can anyone Compare to you. (4) By your shrewd understanding You have gained riches, And have amassed gold and silver In your treasuries. (5) By your great shrewdness in trade You have increased your wealth, And you have grown haughty Because of your wealth. (6) Assuredly, thus said the Lord GOD: Because you have deemed your mind equal to a god’s, (7) I swear I will bring against you Strangers, the most ruthless of nations. They shall unsheathe their swords Against your prized shrewdness, And they shall strike down your splendor. (8) They shall bring you down to the Pit; In the heart of the sea you shall die The death of the slain. (9) Will you still say, “I am a god” Before your slayers, When you are proved a man, not a god, At the hands of those who strike you down? (10) By the hands of strangers you shall die The death of the uncircumcised; For I have spoken —declares the Lord GOD. (11) The word of the LORD came to me: (12) O mortal, intone a dirge over the king of Tyre and say to him: Thus said the Lord GOD: You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and flawless in beauty. (13) You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your adornment: Carnelian, chrysolite, and amethyst; Beryl, lapis lazuli, and jasper; Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; And gold beautifully wrought for you, Mined for you, prepared the day you were created. (14) I created you as a cherub With outstretched shielding wings; And you resided on God’s holy mountain; You walked among stones of fire. (15) You were blameless in your ways, From the day you were created Until wrongdoing was found in you. (16) By your far-flung commerce You were filled with lawlessness And you sinned. So I have struck you down From the mountain of God, And I have destroyed you, O shielding cherub, From among the stones of fire. (17) You grew haughty because of your beauty, You debased your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I have cast you to the ground, I have made you an object for kings to stare at. (18) By the greatness of your guilt, Through the dishonesty of your trading, You desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire issue from you, And it has devoured you; I have reduced you to ashes on the ground, In the sight of all who behold you. (19) All who knew you among the peoples Are appalled at your doom. You have become a horror And have ceased to be, forever. (20) The word of the LORD came to me: (21) O mortal, set your face toward Sidon and prophesy against her. (22) Say: Thus said the Lord GOD: I am going to deal with you, O Sidon. I will gain glory in your midst; And they shall know that I am the LORD, When I wreak punishment upon her And show Myself holy through her. (23) I will let pestilence loose against her And bloodshed into her streets. And the slain shall fall in her midst When the sword comes upon her from all sides. And they shall know that I am the LORD. (24) Then shall the House of Israel no longer be afflicted with prickling briers and lacerating thorns from all the neighbors who despise them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. (25) Thus said the Lord GOD: When I have gathered the House of Israel from the peoples among which they have been dispersed, and have shown Myself holy through them in the sight of the nations, they shall settle on their own soil, which I gave to My servant Jacob, (26) and they shall dwell on it in security. They shall build houses and plant vineyards, and shall dwell on it in security, when I have meted out punishment to all those about them who despise them. And they shall know that I the LORD am their God.

בראשית רבה ט׳:ה׳

רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר, רָאוּי הָיָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלֹא לִטְעֹם טַעַם מִיתָה, וְלָמָּה נִקְנְסָה בּוֹ מִיתָה, אֶלָּא צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנְּבוּכַדְנֶצַר וְחִירֹם מֶלֶךְ צוֹר עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת עַצְמָן אֱלָהוּת, לְפִיכָךְ נִקְנְסָה בּוֹ מִיתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (יחזקאל כח, יג): בְּעֵדֶן גַּן אֱלֹקִים הָיִיתָ, וְכִי בְּגַן עֵדֶן הָיָה חִירֹם, אֶתְמְהָא, אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ, אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁגָּרַמְתָּ לְאוֹתוֹ שֶׁבְּעֵדֶן שֶׁיָּמוּת:

Bereshit Rabbah 9:5

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שמות רבה ח׳:ב׳

(ב) פַּרְעֹה הָיָה אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעָה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַצְמָן אֱלָהוּת וְהֵרֵעוּ לְנַפְשָׁם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: חִירָם, וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, וּפַרְעֹה, וְיוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה. חִירָם מִנַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, ב): אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר וגו' וַתֹּאמֶר אֵל אָנִי. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁשִּׁחֵת לְנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, יז): גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ בְּיָפְיֶךָ שִׁחַתָּ חָכְמָתְךָ עַל יִפְעָתֶךָ עַל אֶרֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּיךָ לִפְנֵי מְלָכִים נְתַתִּיךָ לְרַאֲוָה בָּךְ:

Shemot Rabbah 8:2

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ויקרא רבה י״ח:ב׳

(ב) דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (חבקוק א, ז): אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא ... זֶה חִירָם מֶלֶךְ צוֹר, דִּכְתִיב (יחזקאל כח, ב): בֶּן אָדָם אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹקִים יַעַן גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן מָסֹרֶת אַגָּדָה הִיא חִירָם בַּעַל אִמּוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָיָה, עָמַד עָלָיו וַהֲרָגוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל כח, יח): וָאוֹצִיא אֵשׁ מִתּוֹכְךָ הִיא אֲכָלַתְךָ:

Vayikra Rabbah 18:2

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ילקוט שמעוני על נ"ך שס״ז:ה׳

חירם מלך צר היה גאה ומתגאה עד מאד, מה עשה נכנס לים ועשה לו ארבעים עמודים של ברזל מרובעים ארוכים שיעורם שוה והעמידם זה כנגד זה, ועשה שבעה רקיעים וכסא וחיות ורעמים וזיקים וברקים ... אמר הקב"ה ליחזקאל בן אדם אמור לחירם מלך צר מה אתה מתגאה ילוד אשה אתה ... א"ל הקב"ה כך צוני לך אמור לו למה אתה מתגאה ילוד אשה אתה, א"ל ילוד אשה אני אלא שאני חי וקיים לעולם ... כך חירם היה מתגאה על ידי ששלח ארזים לבית המקדש, אמר הקב"ה הריני מחריב את ביתי שלא יהיה חירם מתגאה עלי שנאמר פתח לבנון דלתיך ותאכל אש בארזיך, ומה היה סופו הביא הקב"ה עליו נבוכדנאצר ובעל את אמו בפניו והורידו מכסאו והיה חותך בשרו כשתי אצבעות בכן יום ומטבילם בחומץ ומאכילן עד שמת מיתה משונה ...

שלשה עשר הם שלא טעמו טעם מיתה אלו הם, חנוך, ואליעזר עבד אברהם, ומתושלח, וחירם מלך צור, ועבד מלך הכושי, ובתיה בת פרעה, וסרח בת אשר, ושלשה בני קרח, ואליהו ז"ל, ומשיח, ור' יהושע בן לוי. תשעה נכנסו בחיים לגן עדן, חנוך, אליהו ז"ל, ומשיח, ואליעזר, ועבד מלך הכושי, ו, ויעבץ בן בנו של ר' יהודה הנשיא, וסרח בת אשר, ובתיה בת פרעה, ויש אומרים הוצא חירם והכנס תחתיו ר' יהושע בן לוי:

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 367:5

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בראשית רבה פ״ה:ד׳

(ד) וַיֵּט עַד אִישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִי וּשְׁמוֹ חִירָה (בראשית לח, א), רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי חִירָה הוּא חִירָם שֶׁהָיָה בִּימֵי דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ה, טו): כִּי אֹהֵב הָיָה חִירָם לְדָוִד כָּל הַיָּמִים, לָמוּד הָיָה הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה לִהְיוֹת אוֹהֵב לַשֵּׁבֶט הַזֶּה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר חִירָם אַחֵר הָיָה. עַל דַּעְתְּהוֹן דְּרַבָּנָן חָיָה קָרוֹב לְאֶלֶף וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה, וְעַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה חָיָה קָרוֹב לַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. (בראשית לח, ב):

Bereshit Rabbah 85:4

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II. חירם מצור - איך זכה לבנות את הבהמ"ק?

מלכים א ז׳:י״ג-מ״ה

(יג) וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֶת־חִירָ֖ם מִצֹּֽר׃ (יד) בֶּן־אִשָּׁה֩ אַלְמָנָ֨ה ה֜וּא מִמַּטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֗י וְאָבִ֣יו אִישׁ־צֹרִי֮ חֹרֵ֣שׁ נְחֹשֶׁת֒ וַ֠יִּמָּלֵא אֶת־הַחָכְמָ֤ה וְאֶת־הַתְּבוּנָה֙ וְאֶת־הַדַּ֔עַת לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־מְלָאכָ֖ה בַּנְּחֹ֑שֶׁת וַיָּבוֹא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖עַשׂ אֶת־כָּל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃

(מ) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ חִיר֔וֹם אֶת־הַ֨כִּיֹּר֔וֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֑וֹת וַיְכַ֣ל חִירָ֗ם לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֥ית ה' (מה) וְאֶת־הַסִּיר֨וֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֗וֹת וְאֵת֙ כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֣ים האהל [הָאֵ֔לֶּה] אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֥ה חִירָ֛ם לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֣ית ה' נְחֹ֖שֶׁת מְמֹרָֽט׃

I Kings 7:13-45

(1) And it took Solomon thirteen years to build his palace, until his whole palace was completed. (2) He built the Lebanon Forest House with four rows of cedar columns, and with hewn cedar beams above the columns. Its length was 100 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. (3) It was paneled above with cedar, with the planks that were above on the 45 columns—15 in each row. (4) And there were three rows of window frames, with three tiers of windows facing each other. (5) All the doorways and doorposts had square frames—with three tiers of windows facing each other. (6) He made the portico of columns 50 cubits long and 30 cubits wide; the portico was in front of [the columns], and there were columns with a canopy in front of them. (7) He made the throne portico, where he was to pronounce judgment—the Hall of Judgment. It was paneled with cedar from floor to floor. (8) The house that he used as a residence, in the rear courtyard, back of the portico, was of the same construction. Solomon also constructed a palace like that portico for the daughter of Pharaoh, whom he had married. (9) All these buildings, from foundation to coping and all the way out to the great courtyard, were of choice stones, hewn according to measure, smooth on all sides. (10) The foundations were huge blocks of choice stone, stones of 10 cubits and stones of 8 cubits; (11) and above were choice stones, hewn according to measure, and cedar wood. (12) The large surrounding courtyard had three tiers of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams, the same as for the inner court of the House of the LORD, and for the portico of the House. (13) King Solomon sent for Hiram and brought him down from Tyre. (14) He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a Tyrian, a coppersmith. He was endowed with skill, ability, and talent for executing all work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and executed all his work. (15) He cast two columns of bronze; one column was 18 cubits high and measured 12 cubits in circumference, [and similarly] the other column. (16) He made two capitals, cast in bronze, to be set upon the two columns, the height of each of the two capitals being 5 cubits; (17) also nets of meshwork with festoons of chainwork for the capitals that were on the top of the columns, seven for each of the two capitals. (18) He made the columns so that there were two rows [of pomegranates] encircling the top of the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pomegranates; and he did the same for [the network on] the second capital. (19) The capitals upon the columns of the portico were of lily design, 4 cubits high; (20) so also the capitals upon the two columns extended above and next to the bulge that was beside the network. There were 200 pomegranates in rows around the top of the second capital. (21) He set up the columns at the portico of the Great Hall; he set up one column on the right and named it Jachin, and he set up the other column on the left and named it Boaz. (22) Upon the top of the columns there was a lily design. Thus the work of the columns was completed. (23) Then he made the tank of cast metal, 10 cubits across from brim to brim, completely round; it was 5 cubits high, and it measured 30 cubits in circumference. (24) There were gourds below the brim completely encircling it—ten to a cubit, encircling the tank; the gourds were in two rows, cast in one piece with it. (25) It stood upon twelve oxen: three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with the tank resting upon them; their haunches were all turned inward. (26) It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like that of a cup, like the petals of a lily. Its capacity was 2,000 baths. (27) He made the ten laver stands of bronze. The length of each laver stand was 4 cubits and the width 4 cubits, and the height was 3 cubits. (28) The structure of the laver stands was as follows: They had insets, and there were insets within the frames; (29) and on the insets within the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. Above the frames was a stand; and both above and below the lions and the oxen were spirals of hammered metal. (30) Each laver stand had four bronze wheels and [two] bronze axletrees. Its four legs had brackets; the brackets were under the laver, cast with spirals beyond each. (31) Its funnel, within the crown, rose a cubit above it; this funnel was round, in the fashion of a stand, a cubit and a half in diameter. On the funnel too there were carvings. But the insets were square, not round. (32) And below the insets were the four wheels. The axletrees of the wheels were [fixed] in the laver stand, and the height of each wheel was a cubit and a half. (33) The structure of the wheels was like the structure of chariot wheels; and their axletrees, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all of cast metal. (34) Four brackets ran to the four corners of each laver stand; the brackets were of a piece with the laver stand. (35) At the top of the laver stand was a round band half a cubit high, and together with the top of the laver stand; its sides and its insets were of one piece with it. (36) On its surface—on its sides—and on its insets [Hiram] engraved cherubim, lions, and palms, as the clear space on each allowed, with spirals roundabout. (37) It was after this manner that he made the ten laver stands, all of them cast alike, of the same measure and the same form. (38) Then he made ten bronze lavers, one laver on each of the ten laver stands, each laver measuring 4 cubits and each laver containing forty baths. (39) He disposed the laver stands, five at the right side of the House and five at its left side; and the tank he placed on the right side of the House, at the southeast [corner]. (40) Hiram also made the lavers, the scrapers, and the sprinkling bowls. So Hiram finished all the work that he had been doing for King Solomon on the House of the LORD: (41) the two columns, the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; and the two pieces of network to cover the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; (42) the four hundred pomegranates for the two pieces of network, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two globes of the capitals upon the columns; (43) the ten stands and the ten lavers upon the stands; (44) the one tank with the twelve oxen underneath the tank; (45) the pails, the scrapers, and the sprinkling bowls. All those vessels in the House of the LORD that Hiram made for King Solomon were of burnished bronze. (46) The king had them cast in earthen molds, in the plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan. (47) Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed] because of their very great quantity; the weight of the bronze was not reckoned. (48) And Solomon made all the furnishings that were in the House of the LORD: the altar, of gold; the table for the bread of display, of gold; (49) the lampstands—five on the right side and five on the left—in front of the Shrine, of solid gold; and the petals, lamps, and tongs, of gold; (50) the basins, snuffers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and fire pans, of solid gold; and the hinge sockets for the doors of the innermost part of the House, the Holy of Holies, and for the doors of the Great Hall of the House, of gold. (51) When all the work that King Solomon had done in the House of the LORD was completed, Solomon brought in the sacred donations of his father David—the silver, the gold, and the ves sels—and deposited them in the treasury of the House of the LORD.

דברי הימים ב ב׳:ב׳-י״ג

(ב) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אֶל־חוּרָ֥ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִם־דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔י וַתִּֽשְׁלַֽח־ל֣וֹ אֲרָזִ֔ים לִבְנֽוֹת־ל֥וֹ בַ֖יִת לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בּֽוֹ׃ ... (ו) וְעַתָּ֡ה שְֽׁלַֽח־לִ֣י אִישׁ־חָכָ֡ם לַעֲשׂוֹת֩ בַּזָּהָ֨ב וּבַכֶּ֜סֶף וּבַנְּחֹ֣שֶׁת וּבַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וּבָֽאַרְגְּוָן֙ וְכַרְמִ֣יל וּתְכֵ֔לֶת וְיֹדֵ֖עַ לְפַתֵּ֣חַ פִּתּוּחִ֑ים עִם־הַֽחֲכָמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר עִמִּי֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֣ה וּבִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵכִ֖ין דָּוִ֥יד אָבִֽי׃ ... (י) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר חוּרָ֤ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹר֙ בִּכְתָ֔ב וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בְּאַהֲבַ֤ת ה' אֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ נְתָנְךָ֥ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃ (יא) וַיֹּאמֶר֮ חוּרָם֒ בָּר֤וּךְ ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַן֩ לְדָוִ֨יד הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בֵּ֣ן חָכָ֗ם יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ שֵׂ֣כֶל וּבִינָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְנֶה־בַּ֙יִת֙ לַה' וּבַ֖יִת לְמַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃ (יב) וְעַתָּ֗ה שָׁלַ֧חְתִּי אִישׁ־חָכָ֛ם יוֹדֵ֥עַ בִּינָ֖ה לְחוּרָ֥ם אָבִֽי׃ (יג) בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֞ה מִן־בְּנ֣וֹת דָּ֗ן וְאָבִ֣יו אִישׁ־צֹרִ֡י יוֹדֵ֡עַ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת בַּזָּֽהָב־וּ֠בַכֶּסֶף בַּנְּחֹ֨שֶׁת בַּבַּרְזֶ֜ל בָּאֲבָנִ֣ים וּבָעֵצִ֗ים בָּאַרְגָּמָ֤ן בַּתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וּבַבּ֣וּץ וּבַכַּרְמִ֔יל וּלְפַתֵּ֙חַ֙ כָּל־פִּתּ֔וּחַ וְלַחְשֹׁ֖ב כָּל־מַחֲשָׁ֑בֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנָּֽתֶן־לוֹ֙ עִם־חֲכָמֶ֔יךָ וְֽחַכְמֵ֔י אדושם דָּוִ֥יד אָבִֽיךָ׃

II Chronicles 2:2-13

(1) Solomon mustered 70,000 basket carriers and 80,000 quarriers in the hills, with 3,600 men supervising them. (2) Solomon sent this message to King Huram of Tyre, “In view of what you did for my father David in sending him cedars to build a palace for his residence— (3) see, I intend to build a House for the name of the LORD my God; I will dedicate it to Him for making incense offering of sweet spices in His honor, for the regular rows of bread, and for the morning and evening burnt offerings on sabbaths, new moons, and festivals, as is Israel’s eternal duty. (4) The House that I intend to build will be great, inasmuch as our God is greater than all gods. (5) Who indeed is capable of building a House for Him! Even the heavens to their uttermost reaches cannot contain Him, and who am I that I should build Him a House—except as a place for making burnt offerings to Him? (6) Now send me a craftsman to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue yarn, and who knows how to engrave, alongside the craftsmen I have here in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. (7) Send me cedars, cypress, and algum wood from the Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled at cutting the trees of Lebanon. My servants will work with yours (8) to provide me with a great stock of timber; for the House that I intend to build will be singularly great. (9) I have allocated for your servants, the wood-cutters who fell the trees, 20,000 kor of crushed wheat and 20,000 kor of barley, 20,000 bath of wine and 20,000 bath of oil.” (10) Huram, king of Tyre, sent Solomon this written message in reply, “Because the LORD loved His people, He made you king over them.” (11) Huram continued, “Blessed is the LORD, God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth, who gave King David a wise son, endowed with intelligence and understanding, to build a House for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. (12) Now I am sending you a skillful and intelligent man, my master Huram, (13) the son of a Danite woman, his father a Tyrian. He is skilled at working in gold, silver, bronze, iron, precious stones, and wood; in purple, blue, and crimson yarn and in fine linen; and at engraving and designing whatever will be required of him, alongside your craftsmen and the craftsmen of my lord, your father David. (14) As to the wheat, barley, oil, and wine which my lord mentioned, let him send them to his servants. (15) We undertake to cut down as many trees of Lebanon as you need, and deliver them to you as rafts by sea to Jaffa; you will transport them to Jerusalem.” (16) Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were in the land of Israel, besides the census taken by his father David, and they were found to be 153,600. (17) He made 70,000 of them basket carriers, and 80,000 of them quarriers, with 3,600 supervisors to see that the people worked.

מלבי"ם על מלכים א ז׳:י״ד:א׳

(א) השאלות: (1) פה אמר שהיה בן אשה אלמנה ממטה נפתלי ובד''ה אמר שהיה בן אשה מבנות דן, ומ''ש המפרשים שאביו היה ממטה נפתלי, הלא בד''ה אמר שאביו היה איש צורי, (2) בד''ה אמר שחירם מלך צור שלחו וששלחו בתחלת הבנין, ושהיה יודע לעשות בזהב ובכסף, ופה אמר ששלמה שלח אחריו ושהיה זה בגמר הבנין ושלא ידע לעשות רק בנחושת, (3) ובד''ה אמר ואת הסירות ואת היעים עשה חירם אביו משמע ששנים היו אב ובנו :

Malbim on I Kings 7:14:1

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ערכין ט״ז ב:פ״ז-צ״ב

אמר ר' יוחנן מנין שלא ישנה אדם מאומנותו ומאומנות אבותיו שנאמר (מלכים א ז, יג) וישלח המלך שלמה ויקח את חירם מצר בן אשה אלמנה הוא ממטה נפתלי ואביו איש צרי חרש נחושת ואמר מר אימיה מבית דן וכתיב (שמות לא) אתו [את] אהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן:

Arakhin 16b:19-20

This is when it is in public.

רד"ק על מלכים א׳ ז׳:י״ד:א׳-ב׳

(א) ממטה נפתלי. הוא היה ממטה נפתלי ואמו מבנות דן כמו שאמר בדברי הימים בן אשה אלמנה מבנות דן ומה שאמר ואביו איש צרי שהיה גר בצור כמו עובד אדום הגתי כי לוי היה ולפי שגר בגת קראו גתי וצורי קריאתו מלרע:

(ב) חרש נחשת. הוא או אביו גם כן היה חרש נחשת ורבותינו ז"ל סמכו מזה כי חייב אדם להתעסק באומנות אביו לפיכך הזכיר הכתוב אביו כי גם כן הוא היה אומן ובנו למד אומנתו ומה שאמר בן אשה אלמנה להודיע כי מת בעלה אבי חירם לפיכך לקח שלמה בנו כי גם הוא היה אומן טוב ומה שאמר חרש נחשת לעשות כל מלאכה בנחשת ובדברי הימים אומר יודע לעשות בזהב ובכסף ובנחשת ובברזל וגו' שמה ספר כל אומניות שהיה לו והנה לא ספר אלא מלאכת הנחשת כי לאותה מלאכה היה צריך לו שלמה כמו שאמר שעשה את העמודים והכותרות והמכונות והכיורות והים והיעים והמזרקות כלם כלי נחשת היו:

Radak on I Kings 7:14:1-2

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מלבי"ם על מלכים א ז׳:י״ד:ב׳

(ב) בן אשה אלמנה ממטה נפתלי פי' מצד אביו היה ממטה נפתלי, כי אמו היתה מבנות דן כמ''ש בד''ה ומ''ש ואביו איש צורי פי' שהיה דר בצור כן פירשו המפ', ולי נראה שמ''ש בד''ה ששלח מלך חירם בכתב אל שלמה ועתה שלחתי לך איש חכם בן אשה מן בנות דן ואביו איש צורי יודע לעשות בזהב ובכסף כו', זה היה אביו של חירם זה והיה שמו ג''כ חירם, והוא נשלח מאת מלך צור בתחלת הבנין, והוא היה יודע לעשות גם בזהב ובכסף כמבואר שם ועשה כל מלאכת טיח הבתים בזהב ומלאכת הכסף, והוא היה בן אשה מבנות דן, ומצד אביו היה מבני צור ואחר שבע שנים מת, ושלח שלמה אחר בנו, ועז''א וישלח שלמה ויקח את חירם מצור, כי הראשון בא אליו בפקודת מלך צור, והשני בא ע''ש ששלח שלמה אחריו, והוא היה בן אשה אלמנה ממטה נפתלי, והיתה אלמנה כי מת חירם בעלה, וזה השני היה רק חורש נחושת לבד, ועשה רק מלאכת הנחושת, ובזה תבין מ''ש בד''ה ב' (ג' ט''ז) ואת הסירות ואת היעים עשה חירם אביו למלך שלמה וכו' כי זה היה מלאכת האב, וכן במלכים דייק לאמר ויעש חירם את היעים, שם הוסיף חירם ובכלם אמר ויעש, כי זה היה חירם הראשון :

Malbim on I Kings 7:14:2

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פסיקתא רבתי ו׳:א׳

דבר אחר ותשלם כל המלאכה את מוצא כשנעשה המשכן שני שבטים היו שותפין במלאכתן א"ר לוי בשם ר' חמא בי ר' חנינא שבטו של דן ושבטו של יהודה שבטו של יהודה בצלאל שבטו של דן אהליאב בן אחיסמך למטה דן וכן במלאכת המקדש שני השבטים הללו היו שותפין וישלח המלך שלמה [ויקח את חירם וגו'] (מלכים א' ז' י"ג) בן אלמנה הוא ממטה דן ושלמה בן דוד שהיה משבטו של יהודה:

Pesikta Rabbati 6:1

(1) ... Another explanation. “And all the work that king Solomon had wrought in the house of the Lord was finished.” (Melachim I 7:51) What does ‘all the work’ mean? It was built by itself, rising and floating up – thus it does not say when the house was built, but rather “And the house, when it was in building…” (Melachim I 6:7) “…was built of stone finished at the quarry (masa)…” (ibid.) What does ‘finished at the quarry’ (masa nivne) mean? R’ Brechia said: the stone picked itself up (nosah atzma), rose up and was built by itself. This is what Shlomo said in his song “I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” (Melachim I 8:13) He says ‘I have surely built’, meaning ‘I built a building and the stones rose up and flew into place themselves’. If you are shocked that the Holy One would do such a thing for a single righteous person, “And a stone was brought and placed on the mouth of the pit…” (Daniel 6:18) And where did they get a rock in Bavel? Our Rabbis said that it rolled all the way from the land of Israel and came in an instant. So if the Holy One did such a thing for flesh and blood, are you surprised that He would do so for the building of a house to the Holy One?

מדרש תנחומא, ויקהל ה׳:א׳-ד׳

(א) ‎רְאוּ קָרָא ה' בְּשֵׁם. רְאוּ מֶה עָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל, שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּלִבּוֹ חָכְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת. (שמות לא, ג). בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אֵלּוּ בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹלָמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ, כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה, בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ (משלי ג, יט-כ). וּבִשְׁלָשְׁתָּן עָשָׂה בְצַלְאֵל אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וְכֵן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן נִבְנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בֶּן אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה הוּא מִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וְאָבִיו אִישׁ צֹרִי חֹרֵשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת וַיִּמָּלֵא אֶת הַחָכְמָה וְאת הַתְּבוּנָה וְאֶת הַדַּעַת (מלכים א ז, יד). וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד יִבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת וּבִתְבוּנָה יִתְכּוֹנָן, וּבְדַעַת חֲדָרִים יִמָּלְאוּ כָּל הוֹן יָקָר וְנָעִים (משלי כד ג, ד). הֱוֵי, וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים ...

וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים בְּחָכְמָה, שֶׁהָיָה חָכָם בַּתּוֹרָה. בִּתְבוּנָה, שֶׁהָיָה מֵבִין בַּהֲלָכָה. וּבְדַעַת, שֶׁהָיָה דַעְתּוֹ מְלֵאָה בְּתַּלְמוּד. וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 5:1-4

(1) See, he hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Observe what He did for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom in his heart, as it is said: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (ibid., v. 31). It was with these attributes the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, as it is said: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). With these same attributes Bezalel erected the Tabernacle.

(2) The Temple was similarly constructed by means of these three attributes, as it is said: He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, and he was filled with wisdom, understanding, and skill (I Kings 7:14). Similarly, the Temple will be rebuilt in the future with these three attributes, as is said: Through wisdom is a house builded, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Prov. 24:3–4). Therefore, And He hath filled him with the spirit of God. Where did all this wisdom come from? From the spirit of God. And He filled him with the spirit of God alludes also to Joshua, who descended from the tribe of Ephraim, as it is written: And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9). And it refers as well to Othniel the son of Kenaz, who came from the tribe of Judah, since it is written about him: And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel (Judg. 3:10). All this happened because Moses blessed the tribe: And this for Judah, and he said: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in unto his people; his hands shall contend for him, and Thou shalt be a help against his adversaries” (Deut. 33:7). When they become involved in difficulties, You shall be a help to them.

(3) Another explanation of Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah. When You put in him the Holy Spirit, he will be exalted and grow strong. Therefore all of Bezalel’s distinction came from the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And He hath filled him with the spirit of God.

(4) Elihu disclosed: I said: “Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty, that giveth them understanding (Job 32:7). All of the understanding possessed by Bezalel came from the spirit of the Almighty, and it was instilled into him. And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom. Understanding and knowledge (Exod. 35:31). He was wise in his knowledge of the Torah, in understanding, because he comprehended the law, and knowledge, because his mind was full of learning, and in all manner of workmanship, according to its plain meaning. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, My spirit instills wisdom within you, but in the future I will implant My spirit within you and you will be restored to life, as it is said: And I will put My spirit within you and you shall live (Ezek. 37:14).