Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three matters are proclaimed by the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself: Famine, plenty, and a good leader. The Gemara enumerates the sources for these cases: Famine, as it is written: “For the Lord has called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years” (II Kings 8:1). Plenty, as it is written: “And I will call for the grain, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you” (Ezekiel 36:29). And a good leader, as it is written: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: See, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” (Exodus 31:1–2).
With regard to Bezalel’s appointment, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One may only appoint a leader over a community if he consults with the community and they agree to the appointment, as it is stated: “And Moses said unto the children of Israel: See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” (Exodus 35:30). The Lord said to Moses: Moses, is Bezalel a suitable appointment in your eyes? Moses said to Him: Master of the universe, if he is a suitable appointment in Your eyes, then all the more so in my eyes.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: Nevertheless, go and tell Israel and ask their opinion. Moses went and said to Israel: Is Bezalel suitable in your eyes? They said to him: If he is suitable in the eyes of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and in your eyes, all the more so he is suitable in our eyes.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Bezalel was called by that name on account of his wisdom. When the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Go say to Bezalel, “Make a tabernacle, an ark, and vessels” (see Exodus 31:7–11), Moses went and reversed the order and told Bezalel: “Make an ark, and vessels, and a tabernacle” (see Exodus 25–26). He said to Moses: Moses, our teacher, the standard practice throughout the world is that a person builds a house and only afterward places the vessels in the house, and you say to me: Make an ark, and vessels, and a tabernacle. If I do so in the order you have commanded, the vessels that I make, where shall I put them? Perhaps God told you the following: “Make a tabernacle, ark, and vessels” (see Exodus 36).
Moses said to Bezalel: Perhaps you were in God’s shadow [betzel El], and you knew precisely what He said. You intuited God’s commands just as He stated them, as if you were there.
Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Bezalel knew how to join the letters with which heaven and earth were created. From where do we derive this? It is written here in praise of Bezalel: “And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 31:3); and it is written there with regard to creation of heaven and earth: “The Lord, by wisdom, founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19), and it is written: “By His knowledge the depths were broken up and the skies drop down the dew” (Proverbs 3:20). We see that wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, the qualities with which the heavens and earth were created, are all found in Bezalel.
On a similar note, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, only grants wisdom to one who already possesses wisdom, as it is stated: “He gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to they who know understanding” (Daniel 2:21). Rav Taḥalifa, from the West, Eretz Yisrael, heard this and repeated it before Rabbi Abbahu. Rabbi Abbahu said to him: You learned proof for this idea from there; we learn it from here: As it is written in praise of the builders of the Tabernacle: “And in the hearts of all who are wise-hearted I have placed wisdom” (Exodus 31:6).
See that I have singled out Betzalel by name: It doesn't say, "I have singled out", but "see that I have singled out". When Moshe went up to be with God on high, Hakadosh Baruch Hu showed him each of the vessels of the Mishkan, and said, "thus shall you make it: make the menorah, make the table, make the altar, for each of the pieces of the Mishkan. When Moshe was getting ready to go down, he thought that he would make them, but God called to him and said, "I have made you into a king, it's not the way of a king to make anything, rather the king decrees and others create. Similarly for you, you don't have permission to make anything, rather you shall tell them and they will make them."
God didn't tell Moshe who would be responsible for making them, and asked God, "Who will make them?" God responded, "I will show you."
What did God do? God showed him the "the book of Adam Harishon", and showed him the inscriptions for each generation that will arise, from Bereishit until the time of the resurrection of the dead, each generation and its kings, each generation and its leaders, each generation and its prophets. God said to Moshe, "each one I have established from that moment (of creation), including Betzalel who I appointed at that time". This is why it says, "See that I have singled out by name Betzalel".
Bamidbar Rabbah 15:10
When G‑d told Moses, “Make a menorah of pure gold,” Moses said: “How should it be made?” and was told that it should be hammered out of a solid block. Nonetheless Moses found it difficult to understand, and when he came down [from Mount Sinai] he forgot how to make it. He went back up and said, “My master, how should it be made?” to which G‑d replied, “It should be hammered out of a solid block.” Again Moses found it difficult to comprehend, and when he came down from the mountain he forgot the details.
He went back up yet again and said, “My master! I have forgotten it.” G‑d showed him the process again, but he still found it difficult. G‑d then said, “Watch and do the same,” and took a menorah of fire and showed him how to make it. Yet Moses still couldn’t understand.
So, G‑d said to him, “Go to Betzalel; he can make it.” And indeed, Moses asked Betzalel, and he immediately was able to make it. Moses was astonished: “G‑d showed it to me several times, yet I couldn’t understand how to make it; yet you, who never saw it, were able to make it on your own? Betzalel, you must have been standing betzel E‑l, in the shadow of G‑d, when He showed me how to make the menorah.”
Therefore, when the Temple was destroyed, the Menorah was hidden. And this is one of the five things that was hidden: the ark, the Menorah, the fire, the holy spirit, and the cherubs. When the Holy One Who is Blessed returns in [God]'s mercy and builds [God]'s house and sanctuary, [God] will bring them back to their place to make Jerusalem rejoice, as it says, "The arid desert shall be glad, The wilderness shall rejoice" (Isaiah 35:1), "It shall blossom abundantly, It shall also exult" (Isaiah 35:2).
Midrash
When Moses came down, he relayed to the Jewish people the details of how the Mishkan, its beams, the altar and the table were to be built. They asked, “Who will make all of these?” He replied, “Betzalel.” The people then started criticizing Moses, saying: “G‑d didn’t tell Moses to have Betzalel be the architect of the Mishkan; Moses picked him himself, because Betzalel is his relative . . .” To which Moses replied, “I did nothing on my own initiative; it was G‑d who told me to appoint Betzalel.”
Midrash
When the Israelites wished to do that deed, they said to Aaron, "Come make for us a lord." Hur, the son of Caleb, arose and chastised them. They immediately arose and killed him. [Tanchuma T'zaveh 10:10]
Why was Hur mentioned in this context (building the Mishkan)? When Israel wished to commit idolatry, he (Hur) offered his soul for the sake of God, and would not allow them (to sin). They rose against him and killed him. God said to him "By your life I will repay you." [Shmot Rabbah 48:3]
And King Shlomo sent and fetched Chiram from Tzor. He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naftali, and his father was a man of Tzor, a worker in brass, and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge to work all works in brass. And he came to King Shlomo, and wrought all his work. (I Melakhim 7:13-14)
In II Divrei Ha-yamim it says:
The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tzor, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to work all kinds of artistic work; to do whatever shall be put to him, with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father. (2:13)
Bereishit Rabbati in his Torah Sheleima:
"Nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the works of His hands" (Iyov34:19). This teaches that the great and the small are equal before him. And with respect to the Mikdash, Shlomo was from Yehuda and Chiram was from Dan. And similarly regarding the Messiah - his father is from Yehuda and his mother is from Dan. Therefore, Yehuda and Dan are called lion cubs, for the Messiah will issue from the two of them. (Shemot 31:3, no. 14)
And we know that for the building of the Mishkan two people were chosen, two tribes of Israel, from Yehuda and from Dan, the one likened to a lion cub, and the other to a serpent and a lion, teaching you how much the building of the Mishkan is likened to them. And also to allude to the attribute of mercy that is hinted at in the name Yehuda, and to the attribute of justice that is hinted at in the name of Dan. (An unkown Rishon)
Let him come and join him so that they not mock him, and so that nobody be arrogant, for the great and the small are equal before the Omnipresent, Betzalel from Yehuda and Aholiav from Dan, and he joins him. (Shemot Rabba 40:4)
Rabbi Johanan said: From where do we know that a man should not change his occupation from the occupation of his ancestors? As it is said: “And King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass.”The Master taught on this verse: [Although his father was from the tribe of Naphtali,] his mother was of the tribe of Dan, of whom it is written: “And, behold, with him I have placed Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (Arachin 16b).
This reiteration of God's selection of Betzalel adds the word, "lehorot", to teach. There are many wise people who have trouble teaching others. Here, it also mentions that Ahaliav, his partner, has been given these abilities so as to teach others through his wisdom. Therefore, it is said about both of them that they shall "do all the work and think the thoughts".
IBN EZRA
The Gaon said: Why were Betzalel and Aholiav chosen? And he answered: Because Betzalel was from the descendants of Yehuda, whom Yaakov compared to a lion cub (Bereishit 49:9). And Aholiav was from the descendants of Dan, whom Moshe compared to a lion cub (Devarim 33:22). A lion is narrow from behind, and so was the Mikdash (Middot4:7). This is a homiletical answer, for Betzalel and Aholiav did not build the Temple, and the width of the Mishkan which they made was uniform. There is, however, no basis for his question, for they were chosen because there was nobody in Israel like them. (Shemot31:1)
Ramban
"See, I have called by name Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur." God said to Moshe: See, I have called by name. And Moshe said to Israel: See, God has called by name (Shemot 35:30). And the reason is that Israel in Egypt were crushed by work in mortar and in brick, and they never learned work in silver, gold, and precious stones; they never saw them at all.
It was a miracle that there was found among them someone who was of great knowledge in silver and gold and stone and wood, and artistry, and embroidery and weaving. For even among those who studied by masters, you will not find one who is proficient in all these arts. And those who know and are familiar with them, when their hands always come into contact with mortar and filth, they cannot do fine and intricate artwork.
And furthermore, he was a great authority in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge, to understand the mystery of the Mishkan and all its vessels, why they were commanded and what they allude to. It is for this reason that God said to Moshe that he should see this wondrous matter, and know that He had filled him with the spirit of God to know all these things so that he can make the Mishkan. For it was His desire to make the Mishkan in the wilderness, and He created him for the sake of His glory, for He calls the generations from the beginning (Yeshayahu 41:4), in the manner of "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you did come out of the womb I sanctified you" (Yirmiyahu 1:5)…
And our Rabbis have a midrash about this: He showed him the book of Adam and said to him: I ordained each individual at that time, and Betzalel as well I ordained at that hour. As it says: See, I have called by name, Betzalel. And this is like what I have explained. They further said that Betzalel knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth were created. The idea is that the Mishkan alludes to these things, and he knows and understands His mystery. (Ramban, Commentary on Shemot 31:2)
The Malbim
"See, I have called by name." For he was given the name Betzalel because Moshe said to him: "You were in God's shadow (be-tzel El) and you knew," as Chazal have said. That is to say, the entire world is the shadow of God and an image of His wisdom. As I explained in Parashat Bereishit that the "image" (tzelem) of God is the "shadow" (tzel) of God… and the universe (the macrocosm), and corresponding to it, man (the microcosm), are shadows and images of God. And the Mishkan in which all the worlds were depicted, and so too all the pearls of man, was also a shadow of God. And all this was understood by Betzalel, and because of this it says that Betzalel knew how to join together the letters with which heaven and earth were created, and therefore he was called by the name Betzalel. God called him by this name, because he was prepared to build his holy edifice, as it says: "He lay up sound wisdom for the righteous" (Mishlei 2:7), that God prepared from the beginning righteous people who would arise in each generation, and be prepared for the great things that were to be done in their time.
Meshekh Chokhma
"See, I have called by name Betzalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehuda." The idea is that total devotion must be without examination and excessive intellection. Yehuda risked his life at the Sea, as it is stated in Tosefta Sota, and so too Chur risked his life at the Golden Calf. For examination will block the inner will and prevent a person from offering his life for the sanctification of God's name… It therefore says that because they did not engage in excessive examination and intellection, therefore, "He has filled him [with the spirit of God] in wisdom, and in understanding, etc." (Shemot 35:31). Understand this.
(ג) דָּבָר אַחֵר, רְאוּ קָרָא ה' בְּשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר, מָה רָאָה לְהַזְכִּיר כָּאן חוּר, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבִּקְּשׁוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים נָתַן נַפְשׁוֹ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא הִנִּיחָן, עָמְדוּ וַהֲרָגוּהוּ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ לְךָ.
Why does the Torah mention Betzalel's grandfather Chur? Because Betzalel was given the task of constructing the Mishkan as a reward for his gradfather Chur sacrificing his life to oppose the golden calf.
ראו קרא, “see! He has called upon, etc.” What does the word: ראו mean here? When Moses had told the people that Betzalel would be the chief architect/craftsman, and that he would be constructing the Tabernacle, (beginning of chapter 31, where he had been told about Betzalel and Oholiov by name by G–d) there was murmuring among the Israelites who charged Moses with nepotism and assigning every position of importance to members of his family. He therefore repeated here that these men had not been chosen by him but by G–d, personally. In fact, Moses, personally, had originally thought that he himself had been charged with the whole task, seeing that G–d had said to him: ועשית , “you will make,” etc., chapter 25,17, and subsequently. The plural impersonal mode had been reserved for the construction of the Holy Ark (Exodus 25,10). G–d explained to him then already that on the contrary, not as he had thought, he would not build the Tabernacle but a descendant of Chur, who had given his life trying to stop the Jewish people from making a golden calf would be charged with that task. By doing so he would help atone for the murder of his grandfather and for the sin of the golden calf. This is why the Torah traces Betzalel’s ancestry to Chur, i.e. Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur. (Compare Exodus 31,2)
ולהורות נתן בלבו, and He equipped his heart with the ability to teach, etc.There are many great scholars whose wisdom is locked up in their hearts due to their inability to transmit it successfully to outsiders. The ability to teach is a great gift, and this is why the Torah testifies that G'd granted this gift to Betzalel. There is also a moral lesson contained in this verse not to act like certain members of the family of Bet Gormu who wanted to preserve their monoply on the intricacies of preparing the show breads by not teaching their craft to any non-family member. The Talmud severely critised their behaviour (Yuma 38). People who do teach their crafts qualify for the blessing expressed by Solomon in Proverbs 10,7: "The memory of a righteous person is a source of blessing."
ויעשו כל חכם לב, Every wise-hearted man (employed for that task) made the Tabernacle, etc. The reason that the word עשה "he made" is used at the end of the verse though many artisans were involved in the construction, indicates that the work was performed as if only a single individual had made it all. The miraculous feature was that the normal minor discrepancies between how different artisans perform the same type of work could not be noticed in the completed product though that product was a composite to which many people had contributed their skills. This is how we can explain the repeated use by the Torah of the singular when speaking of a number of people who performed work. The singular used by the Torah again and again cannot refer to Betzalel as he obviously did not perform all this work himself. The fact that the Torah mentioned in 37,1 that Betzalel made the Holy Ark is proof that he did not make everything else. The reason the completed Tabernacle appeared as the work of a single artisan was that G'd inspired the various artisans in the manner in which they carried out their assignments. They did not strive to display the artist's normal individuality but strove to be part of a team.
1. The Spirit of God
The midrash
"And I have filled him with the spirit of God" – from where is all this wisdom? From the Holy One, blessed be He, the spirit of God. And similarly you find regarding Yehoshua, who came from Yosef: "And Yehoshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom" (Devarim34:9). And similarly you find regarding Otniel the son of Kenaz, who came from Yehuda: "And the spirit of the Lord came upon him" (Shoftim 3:10). R. Chanina said: This is what it says: "But there is a spirit in man, [and the breadth of the Almighty gives them understanding]" (Iyov 32:8). All the understanding that Betzalel had came from the Almighty; thus: "And I have filled him with the spirit of God." (Shemot Rabba)
The Ibn Ezra writes in his long commentary:
"And I shall fill him," like "And Yehoshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom" (Devarim 34:9); and it is written: "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him" (Yeshayahu 11:2). And it explains what the spirit of the Lord is, namely, "the spirit of wisdom and understanding" (ibid.)… Now Betzalel was filled with all wisdom, with mathematics, and geometry… and astronomy and nature, and the mystery of the soul. And he had an advantage over all the people of his generation, for he knew all forms of workmanship, for many of those who are wise in heart do not know even a single workmanship. Therefore it says: "And in all manner of workmanship," with a vav.
The Malbim
"And I have filled him with the spirit of God," a prophetic spirit and a holy spirit, as Onkelos translates: "And I have filled him with a prophetic spirit from before God." Because for the building of the Mishkan, besides having to know all types of workmanship, he had to understand the hidden secret of the building, which involves the attainment of all perfection and connection with the spirit of the living God that gives life to them and dwells among them. For this reason, He clothed him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, which are the three highest levels with which the world was created, as it is written: "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth" (Mishlei 3:19), and it is written: "Through wisdom a house is built" (ibid. 24:3), and as I have explained these matters at length in my commentary to Mishlei. And this was to comprehend the great Mishkan and all its mysteries; "and in all manner of workmanship" refers to the crafts with which he will actually build the Mishkan.
2. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge
Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer
"In wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge." The world was created by means of ten utterances, etc. They are included in the following three: "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths were broken up" (Mishlei 3:19-20). And with these three, the Mishkan was built, as it says: "And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding and in knowledge" (Shemot 31:3). And with these three the Mikdash was built, as it says: "He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naftali, and his father was a man of Tzor, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge" (I Melakhim 7:14). And with these three it will be built in the future, as it says: "Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established: and by knowledge are the chambers filled" (Mishlei 24:3-4). And with the three of them He will in the future give three good gifts to Israel, as it says: "For the Lord gives wisdom; out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6). And the three of them were doubly given to the messianic king, as it says: "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and the understanding, etc." (Yeshayahu11:2). (End of chapter 3)
The Netziv
"In wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge." It has already been explained (Shemot 25:8) that all of the worlds were included in the building of the Mishkan and its vessels. For this reason, the Shekhina rested within it, as it was at the beginning of the creation, when the Shekhina oversaw His world in general. Just as the world in general was created with these three attributes, as it is written: "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths were broken up" (Mishlei 3:19-20) – in this way the Mishkan had to be built with these three attributes, and similarly the Mikdash in which the Shekhina would rest. And this is what we find in Midrash Rabba that Betzalel knew how to join together the letters with which heaven and earth were created. Thus is explained the words, "And I have filled him with the spirit of God," this word sometimes meaning that He created heaven and earth, as I have written at the beginning of Parashat Bereishit (1:1) and in other places.
Rashi
And Betzalel the son of Uri the son of Chur of the tribe of Judah did all that the L-rd had commanded Moses, [even things which Moses had not "relayed" to Betzalel. Moses first charged Betzalel to make the appurtenances and then the mishkan, and Betzalel, in practice, reversed the order, this, ("making the house first and then the furnishing"), indeed, according with what the L-rd had commanded Moses.]
לחשוב מחשבות לעשות. There is a hint here that one should contemplate the deeper significance of the commandment one is in the process of performing.
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.
The uniqueness of both Moses and Betzalel paralleled the description of unique attributes possessed by the Creator. Initially, the instructions given by Moses to Betzalel were similar to G’d’s formulating the thought of creating a universe, whereas the execution paralleled the words ביום עשות ה' אלוקים, G’d in His capacity as Hashem carrying out His plan to create the universe. The numerical value of the first letters of the opening words in our portion, אלה פקודי המשכן i.e. א'פ'ה' have a combined value of 86, equivalent to the letters in the name of G’d when it is spelled א-ל-ה-י-ם, i.e. His attribute of א-ד-נ-י, the word signifying the attribute of Justice. The respective last letters in the same sequence of words are ה'י'נ equaling 65, or the numerical value of the attribute א-ד-נ-י. When we examine the respective first and final letters in the second half of the introductory verse of our portion, i.e. משכן העדות, we find that the letters מ'ה correspond to the holy name of G’d consisting of 45 letters, whereas the final letters in these words, i.e. ת'נ or 450 i.e. ten times the value of the opening letters. This suggests that whereas Betzalel was indeed granted great insights, it was Moses, אשר פקד על פי משה who had the highest level of understanding how to manipulate all the letters in the names of G’d.