(לג) וַיָּבִ֤יאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־הָאֹ֖הֶל וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו קְרָסָ֣יו קְרָשָׁ֔יו בריחו [בְּרִיחָ֖יו] וְעַמֻּדָ֥יו וַאֲדָנָֽיו׃
(33) Then they brought the Tabernacle to Moses, with the Tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its planks, its bars, its posts, and its sockets;
(1) ויביאו את המשכן וגו׳ AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE [UNTO MOSES etc.], for they themselves were unable to erect it. Since Moses had done no work in the Mishkan, the Holy One, blessed is He, left for him the task of erecting it, for nobody was able to set it up because of the weight of the boards which no human strength was capable of setting up. Moses, however, succeeded in placing it in position. Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “How is its erection possible by human beings?” God answered him: “You be busy with your hand!” He appeared to be erecting it, but in fact it set itself up and rose of its own accord. That is why Scripture says, (Exodus 40:17) “The Tabernacle was erected (הוקם)” — was erected by itself. This is a Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma 2:11:11.
(א) וזה מעשה המנרה. שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּאֶצְבַּע, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַשָּׁה בָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְזֶה": (ב) מקשה. בטדי"ץ בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן "דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן" (דניאל ה'), עֶשֶׁת שֶׁל כִּכַּר זָהָב הָיְתָה, וּמַקִּישׁ בְּקֻרְנָס, וְחוֹתֵךְ בְּכַשִּׁיל, לְפַשֵּׁט אֵבָרֶיהָ כְּתִקְנָן, וְלֹא נַעֲשֵׂית אֵבָרִים אֵבָרִים עַ"יְ חִבּוּר (עי' ספרא): (ז) כמראה אשר הראה וגו'. כַּתַּבְנִית אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָהוּ בָהָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ"ה) — וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְתַבְנִיתָם וְגוֹ' (ספרי): (ח) כן עשה את המנרה. מִי שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ; וּמִ"אַ, עַל יְדֵי הַקָּבָּ"ה נַעֲשֵׂית מֵאֵלֶיהָ (תנחומא):
(1) וזה מעשה המנרה AND THIS IS THE WORK OF THE CANDLESTICK — “This” — we may gather that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed it to him (Moses) with His finger, because he was puzzled by it (how to construct it); and that is why it states, “this is [the construction of the candlestick]” (Sifrei Bamidbar 61; Menachot 29a). (2) מקשה means batediz in O. F., — [English = beaten], an expression of the same meaning as in (Daniel 5:6) “[and his feet] knocked (נקשן) one against another”. There was a block weighing a talent of gold and he (who made the candlestick) beat it with the hammer, and cut away with a chisel in order that its branches might be made to spread out as they should do, and it was not formed of separate pieces made into a whole by joining them together. (7) כמראה אשר הראה וגו׳ ACCORDING UNTO THE PATTERN WHICH [THE LORD] HAD SHOWED [MOSES] — i. e. according to the shape which he had shewn him on the mountain, as it is said, (Exodus 25:40) and see, that thou make them after their pattern [which was shewn thee in the mountain]". (8) כן עשה את המנורה SO HE MADE THE CANDELABRUM — “he” means, the one who made it (not Moses, as might be assumed from the wording of the text; the subject is suppressed and it means no more than: so was the candlestick made). A Midrashic explanation is: By the instrumentality of the Holy One, blessed be He, it was made of itself (according to this the subject is “God” who is mentioned immediately before) (Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 3; cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:31).
(א) זה יתנו. הֶרְאָה לוֹ כְּמִין מַטְבֵּעַ שֶׁל אֵשׁ וּמִשְׁקָלָהּ מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ כָּזֶה יִתְּנוּ (תלמוד ירושלמי שק' א'):
(1) זה יתנו THIS SHALL THEY GIVE — He (God) showed him (Moses) a kind of fiery coin the weight of which was half a shekel and said to him, “Like this shall they give” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 9).
(א) ונתנו … אש. אַעַ"פִּי שֶׁהָאֵשׁ יוֹרֶדֶת מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מִצְוָה לְהָבִיא מִן הַהֶדְיוֹט (שם):
(1) אש … ונתנו AND [THE SONS OF AARON …] SHALL PUT FIRE [ON THE ALTAR] — Although the fire descended from heaven, it was nevertheless a religious duty to bring also some fire of profane origin (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 5 10; Yoma 21b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 10:2 and Note thereon).
הארון נושא את נושאיו
The Aron carried those who carried it
1. Rashi and the grasshopper
2. Rav Shach and Birchas HaTorah
Moshe Rabbeinu was charged with the construction of the Mishkan, the dwelling place of HASHEM in this world. While the components of the structure are physically complex, the kavannas — the specific intentions required during the process of building it — are even more intricate.
The most complicated of all of the vessels was the menorah. Its design was so elaborate that even after HASHEM taught Moshe how it was to be built, Moshe still didn’t understand its unique nature and was unable to form it. Therefore, HASHEM showed Moshe an image of a menorah made of fire so that Moshe could actually see the finished form and imitate it.
Yet Rashi tells us that when it came time for the construction of the menorah, Moshe still could not fathom its structure and was unable to fabricate it. HASHEM said, “Throw the clump of gold into the fire, and it will form by itself.” This is how the menorah was created — on its own.
This Rashi is perplexing. Since the menorah was so intricate that Moshe could not understand its inner nature and how to form it, then why did HASHEM bother to show him the image of the menorah in fire? HASHEM knew that Moshe wasn’t going to be able to create the menorah himself. He knew that in the end it would have to come about by Moshe’s throwing the clump of gold into the fire. If so, why did HASHEM show Moshe the image of the menorah so that he should understand how it was to be formed? Clearly, creating the menorah was beyond human capacity. Why did Moshe need to have a clear image of what it was to look like?
Balance of bitachon and hishtadlus
The answer to this question is predicated on understanding the balance between HASHEM’s involvement in the running of the world and man’s obligation to put in his effort — the balance between bitachon and hishtadlus.
One of the basic facts of life is that HASHEM runs this world. While it may appear that man is in charge, HASHEM orchestrates every activity on the planet. As we say in the first Ani Mamin: “HASHEM did, does and will do all actions.”
The question is: what is man’s part? If HASHEM determines all outcomes, how is man supposed to act? What is his role?
How much effort should I put in?
The Chovos Ha’Levovos teaches us that we are obligated to act b’derech hatevah – in the ways of the world. In other words, we are obligated to go through the motions as if the results are dependent upon us, knowing all the while that the outcome is completely out of our hands.
We work for a living, knowing that the amount of money we are to make has been set on Rosh Hashanah. We go to doctors when we are sick, even though we know that our health is determined solely by HASHEM. We are obligated to go to great lengths to protect ourselves even though we know that whether we live or die has been predetermined. We put in our effort, knowing all the while that it is HASHEM’s world and that He alone determines the outcome.
When we accomplish something, the results are credited to us even though we are fully aware that HASHEM was the One Who did it all. We merely went through the motions.
We use HASHEM’s system, and are credited with having done it. If I feed my family, I am considered their supporter. If I give tzedakah, it is considered that I gave my own money and I am credited with having saved a poor man from starvation. In HASHEM’s system, we are credited with the outcome.
Answer: Why Moshe needed to see the image of the menorah
This seems to be the answer to the question on Rashi. HASHEM wanted the menorah to be constructed by man. However, even the greatest of men couldn’t comprehend how to make it. So his hishtadlus was to do all that he could and then rely on HASHEM for the rest. Moshe would put the gold into the fire, and the menorah would form on its own. Moshe used the system that HASHEM created to bring forth the menorah.
However, for the creation of the menorah to be credited to man, Moshe had to at least have a vision of what it was that he was creating. Once he had that concept in mind, throwing the clump of gold into the fire was considered as if he made the menorah himself. It was then considered as if he used HASHEM’s system to bring about this result. If Moshe didn’t have a clear vision of what it was that he was creating, then in no sense could it be considered something he made — it would have been the fire that made it. Once he knew what it was that he was setting out to make, he then harnessed a force that HASHEM created to bring about that result. In this case, the force was the fire bringing about the menorah.
In Our Lives
This concept has great relevance to us in a number of ways. The first is that in all of our involvement in this world, we need to have a clear plan of action, a “business plan” that according to the ways of the world makes sense. With that in hand, we set off on a path with a vision of its fulfillment, all the while knowing that the outcome is completely in the hands of HASHEM.
Nevertheless, there are many situations in which we reach a point where there is no clear path to follow. Whether it be deciding from two almost identical career choices, determining which medical “expert” to listen to, or deciding which school to enroll our children in, we are obligated to be responsible, use our best judgment, and determine according to the ways of the world what is the best approach. Once we have reached that point, we “throw our clump of gold into the fire.” We rely on HASHEM to bring about the results that He has predetermined to be the best for us.
However, this Rashi seems to be showing us that when it comes to a Dvar Mitzvah, the rules change somewhat. There will be times when a person sets out to accomplish something for the tzibbur, whether it be starting a Yeshiva, giving a shiur, or beginning a chessed project, and he sees no clear path to follow. Either the odds against it are too great, or the mountain is to high to climb, and he can’t see how to make this happen. If this were a mundane project, it could be that he wouldn’t be allowed to move forward. However, if this is a holy project, then the rules of engagement change a bit. Provided, that he has a clear image of what it is that he setting out to accomplish, and he has an image of the finished product, he may be permitted to step forward and allow HASHEM to bring things about. He has to throw his lump of gold into the fire, relying on HASHEM to bring his efforts into fruition.
For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #51 – Bitachon and Hishtadlus – Finding the Balance
Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com – The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues.