What is a Mishkan?

(יג) וְהָאַמָּ֨ה מִזֶּ֜ה וְהָאַמָּ֤ה מִזֶּה֙ בָּעֹדֵ֔ף בְּאֹ֖רֶךְ יְרִיעֹ֣ת הָאֹ֑הֶל יִהְיֶ֨ה סָר֜וּחַ עַל־צִדֵּ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה לְכַסֹּתֽוֹ׃

Exodus 26:13

(13) while the extra cubit at either end of each length of tent cloth shall hang down to the bottom of the two sides of the Tabernacle and cover it.

רש"י על שמות כ״ו:י״ג

(א) והאמה מזה והאמה מזה. לַצָּפוֹן וְלַדָּרוֹם: (ב) בעדף בארך יריעת האהל. שֶׁהֵן עוֹדְפוֹת עַל אֹרֶךְ יְרִיעוֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן שְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת: (ג) יהיה סרוח על צדי המשכן. לַצָּפוֹן וְלַדָּרוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה. לִמְּדָה תוֹרָה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם חָס עַל הַיָּפֶה (ילקוט שמעוני):

Rashi on Exodus 26:13

(3) יהיה מרוח על צדי המשכן SHALL HANG OVER THE SIDES OF THE TABERNACLE — on the north and on the south as I have explained above. The Torah here teaches you a rule of life — that a man should take care of his artistic objects (this the Torah does by commanding that the beautiful lower curtains should be protected by coarse upper ones) (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 422).

שמות כ״ו:ז׳

(ז) וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ יְרִיעֹ֣ת עִזִּ֔ים לְאֹ֖הֶל עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עַשְׁתֵּי־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה יְרִיעֹ֖ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָֽם׃

Exodus 26:7

(7) You shall then make cloths of goats’ hair for a tent over the Tabernacle; make the cloths eleven in number.

שמות כ״ו:ו׳

(ו) וְעָשִׂ֕יתָ חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים קַרְסֵ֣י זָהָ֑ב וְחִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַיְרִיעֹ֜ת אִשָּׁ֤ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָהּ֙ בַּקְּרָסִ֔ים וְהָיָ֥ה הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן אֶחָֽד׃ (פ)

Exodus 26:6

(6) And make fifty gold clasps, and couple the cloths to one another with the clasps, so that the Tabernacle becomes one whole.

שמות כ״ה:ח׳

(ח) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

Exodus 25:8

(8) And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

שמות כ״ו:א׳

(א) וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה עֶ֣שֶׂר יְרִיעֹ֑ת שֵׁ֣שׁ מָשְׁזָ֗ר וּתְכֵ֤לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן֙ וְתֹלַ֣עַת שָׁנִ֔י כְּרֻבִ֛ים מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חֹשֵׁ֖ב תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָֽם׃

Exodus 26:1

(1) As for the Tabernacle, make it of ten strips of cloth; make these of fine twisted linen, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, with a design of cherubim worked into them.

שמות ל״ה:י״א

(יא) אֶת־הַ֨מִּשְׁכָּ֔ן אֶֽת־אָהֳל֖וֹ וְאֶת־מִכְסֵ֑הוּ אֶת־קְרָסָיו֙ וְאֶת־קְרָשָׁ֔יו אֶת־בְּרִיחָ֕ו אֶת־עַמֻּדָ֖יו וְאֶת־אֲדָנָֽיו׃

Exodus 35:11

(11) the Tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps and its planks, its bars, its posts, and its sockets;

שמות מ׳:י״ט

(יט) וַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־הָאֹ֙הֶל֙ עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וַיָּ֜שֶׂם אֶת־מִכְסֵ֥ה הָאֹ֛הֶל עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יקוק אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ס)

Exodus 40:19

(19) He spread the tent over the Tabernacle, placing the covering of the tent on top of it—just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

שמות ל״ט:ל״ג

(לג) וַיָּבִ֤יאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־הָאֹ֖הֶל וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו קְרָסָ֣יו קְרָשָׁ֔יו בריחו [בְּרִיחָ֖יו] וְעַמֻּדָ֥יו וַאֲדָנָֽיו׃

Exodus 39:33

(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;

רמב"ן על שמות ל״ט:ל״ג

(א) ויביאו את המשכן אל משה את האהל ואת כל כליו שיעור הכתוב בזה כמו בוא''ו, ויביאו את המשכן אל משה ואת האהל ואת כל כליו, כי יריעות שש משזר הן ששמן משכן, כמו שאמר (שמות כ״ו:א׳) ואת המשכן תעשה עשר יריעות שש משזר, ואמר בהן (שם ו) וחברת את היריעות והיה המשכן אחד, ויריעות העזים הן האהל, כאשר יאמר בהן ועשית יריעות עזים לאהל על המשכן (שם ז), וחברת את האהל והיה אחד (שם יא) וכן את המשכן את אהלו ואת מכסהו (שמות ל״ה:י״א) ואת אהלו. אף כאן, ויביאו את המשכן אל משה ואת האהל ואת כל כליו, כי יזכיר שמות הכל. ולפעמים יקרא כל הבית אהל מועד, כאשר אמר (לעיל לא ו ז) ועשו את כל אשר צויתיך את אהל מועד ואת הארון לעדות, כי אהל מועד הוא הבית בכללו אשר יועד אליו שמה, וכן כל כלי עבודת המשכן לאהל מועד (שמות ל״ט:מ׳):

Ramban on Exodus 39:33

And they brought the tabernacle to Moshe, the tent and all its utensils.

[The term “the tent“ seems superfluous, because it would have sufficed to say, “they brought to Moshe the tabernacle and all its utensils.“ Ramban explains:]

The sense of this verse is as though the Tent were written with a vav preceding it, so that the verse means: “They brought the tabernacle to Moshe and the tent and all its utensils.“ For the curtains of twisted linen etc. are what is called “the Tabernacle,“ as scripture states above (26:1): You shall make the tabernacle of ten curtains twisted linen with turquoise purple and scarlet wool, it states further about them (26:6): and you shall attach the curtains to one another... so that the tabernacle shall become one. And the curtains of goat hair are what is called the “tent,“ as it states regarding them: You shall make curtains of goat here for a tent over the tabernacle (26:7), and attach the tent, so that it shall become one (26:11). And likewise in the verse the tabernacle, it’s tent, and its cover (35:11), the meaning is and it’s tent. Here, too, the meaning is: "They brought the tabernacle to Moshe and the tent and all that utensils," for scripture mentions the names of all.

במדבר ד׳:כ״ה

(כה) וְנָ֨שְׂא֜וּ אֶת־יְרִיעֹ֤ת הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמִכְסֵ֛ה הַתַּ֥חַשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְאֶ֨ת־מָסַ֔ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

Numbers 4:25

(25) they shall carry the cloths of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering, the covering of dolphin skin that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;

שמות כ״ו:ט׳

(ט) וְחִבַּרְתָּ֞ אֶת־חֲמֵ֤שׁ הַיְרִיעֹת֙ לְבָ֔ד וְאֶת־שֵׁ֥שׁ הַיְרִיעֹ֖ת לְבָ֑ד וְכָפַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔ית אֶל־מ֖וּל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֹֽהֶל׃

Exodus 26:9

(9) Join five of the cloths by themselves, and the other six cloths by themselves; and fold over the sixth cloth at the front of the tent.

רש"י על שמות כ״ו:ט׳

(א) וכפלת את היריעה הששית. הָעוֹדֶפֶת בְּאֵלּוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת יוֹתֵר מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת: (ב) אל מול פני האהל. חֲצִי רָחְבָּה הָיָה תָלוּי וְכָפוּל עַל הַמָּסָךְ שֶׁבַּמִּזְרָח כְּנֶגֶד הַפֶּתַח, דּוֹמֶה לְכַלָּה צְנוּעָה הַמְכֻסָּה בְּצָעִיף עַל פָּנֶיהָ:

Rashi on Exodus 26:9

(2) אל מול פני האהל OPPOSITE THE FRONT OF THE TENT; half of its breadth (two cubits) hung down, being doubled, over the screen which was on the east side before the entrance, whereby the Tabernacle gained the appearance of a modest bride who has her face covered by a veil.

It says about Mt. Sinai: "The glory of Hashem rested on Mt. Sinai" (Shemot 24:16), and it says about the Mishkan: "Moshe and Aharon came to the Tent of Meeting ... and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire people." (Vayikra 9:23) The "glory of Hashem" is the Divine Presence, so that the very same Divine Presence that descended upon Mt. Sinai was carried over to the Mishkan. The Ramban writes in his commentary to the Torah (Shemot 25):
The secret of the Mishkan is that the glory that rested upon Mt. Sinai rests upon it in a hidden manner. Just as it says: "The glory of Hashem rested on Mt. Sinai," and it says, "Behold! Hashem, our G-d, has shown us His glory and His greatness" (Devarim 5:21) – so, too, it says about the Mishkan: "The glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan." ... The glory that was revealed to them at Mt. Sinai was always with Israel in the Mishkan.

במדבר כ״ד:ה׳

(ה) מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Numbers 24:5

(5) How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!

רש"י על במדבר כ״ד:ה׳

(א) מה טבו אהליך. עַל שֶׁרָאָה פִתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁאֵינָן מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה מוּל זֶה:

Rashi on Numbers 24:5

(1) מה טבו אהליך HOW GOODLY ARE THY TENTS — He said this because he saw that the entrances of their tents were not exactly facing each other (Bava Batra 60a; cf. v. 2).

מיכה ו׳:ח׳

(ח) הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יקוק דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹקֶֽיךָ׃ (פ)

Micah 6:8

(8) “He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God;

שמות ל״ד:ל״ג-ל״ה

(לג) וַיְכַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִדַּבֵּ֖ר אִתָּ֑ם וַיִּתֵּ֥ן עַל־פָּנָ֖יו מַסְוֶֽה׃ (לד) וּבְבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י יקוק לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ יָסִ֥יר אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶ֖ה עַד־צֵאת֑וֹ וְיָצָ֗א וְדִבֶּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצֻוֶּֽה׃ (לה) וְרָא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה כִּ֣י קָרַ֔ן ע֖וֹר פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְהֵשִׁ֨יב מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶה֙ עַל־פָּנָ֔יו עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ לְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ (ס)

Exodus 34:33-35

(33) And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. (34) Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would leave the veil off until he came out; and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, (35) the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of Moses’ face was. Moses would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

מגילה י״ג ב

לֹא יִגְרַע מִצַּדִּיק עֵינָיו בִּשְׂכַר צְנִיעוּת שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּהּ בְּרָחֵל זָכְתָה וְיָצָא מִמֶּנָּה שָׁאוּל וּבִשְׂכַר צְנִיעוּת שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ בְּשָׁאוּל זָכָה וְיָצָאת מִמֶּנּוּ אֶסְתֵּר

Megillah 13b

“He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He establishes them forever, and they are exalted” (Job 36:7)? This teaches that in reward for the modesty shown by Rachel she merited that Saul, who was also modest, should descend from her, and in reward for the modesty shown by Saul, he merited that Esther should descend from him.

וּמַאי צְנִיעוּת הָיְתָה בָּהּ בְּרָחֵל דִּכְתִיב וַיַּגֵּד יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל כִּי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא וְכִי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא וַהֲלֹא בֶּן אֲחוֹת אָבִיהָ הוּא אֶלָּא אֲמַר לַהּ מִינַּסְבָא לִי אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ אִין מִיהוּ אַבָּא רַמָּאָה הוּא וְלָא יָכְלַתְּ לֵיהּ אֲמַר לַהּ אָחִיו אֲנָא בְּרַמָּאוּת אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ וּמִי שְׁרֵי לְצַדִּיקֵי לְסַגּוֹיֵי בְּרַמָּיוּתָא אֲמַר לַהּ אִין עִם נָבָר תִּתָּבָר וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ תִּתַּפָּל אֲמַר לַהּ וּמַאי רַמָּיוּתָא אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ אִית לִי אֲחָתָא דְּקַשִּׁישָׁא מִינַּאי וְלָא מַנְסֵיב לִי מִקַּמַּהּ מְסַר לַהּ סִימָנִים כִּי מְטָא לֵילְיָא אֲמַרָה הַשְׁתָּא מִיכַּסְפָא אֲחָתַאי מְסַרְתִּינְהוּ נִיהֲלַהּ וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה הִיא לֵאָה מִכְּלָל דְּעַד הַשְׁתָּא לָאו לֵאָה הִיא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ סִימָנִין שֶׁמָּסְרָה רָחֵל לְלֵאָה לָא הֲוָה יָדַע עַד הַשְׁתָּא לְפִיכָךְ זָכְתָה וְיָצָא מִמֶּנָּה שָׁאוּל וּמָה צְנִיעוּת הָיְתָה בְּשָׁאוּל דִּכְתִיב וְאֶת דְּבַר הַמְּלוּכָה לֹא הִגִּיד לוֹ אֲשֶׁר אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל זָכָה וְיָצָאת מִמֶּנּוּ אֶסְתֵּר וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹסֵק גְּדוּלָּה לְאָדָם פּוֹסֵק לְבָנָיו וְלִבְנֵי בָנָיו עַד סוֹף כׇּל הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיּוֹשִׁיבֵם לָנֶצַח וַיִּגְבָּהוּ (וְגוֹ׳) וְאִם הֵגִיס דַּעְתּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁפִּילוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאִם אֲסוּרִים בַּזִּקִּים וְגוֹ׳

The Gemara explains: What was the modesty shown by Rachel? It is as it is written: “And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebecca’s son” (Genesis 29:12). It may be asked: Was he, Jacob, in fact her father’s brother? But wasn’t he the son of her father’s sister? Rather, it must be understood that when Jacob met Rachel, he said to her: Will you marry me? She said to him: Yes, but my father, Laban, is a swindler, and you will not be able to outwit him. Jacob alleviated her fears, as he said to her that he is her father’s brother, referring not to their familial affiliation but rather to his ability to deal with her father on his level, as if to say: I am his brother in deception. She said to him: But is it really permitted for the righteous to be involved in deception? He said to her: Yes, it is permitted when dealing with deceptive individuals, as the verse states: “With the pure you will show yourself pure, and with the perverse you will show yourself subtle” (II Samuel 22:27), indicating that one should deal with others in the manner appropriate for their personality. Jacob then said to her: What is the deception that he will plan to carry out and I should be prepared for? Rachel said to him: I have a sister who is older than I, and he will not marry me off before her, and will try to give you her in my place. So Jacob gave her certain distinguishing signs that she should use to indicate to him that she was actually Rachel and not her sister. When the wedding night arrived, and Laban planned to switch the sisters, Rachel said to herself: Now my sister will be embarassed, for Jacob will ask her for the signs and she will not know them. So she gave them to her. And this is as it is written: “And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah” (Genesis 29:25). Does this imply by inference that until now she was not Leah? Rather, due to the distinguishing signs that Rachel had given to Leah, he did not know until now, when it was light outside, that she was Leah. Therefore, Rachel merited that Saul should descend from her, due to her act of modesty in not revealing to Jacob that she had shown the signs to Leah. And what was the modesty shown by Saul? As it is written: “But of the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he did not tell him” (I Samuel 10:16). Saul expressed his modesty by not revealing Samuel’s promise that he would be king, and thereby merited that Esther would descend from him. Similarly, Rabbi Elazar said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, assigns greatness to a person, He assigns it to his sons and to his son’s sons for all generations, as it is stated: “He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He establishes them forever, and they are exalted” (Job 36:7). And if he becomes arrogant due to this, the Holy One, Blessed be He, lowers him in order to humble him, as it is stated in the next verse: “And if they are bound in chains, and are held in cords of affliction, then He declares unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved proudly” (Job 36:8–9).

יומא מ״ז א

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן שִׁבְעָה בָּנִים הָיוּ לָהּ לְקִמְחִית וְכוּלָּן שִׁמְּשׁוּ בִּכְהוּנָּה גְּדוֹלָה אָמְרוּ לָהּ חֲכָמִים מָה עָשִׂית שֶׁזָּכִית לְכָךְ אָמְרָה לָהֶם מִיָּמַי לֹא רָאוּ קוֹרוֹת בֵּיתִי קַלְעֵי שְׂעָרִי אָמְרוּ לָהּ הַרְבֵּה עָשׂוּ כֵּן וְלֹא הוֹעִילוּ

Yoma 47a

The Sages taught in a baraita: Kimḥit had seven sons, and they all served in the office of the High Priesthood, as High Priests or as his substitute. The Sages said to her: What good deeds did you perform to merit this? She said to them: In all my days, the beams of my house never saw the braids of my hair, as she was extremely modest and was strict about covering her hair even inside her own house. They said to her: Many women did so and did not succeed to such a degree; you must have been granted a special gift from God.

רש"י על שמות ל״ד:ג׳

(א) ואיש לא יעלה עמך. הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת עַ"יְ שֶׁהָיוּ בִתְשׁוּאוֹת וְקוֹלוֹת וּקְהִלּוֹת, שָׁלְטָה בָהֶן עַיִן רָעָה – אֵין לְךָ יָפֶה מִן הַצְּנִיעוּת (שם):

Rashi on Exodus 34:3

(1) ואיש לא יעלה עמך AND NO MAN SHALL GO UP WITH THEE — Because the first tablets were given amidst great noises and alarms and a vast assembly the “evil eye” had power over them (they did not endure) — there is no finer quality than to be unostentatious! (Midrash Tanchuma 3:9:31).