Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Torah

SEE, I HAVE CALLED BY NAME BEZALEL THE SON OF URI, THE SON OF HUR. G-d said to Moses, See, I have called by name, and Moses said to Israel, See, the Eternal hath called by name. The reason for this is because Israel in Egypt had been crushed under the work in mortar and in brick, and had acquired no knowledge of how to work with silver and gold, and the cutting of precious stones, and had never seen them at all. It was thus a wonder that there was to be found amongst them such a great wise-hearted man who knew how to work with silver and gold, and in cutting of stones [for setting] and in carving of wood, a craftsman, an embroiderer, and a weaver. For even amongst those who study before the experts, you cannot find one who is proficient in all these crafts. And even those who know them and are used to doing them, if their hands are continually engaged in [work with] lime and mud, lose the ability to do with them such artistic and delicate work. Moreover, he [i.e. Bezalel] was a great Sage in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, to understand the secret of the Tabernacle and all its vessels, why they were commanded and to what they hinted. Therefore G-d said to Moses that when he sees this wonder he should know that I filled him with the spirit of G-d, to know all these things in order that he would make the Tabernacle. For it was His Will to make the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and He created him for His glory, “Whatsoever the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world He created it but for His glory.” Bezalel thus was born for that sacred purpose, as the thought continues to be unfolded by Ramban. for it is He that called the generations from the beginning, it being similar in meaning to the verse, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. The same type of expression we find in the verse, See that the Eternal hath given you the Sabbath; therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Our Rabbis have on this topic a Midrash: “G-d showed Moses the book of the first man and told him: ‘Each person I have given a role from that moment on, and Bezalel too I have given a role already then, as it is said, See, I have called by name Bezalel.’” This is similar to what I have explained. The Rabbis have also said: “Bezalel knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth were created.” The purport of this saying is that the Tabernacle alludes to these matters [heaven and earth], and he knew and understood its secret.

AND THE GARMENTS OF ‘HA’SROD.’ I do not know why He did not command the making of these garments at the beginning, as He did concerning all the [rest of the] work of the Tabernacle and the garments of Aaron and his sons, for it would have been proper that He say to Moses, “and thou shalt make cloth of blue-purple to cover with it the ark, and a red-purple cloth to cover with it the altar,, Verse 13. and a cloth of scarlet to cover with it the table,” and now when charging Moses about those who were to make these things, He should have included these garments with the rest of the work. Perhaps there was no insistence on how they were to be made, and they could have made these garments of srod of one kind alone, but they made them of blue-purple, red-purple and scarlet. They did not want to make them of linen, as that is not distinguished, as are those other colors. After they made them, G-d willed that the blue-purple cloth be for the ark, the red-purple for the altar, and the scarlet for the table. Therefore, it was sufficient to command them in brief [here] when He gave the command about those who were to do all the work, for these garments of ‘ha’srod’ were to be made according to their understanding. Now it is not befitting that a garment made to cover [the sacred vessels] should have many holes in it, as Rashi has said. Rather, the word ha’srod is of the term sarid (a lone survivor), because all these garments were of one kind, as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said. All this I have written in accordance with the line of thought of Rashi. Yet all this availeth me nothing. For what meaning is there in the Holy One, blessed be He, saying to Moses that they should make “garments of kela,” (hangings) (above 27:9) Onkelos translates s’radin. Similarly he translates the Hebrew word michbar (grate) (ibid., Verse 4) as s’rada. On the basis of these translations of Onkelos, Rashi suggests here that the word ha’srod is an Aramaic term, which means “garments of net-work,” because they were made with many holes. — It is with reference to this basis for Rashi’s explanation that Ramban says, “garments of kela.” or “garments of s’ridah,” without explaining to him how many of them there should be, two or a hundred, how long and wide they should be, and why they should be made altogether, since the matter cannot be understood at all from this communication [stated here]? Moreover, why are they mentioned always before the garments of Aaron? etc. — Likewise further, 35:19, and 39:41. Besides, what is the meaning of the phrase, the garments of ‘ha’srod’, for ministering in the holy place, for this seems to refer to the sacrificial rites in the holy place, just as He says, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place. Similarly, even he who cometh into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the holy place, 29:30. does not refer to outer work, or the carrying of the holy vessels. Furthermore, it is written, and they will make all that I commanded thee: the Tent of Meeting etc., and the garments of ‘ha’srod’ etc., and the incense of sweet spices; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do. But He had not commanded him before about the garments of ‘ha’srod’ at all! What appears from the words of our Rabbis is that the garments of ‘ha’srod’ are the actual garments of the priesthood. This is mentioned in Tractate Yoma. (further 35:19)? If not for the garments of the priesthood [which are worn during the service which brings atonement to Israel], there would not have been left a survivor [a sarid] of Israel’s enemies.” The final expression is a euphemism. But the whole quotation shows that the garments of ‘ha’srod’ refer to the actual garments of the priests. If that is so, it is correct that we translate the garments of ‘ha’srod’ as “the garments of uniqueness,” that is to say, the garments which when worn designate the outstanding one of the people, the highest among his brethren. Similarly, ‘u’basridim’ whom the Eternal shall call means the remnants of those who have survived, [the word being] of the root, escape ‘v’sarid’ (and remain). [The garments of ‘ha’srod’] thus allude to the garments of Aaron, which are so called [‘unique’] because only one of the generation may wear them — Aaron in his lifetime, and after him the priest that is highest… upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments. And Scripture always mentions Aaron’s garments in a way of honor, as it says: for splendor and for beauty; holy garments;, Verse 4. the golden plate, the holy crown. It is for this reason that they are called the garments of ‘ha’srod’ — garments of royalty. This is the meaning of the verse, And the garments of ‘ha’srod’ (the High Priest) to minister in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, Scripture thus reverting [in the second half of the verse] to explain [that the garments of ha’srod are for Aaron]. Similarly it is mentioned in the section beginning, And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses.. And the reason why in this section of See, I have called by name it says, And the garments of ‘ha’srod,’ ‘and’ the holy garments for Aaron the priest [when the second half of the verse should have been without the connective vav which signifies “and,” since, as explained, it is in apposition to the first], is to indicate that these garments are superior in two qualities: they are garments of ha’srod [the High Priesthood], and they are garments of holiness. This is in order to tell us that only the outstanding one among the people should wear them, [and only] when he comes in to minister in the holy place. And seeing that He did not mention here the phrase, to minister in the holy place,, 29:30. He added in explanation that they are garments of s’rod and garments of holiness. Besides, there are many cases in Scripture where a redundant vav occurs. And the reason why Scripture states, And of the blue-purple, and red-purple, and scarlet, they made garments of ‘srod,’ is a term referring to the garments of the High Priest, why then does the verse not mention the linen, of which the garments of Aaron were also made? This is because etc. is because it comes to explain These are the accounts of the Tabernacle,, 38:21. giving an accounting — because of their importance — of the gold, silver and brass, how much of them the Israelites brought and what they did with them; therefore it then said afterwards that of the blue-purple, and the red-purple, and scarlet which were brought to them they made the garments of ‘srod’ (the High Priest), neither more nor less. Thus it did not mention the linen because it is not as costly a matter [as the rest]. Perhaps they brought so much [of the linen] that it was left over [and therefore Scripture did not mention it]. Then Scripture there refers back and explains [what they did with the blue-purple, the red-purple, etc.] and says, and they made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Eternal commanded Moses, is a term referring to the garments of the High Priest, why then does the verse not mention the linen, of which the garments of Aaron were also made? This is because etc. And he made the ephod of gold,, 39:2. and then finished the [whole] subject.

ACH’ (BUT) YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. “Even though you may be anxious to do the work promptly, do not set aside the Sabbath on its account. All [Scriptural expressions containing] the words ach (but) or rak (only), intimate limiting qualifications; [in this case] it is to exclude the Sabbath from [the days on which] the work of the Tabernacle may be done.” This is Rashi’s language. But I have not been able to explain it. For according to the method used by our Rabbis to interpret the words ach (but) and rak (only), it should limit the scope of Sabbath-observance [and permit the work of the Tabernacle on the Sabbath], for the limiting qualifications [of ach and rak] everywhere apply to the subject of the commandment itself [and since the verse here speaks of Sabbath-observance, the word ach should be restricting its application]. Thus if we are to interpret [and apply] the limiting nature of the word ach to the subject of the work of the Tabernacle, it should follow that it is allowed to be done on the Sabbath! Rather, the limiting nature of the word ach here applies to circumcision [on the eighth day of the child], or to the saving of human life, and similar instances, [to tell us] that they set aside the Sabbath. And so the Rabbis said in Tractate Yoma: “And whence do we know that even in a doubt whether life is in danger, the Sabbath may be set aside? Rabbi Abohu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: ‘Ach’ ye shall keep My Sabbaths — [the word ach] has a limiting qualification.” And the reason why the work of the Tabernacle does not override the Sabbath [is not on account of the word ach, but] because He warned [about keeping the Sabbath] here [right next to the subject of the making of the Tabernacle, thus indicating that the Sabbath is not to be set aside on account of it]. And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse states as follows: “You shall do the work of the Tent of Meeting, but My Sabbaths you shall keep forever.” And in the Torath Kohanim Section 3, 7:7. [the Rabbis have said as follows]: “I might think that the building of the Sanctuary overrides the Sabbath? Scripture therefore says, Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My Sanctuary: I am the Eternal.” Now the reason for the word Shabtothai [in the plural] is because the Sabbaths of the year are many. By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], He commanded here [the keeping of the “Sabbaths”] by zachor (above 20:8). and shamor, (Deuteronomy 5:12). as I have hinted with reference to their secret, this being the reason for the plural — My Sabbaths. Of the two of them [zachor and shamor] He says, for it is a sign [when He should have said “for they are a sign,” this is in order to indicate] that “it” [the Sabbath] is the sign between Me and you… that ye may know. He states, Ye shall keep the Sabbath, and declares that those that profane it are liable to extinction, for the spirit returneth unto G-d who gave it, but the soul of that one [who profanes the Sabbath] will be cut off from there. He states concerning the seventh day that it is a Sabbath of solemn rest holy to G-d, because it is the foundation of the world; of the Sabbath He also says that it is a perpetual covenant, and then He states again that it is a sign between Me and the children of Israel meaning that the Sabbath is the sign on the seventh day, and the purport thereof is that the [seventh] day itself is a sign, and [its sanctification as] the Sabbath is the sign forever., Note 23. This is also the purport of the expression, He ceased from work and rested, this being an allusion to “the extra [Sabbath] soul” which comes from The Foundation of the world, in Whose hand is the soul of every living thing. Thus the chapter is explained. I have already hinted at its meaning in [my commentary to] the Ten Commandments. The student learned [in the Cabala] will understand.

AND HE GAVE UNTO MOSES. This is connected with the end-part of the verse, where the word “G-d” is mentioned, thus meaning: “and G-d gave unto Moses.” Just as Scripture mentioned concerning G-d’s communicating with Moses, And G-d spoke all these words, and with reference to the work of the Tablets of Law and the writing thereon it says, And the Tablets were the work of G-d, and the writing was the writing of G-d, so also it says concerning the giving, and G-d gave to Moses.