Parashat Vayakhel

Offerings for the Tabernacle

35 Then Moses assembled all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael and said to them, “These are the words which Adonai has commanded you to do. ² Work is to be done for six days, but the seventh day is a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest to Adonai. Whoever does any work then will die. ³ Do not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on Yom Shabbat.”

⁴ Moses also said to all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael, “This is the word which Adonai commanded saying: ⁵ Take from among you an offering for Adonai. Whoever has a willing heart, let him bring Adonai’s offering: gold, silver and bronze; ⁶ blue, purple and scarlet cloth; fine linen and goat hair; ⁷ ram skins dyed red, sealskins and acacia wood; ⁸ oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; ⁹ onyx stones, and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastplate.

¹⁰ “Let every wise-hearted man among you come and make everything that Adonai has commanded, including ¹¹ the Tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its clasps and its boards, its crossbars, its pillars and its bases; ¹² the Ark and the poles, the atonement cover and the curtain screen; ¹³ the table and its poles with all of its utensils, along with the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴ also the menorah for light with its utensils, its lamps and the oil for the light; ¹⁵ the altar of incense and its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle; ¹⁶ the altar of burnt offering with its grating of bronze, its poles and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; ¹⁷ the hangings of the courtyard, the pillars and their bases, and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard; ¹⁸ the pegs of the Tabernacle and of the courtyard, along with their cords; ¹⁹ the woven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the kohen and for his sons, to minister as kohanim.”

²⁰ Then all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael departed from before Moses. ²¹ Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought Adonai’s offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service as well as for the holy garments. ²² So they came, both men and women, everyone whose heart compelled him, and brought nose rings, earrings, signet rings, bracelets, and all kinds of golden jewels—everyone who brought a wave offering of gold to Adonai. ²³ Everyone who had blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red or sealskins brought them. ²⁴ Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought Adonai’s offering, and every man who had acacia wood of any use for service brought it. ²⁵ Also all the women who were wise-hearted spun with their hands, and brought what they had woven—the blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen. ²⁶ All the women whose heart stirred them up with wisdom spun the goat hair. ²⁷ Also the leaders brought onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastplate, ²⁸ along with the spice, the oil for the light and for anointing and for the sweet incense. ²⁹ Every man and woman whose heart made them willing gave toward all the work that Adonai had commanded to be done by Moses’ hand. So Bnei-Yisrael brought it as a freewill offering to Adonai.

³⁰ Then Moses said to Bnei-Yisrael, “See, Adonai has called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³¹ He has filled him with the Ruach of God, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge, in all manner of craftsmanship, ³² to make ingenious designs, to work in gold, silver and bronze, ³³ as well as cutting gemstones for setting, wood carving, to make all kinds of skillful craftsmanship. ³⁴ He has also placed in his heart the ability to teach—both he and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵ He has filled them with wisdom of heart to forge all the works of an engraver, an artisan, and an embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet and in fine linen, as well as weaving—they can perform every craft and ingenious designs.

More Than Enough!

36 “So Bezalel and Oholiab are to work, along with every wise-hearted man in whom Adonai has placed insight and understanding to know how to perform all the labor for the service of the Sanctuary, according to everything Adonai has commanded.”

² Then Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab and all the wise-hearted men in whose minds Adonai had set wisdom, along with everyone whose heart stirred him up to come do the work. ³ They received from Moses the entire offering that Bnei-Yisrael had brought for the work of the service of the Sanctuary, to build it. They brought freewill offerings to him morning after morning. ⁴ Then all the skilled men who were doing all the work of the Sanctuary came, one by one from the work he was doing, ⁵ and said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the work of this construction that Adonai has commanded to be done.”

⁶ So Moses gave an order, and they proclaimed it throughout the camp saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else as an offering for the Sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing more. ⁷ For the work material they had was sufficient for all the work, with much left over.

⁸ So all the wise-hearted men among them did the work. They made the Tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen, along with blue, purple and scarlet, with cheruvim—the work of a skillful craftsman. ⁹ The length of each curtain was 28 cubits and the width of each curtain was four cubits. All the curtains had one measure. ¹⁰ Then he coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he also coupled together. ¹¹ He made blue loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost within the first set. He did the same along the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set. ¹² He made 50 loops in one curtain and 50 loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set, so that the loops were opposite to one another. ¹³ Also he made 50 clasps of gold and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps, so the Tabernacle was one.

¹⁴ Then he made curtains from goat hair for a tent over the Tabernacle. He made 11 curtains. ¹⁵ The length of each curtain was 30 cubits, and the width of each was four cubits. The 11 curtains had one measure. ¹⁶ He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six other curtains by themselves. ¹⁷ He made 50 loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first set and 50 loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set. ¹⁸ Also he made 50 bronze clasps to couple the tent together, so that it would be one. ¹⁹ Then he made a covering for the tent of ram skins, dyed red, along with a covering of sealskins above.

²⁰ He also made the framework of boards for the Tabernacle from acacia wood, standing upright. ²¹ The length of a board was ten cubits, the width was a cubit and a half. ²² Each board had two supports, joined one to another. He did this for all the boards of the Tabernacle. ²³ So he built the boards for the Tabernacle, 20 boards from the south side southward. ²⁴ And he made 40 silver bases under the 20 boards, two bases under one board for its two supports, and two bases under another board for its two supports. ²⁵ Also for the second side of the Tabernacle, on the north side, he made 20 boards, ²⁶ along with their 40 silver bases, two under one board and two under the next. ²⁷ For the back part of the Tabernacle westward he made six boards. ²⁸ He also made two boards for the corners of the Tabernacle in the back, ²⁹ so that they could be doubled underneath, and in same way to be fixed to the top, at the first ring. He did this for both of them at the two corners. ³⁰ So there were eight boards, along with their silver bases, 16 in all, two under each board.

³¹ Then he made crossbars from acacia wood, five for the boards on one side of the Tabernacle, ³² five for the boards on the other side of the Tabernacle, and five crossbars for the boards of the Tabernacle for the back part, westward. ³³ He built the middle crossbar to pass through, in the center of the boards, from one end to the other. ³⁴ He overlaid the boards with gold and made golden rings for them, as holders for the crossbars, and overlaid the crossbars with gold.

³⁵ Then he made the curtain of blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen, along with the cheruvim, the work of a skillful craftsman. ³⁶ He made four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold, having golden hooks, and he cast four silver bases for them. ³⁷ Then he made a parokhet for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen, the work of a color weaver. ³⁸ Also he made the five pillars with their hooks, and overlaid their capitals and bands with gold, along with their five bronze bases.

Ark, Table, Menorah, Incense Altar

37 Bezalel also made the Ark from acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. ² He overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a crown of gold for it all around. ³ He cast four golden rings for it, in the four feet, two rings on the one side, and two on the other. ⁴ He also made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. ⁵ Then he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the Ark, to carry the Ark.

⁶ He made an atonement cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide. ⁷ Then he forged two cheruvim of gold, from hammered work, at the two ends of the atonement cover, ⁸ one cheruv at one end, and one cheruv at the other. He made the atonement cover from a single piece with the cheruvim on the two ends. ⁹ So the cheruvim spread out their wings on high, overshadowing the atonement cover with their wings, with their faces to one another, and the faces of the cheruvim toward the atonement cover.

¹⁰ Then he made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹ He overlaid it with pure gold and made a golden crown all around. ¹² Also he made a border for it, a hand-width around, and made a golden crown for the border all around. ¹³ He cast four golden rings for it, and put the rings into the four corners that were on the four feet. ¹⁴ The rings were close to the borders, as holders for the poles to carry the table. ¹⁵ He also made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. ¹⁶ He forged the articles that were on the table, the dishes, pans, bowls and jars, with which to pour, out of pure gold.

¹⁷ Then he made the menorah of pure gold, of hammered work, even its base, its stem, its cups, its bulbs and its flowers, were one piece with it. ¹⁸ There were six branches going out of the sides, three branches out of one side, and three branches out of the other. ¹⁹ Three cups made like almond blossoms were in one branch, a bulb within a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the next branch, another bulb within a flower. It was just so for the six branches going out of the menorah. ²⁰ Also within the menorah were four cups made like almond blossoms, bulbs and flowers, ²¹ with a bulb under two branches of one piece, a second bulb under two branches of another piece, and a bulb under two branches of a third piece, for six branches extending out of it. ²² Their bulbs and their branches were one piece with it, an entire hammered work of pure gold.

²³ He also made the seven lamps, along with tongs and censers of pure gold. ²⁴ He made them from a talent of pure gold, along with all the pieces.

²⁵ He made the altar of incense from acacia wood, a cubit long, a cubit wide, squared, and two cubits high. The horns were one piece with it. ²⁶ Then he overlaid it with pure gold on top, on the sides all around and over its horns. Also he made a crown of gold for it all around. ²⁷ He made two golden rings for it underneath the crown, on two sides as holders for poles in order to carry it. ²⁸ He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

²⁹ Then he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, the blend of a perfumer.

Altar for Sacrifices

38 He then made the altar for burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. ² He also made the horns on the four corners from one piece, and overlaid it with bronze. ³ Then he made all the utensils for the altar—the pots and the shovels, the basins, the forks and the fire pans. He made all the utensils from bronze. ⁴ He also made a bronze grating net for the altar, under the ledge around it, reaching halfway up. ⁵ He cast four rings for the four ends of the bronze grating, to be holders for the poles. ⁶ He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷ Then he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it, and he made it hollow, out of boards.

⁸ He made the basin and the base from bronze, with mirrors from the women who served at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

⁹ Then he made the courtyard. For the south side the hangings of the courtyard were finely twisted linen, 100 cubits long. ¹⁰ There were 20 pillars and 20 bronze bases. The hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver. ¹¹ Likewise, for the north side, 100 cubits long, with 20 bronze pillars and bases, and the hooks for the pillars and their bands were silver. ¹² For the west side the hangings were 50 cubits, with ten pillars and their ten bases, as well as the hooks for the pillars and their silver bands. ¹³ Likewise, for the east side, 50 cubits long. ¹⁴ The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with three pillars and their bases. ¹⁵ Similarly for the other side, on either side of the gate of the courtyard were hangings of 15 cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶ All the hangings of the courtyard all around were of finely twisted linen. ¹⁷ The bases for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, the overlaying of their capitals were silver, and all the pillars of the courtyard were ringed with silver.

¹⁸ The curtain for the gate of the courtyard was the work of a color weaver, of blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen. It was 20 cubits long and five cubits high, like the hangings of the courtyard. ¹⁹ Their four pillars and four bases were bronze. Their hooks along with the overlaying of their capitals and their bands were silver. ²⁰ All the pegs of the Tabernacle and the courtyard all around were bronze.

Parashat Pekudei

²¹ These are the accounts of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were recorded according to the commandment of Moses, by the service of the Levites, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen. ²² Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur of the tribe of Judah made all that Adonai commanded Moses. ²³ Along with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman, a skillful workman, and a weaver of colors, in blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen.

²⁴ The entirety of the gold that was used for the work of the Sanctuary, including the gold of the offering, was 29 talents^[a] and 730 shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel. ²⁵ The silver from those numbered from the congregation was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel— ²⁶ that is, a beka, or half a shekel per head, according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, for everyone who was recorded, from 20 years old and upward, for 603,550 men. ²⁷ The 100 talents of silver were for casting the bases of the Sanctuary, and the bases for the inner curtain, 100 bases for 100 talents, a talent for each base. ²⁸ The 1,775 shekels he made into hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made bands for them.

²⁹ The bronze from the offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. ³⁰ With it he made the bases for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating, all the utensils for the altar, ³¹ along with the bases of the courtyard all around, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, as well as all the pegs of the Tabernacle and the pegs for the courtyard all around.

Holy Garments for Aaron and His Sons

39 Next they made woven garments of blue, purple and scarlet, for ministering in the holy place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as Adonai commanded Moses.

² He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen. ³ They hammered the gold into thin plates, and cut it into threads, to work it in with the blue, purple and scarlet, within the fine linen, the work of a skillful craftsman. ⁴ Then they made shoulder pieces for it, joined together at the two ends. ⁵ The artfully woven band on the ephod, with which to gird it, was of the same piece and the same kind of workmanship of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen, as Adonai commanded Moses.

⁶ They placed the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, etched with the engravings of a signet seal, according to the names of Bnei-Yisrael. ⁷ He put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, to be memorial stones for Bnei-Yisrael, as Adonai commanded Moses.

⁸ He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful craftsman, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen. ⁹ It was square and folded doubled, a span long and a span wide. ¹⁰ They mounted within it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz and emerald were the first row. ¹¹ In the second row were a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond. ¹² In the third row were a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst, ¹³ and in the fourth row were a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They were enclosed in fittings of gold within their settings. ¹⁴ The stones corresponded to the names of Bnei-Yisrael, like the engravings of a signet seal, each one according to its name for the twelve tribes.

¹⁵ They attached braided chains to the breastplate, of wreathed work from pure gold. ¹⁶ They made two settings of gold, and two golden rings, and set the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. ¹⁷ They attached the two golden chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. ¹⁸ The other two ends of the chains they placed on the two settings, and fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, in the front. ¹⁹ They also made two golden rings, and set them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge that was toward the side of the ephod facing inward. ²⁰ They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod underneath, in the front, enclosed by their coupling, above the artfully woven band of the ephod. ²¹ Then they bound the breastplate by the rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue thread, so that it would rest on the artfully woven band and not be loosened from the ephod, as Adonai commanded Moses.

²² He also made the robe of the ephod from woven work, all of blue, ²³ with a hole in the center of the robe, and a binding woven around the hole as a collar, so that it would not be torn. ²⁴ They also made, on the hem of the robe, pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet and twisted linen. ²⁵ Then they made bells of pure gold and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around, between the pomegranates, ²⁶ a bell and a pomegranate, then another bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe, to minister in, as Adonai commanded Moses.

²⁷ Then they made the sashes of fine linen, woven work for Aaron and for his sons, ²⁸ the turban of fine linen, the headwear, the linen undergarments of finely twisted linen, ²⁹ along with the tunic of checkered work, in blue, purple and scarlet, the work of a color weaver, as Adonai commanded Moses.

³⁰ Finally they made the plate of the holy coronet from pure gold, and wrote an inscription on it, like the engraving of a signet seal: HOLY TO Adonai. ³¹ They tied to it a blue thread, to fasten onto the turban above, as Adonai commanded Moses.

³² So all the work of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was finished. Bnei-Yisrael did everything according to what Adonai had commanded Moses—they did it just so. ³³ Then they brought the Tabernacle to Moses, along with the tent and all of its furnishings, its clasps, its boards, its crossbars, its pillars, and its bases; ³⁴ along with the covering of ram skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, the veil of the curtain; ³⁵ as well as the Ark of the Testimony with its poles, and the atonement cover; ³⁶ the table and all of its utensils, the showbread; ³⁷ the pure menorah with its lamps to be set in order, along with all of its utensils, and oil for the light; ³⁸ the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the curtain for the entrance of the tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar, its grating and its poles along with all of its utensils, and the basin and its base; ⁴⁰ the hangings for the courtyard, with its pillars, its bases and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, with its cords and its pegs, along with all the instruments for the service of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting; ⁴¹ as well as the woven garments for ministering in the Sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the kohen and for his sons to serve as kohanim.

⁴² According to everything that Adonai had commanded Moses, Bnei-Yisrael had done all the work just so. ⁴³ When Moses saw the entire work, and that they had done it just as Adonai had commanded, Moses blessed them.

Setting up the Tabernacle

40 Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “On the first day of the first month, you will set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. ³ You are to put the Ark of the Testimony there, and screen off the Ark with the curtain. ⁴ Then bring in the table, and set in order the bread that is on it. Bring in the menorah and light its lamps. ⁵ Set the golden incense altar in front of the Ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain over the entrance of the Tabernacle.

⁶ “Set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. ⁷ Set up the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ⁸ Set up the courtyard all around, and hang the curtain of the gate of the courtyard.

⁹ “Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle, and everything within it, and consecrate it, along with all of its furnishings, and it will be holy. ¹⁰ Also you are to anoint the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils and consecrate the altar. The altar will be most holy. ¹¹ Then you are to anoint the basin along with its base and sanctify it.

¹² “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water. ¹³ Put the holy garments on Aaron, anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may minister to Me as a kohen. ¹⁴ Also bring his sons and put tunics upon them. ¹⁵ You are to anoint them, as you did their father, so that they too may minister to Me as kohanim. Their anointing will be for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” ¹⁶ Moses did so, just as Adonai had commanded him.

¹⁷ Now it happened during the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the Tabernacle was raised up. ¹⁸ Moses raised the Tabernacle, and laid its bases, set up the framework of boards, put in the crossbars and set up its pillars. ¹⁹ Then he spread the tent over the Tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on it, just as Adonai had commanded Moses.

²⁰ He placed the Testimony into the Ark, set the poles on the Ark, and put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. ²¹ He brought the Ark into the Tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen, and screened off the Ark of the Testimony, just as Adonai had commanded Moses.

²² Then he set up the table inside the Tent of Meeting, on the side of the Tabernacle northward, outside the curtain. ²³ He set a row of bread in order upon it before Adonai, just as Adonai had commanded Moses. ²⁴ Then he placed the menorah in the Tent of Meeting, over against the table, on the south side of the Tabernacle. ²⁵ Then he lit the lamps before Adonai, just as Adonai had commanded Moses.

²⁶ Next he placed the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the curtain, ²⁷ and he burned sweet spices of incense there, just as Adonai had commanded Moses. ²⁸ He hung the curtain over the entrance of the Tabernacle. ²⁹ Then he set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as Adonai had commanded Moses.

³⁰ Next he set up the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹ so that Moses, Aaron and his sons could wash their hands and their feet there. ³² When they went into the Tent of Meeting and when they came near to the altar, they washed, just as Adonai had commanded Moses.

³³ He set up the courtyard around the Tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen at the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

Glory Fills the Tabernacle

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of Adonai filled the Tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses was unable to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud resided there and the glory of Adonai filled the Tabernacle.

³⁶ Now whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, Bnei-Yisrael went onward, throughout all their journeys. ³⁷ But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not move out until the day that it was. ³⁸ For the cloud of Adonai was on the Tabernacle by day and a fire was there by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.