Daf Ditty Shabbes 99

‫ ֲחרוִּצים ָהיוּ ְק ָרִשׁים ַוֲחלוִּלים ָהיוּ ֲאָד ִנים‬:‫ָתּנוּ ַרָבַּנן‬,

The Sages taught with regard to the construction of the Tabernacle: The bottoms of the beams
were grooved, and the sockets were hollow, and the grooves were inserted into the sockets to
support the beams.

‫ ְו ִנ ְרִאין ְק ָרִסין ַבּלּוָּלאוֹת ְכּכוָֹכִבים ָבּ ָרִקיַﬠ‬.

‫ וְּגדוָֹלה‬.‫ ְוֶﬠְליוֹנוֹת ֶשׁל ַמֲﬠֵשׂה ִﬠִזּים‬,‫ ְי ִריעוֹת ַהַתְּחתּוֹנוֹת ֶשׁל ְתֵּכֶלת ְוֶשׁל ַא ְרָגָּמן ְוֶשׁל תּוַֹלַﬠת ָשׁ ִני ְוֶשׁל ֵשׁשׁ‬:‫ָּתנוּ ַרָבַּנן‬
‫ ״ ְוׇכל ִאָשּׁה ַחְכַמת ֵלב ְבָּיֶדיָה‬:‫ ְדִּאילּוּ ְבַּתְחתּוֹנוֹת ְכִּתיב‬,‫ָחְכָמה ֶשֶׁנֶּאְמ ָרה ָבֶּﬠְליוֹנוֹת יוֵֹתר ִמַמּה ֶשֶּׁנֶּאְמ ָרה ְבַּתְחתּוֹנוֹת‬
:‫ ְוַת ְנָיא ִמשּׁוּם ַרִבּי ְנֶחְמָיה‬.‫שׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה ְבׇּחְכָמה ָטווּ ֶאת ָהִﬠִזּים״‬
ָ ‫שׁר ָנ‬
ֶ ‫ ״ ְוׇכל ַהָנִּשׁים ֲא‬:‫ ְוִאילּוּ ְבֶּﬠְליוֹנוֹת ְכִּתיב‬,‫ָטווּ״‬
‫ָשׁטוּף ָבִּﬠִזּים ְוָטווּי ִמן ָהִﬠִזּים‬.

Our Sages taught: The bottom curtains in the Tabernacle were made of sky-blue wool, and of
purple wool, and of scarlet wool, and of fine linen; and the top curtains were made of goat hair,
even though that material is considered to be inferior and common. However, the wisdom that was
stated with regard to the top curtains was greater than that which was stated with regard to the
bottom ones. This is because, with regard to the bottom curtains, it is written:

;‫ ְבָּיֶדיָה ָטווּ‬,‫ֵלב‬-‫ִאָשּׁה ַחְכַמת‬-‫כה ְוָכל‬ 25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with
,‫ָהַא ְרָגָּמן‬-‫ַהְתֵּכֶלת ְוֶאת‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ַוָיִּביאוּ ַמְטֶוה‬ their hands, and brought that which they had spun,1 the
.‫ַהֵשּׁשׁ‬-‫ ְוֶאת‬,‫תּוַֹלַﬠת ַהָשּׁ ִני‬-‫ֶאת‬ blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.

1
‫ַמְטֶוה‬m.n. that which is spun, yarn (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Ex. 35:25). [Formed from ‫ =( טוה‬to spin), with
pref. ‫◌ַמ‬.]

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 “And every wise-hearted woman spun with her hands, and they brought that which they had spun,
the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the linen” (Exodus 35:25); while with regard to the top
curtains, it is written:

,‫ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬--‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬-‫כו ְוָכל‬ 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in
.‫ָהִﬠִזּים‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ ָטווּ‬:‫ְבָּחְכָמה‬ wisdom spun the goats' hair.

“And all of the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom spun the goats” (Exodus 35:26).

The phrase “whose hearts inspired them” suggests a greater degree of wisdom. Apparently,
spinning the goat’s hair curtains required greater skill than spinning the various kinds of wool.

And on a similar note, it was taught in a baraita in the name of Rabbi Nechemia: The hair was
rinsed on the goats, and it was even spun from the goats, which required a great deal of skill.

Rashi: Ex 35:25

The Torah describes the colorful and luxurious bottom curtains as spun by “every wise-
hearted woman” and the more rustic, goat-hair curtains as spun by “women whose hearts
inspired them.” While we might be tempted to read this as poetic variation of language, the
Talmud sees a significant value difference between these very similar expressions. But why?

One clue comes to us from the translation (JPS) which translates “wise-hearted” [chochmat lev]
as “skilled,” and “inspired with wisdom” [asher asa liban otana b’chochma] as “excelling in that
skill.”

There is certainly a difference between being simply skilled and truly excellent at one’s craft. The
great commentator Rashi even suggests that the second group of women were so accomplished
that they actually spun the hair while it was still attached to the live goats! 2

Midrash Aggadah, Exodus 28:3:1

‫ואתה תדבר אל כל חכמי לב‬. ‫)שמות לה כה( לרבות הנשים שנאמר וכל אשה חכמת לב‬:

The Zohar engages in true midrashic hermeneutics in this dazzling insight:

2
Sue Parker Gerson ADL, CO “community @myjewishlearning.com”

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Zohar III:50
‫ ְכִּתיב‬,‫כ״ו( ָתּא ֲחֵזי‬:‫ ְבַּשֲׁﬠָתא ַדֲּהווֹ ַﬠְבִדּין ֲﬠִביְדָתּא )שמות ל״ה‬.'‫ ְוָכל ַהָנִּשׁים ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ְוגוֹ‬, .‫ ָדּא ְלַמְקְדָּשׁא‬,‫ֲהווֹ ַאְמֵרי‬
‫ ְוֵכן ָכּל ִאינּוּן אוְּמ ִנין ְבִּגין ְדּ ִיְשֵׁרי ְקדוָּשּׁה ַﬠל ְיַד ְייהוּ‬.‫ ָדּא ְלָפרוְֹכָתּא‬.‫ָדּא ְלַמְשְׁכָּנא‬, ‫ ְוִאְתַקַדּשׁ ַההוּא ֲﬠִביְדָתּא‬. ‫ְוַכד ָסִליק‬
‫ ִבְּקדוָּשּׁה ָסִליק‬,‫ְלַאְתֵריהּ‬.
Come and hear, see what is written Ex 35:26
,‫ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬--‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬-‫כו ְוָכל‬ 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in
.‫ָהִﬠִזּים‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ ָטווּ‬:‫ְבָּחְכָמה‬ wisdom spun the goats' hair.
While they were performing their work ,weaving the fabric for the Tabernacle, they dedicated each
piece for its specific location, with an invocation “this is for the Dwelling, (Mikdash) this is for
the Mishkan, this is for the curtain (Paroches) ” Similarly with all those artisans, so that holiness
would settle on their hands and their workmanship would be sanctified, when it attained its place,
it did so in holiness.

This dedication invited holiness and ensured its presence. So that when the construction work was
completed and everything was in its ordered place, the sanctity was already preconditioned to rest
upon it for (their) words (?logos) worked as a charm (segulah) to draw down the power of holiness
upon the article or object they were constructing .

Matok Mi’dvash adds “here is the source for the invocation of the words “‫ ”לשם יחוד‬before all
sacred acts one performs, in order to reveal one’s intention prior to engaging in a sacred act to
be ‫לשם שמים‬, so that the entire worship is already completed in sanctity”

This Zohar comes to explain why upon entering Canaan Lev 14:34, why they did not find the
treasures buried in the homes immediately, but had to go through the whole process of calling in
the Kohen to identify the plague first…

‫שׁר ֲאנִי‬ ֶ ‫ ֲא‬,‫ֶאֶרץ ְכּנַַען‬-‫לד ִכּי ָתב ֹאוּ ֶאל‬ 34 When ye are come into the land of Canaan, which I
,‫נ ֵֹתן ָלֶכם ַלֲאֻחָזּה; ו ְנַָתִתּי נֶַגע צרעת‬
ַ ַ ָ give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of
.‫ְבֵּבית ֶאֶרץ ֲאֻחַזְּתֶכם‬ leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;

‫ ו ְִהִגּיד ַלכּ ֵֹהן‬,‫לוֹ ַהַבּי ִת‬-‫שׁר‬

There is a command to empty the house and the Midrash Lev Rabba 17:6 adds

‫ ָתֵּני ַרִבּי ִשְׁמעוֹן ֶבּן יוָֹחאי ֵכּיָון‬.‫שׁ ְנָּגִﬠים ָבִּאים ֲﬠֵליֶהם‬ֶ ‫ ָתֵּני ַרִבּי ִחָיּא ְוִכי ְבּשׂוֹ ָרה ִהיא ָלֶהם‬,‫ ְוָנַתִתּי ֶנַגע ָצ ַרַﬠת‬:‫וְּכִתיב‬
‫ ָאַמר ַהָקּדוֹשׁ ָבּרוּ‚ הוּא ֲא ִני‬,‫שּׂדוֹת‬ ָ ‫ֶשָׁשְּׁמעוּ ְכַּנֲﬠ ִנים ֶשׁ ִיְּשׂ ָרֵאל ָבִּאים ֲﬠֵליֶהם ָﬠְמדוּ ְוִהְטִמינוּ ָממוָֹנם ַבָּבִּתּים וַּב‬
‫שֶׁנֱּאַמר‬ֶ ,‫שֲׁא ִני ַמְכ ִניס ֶאת ְבֵּניֶהם ְלֶא ֶרץ ְמֵלָאה ָכּל טוּב‬ֶ ‫ יא(ִהְבַטְחִתּי ַלֲאבוֵֹתיֶהם‬,‫)דברים ו‬: ,‫וָּבִתּים ְמֵלִאים ָכּל טוּב‬
.‫שׂה ְמָג ֶרה ְנָגִﬠים ְבֵּביתוֹ ְוהוּא סוְֹתרוֹ וּמוֵֹצא בּוֹ ִסיָמא‬ ֶ ‫ָמה ַהָקּדוֹשׁ ָבּרוּ‚ הוּא עוֹ‬

It is written: ‫" ְוָנַתִתּי ֶנַגע ָצַרַﬠת‬and I gave the plague of Tzaraat” (Vayikra 14:34)

Rabbi Hiya learned - and is this [good] news for them that a plague will come upon them?

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Rabbi Shimon son of Yohai learned since the Canaanites heard that Yisrael were coming upon
them, they got up and they hid their money in their houses and in their fields .
The Holy One Blessed Be He said
-‫ ֶאל‬,˜‫ֶהי‬š‫י ְוָהָיה ִכּי ְיִביֲא˜ ְיהָוה ֱא‬ 10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall bring
‫ָהָאֶרץ ֲאֶשׁר ִנְשַׁבּע ַלֲאֹבֶתי˜ ְלַאְבָרָהם‬ thee into the land which He swore unto thy fathers, to
‫ת‬š‫ ָﬠ ִרים ְגֹּד‬:œ‫ָלֶתת ָל‬--‫ְל ִיְצָחק וְּלַיֲﬠֹקב‬ Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee--great and
.‫ָב ִניָת‬-‫ ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬,‫ְוֹטֹבת‬ goodly cities, which thou didst not build,

-‫ ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬,‫טוּב‬-‫יא וָּבִתּים ְמֵלִאים ָכּל‬ 11 and houses full of all good things, which thou didst not
,‫ָחַצְבָתּ‬-‫ וֹּבֹרת ֲחצוִּבים ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬,‫ִמֵלּאָת‬ fill, and cisterns hewn out, which thou didst not hew,
,‫ָנָטְﬠָתּ; ְוָאַכְלָתּ‬-‫ְכָּרִמים ְוֵזיִתים ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬ vineyards and olive-trees, which thou didst not plant, and
.‫ְוָשָׂבְﬠָתּ‬ thou shalt eat and be satisfied--

"I promised to your forefathers that I would enter their children to a land full of good" as it is
said (Devarim 6:11) “ and houses full of good.”

What did Hashem do? He sent plagues in their houses [of Jews who settled in Israel] - and he
[the owner of the house] would break it down and he would find there a treasure.

The Zohar insists the reason for the command to demolish the structures that were infested with
the plague: Lev 14, 40-43:

,‫ָהֲאָב ִנים‬-‫ ְוִחְלּצוּ ֶאת‬,‫ ַהֹכֵּהן‬,‫מ ְוִצָוּה‬ 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the
-‫ֲאֶשׁר ָבֵּהן ַהָנַּגע; ְוִהְשִׁליכוּ ֶאְתֶהן ֶאל‬ stones in which the plague is and cast them into an unclean
.‫ָמקוֹם ָטֵמא‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫ִמחוּץ ָלִﬠיר‬ place without the city.

;‫ ָסִביב‬,‫ַהַבּ ִית ַיְקִצַﬠ ִמַבּ ִית‬-‫מא ְוֶאת‬ 41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within
‫ִמחוּץ‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫ֶהָﬠָפר ֲאֶשׁר ִהְקצוּ‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ְוָשְׁפכוּ‬ round about, and they shall pour out the mortar that they
.‫ָמקוֹם ָטֵמא‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫ָלִﬠיר‬ scrape off without the city into an unclean place.

-‫ ְוֵהִביאוּ ֶאל‬,‫מב ְוָלְקחוּ ֲאָב ִנים ֲאֵחרוֹת‬ 42 And they shall take other stones and put them in the
-‫ ְוָטח ֶאת‬,‫ַתַּחת ָהֲאָב ִנים; ְוָﬠָפר ַאֵחר ִיַקּח‬ place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar and
.‫ַהָבּ ִית‬ shall plaster the house.
Was to remove the spirit of impurity since the Canaanites had built their homes with the intent of
idol worship which now was soaked in the building materials. Therefore, these very stones had to
be removed prior to the finding of hidden treasure and not merely restored after the priestly
ritual. Once the spirit of impurity had been removed totally, the place would be cleared and
sanctified as before. And the Schechina would finally dwell there.

Rabbi Abba is bothered by the word ‫ ְוָנַתִתּי ֶנַגע ָצַרַﬠת‬, “and I give you the plague” as if the plague
was some kind of gift! Based on the Midrash that the Canaanites had buried hidden treasures in
the houses and walls, which the Israelites had found when tearing down the walls and plaster
because of the plague, and moldy affliction which God had “given”.

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The Zohar answers why the houses could not have been rebuilt with the same stones, because of
the impurity that would never leave until replacement stones dedicated to holiness would be
used. The prooftext for this whole pericope is our verse

,‫ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬--‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬-‫כו ְוָכל‬ 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in
.‫ָהִﬠִזּים‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ ָטווּ‬:‫ְבָּחְכָמה‬ wisdom spun the goats' hair.

The stirring of the heart is required for sanctity to descend. The mere action is insufficient.

This brings us back to our Daf where the difference between the top curtains and bottom
curtains is paradoxically one of an inferior material, nevertheless because the verse added for the
inferior material ‫ ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬which had not been said about the superior material, it was
used for the top curtain.

However, the wisdom that was stated with regard to the top curtains was greater than that which
was stated with regard to the bottom ones.

Interestingly, Ramban (Nahmanides) was of a different opinion (on Leviticus 13,47):

‫ ְבֶּבֶגד‬:‫ ִיְהֶיה בוֹ ֶנַגע ָצָרַﬠת‬-‫ ִכּי‬,‫מז ְוַהֶבֶּגד‬ 47 And when the plague of leprosy is in a garment,
.‫ אוֹ ְבֶּבֶגד ִפְּשִׁתּים‬,‫ֶצֶמר‬ whether it be a woolen garment, or a linen gar

This (the affliction of clothing) is not at all natural and does not exist in the world, and the same
is true of leprosy in houses. However, when the people of Israel are wholly devoted to the Lord,
His spirit will be upon them at all times to keep their bodies, their clothing and their houses
looking well, but when sin and iniquity occur in one of them ugliness will appear in his flesh or
his clothing or his house to show him that the Lord has forsaken him... See then, that this does
not happen except in the Land, which is God's inheritance: "When you enter the Land...which I
give you as a possession" (Leviticus 14:34) and ...this [leprosy] will never occur except in the
Chosen Land where the presence of God dwells.

Nahmanides' conclusion is that leprosy in a house is actually a result of the holiness of the Land
of Israel and indicates God's ongoing concern for the Land of Israel and His presence within it.

Which brings us to Reb Zadok (Tazria 9)

‫והנה הזוהר הקדוש לא הביא ראיה מכל הפסוקים הנז' רק הביא פ' וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה וגו' ושם‬
‫ ונראה מזה דכונת הזוהר הקדוש שלא די באמירה ודבור פה‬,‫ רק טוו את העזים‬,‫לא הזכיר כלל שאמרו הכונה בפיהם‬
‫ וכמש"נ בבצלאל ואמלא אותו רוח אלקים בחכמה ובתבונה‬,‫בלבד רק צריך גם חכמת הלב להכניס קדושה בהמעשה‬
‫( יודע היה בצלאל לצרף אותיות שבהם נבראו שמים וארץ וכו' וכן כתיב ובלב כל חכם לב‬.‫ובדעת ואיתא )ברכות נה‬
.‫ הלא המשכן מעשה קדושה והיה די שיעשו האומנין מלאכתם והקדושה מאיליו תבוא‬,‫נתתי חכמה ולמה הוצרכו לזה‬
‫ וזה ענין שכתב וכל אשה חכמת לב בידיה טוו ויביאו מטוה התכלת‬.‫אך נראה שהיה נצרך שיכניס כל א' קדושה במעשיו‬

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‫וגו' ולמה הזכיר בזה חכמת לב הלא טוויה נחשב )בכתובות נט‪ (:‬בין המלאכות שכל אשה עושה לבעלה‪ .‬אך המכוון בזה‬
‫שכל אשה חכמת לב שהיתה יכולה להכניס קדושה במעשי' בידי' טוו וגו'‪ ,‬וזה מ"ש )בשבת צט‪ (.‬גדולה חכמה שנאמרה‬
‫בעליונות יותר ממה שנאמרה בתחתונות כו' ואלו בעליונות כ' וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה טוו את‬
‫העזים ותניא משום ר"נ שטוף בעזים וטוו מן העזים ובאמת למה עשו כן והלא אין דרך טווי' בכך כמ"ש )שם עד‪(:‬‬
‫ואמר שם חכמה יתירה שאני ולמה להם לעשות בחכמה יתירה שלא כדרך טווי' ולא בתלוש כדרך טווי'‪ ,‬אך הענין‬
‫עפמ"ש האר"י הק' במ"ש )שם קמ‪ (:‬ואר"ח אנא לא בעניותי אכלי ירקי ולא בעתירותי כו' בעניותי משום דגריר‬
‫בעתירותי דאמינא היכא דעייל יקרא ליעול בשרא וכוורא‪ .‬וח"ו שר"ח הי' להוט אחר מעדנים ואמר האר"י הק' שמן‬
‫בע"ח אפשר להוציא יותר נ"ק ממה שאפשר להוציא מצומח ואמר לא בעניותי היינו בזמן שהיה עני בדעת אכלי ירקי‬
‫משום דגריר‪ .‬שקשה להוציא משם הנ"ק ויכול להתקלקל עוד ח"ו ולגרור אחריהם וזהו דגריר‪ ,‬ובעתירותי בדעת אמינא‬
‫באתרא וכו' ליעול בשרא וכוורא שמשם יש יותר נ"ק להוציא‪ ,‬ואפשר לפרש הכונה בעתירותי בעשיורת ממש וב'‬
‫הכוונת אמת‪ .‬שהשי"ת טריף לכל אדם לחם חוקו‪ .‬שקוצב לוכמה שנצרך לתורה ועבודה‪ ,‬ומצינו בר"ן שהיה עשיר וחתנ‬
‫דבי נשואה אמר )עירובין סד‪ (.‬כל כמה דלא שתינא רביעותא דחמרא לא צילאי דעתי וכן )ב"ק עב‪ (.‬דלא אכלי בשרא‬
‫דתורא‪ .‬היינו שכיון שנתן לו השי"ת עושר רב מהס"ת נצרך לו הבשר והיינו לתורה ועבודה והוא לחם חוקו‪ .‬וכמו‬
‫שמצינו בשלמה המלך ע"ה שהיתה סעודתו גדולה וביקש הטריפני לחם חוקי‪ .‬שכ"ז היה נקרא לחם חוקי‪ ,‬וזהו שאמר‬
‫ר"מח בעתירותי כשנעשה עשיר‪ ,‬ומהס"ת היה נצרך לו העושר והי' עשיר בדעת להוציא הנ"ק מבשר ויין וזהו שאמר‬
‫ליעול בשרא וכוורא‪ ,‬וכן הענין בזה שזה היה חכמה יתירה להוציא הקדושה מבע"ח‪ ,‬וזהו ענין שנזכר שטוף בעזים‬
‫והראשונים לא פרשו ענינו‪ ,‬ונראה שהוא עפמ"ש במ"ר פ' זו פט"ו( מי פלג לשטף תעלה אר"ב אות אתרין דצוותין‬
‫לשערא שטפא כו' אין לך כל נימא ונימא שלא ברא בה הקב"ה גומא בפ"ע וכו' וזהו שטוף בעזים‪ ,‬שאם היו גוזזין את‬
‫השער מן העזים‪ ,‬תו לא היו יכולים להוציא החיות והקדושה מהבע"ח שהרי אז היא כדומם בתלוש‪ ,‬אך שטוף בעזים‬
‫שהיה לכל שער גומא שיונק מהבע"ח וטוו בעזים‪ ,‬ועל ידי זה היו יכולים להוציא הקדושה והחיות מהבע"ח וזה חכמה‬
‫יתירה שאמרו בגמרא‪ ,‬וזהו גדולה חכמה וכו' שנאמר אשר נשא לבן אותנה בחכמה טוו את העזים שהיה בהם חכמה‬
‫יתירה מכל אשה חכמת לב בידי' טוו בתלוש‪ ,‬ולא היו יכולים להכניס קדושה כמותם במעשיהם‪ .‬וזהו הענין שהביא‬
‫בזוהר הקדוש הפ' וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבן וגו' שצריך להכניס קדושה אף בשעושה מעשה המצוה‪ ,‬ואמר בזוהר‬
‫הקדוש שעכ"פ אף מי שאין כח בידו להכניס קדושה בלב‪ .‬צריך שיזכיר בפה והביא ראיה דבשעתא דהוו עבדין עבידתא‬
‫הוי אמרין דא למקדשא דא לפרוכתא‪ .‬והם הכניסו הקדושה בלב אבל עכ"פ צריך להזכיר בפה ש"ש על המעשה‪ ,‬וכן‬
‫אמר אחר כך בכל בנין שבונה שיזכיר שעושה לש"ש ולפולחנא דאיהו עביד דכולה הוא לפולחני'‪ ,‬וכמו שזכרנו שבכל‬
‫מעשה חול שיש בו כונה לש"ש נעשה ממעשה המצוה כמ"ש הרמב"ם ז"ל‬

‫‪Reb Zadok cites our Zohar to trigger his notion of the split between body and soul must be‬‬
‫‪,‬לשם שמים ‪bridged through the intentionality of‬‬

‫‪The Zohar refers to the activity of mankind as it applies to bodily functions, which requires the‬‬
‫‪,regarding eating and‬לשם שמים ‪,…for if a person has the intentionality‬לשם שמים ‪mentioning of‬‬
‫‪sleeping, for the purpose of learning Torah (once refreshed) then this is part of the Mitzvah, so‬‬
‫‪,for the purpose of being able to‬לשם שמים ‪too in business dealings, if one performs ones trade‬‬
‫‪find time (fix time) for learning Torah, and to raise children to study Torah, then the Zohar’s‬‬
‫‪statement applies here too‬‬

‫ְוַﬠל ָדּא ַמאן ְדָּבֵני ִבּ ְנָין ַכּד ָשׁא ֵרי ְלִמְבֵני‪ָ ,‬בֵּﬠי ְלַא ְדְכּ ָרא ְבּפוֵּמיהּ‪ְ ,‬דָּהא ְלפוְּלָחָנא ְדּקוּ ְדָשׁא ְבּ ִרי‪ V‬הוּא הוּא ָבֵּני‪ְ .‬בִּגין‬
‫הוֹי בּוֶֹנה ֵביתוֹ ְבּל ֹא ֶצֶדק ְוגוֹ'‪ ,‬וְּכֵדין ִסַיּיְﬠָתּא ִדְּשַׁמָיּא ָשׁא ֵרי ֲﬠלוֹי‪ְ ,‬וקוּ ְדָשׁא ְבּ ִרי‪ V‬הוּא ַזִמּין )ירמיהו כ״ב‪:‬י״ג( ‪ִ ,‬דְּכִתּיב‬
‫‪ָ,‬ﬠֵליהּ ְקדוָּשָׁתא‪ְ ,‬וָקא ִרי ָﬠֵליהּ ָשׁלוֹם‬
‫‪“therefore, when one builds he should declare the (binyan) the building for the service of the‬‬
‫‪blessed One, Holy be His name, as is written Jer.22:!3‬‬

‫‪6‬‬
 ,‫ֶצֶדק‬-‫הוֹי ֹבֶּנה ֵביתוֹ ְבּל ֹא‬ 13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and
‫ַוֲﬠִליּוָֹתיו ְבּל ֹא ִמְשָׁפּט; ְבּ ֵרֵﬠהוּ‬ his chambers by injustice; that useth his neighbor’s service
.‫לוֹ‬-‫ וֹּפֲﬠלוֹ ל ֹא ִיֶתּן‬,‫ַיֲﬠֹבד ִחָנּם‬ without wages, and giveth him not his hire;
This building applies to a Binyan Reshus after which it says:

‫כ״ד( ַמהוּ‬:‫ ְוִאי )איוב ה׳‬.‫ וְּכֵדין ְול ֹא ֶתֱחָטא ְכִּתיב‬.‫ ְלַאְפְקָדא ִמָלּה ְבּפוָּמא ַכּד ִאיהוּ ָבֵּני‬,‫ ֲאָבל וָּפַקְדָתּ‬,‫ ָהא אוְּקמוָּה‬,˜‫וָּפַקְדָתּ ָנ ְו‬
‫ָלאו ָהא ַזִמּין ְלֵביֵתיהּ ִסְטָרא ָאֳחָרא‬.

Then heavenly help will settle on it, and the Blessed One arranges holiness on it and proclaims
peace on it as is written (Job 5:24)

‫ָשׁלוֹם‬-‫ ִכּי‬,‫כד ְוָיַדְﬠָתּ‬ 24 And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou
.‫ ְול ֹא ֶתֱחָטא‬,…‫ָאֳהֶל…; וָּפַק ְדָתּ ָנ ְו‬ shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt miss nothing.
What is ‫ ּ?ָפַק ְדתּ‬Inspect your habitation? It means to declare, a word orally spoken when building,
followed by ‫ ְול ֹא ֶתֱחָטא‬for otherwise he would invite the Other side. 3

Reb Zadok continues:

We see from king Solomon that wherever he built he mentioned ‫ שם שמים‬especially on all matter
(pertaining to the building of the) Temple and this is the intent of the Zohar when citing the verse
from Job, 4‫ְול ֹא ֶתֱחָטא‬
meaning (whatever one does) one should not invite sin5
For when eating it uses the word ‫ רשות‬the Torah (Deut 6) states

‫וָּ֨בִ֜תּים ְמֵל ִ֣אים ָכּל־טוּ֮ב ֲאֶ֣שׁר ל ֹא־ִמֵלּאָ֒ת וֹּבֹ֤רת ֲחצוִּבי֙ם ֲאֶ֣שׁר ל ֹא־ָחַ֔צְבָתּ ְכּ ָר ִ֥מים ְוֵזי ִ֖תים ֲאֶ֣שׁר ל ֹא־ָנָ֑טְﬠָתּ ְוָאַכְלָ֖תּ ְוָשׂ ָ ֽבְﬠָתּ׃‬

houses full of all good things that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards
and olive groves that you did not plant—and you eat your fill,

‫ ֵמֶ֥א ֶרץ ִמְצ ַ֖ר ִים ִמֵ֥בּית ֲﬠָב ִֽדים׃‬€֛‫ ֶפּן־ִתְּשַׁ֖כּח ֶאת־ ְיה ָ֑וה ֲאֶ֧שׁר הוֹ ִֽציֲא‬€֔‫ִהָ֣שֶּׁמר ְל‬

take heed that you do not forget the LORD who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of
bondage.
3
For Rabbi Abba the words of Jer. ‫ֶצֶדק‬-‫ הוֹי ֹבֶּנה ֵביתוֹ ְבּל ֹא‬means not merely without righteousness (the pshat meaning hiring
laborers without recompence) here it means without Schechina (in Zohar elsewhere She is equated with ‫)ֶצֶדק‬
4
See also Shabbat 34a:4
From where are these matters, that one must ask these questions in his home at nightfall of Shabbat, derived? Rabbi Yehoshua
ben Levi said: As the verse said: “And you shall know that your tent is in peace; and you shall visit your habitation, and shall
not sin” (Job 5:24). From here it is derived that one should visit his habitation, i.e., ask in his home, so that he will not come to
sin. Rabba bar Rav Huna said: Although the Sages said that there are three things a person should, indeed he is required to,
say in his home on Shabbat eve at nightfall, one must say them calmly so that the members of his household will accept them
from him. If he says them harshly, his family members may mislead him and cause him to sin. Rav Ashi said: I did not hear this
halakha of Rabba bar Rav Huna, but I fulfilled it based on my own reasoning.
5
Gen Rabba 79:1.(‫ ָאִבינוּ ַיֲﬠֹקב ֶבּן ַא ְרָבָּﬠה וְּשׁמוֹ ִנים ָשָׁנה ָהָיה ְול ֹא ָרָאה ִטַפּת ֶק ִרי ִמָיָּמיו‬,‫ ְול ֹא ֶתֱחָטא‬t‫וָּפַקְדְתּ ָנ ְו‬

7
For the evil inclination only entraps when it comes to eating. Ant his is what the Zohar means
when it claims:

◌ְ.‫ ְלַאְפְקָדא ִמָלּה ְבּפוָּמא ַכּד ִאיהוּ ָבֵּני‬,‫ ֲאָבל וָּפַק ְדָתּ‬,‫ ָהא אוְּקמוָּה‬,€‫וָּפַק ְדָתּ ָנ ְו‬

Then heavenly help will settle on it, and the Blessed One arranges holiness on it

Not only the building, but also eating and business practice, when performed with intentionality
‫לשם שמים‬,meaning with the intent to make use of these for the sake of learning Torah (later) or to
raise children in the learning of Torah, then no harm will befall the building,

Now all this applies to Maaseh Reshus, however when it comes to performing a Mitzvah of eating
or building there is no need to even state it has to be ‫לשם שמים‬,

Now all this is to bring the question of the Zohar as it applies to the verse

,‫ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬--‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬-‫כו ְוָכל‬ 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in
.‫ָהִﬠ ִזּים‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ ָטווּ‬:‫ְבָּחְכָמה‬ wisdom spun the goats' hair.
Where the verse does not explicitly state anything about their intention.
Only “they spun the goat hair” It appears that the Zohar is not merely referring to speech and
declaration of the heart (i.e. intention) rather it demands (,‫חכמת הלב )ֲאֶשׁר ָנָשׂא ִלָבּן ֹאָתָנה‬
in order to introduce ‫ קדושה‬into the act.

I might have thought regarding the building of the Tabernacle that the workers had to merely
employ the skill of building and the ‫ קדושה‬would emerge automatically, however it appears that
each one had to introduce ‫ קדושה‬separately into the act of building.

This is what is meant by the verse ‫( חכמת הלב‬beyond skill) that the women introduced ‫ קדושה‬into
their craft.

This is the meaning of (our daf) ‫ וְּגדוָֹלה ָחְכָמה ֶשֶׁנֶּאְמ ָרה ָבֶּﬠְליוֹנוֹת יוֵֹתר ִמַמּה ֶשֶּׁנֶּאְמ ָרה ְבַּתְחתּוֹנוֹת‬.
the wisdom that was stated with regard to the top curtains was greater than that which was stated
with regard to the bottom ones.

Reb Zadok applies the Zohar as his hermeneutical device to distinguish between mere skill and
skill with intentionality and rereads the verse to Midrashically imply that the bringing of ‫חכמת הלב‬
is the zoharic introduction of ‫קדושה‬.

For more on Reb Zadok and the heart see Alan Brill’s The intellectual mysticism of Rabbi
Zadok Hakohen of Lublin6 where he formulates a knowledge of God by discursive, non-
intuitive means. There is a continuity of cognition without a break from scientific thought of
sense-data straight up to mystical union. The general characteristics of mysticism--love of God,

6
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI9509746/

8
experience of oneness with God, and transformation of the person--are found in intellectual
mysticism; yet the experience, rather than being ineffable and passive, is discursive and active.
The mystical knowledge of Torah (both Halachah and Kabbalah) is a Divine manifestation, a
revelation of God manifests though man's intellectual creativity. R. Zadok's manifestation
mysticism provides for man's psychic growth a substantial role as the growth of the Divine. In
light of R. Zadok,

Our Daf describes the beams once more as:

‫ ֲחרוִּצים ָהיוּ ְק ָרִשׁים ַוֲחלוִּלים ָהיוּ ֲאָד ִנים‬:‫ָתּנוּ ַרָבַּנן‬,

The Sages taught with regard to the construction of the Tabernacle: The bottoms of the beams
were grooved, and the sockets were hollow, and the grooves were inserted into the sockets to
support the beams.

9
Apropos yesterday’s Daf Ditty (Shabbes 97/98) regarding the kerashim of the
Mishkan and their shape, I neglected to cite a letter from Rav Hutner (1959)
chastising a student7 who had asked a question as to an archeological find and
the question of the machlokes as to the shape of the beam.

The letters of Rav Hutner were first published in 1981 with the title Pachad Yitzchok: Iggros
U’Kesavim (Letters and Writings). There are 275 letters, though the final 10 were included only
in later printings.

The letters are divided into four sections: correspondence that is primarily related to Torah
scholarship, collected essays, education and guidance, and, by far the largest section, personal
matters.

The volume is prefaced with an introduction from his son-in-law, Rabbi Yonason David, current
Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Pachad Yitzchok in Jerusalem, which was originally established by Rav
Hutner in the 1970s.

Rabbi David rightfully notes that during Rav Hutner’s lifetime he insisted that his published works
were only for those who had been present when the ideas were originally presented, so surely Rav
Hutner would object to someone developing a relationship through his letters.

But, since his passing, we are left with no other recourse.

In the following letter I cite, the issue of the beams comes up and I have discussed this in a podcast
6 years ago.8

7
For a biography see Hillel Goldberg Tradition, A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought , WINTER 1987, Vol. 22, No. 4
(WINTER 1987), pp. 18-4
8
See my podcast : https://www.jyungar.com/podcast?offset=1483911260344

10
Now, regarding your question as to the beams of the Tabernacle (in the sugya from Shabbes
97b) you surely know these types of sugya are found all over shas. So, I am merely using this
sugya of the beams as an example so my answer will also apply to the other sugyas as well.
However, since you asked me in particular regarding the beams I will use my response as in a
parable (to be applied to all the other examples). Many items in the history of our people were
buried, like the tablets of stone, the tabernacle., the Ark of the covenant, and from all these
burials there is something to be learned whether in Torah or in our divine service. As is
explicitly stated in Josiah when they buried the Ark, that this burial formed a new typology in
divine worship.
-‫ג ַויּ ֹאֶמר ַלְל ִו ִיּם המבונים )ַהְמִּבי ִנים( ְלָכל‬ 3 And he said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, that
-‫ֲארוֹן‬-‫ ְתּנוּ ֶאת‬,‫ִיְשָׂרֵאל ַהְקּדוִֹשׁים ַליהָוה‬ were holy unto the LORD: 'Put the holy ark in the
œ‫ָדּ ִויד ֶמֶל‬-‫ֹמה ֶבן‬š‫ַהֹקֶּדשׁ ַבַּבּ ִית ֲאֶשׁר ָבָּנה ְשׁ‬ house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel
‫ ִﬠְבדוּ‬,‫ ַבָּכֵּתף; ַﬠָתּה‬,‫ָלֶכם ַמָשּׂא‬-‫ֵאין‬--‫ִיְשָׂרֵאל‬ did build; there shall no more be a burden upon your
.‫ ַﬠמּוֹ ִיְשָׂרֵאל‬,‫ ְוֵאת‬,‫ֵהיֶכם‬š‫ ְיהָוה ֱא‬-‫ֶאת‬ shoulders; now serve the LORD your God, and His
people Israel.
And this is the rule and applies to all other burials.
Now just like it is possible to bury an item or object, so too is it possible to bury a thought. And
you need to understand that just because some guy (ignoramus) thinks the beams of the
Tabernacle have now been (archeologically) “discovered” (whereas they and the very thought of
their structural shape were buried) this changes the very reality from what it has been hitherto
(hidden therefore true) this is a grave mistake.

Rav Hutner is setting up the mistaken notion of archeological or scientific “truth” in his student’s
misperception of reality. In our tradition the only truth is what has been handed down in our
canon, including those objects and ideas that were buried in the past. Buried does not mean lost,
rather hidden, both objectively and knowledge-based meaning.

But when one of the sages from the tradition/canon if the Oral Law (for the Torah was given
because of them in the expression of the RAMBAN) for they are the “advisors to the creator”,
when such a sage thinks that the shape of the beam was made that is different from the ‘reality”
(?historical truth) this is merely a “burial of knowledge” just like the body of the tabernacle was
buried, by the hand and design of providence, so too were the details of the architecture and

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plans buried and just burial means placed elsewhere in time and space (never actually lost,
merely out of sight) so too the ideas and plans beyond the structure were also out of sight yet
remaining within potentia in the mind of the sages. Albeit that knowing the specifics of the
dimensions of the beams impacts the Halacha today, then if the sage making this determination
of the halacha pays no attention to the actual historical/archeological dimensions of the beam,
because his intention is to connect the burial of the body (physically) with the burial of the
knowledge, then the halacha that emerges from his determination is the true halachah.

Rav Hutner has made an outrageous novella. He connects burial with out of sight, loss but still
present in the universe. Retrieval then is the process of Torah Shebe’al Peh. And the sage who
employs the canon will, he claims, be able to retrieve the “truth” . This truth is a halachic truth
unhinged to historical or archeological facts. This is what I call TEXTUAL TRUTH. 9
There then is historical truth and halachic truth.

Now everything has a “truth” associated with it. So too does Torah have its own truth. This
torah truth attempts to discern the divine will. So, when two amoraim differ as to the size and
shape of the beams, their real argument is “how do we discern the divine will in the hic et nunc
(here and now). “how is the divine will revealed to us as to the shape, now” For the outcome of
this halachic argument as to the shape of beam will not be dependent on the original historical
reality of what the beams once looked like. Rather form an aspect of a new revelation of divine
will. (the burial/hiding of the holy articles of the ecclesia of Israel is the very body of torah. For
all burial/hiding works through the life of the sanctity of Israel)

This outstanding idea speaks to the mystical body of Am Yisroel as well as the mystical body of
Torah that at times is hidden for the precisely the reason that it remains alive and needs to be dis-
covered evermore as a living torah through the toil of its sages. This is the real truth/ historical
facts pale in comparison to this mystical truth.

The arguments between the sages revolves around the interpretation of texts that deal with the
temple structure. Since the outcome of their interpretations end up being the divine will manifest
through the power of their judgement. And anything they fail to dis-cover through their
hermeneutics or their logic, is nothing more than geniza/burial.
9
As in the notion of “Fictional Truths in literature” see Re-thinking History (Routledge Classics) 3rd Edition
by Keith Jenkins

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And one day when the great Sanhedrin will rise, in greater wisdom and number than prior courts,
then according to halacha they will have the power to nullify all prior decisions, and they will
(once again) interpret the same verses, in another manner, that may overturn the image (in this
case of the beams) from one side to the opposite. And we will claim that this too will be the will
of the divine at this future time, to reveal what was buried/hidden before.

Any other knowledge base fails to and undermines this canonical approach to the revelation and
hiding of torah knowledge. We cannot have it both ways, they are either correct of mistaken. But
all the thoughts, understandings and interpretations of our sages through the canon of Torah
Shebe’al Peh revolve around the concept of appropriate or false, manifest or buried truths. Either
way the revealed AND the buried are the divine will.

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This stunning assertion regarding the nature of ‫גלוי‬and ‫ גניזה‬is the foundation of his theory and
reconciliation between historical truths and facts vs canonical or textual truths.

I have tried to elaborate to you my approach maybe it will be insufficient to convince you,

These matters are the very foundation rock of our faith in the canonical oral torah, and heaven
forbid for me to bury this foundation stone form a talmid chacham like you.

May the divine lead you..etc.

Isaac Hutner

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