פרשת ויקהל - מידת הזריזות

And the chieftains brought lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece;

והנשאם הביאו AND THE PRINCES BROUGHT [ONYX STONES] R. Nathan asked, “What reason had the princes to give their contributions at the dedication of the altar (Numbers 7:12ff.) first of all the people, whereas at the work of the Tabernacle they were not the first, but the last to contribute?” But — replied he — the princes spoke thus: “Let the community in general contribute all they with to give and what will then be lacking we shall supply” But when the community gave everything needed in its entirety — as it is said, (Exodus 36:7) “For the stuff they had was enough [for all the work to make it, and some was left]” — the princes asked, “What can we now do?” therefore הביאו את אבני השהם וגו׳ THEY BROUGHT THE ONYX STONES etc. That is why they were the first to contribute at the consecration of the altar. Because, however, they were dilatory at the beginning, a letter is missing here from their title (thus intimating that something, viz., zeal was lacking in them): for it is written והנשאם instead of והנשיאים (Numbers Rabbah 12:16).

(2) The pasuk (Shemos 35:27) states, “And the princes brought…” The word והנשיאים (the princes) is written without a yud. Rashi and the Midrash explain this was because they were lazy in bringing gifts to the Mishkan, intending to bring what was missing last. This teaches that those on a high level must be especially careful about alacrity (zerizut), as it leads to piety (chasidut). Initially, everyone has zeal in their service of Hashem, but as one ascends to higher levels, they may lose this alacrity, which is a significant deficiency. Therefore, someone on a lower level can surpass them through alacrity. As it says in Mishlei 22:29, “See a man quick in his work, before kings he stands,” meaning he stands before kings because he is first. This is also reflected in “Alacrity precedes mitzvot” (Rosh HaShana 32b). Alacrity enables one to attain higher levels than their current status.

And so with the two qualities - laziness and diligence. Laziness is proper in the gratification of physical desires, the pleasures of which pass away while nothing remains to him who indulges in them but shame in this world and punishment in the world to come.

Diligence is in place, in the spiritual pleasures and in doing deeds, with the intent to attain the favor of the blessed G-d, as David, peace be unto him, said: "I made haste, and delayed not to keep Your commandments" (Ps. 119:60).

This perusal brings a person to humility - in remembering from where he came. And his perusal of his end will bring him to disparage matters of the world. And his perusal of the greatness of the Commander will bring him to be quick to listen to His commandments. And when these three come into his hand, he will not sin at all.

(7) “The tablets were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). “The tablets were the work of God.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Each and every day, a Divine Voice emerges from Mount Ḥorev and proclaims: ‘Woe unto the creations for the affront to the Torah, as anyone who does not regularly engage in the Torah is ostracized from before the Holy One blessed be He,’ as it is stated: “The tablets were the work of God.” “Engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets.” Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yirmeya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: Do not read it as ḥarut, but rather as ḥerut – freedom from the exiles. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Freedom from the angel of death. The Rabbis say: Freedom from suffering. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: If the angel of death were to come and say before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You created me in this world for naught,’ He would say: ‘I granted you dominion over every nation in the world except for this nation, to whom I granted freedom.’ That is, “ḥarut on the tablets.” “The people saw that Moses tarried in descending from the mountain, and the people assembled around Aaron and said to him: Rise, make us a god that will go before us, because this man Moses, who took us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him” (Exodus 32:1). “The people saw that Moses tarried [boshesh].” What is “tarried [boshesh]”? Six hours had passed [ba’u shesh] and he had not descended. Why? It is because he had stipulated to them: In forty days I will bring you the Torah. When six hours passed [on the fortieth day] and Moses had not descended, immediately, “the people assembled around Aaron.” The Rabbis say: The accuser found his opportunity at that moment, as Moses was seen suspended between the heavens and earth, and they were pointing at him with a finger and saying: “Because this man Moses.” At that moment, Ḥur confronted them and said to them: ‘You fools, do you not recall what miracles the Holy One blessed be He performed on your behalf?’ Immediately, they arose against him and killed him. They surrounded Aaron, as it is stated: “The people assembled around Aaron.” They said to him: ‘Just as we did to that one, so we will do to you.’ When Aaron saw that, he was afraid, as it is stated: “Aaron saw and he built an altar [mizbe’aḥ] before it [lefanav]” (Exodus 32:5). What is mizbe’aḥ? Due to the one who was slaughtered before him [min hazavuaḥ shelefanav]. Another matter, “he built an altar,” they sought to build an altar with him, but he did not allow them to do so. He said to them: ‘Allow me, and I will build it myself, as it is not in keeping with the honor due the altar for another to build it.’ But Aaron intended to delay matters. He said: ‘By the time I build it by myself, Moses will descend.’ He built it, but Moses did not descend. Immediately, they arose early the next day, as the prophet cries out: “However, they arose early and corrupted all their exploits” (Zephaniah 3:7). “The people sat to eat and drink, and they rose to revel” (Exodus 32:6) in idol worship. Wherever you find sitting [yeshiva], you find a mishap, as we found regarding the generation of the Dispersion, as it is stated: “They found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they settled [vayeshvu] there” (Genesis 11:2). What mishap was there? “They said: Come let us build us a city” (Genesis 11:4). “They sat [vayeshvu] to eat bread” (Genesis 37:25), and it is written: “They sold Joseph” (Genesis 37:28). “Israel settled [vayeshev] in the Shitim” (Numbers 25:1). What mishap was there? “The people began to engage in licentiousness with the daughters of Moav” (Numbers 25:1). What was their end? “Those who died [in the plague were twenty-four thousand]” (Numbers 25:9). Here, too, it is sitting, [implying] idol worship: “The people sat to eat….” The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘They rose to revel in idol worship, and you are sitting here? “Descend!”’ (Exodus 32:7). At that moment, Moses sought to descend, but he encountered angels of destruction. He feared them and he did not descend, as it is written: “For I was in dread due to the wrath and the fury” (Deuteronomy 9:19). What did Moses do? He went and grasped the [Divine] throne, as it is stated: “He grasps the surface of His throne and spreads His cloud over it” (Job 26:9); the Holy One blessed be He spread [His cloud] and protected him. He said: “Rise, descend quickly from here” (Deuteronomy 9:12). [Moses] said: ‘I am afraid.’ Come and see how potent iniquities are. In the past he had overcome them, but now he feared them. “For I was in dread due to the wrath and the fury,” five angels of destruction were there: Wrath, fury, anger, destruction, and annihilation. At that moment, the three patriarchs came, and overcame three of them. Wrath and fury remained. Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, please, arise from Your Throne of Glory and overcome one, and I [will overcome] one,’ as it is stated: “Arise, Lord, in Your wrath” (Psalms 7:7). And I will overcome fury, as it is stated: “He said to destroy them, had it not been for Moses, His chosen one, who stood before Him in the breach to turn back His fury” (Psalms 106:23). Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Descend, it is a demotion for you.’ He said to Him: ‘Why?’ [God said:] “For your people…have acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7). Moses said to Him: ‘Now You are calling them my people; they are only Your people. “Relent from Your enflamed wrath and reconsider the evil for Your people”’ (Exodus 32:12). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Moses did not move from prayer until the Holy One blessed be He called them His people, as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil that He had spoken of doing to His people” (Exodus 32:14). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘In this world, because the evil inclination is in them, they craft idols. But in the future, I will uproot the evil inclination from within them and I will grant them a heart of flesh,’ just as it says: “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

(1) Honor of the Torah is in teaching alacrity in its performance and honoring the sages that support it and the books that they wrote abut it. And so [too], desecration of the Torah is the opposite of [these] three.

Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.

The workers are lazy and the reward is great: These are people that are lazy in their study of Torah; as even the alacritous sages show laziness. Since it is in the nature of a person to show laziness and no one escapes from it - some do more and some do less.

(13) She looks for wool and flax, And sets her hand to them with a will.

(16) “The princes of Israel, the heads of their patrilineal houses, brought offerings; they were the princes of the tribes, they were those who stood over those who were counted” (Numbers 7:2). “The princes of Israel…brought offerings” – why did the princes rush to come and sacrifice first, but for the labor of the Tabernacle they were indolent and brought only onyx stones and stones for setting, last? It is because when Moses said: Anyone who is generous of heart shall bring the gift of the Lord for the labor of the Tabernacle, but he did not say it to the princes, they were displeased that he did not tell them to bring. They said: Let the people bring what they will bring, and we will complete what is lacking. All Israel rejoiced over the labor of the Tabernacle and joyfully brought every donation enthusiastically. See what is written: “The men came together with the women” (Exodus 35:22), that they would crowd each other, and the men and the women would come in a muddled throng, and in two mornings they brought all the donations, as it is stated: “They brought him more donations morning after morning” (Exodus 36:3), and it is written: “And the material was sufficient…” (Exodus 36:7). After two days, the princes sought to bring their donation, but they were unable to do so, as Moses already commanded: “They circulated a proclamation in the camp, [saying: Man or woman shall not perform any more labor for the gifts of the Sanctuary, and the people ceased bringing]” (Exodus 36:6). The princes were lamenting the fact that they did not have the privilege of participating in the donations for the Tabernacle. They said: Since we did not have the privilege of participating in the donations for the Tabernacle, we will donate the vestments of the High Priest. That is what is written: “The princes brought the onyx stones [and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastplate]” (Exodus 35:27). The Holy One blessed be He said: Regarding My children who were alacritous, it will be written that they brought and there was more than enough. The princes [hanesiim], who were indolent, He removed one letter from their title, as “hanesiim” (Exodus 35:27) is written without a yod. Once the Tabernacle was completed, they came early and brought an offering with alacrity. That is what is written: “The princes of Israel brought…” – they said: This is the time to sacrifice offerings joyfully, as the Divine Presence rested upon our handiwork. Once the Tabernacle was crafted and nothing was lacking, they said: What can we bring? They went and brought carts upon which they could carry the Tabernacle. Who gave them that counsel? It was the tribe of Issachar. This is what they said to them: Does the Tabernacle that you crafted float in the air? Rather, pledge carts upon which you could carry it. That is why it is written: “The princes of Israel brought,” as they regretted what they had done initially. “The princes of Israel” – I hear that they were commoners and were appointed? The verse states: “The heads of their patrilineal houses.” Not only the heads of a patrilineal house, but even the princes of a tribe. That is what is written: “They were the princes of the tribes” – princes the sons of princes. “They were the princes of the tribes” – it is they who were appointed over them in Egypt: “The foremen of the children of Israel…were beaten…” (Exodus 5:14). “They were those who stood over those who were counted” – over the count of the banners, just as it says: “And with you shall be a man for each tribe…” (Numbers 1:4).