Who were these two individuals? We know almost nothing about their origins, except that Oholiab is from the tribe of Dan in the north, and Bezalel from the tribe of Israel in the south. Neither of them is a priest or from a ruling family, clans we might expect to lead in the building of the Tabernacle.
The Rabbis who commented on this parashah noticed that a new type of leader is being recognized here. In the second century, when leadership was a hereditary rite under Roman rule, the Rabbis understood that Israelite leadership had not derived from heredity right, but instead from merit and wisdom. Great leaders earn power from their followers, and not the other way around.
-Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
-Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
הַמְקָרֵע בְּגָדָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, וְהַמְשַׁבֵּר כֵּלָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, וְהַמְפַזֵּר מְעוֹתָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, יְהֵא בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. שֶׁכָּךְ אוּמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע: הַיּוֹם אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ, וּלְמָחָר אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹבֵד.
One who rends his garments in his anger, or who breaks his vessels in his anger, or who scatters his money in his anger, should be like an idol worshipper in your eyes, as that is the craft of the evil inclination. Today it tells him do this, and tomorrow it tells him do that, until eventually, when he no longer controls himself, it tells him worship idols and he goes and worships idols.
-Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
(ב) תֵּדַע לְךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּצַלְאֵל עַל יְדֵי שֶׁקָּנָה שֵׁם טוֹב, זָכָה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וּכְתִיב: נִבְחָר שֵׁם מֵעֹשֶׁר רָב, מִכֶּסֶף וּמִזָּהָב חֵן טוֹב (משלי כב, א). מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרְאוּ בְּעִנְיַן רְאוּ קָרָא ה' בְּשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל.
(2) You know this is so from the fact that Bezalel was granted the privilege of building the Tabernacle because he had earned a good name, as it is written: A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold (Prov. 22:1). Whence do we know this? From the name by which he called him: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel.3The name Bezalel can be read as betzal el “in the shadow of God.”
be completed.
-Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
-Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar
- How have you used excuses or rationalizations to prevent yourself from completing a task?
- How have you pushed through and met a goal? Do you think it can become a habit?