Rashi comments: "That which he (Moshe) commanded him (Betzalel) is not written here, but, rather, "all that G-d commanded Moshe," [thereby implying that] even things which his teacher (Moshe) had not told him, his own opinion was in agreement with what was said to Moshe at Sinai. For Moshe had instructed Betzalel to first produce the vessels, and afterward the mishkon. Whereupon Betzalel said to him: "It is customary in the world to first construct a house and afterwards put furnishings in it." Moshe responded to him: "[You are right] that is indeed what I heard from G-d." Moshe [then also] said to him "You must have been in the shadow of G-d, for, certainly, so did G-d command me." And so he (Betzalel) did it--- first the mishkon and afterwards he made the vessels.
If in fact Hakadosh Baruch Hu told Moshe to build the Mishkan first and then the Keilim, why did Moshe present the opposite message to Betzalel so much so that Betzalel needed to question the approach? Was Moshe trying to mislead Betzalel?
The Gemarah in Maseches Succah daf 45B discusses how many people are on the level to behold the countenance of the Divine Presence. The Gemarah there Asks, “Are those who view the Divine Presence through a clear screen, an aspaklaria hami’erah, so few? But Abaye has said: There are no less than thiry six righteous in the world who receive the countenance of the Divine Presence each day?” the Gemarah answers, “There is no difficulty. Abaye’s teaching (Of thirty six people) refers to those who may enter only with permission, whereas Rabbi Shiman ben Yochai’s statement (that only him and his son can perceive the Divine Presence through a clear screen) refers to those who may enter without permission.”
Rashi explains that the thirty six righteous. Although they perceive the Divine Presence as through a clear screen, may not approach the shechina without first asking permission of the angels appointed for this purpose. Rabbi Shimon and his son may approach without proper permission.
Moshe Rabbeinu was different then any other prophet based on the fact that he communicated with Hashem with an aspaklaria hamieri, clarity and directness like no other Navi had. Rabbi Shiman ben Yochai and his son were not even prophets, so how can it possibly be that they Nevuah on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu. It goes against one of the 13 fundamental beliefs that there was no prophet and there will be no prophet like Moshe.
What are the conceptual underpinnings over here? What does the Gemarah mean when it says that Rabbi Shiman ben Yochai an dhis son were able to have such a direct relationship with G-d? The Maharsha states that the countenance of the Divine Presence is not referring to people seeing it in the course of prophecy because Moshe Rabbeinu was the only one who saw Prophecy with countenance of the Divine Presence. Rather, this Gemarah is speaking about the perception of Hashem through limkud hatorah, the study of Torah.
The Rambam in Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah chapter 4 halacha 13 spells out clearly that the process of discovery of a deeper understanding of G-d on a metaphysical plane, through the venue of limud hatorah, is a very diffuclult process which few are able to attain. How does one discover these ideas. The Rambam in Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah perek 4 halacha 11 says, “The topic of the Ma’aseh Hamerkava even to a single person we do not teach straight out. Unless, the person is a wise knowledgeable man and we give him the rashei haprakim, the general concepts and points.
My father, Rabbi Shalom Richter, suggested that the Gemarah in succah is using “those who may enter only with permission”( Ha Di’ayil b’var) and one who may enter without permission to describe two different type of people in their quest to understand Ma’aseh Hamerkava and the Metaphysics. The first type of person is one who the rebbi gives rashei prakim and that is all he is capable of understanding. This is what the Gemarah refers to as the “Ha Di’ayil b’var”. The second type of student is one who when the Rebbi gives him the Rashei Prakim is able to use them as a springboard to develop those ideas further. With the process of extraction, formulation, and conceptualization, the Talmid can go beyond the Rebbi, and get to the ideas behind the intended lesson and can discover subtle ideas in the knowledge of Hashem.This second category is what the Gemarah in Succah refers to as “Those who may enter without permission”.
The Mishkan is a place where metaphysics and deep knowledge of G-d are brought out and amplified. It is a place where people could go to learn and investigate deep ideas. Betzalel, the builder of the Mishkan, needed to be aware of these deap ideas in the process of building the structure. Moshe’s goal of not clearly stating what needed to be built first was to provide Betzalel an idea with which he needed to ask and engage in the study in the knowledge of G-d. By engaging and investigating further, beyond the information and methodology that Moshe gave him, Betzalel was able to Ha Di’ayil b’lo b’var: Go beyond the Rashei Perakim and develop the ideas further.
Have a Wonderfull Shabbos!
Please leave any ideas or thoughts that you have on the dvar torah. Thanks!
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