Exodus 40

Sugya Map

• Issue: The precise sequence and execution of the Tabernacle's erection and consecration, particularly concerning the anointing oil and the ordination of Aaron and his sons.
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • Understanding the chronological flow of the Tabernacle's construction and its spiritual inauguration.
  • Theological implications of "most holy" (קודש קודשים) versus "holy" (קודש) in relation to different components of the Mishkan.
  • The relationship between divine command and human execution in sacred building projects.
  • The status of the anointing oil and its application.
• Primary Sources:
  • Exodus 40 (entire chapter).
  • Leviticus 8 (ordination of Aaron and sons).
  • Sifra, Vayikra, Parashat Vayikra, Perek 1.
  • Rashi on Exodus 40.
  • Siftei Kohen on Exodus 40.
  • Ramban on Exodus 40.

Text Snapshot

Exodus 40:2-5: "On the first day of the first month you shall set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. Place there the Ark of the Pact, and screen off the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table and lay out its due setting; bring in the lampstand and light its lamps; and place the gold altar of incense before the Ark of the Pact. Then put up the screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle."

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The use of the imperative "תקים" (you shall set up) and "ושמת" (you shall place) marks these as direct divine commands. The structure, moving from the Ark to the inner furnishings and then the outer screens, suggests a deliberate order of sacred priority. The repetition of "ככל אשר צוה ה' אותו כן עשה" (just as יהוה had commanded him, so he did) later in the chapter (v. 16) emphasizes the meticulous adherence required.

Exodus 40:9-11: "You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all that is in it to consecrate it and all its furnishings, so that it shall be holy. Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils to consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy. And anoint the laver and its stand to consecrate it."

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The phrase "לקחת את שמן המשחה" (You shall take the anointing oil) is a command, but its execution is not immediately recounted in the initial narrative of erection. The distinction between "קודש" (holy) for the Mishkan itself and "קודש קודשים" (most holy) for the altar is significant, as will be explored.

Exodus 40:34-35: "When Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle."

• Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The language here shifts to describe the divine response to Moses' completion. The "cloud" (ענן) and the "Presence of יהוה" (כבוד ה') are tangible manifestations of God's dwelling. The inability of Moses, the greatest prophet, to enter signifies the awe-inspiring holiness of the completed Mishkan.

Readings

Siftei Kohen (Shach) on Exodus 40:5

The Siftei Kohen, Rabbi Shabtai HaKohen, in his commentary on the Torah, grapples with a significant chronological discrepancy in the text. He notes that the Torah first commands Moses to erect the Tabernacle and place its furnishings (Exodus 40:1-7), and then concludes with "Moses did all that the Lord commanded him" (v. 16). However, the specific commands regarding the anointing oil and the ordination of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 30:22-38, 29:1-37, 40:12-15) are not explicitly reiterated in the narrative of Moses' actions in chapter 40, despite the concluding statement of full compliance.

The Siftei Kohen observes: "ויעש משה ככל אשר צוה ה' אותו כן עשה, ובמעשה אמר ויקם. משה את המשכן וגו', ויתן את העדות אל הארון וגו' ויתן את השלחן וגו' וישם את מזבח הזהב וגו' וישם את הכיור, ויקם את החצר, ולא נזכר מה שאמר לו ולקחת את שמן המשחה ומשחת את המשכן ומשחת את מזבח העולה ואת הכיור, ומה שאמר גם כן והקרבת את אהרן והלבשת את אהרן, ואת בניו תקריב, כל זה לא נזכר, ואמר ויעש משה ככל אשר צוה ה' אותו כן עשה, וכאן לא אמר שעשה." (And Moses did all that the Lord commanded him, so he did. And in the deed it says: Moses set up the Tabernacle, etc., and he placed the testimony in the ark, etc., and he placed the table, etc., and he placed the gold altar, etc., and he placed the laver, and he erected the enclosure. What was commanded him: 'and you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and anoint the altar of burnt offering and the laver,' and also, 'and you shall bring Aaron and you shall clothe Aaron, and you shall bring his sons,' all this is not mentioned. And it says, 'And Moses did all that the Lord commanded him, so he did,' and here it does not say that he did [these specific things].)

The Siftei Kohen resolves this by referencing the book of Vayikra (Leviticus), specifically chapter 8, where these actions are detailed. He posits that the entire ordination process, including the anointing, took place seven days before the erection of the Tabernacle. This explains why it's not listed as part of the erection process in Exodus 40. He argues that Moses wanted to perform the anointing of Aaron and his sons separately, "a joy in itself" (שמחה בפני עצמה), so as not to mix the joy of the Tabernacle's erection with the joy of Aaron's consecration. This, he suggests, would have made Aaron's appointment to the priesthood seem incidental rather than a distinct, celebrated event. The Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with Moses' intention. Thus, the commandment in Exodus 40:12-15 is a reminder of what was already commanded and performed in Leviticus 8.

Ramban on Exodus 40:10

Nachmanides, in his commentary on the Torah, focuses on the theological significance of the designation "most holy" (קודש קודשים) applied to the altar of burnt offering, contrasting it with the "holy" (קודש) designation for the Tabernacle itself.

He writes: "AND THE ALTAR SHALL BE MOST HOLY. Since they would also sacrifice on it the most holy offerings, Scripture describes the altar as “most holy,” even though it stood in the court of the Tabernacle. Of the Tabernacle, however, Scripture says, and it shall be holy, Verse 9. because the term “most holy” is used usually only with reference to the place where the ark rests, just as it is said, and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. Above, 26:33." (Ramban on Exodus 40:10:1)

Ramban explains that the "most holy" designation is typically reserved for the innermost sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, where the Ark resides. However, he offers a reason for its application to the altar: "It is possible that He said of the altar 'most holy,' because it sanctifies other things, just as He said, 'whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.'" (Exodus 29:37). This highlights the altar's unique role as an instrument of divine atonement and sanctification, imparting holiness to the offerings brought upon it and to anyone who touches it in its sacred capacity. This contrasts with the Tabernacle itself, which, while holy, is not the primary locus of the ultimate sanctity.

Friction

The most striking point of tension lies in the apparent disconnect between the detailed commandments for anointing and consecration in Exodus 40:12-15 and the subsequent narrative of Moses' actions. The text states, "And Moses did all that the Lord commanded him" (v. 16), followed by a description of the erection of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, but conspicuously omits the explicit mention of the anointing and ordination. This raises the question: if Moses performed all as commanded, why is the anointing and ordination not narrated here?

Strongest Kushya: The Siftei Kohen's analysis highlights this very friction. How can the Torah state "And Moses did all that the Lord commanded him" (v. 16) when the narrative immediately following focuses solely on the physical erection and placement, and not on the anointing and consecration of Aaron and his sons, which were explicitly commanded in verses 12-15? The omission appears to contradict the claim of complete execution.

Best Terutz: The Siftei Kohen's resolution, drawing on the structure of the Torah and the details in Leviticus 8, is compelling. He argues that there is no contradiction because the anointing and ordination of Aaron and his sons were performed on a separate occasion, seven days prior to the erection of the Tabernacle. This separation was divinely orchestrated to imbue Aaron's consecration with its own distinct sanctity and significance, preventing it from being overshadowed by the grand event of the Mishkan's erection. Thus, when Exodus 40:16 states Moses did all that was commanded, it refers to the entirety of his task, which included these commands, even if their specific narrative depiction is deferred to Leviticus 8. The commandment in Exodus 40:12-15 is thus a reminder of the divine will and a preface to the detailed account found elsewhere.

An alternative, though less detailed, terutz could be that the Torah here employs a principle of sim ha'ketuv (brevity of the verse), where a general statement of completion ("did all that was commanded") encompasses multiple specific actions, the details of which are either provided elsewhere or understood through established practice. The focus in Exodus 40 is primarily on the establishment of the Mishkan as a physical entity and the divine indwelling, while the detailed priestly ordination is perhaps a separate, albeit crucial, aspect of its functional inauguration, best elaborated in the book of Vayikra.

Intertext

1. Genesis 1: The Creation Parallel: The Women's Commentary on the Torah observes a profound parallel between Exodus 40 and Genesis 1. Genesis 1 begins with divine pronouncements ("Let there be...") and concludes with the execution ("...and it was so"). Exodus 40 mirrors this structure: the initial verses (1-16) lay out God's detailed instructions ("Let there be..."), and the subsequent verses (17-33) describe Moses' meticulous execution ("...and so it was").

   • Significance: This literary parallel elevates the erection of the Mishkan to an act of cosmic significance, akin to the creation of the world. The Tabernacle, as a microcosm of the universe, becomes God's dwelling place on earth, a place where divine order is established and maintained, mirroring God's ordering of the cosmos. The phrase "וכבוד ה' מלא את המשכן" (and the Presence of the Lord filled the Tabernacle) at the end of Exodus 40 echoes the divine presence that permeated creation.

2. Leviticus 8: The Ordination Narrative: As highlighted by the Siftei Kohen, Leviticus 8 provides the detailed narrative of Aaron and his sons' ordination, including their washing, the donning of vestments, and the anointing with oil. This chapter serves as the fuller account of the commands mentioned in Exodus 40:12-15.

   • Significance: This intertextual relationship underscores the Torah's method of presenting divine law and narrative. Exodus 40 provides the overarching framework and the final chronological placement of the Tabernacle's establishment, while Leviticus 8 delves into the specific, ritualistic inauguration of the priesthood that would serve within it. The chronological "problem" is resolved by understanding that the commandment in Exodus is a directive, and its execution is detailed in Leviticus, with the Siftei Kohen positing a pre-erection timing for the ordination.

Psak/Practice

The precise timing and sequence of events surrounding the Mishkan's erection and consecration have direct implications for understanding the nature of holiness and divine service.

• Halachic Heuristic: The distinction between "holy" (קודש) and "most holy" (קודש קודשים), as elucidated by Ramban, informs the hierarchy of sanctity within the Temple complex. This distinction dictates the rules of purity, the types of offerings permitted, and the access of individuals. For instance, the most holy offerings could only be eaten by priests in designated holy spaces, whereas other holy items might have less stringent restrictions.
• Meta-Psak Heuristic: The Siftei Kohen's approach to resolving the chronological puzzle highlights a crucial meta-psak principle: the Torah is not always bound by strict chronological order (אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה). This allows for a deeper understanding of the thematic and theological coherence of the text, even when specific narrative events appear out of sequence. It teaches us to look for the underlying message and the completeness of divine instruction, rather than being ensnared by surface-level temporal discrepancies. The emphasis on Moses' desire for a distinct celebration of Aaron's consecration also points to the importance of intentionality and solemnity in sacred rituals.

Takeaway

The erection of the Mishkan is not merely a construction project but a divinely orchestrated act of cosmic reordering, establishing God's dwelling among Israel. The careful sequencing and consecration, though sometimes presented with narrative indirection, reveal a profound theology of place, person, and purpose in divine service.