English translation — ויקהל א

Talk 1<pg>200</pg>

A.

At the beginning of "the command of the work of the Mishkan"¹

that is in our parshah,

Rashi writes²

"I have already explained the donation of the Mishkan and its work in the place of their command"

(in Parshas Terumah and Tetzaveh and the beginning of Parshas Tisa).

Nevertheless, we find several details in the work of the Mishkan that Rashi descends to explain in our parshah

(as in the verse&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;

"the Mishkan, its tent, and its covering" that Rashi explains what are "Mishkan",

"its tent" and "its covering",

and more),

and the reason is understood,

because these things it is impossible to know their explanation from "the place of their commandment" and therefore Rashi needed to explain them here,

and as explained in the commentaries&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;

regarding most of Rashi's explanations here

(the reason that Rashi did not rely on his explanation "in the place of their commandment").

And based on this, it is puzzling in Rashi on the verse&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;

"the pegs of the Mishkan and the pegs of the courtyard and their ropes",

that he explained "pegs,

to drive and to tie with them the ends of the curtains into the ground so that they will not move in the wind",

"their ropes,

cords to tie" — for this matter Rashi already explained it "in the place of their commandment",

in the end of Parshas Terumah on the verse&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;

"for all the vessels of the Mishkan etc. and all its pegs and all the pegs of the courtyard of copper",

that he wrote there "pegs&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;,

like copper bars made for the curtains of the tent and for the hangings of the courtyard tied with ropes all around in their hems so that the wind should not lift them",

and why did Rashi need to repeat and explain here again the matter of "the pegs of the Mishkan"?

[And also "their cords",

that above "in the place of their command" were not explained in the verse,

at first glance Rashi did not need to explain here,

since he already explained there that the pegs were "tied with cords all around at their lower ends"].

2.

Also one must be precise in Rashi's language that the "pegs" were "to drive and to tie with them the ends of the curtains etc.":

Above in the end of parshas Terumah Rashi writes regarding the pegs of the curtains,

"I do not know if they were driven into the ground or tied and hanging and their weight presses down the bottoms of the curtains so that they will not move in the wind

(but afterwards he concludes)

And I say that their name proves about them that they are driven into the ground therefore they are called pegs and this verse supports me: a tent&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

that will not be moved, its pegs will not be pulled up forever."

And based on this it must be said

(and so it is written in the commentaries&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;)

that what Rashi says here "to drive" is according to his conclusion above that they were "driven into the ground."

But it is problematic according to the version in Rashi above,

that the conclusion of the commentary there "And I say" is not&lt;pg&gt;201&lt;/pg&gt;

from Rashi but from his student&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;,

why did Rashi remain silent there and here he concludes that they were stuck in the ground?

And also according to the common version that the conclusion there is from the words of Rashi himself,

it requires explanation,

according to what was taught elsewhere&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;,

that from this very thing that Rashi begins there with a language of doubt "And I do not know if they were inserted etc.'"

(And he did not write immediately according to the conclusion that they were stuck in the ground),

it is proven,

that the proofs that Rashi brought that they were stuck in the ground

(From this "that the oil proves about them" and also the "verse...

(that)

supports me")

are not complete proofs — and it must be understood,

what compelled Rashi here in our parshah to establish that they were "to insert",

and he did not adopt a language that has no decision in the aforementioned doubt,

like

(in the manner of the beginning of Rashi's language in Parshat Terumah there)

: "made for the curtains of the tent tied around at their hems so that they would not move in the wind".

And the like.

3.

And one can say the explanation in this — simply:

On the verse¹²

"And the oil for illumination" Rashi explains "it also requires wise-hearted [people] because it is different from other oils etc.'",

from this it is understood,

that all the things enumerated here needed specifically wise-hearted [people] to make them.

[And with this is resolved the change of language of the verse,

for above in the portion of Terumah it is stated "for all the vessels of the Tabernacle in all its service and all its pegs etc.'",

and likewise later in the portion of Pekudei,

when the children of Israel brought the Tabernacle and all its vessels to Moses,

it is stated at the conclusion of the matter¹³

"and all the vessels of the service of the Tabernacle",

whereas here in our portion "all the vessels of the Tabernacle" are not mentioned.

And according to the above, it is simply understood: The "vessels of the Mishkan" at the end of Parshas Terumah are

(as Rashi explains there)

the vessels "that were needed for its erection and its dismantling, such as mallets to drive pegs, etc.",

and for this there is no need for wise-hearted [people],

because they are ordinary vessels that are also found among those who are not "wise-hearted".

And based on this it is perplexing,

why were "wise-hearted" [people] needed for the making of "pegs" and "cords"¹⁴?

And to resolve this, Rashi explains that the pegs were an inseparable part of the curtains themselves,

because without them they would move in the wind,

and it is understood,

that since the wise-hearted were required to make the curtains,

they were not satisfied only with making the main parts of the curtains,

but they finished them in a manner that they would be a complete thing in all its details,

and that is that they made not only the body of the curtains,

but also all their clasps,

and even the pegs and cords that were needed to tie them so that they would not move in the wind.

And based on this, one can explain the reason that Rashi here specifies that the pegs were "to drive in,"

that is, they were driven into the ground

(and not merely "hanging and their weight presses down the lower edges of the curtains"),

because in this way it is more emphasized that they are part of the fixture

(building)

of the curtains

(since through them the curtains are connected to the ground),

but according to the interpretation that they were "tied and hanging and their weight presses down" upon them,

the pegs are an additional detail to the curtains

(that hang on them

(by their weight pressing down))¹⁵.

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4.

And from here a directive for the "wise-hearted" in every generation in the work of education,

that upon them is placed the obligation to establish many students,

as the ruling of the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

that "it is a commandment upon every wise man in Israel to teach all the students even though they are not his sons",

that the fulfillment of the obligation of the wise man is not concluded by his teaching the student those things that are within his ability

(in his great wisdom)

to influence upon him,

but rather he must be "wise-hearted" in truth,

to ensure that his fruits that he establishes are complete in all the details,

until even matters that appear as secondary and external — like pegs and cords,

which at first glance do not need a "wise-hearted" one — he strives that they should be with the student in the ultimate perfection.

And specifically when he "completes" the establishment of the student down to the most external details,

then there is the certainty and confidence that it is something enduring,

that "they will not be moved by the wind",

also when there are winds blowing in the world, the student stands strong at his post in accordance with the instructions of his teacher.

This is the sign that the teacher's study has penetrated into the inwardness of the student,

until there remains no detail of him that is not permeated with this.

And along the lines of the saying of our master, the Alter Rebbe¹⁷

on the verse¹⁸

"Because Abraham listened to My voice",

that Abraham our father "heard" the command of the Almighty in every configuration of his stature,

head, body and foot,

until even his heels "heard" the command of the Almighty.

And this is also hinted in the words of our Sages, may their memory be blessed,¹⁹

that the commandment is called "only after the one who completes it",

also when the main thing has already been done,

and only a small detail is lacking in its completion,

behold, since the entire commandment was not completed, it has not been fulfilled,

and the one who completes the commandment,

even if he only completed a small detail,

the entire commandment is called specifically after him.

And this is as above,

that until the entire thing exists,

it is not that only one detail is lacking,

but rather that through this there is a lack in the whole,

since there is no certainty that the thing will stand firm against all the winds that blow,

and it is necessary that the thing penetrate into every configuration of his stature.

And from this also great encouragement for our generation,

the generation of the heels of Mashiach,

that although we are on the level of "heels" relative to the previous generations&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;,

and now the generation is perfect,

behold specifically our service in the completion of the clarifications,

in the heels — and the attachments in the edges of the sheets through which they are connected and fixed in the land&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

— it completes the service needed to bring the true and complete redemption through Mashiach our righteousness

(although this is only a detail,

and especially relative to the greatness of the service of the generations before this),

And the commandment is called only after the one who completes it — the generation of the heels of the heels of Mashiach,

which is the one who completes "our deeds and our service

(of)

all the time of the duration of the exile"&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;,

and brings into actuality the "purpose of the perfection..

of the days of Mashiach and the resurrection of the dead"&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Vayikra-Purim 5737)