Why: "See"?

The Problem with Betzalel

The Problem that we want to look at is why Moshe says to the Children of Israel "See" in the same way that HaShem told him "See". While Moshe had something/someone to see... the C of I did not. What were they supposed to see or look at? Hmmm...

This week’s Parshat contains a Pasuk that needs some explaining, Vayomer Moshe el B’nei Yisrael, R’u kara YHVH b’Shem. What we find here is that we need to do more than to read the original Hebrew - or read (a) translation of that into English. This is not something new in Torah. This is something that we encounter all too often. But this particular Parshat offers an opportunity into insightful understanding in a manner somewhat different that many phrases or verses that we encounter.

This week’s Parshat we are introduced to a man - really just a lad of thirteen years - who is called by name by G-d to perform a particular function. As you read, study, learn from this reading, remember that this is unique in the Torah (as we shall see).

Here we have the Children of Yisrael bringing the materials that Moshe had requisitioned for the building of the Mishkan and they are informed of HaShem’s choice of Master Architect of His selection. “Moses said to the C of I, ‘See HaShem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel....’.” [Stone Ed. Chumash Shemot 35: 30 pp521] “R’u, Kara YHVH b’Shem; Betzalel ben Uri ben Hur l’Match Yehudah.”

So what’s the problem here? [There Are, At Least, Two Problems] To begin with there are problems with Torah not having any vowels or punctuation as aids to understanding. For that we rely mainly on ‘trope’ which did not come into being until sometime between the 6th and 10th centuries CE. Before that there was the Oral Tradition. Hebrew also has a different syntax that we are familiar with in English, but that is only a minor obstacle. The ‘prose’ that we find in Torah, like that of most ancient Middle East writing, is in what is referred to as binary. meaning that a sentence can be isolated into two main concepts or ideas.

Example:
B’resheet Bara Elokim
Et haShamayim v’Et ha’Aretz
“In the beginning HaShem... created” what?
The Heavens and the Earth.”

So we read the Pasuk as;
Vayomer Moshe el B;nei Yisrael, R’u Kara YHVH b’Shem
Betzalel ben Uri ben Hur.....

But here we have our first problem. The word “b’Shem” means that we need to question the phrasing [as: “...R’u Kara YHVH,” followed by: “b’Shem Betzalel...”] but we do not need to look into this aspect of the problems in the prose right now.

So far this is only preliminary to and for our discussion. The second problem that we encounter is the direction that I would like you to consider for now.

Name. Shem. Names certainly are important (for us). Your name is who you are. Do you get upset if someone uses a ‘wrong’ name in addressing you? Forgets your name? Misspells your name? Of course. And most certainly if that someone is someone that you have an especial relationship with and with whom you feel and attachment.

LiKro Shem means to give a name by ‘function’. That means it is a name with which you identify, or a name with which you have a relationship. [Do you have a ‘pet name’ for your SO - NO! Don’t tell us! - just answer; Yes or No.] How about when we read; “...Eloh*i Avraham, Eloh*i Yitzchak ve’Eloh*i Ya’akov.” Here we see that HaShem has, indeed, a very (if I can add the word ‘very’) special relationship with these very special men. [This could certainly lead us into another and ‘very’ different discussion about the application of this concept into modern day inclusion of four special women - but we can save that for another time!]

Nu? Why not: Eloh*i Moshe? Certainly HaShem had a relationship with Moshe unlike any other person in the Torah. Perhaps closer than with Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov. But we find only one person in the Torah referred to as Ish ha’Elokim - a man of G-d. Moshe.

The difference is that Avraham (as well as Yitzchak and Ya’akov) called out to HaShem. But it was HaShem who called-out to Moshe! There is certainly a difference there. Who is calling out to whom? Who is instituting the relationship? Who wants and needs this special relationship? When Avraham called out ‘in the name of G-d’ he (Avraham) was tying his destiny to G-d. Moshe, we are taught, did not institute this relationship and, indeed, tried, like Jonah, to escape it.

Now, let’s go back to our text for this Parshat. G-d chose Betzalel for the building of the Mishkan. He informed Moshe when He said, “See I have chosen Betzalel...” and, Moshe in turn, told the Children (in free explanatory translation prose) See, Hashem, has chosen, by name, Betzalel.” I have identified Myself with Moshe, so too, the Pasuk reads, “I have identified Myself with someone” (and who is that someone?) See! “It is Betzalel, ben Uri ben Hur l’Mateh Yehudah”.

This is not about Betzalel so much, as what we can learn if we take the time to try to understand just what (any given) verse can teach us. It is not about a thirteen year old who ‘knew the secrets of the Hebrew Alef-Beit... or had the skill to create the Aron and the Menorah” - it is about the Torah and what it can tell us.

Shalom

I rely here on the works of Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom of the Yeshiva of Los Angeles for many of these concepts.
And the Stone Edition of the Chumash for the actual wordings and translations of this Parshat.
Other sources are also reflected in the Rabbi’s 1998 text as well as the commentators in the ArtScroll Chumash.