Answers to this Week’s Riddles
(For the riddles, please see back page)
1) The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh (Shemos 25:2) writes that for the Mishkan women were allowed to give large donations. The question is why should the Mishkan be different? The Ohr HaChaim offers two answers:
i) The Yerushalmi (Shekolim 1:5) tells us that the Mishkan serves as a kapporah [atonement] for the chet ha’egel, and since a kapporah was needed, women were allowed to give large donations. This answer is difficult, as surely the women weren’t involved in the chet ha’egel, so why did they need a kapporah? The Shu”t Rav Pe’olim (Vol. 3, Choshen Mishpot, siman 4) writes a similar idea and says, that if a woman desecrated Shabbos beshogeg [accidentally], and she wants to give tzedokah as a kapporah, she may give even large amounts.
ii) The Medrash Rabbah relates that Moshe Rabbeinu turned to Hashem and asked, “How can Klal Yisrael afford such a thing?” Hashem responded, “The mon brought with it precious stones and diamonds, additionally, from the spoils of Mitzrayim the smallest amount one received was forty donkeys laden with gold, silver, precious stones and diamonds, and according to the amount of money they have, the amount needed to give towards the Mishkan is minimal.”
However, the Meshech Chochmah writes that Hashem commanded Moshe to collect donations:מאת כל איש - “from each man” to teach that women could not contribute large amounts to the Mishkan. We see that the Meshech Chochmah learns that even for the Mishkan women weren’t allowed to give large amounts. The Mishmeres Ariel notes that the Torah explicitly states (Shemos 35:22) that the women contributed bracelets, rings, and other jewelry to the Mishkan, which seems to contradict the opinion of the Meshech Chochmah, however, he suggests this was permitted because the women brought these items together with their husbands so that the collectors would know that the donations were being given with their husbands’ permission. Alternatively, the women specifically contributed jewelry that belonged to them, which they could donate even without their husbands’ presence or consent.
2) We mentioned above that one isn’t allowed to receive large amounts of tzedokah from a woman, therefore, seemingly it would be a problem. However, the Divrei Yatziv in Shefa Chaim (Rosh Hashanah pg. 250) relates a story with a certain righteous women who gave away all her money to the poor, and when her husband questioned what she was doing and saidכל מה שקנתה אשה קנה בעלה – “everything that a woman owns belongs to her husband”, and that when it comes to tzedokah a woman is only allowed to give small donations, she said the following incredible answer: The Gemara in Kesubos (51) teaches that a husband has to pay for his wife’s medical treatment. This woman argued that when she sees another Jew suffering and she is unable to help she becomes ill due to the pain of not being able to help, therefore, the tzedokah she gives is considered medical expenses, and a husband is obligated to pay for medical expenses, therefore, she can give the money out without asking her husband.
3) We see from here an amazing thing, we see that a person who sits and learns Torah can reach a level of kedusah, higher than that of the Beis HaMikdash. (Madanay Asher)
4) The Daas Z’keinim and Chizkuni explain that making the aron completely out of gold would have made it too heavy to be transported on the shoulders of the Levites. Rav Dovid Feinstein (Kol Dodi) questions this, calculating that even with the middle layer of wood it weighed approximately 8 tons. Rather, he answers that because the aron contained a Sefer Torah and the Luchos, it signifies the study of Torah. Although gold is considered more valuable, wood has an advantage in that it is alive and organic. We refer to the Torah as a “Toras Chaim” as it provides us with the necessary tools to respond to life’s challenges. Even at the apparent expense of the aron’s glory, Hashem requires that the Torah rest in a wooden housing to teach that even the most learned Rav in the world may never remain static, as that would symbolize the death of the Torah, but must constantly be growing, changing, learning, and adapting. (Parsha Potpourri)
5) The sides of several parts of the Mishkan and its vessels are referred to as ribs (Shemos 25:12, 26:20, 27:7). Each branch of the Menorah is called aקנה (25:33), which also means windpipe. The Torah mentions the faces of the Keruvim (25:20), the Menorah (25:37), and the Tent (26:9). The base of the Menorah and the back of the Mishkan are described as thighs (25:31, 26:22). The protrusions on top of the kerashim [beams] are referred to as hands (26:17), and the top of the kerashim is called the head (26:24). The Courtyard of the Mishkan was 50 amos [cubits] wide (27:12), a term that can also mean arm (Rashi 2:5). The sides of the entrance to the Courtyard are described as shoulders (27:14-15). (Torah Teasers)
6) ושתי, mentioned in the pasuk ושתי טבעת וכו' (25:12).
