In the beginning of פרשת תרומה we learn about the various ____________ that the Yidden contributed for the building of the משכן.
One of the materials was the multi-colored hide of a תַּחַּשׁ, which רש"י describes as a kind of animal that only existed at that time.
רש"י adds that אוּנְקְלוּס translates תחש as סַּסְגוֹנָא because it rejoices and is proud of its colors.
The skin of the תחש was used for the top layer of the משכן coverings.
Question
What was so special about the תחש skin, that it was used as the משכן’s _____ layer?
Answer
The תחש skin was special because it came from a _________ being.
Contributions for the משכן included silent, “inanimate” objects, like the silver used for the foundation “sockets”, as well as contributions of things that grow, like the wood used for the walls.
Finally, there were contributions of material that came from living beings, like ram’s skin dyed red. And yet, the beauty of the תחש skin was even more _________ than the red ram’s skin.
Because unlike the ram’s skin which came from a living being and was later dyed, the colors of the תחש skin were natural, part of the body of a living animal itself, and even a part of the animal’s character as expressed in its very ______ as רש"י explained in the תַּרְ גוּם.
Because of the specialness of the תחש skin, it was placed on the very top.
Further discussion
How does the תחש skin being the top layer of covering of the משכן reflect the purpose of the משכן itself? (See אות ה in the שיחה)
The word ססגונא is a combination of the word שָש, rejoice, and גַּוְונָא, color.
