The Medrash on Moshe's Speech
The Medrash makes the following comment on the possuk "And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed, saying"; it is written in Mishlei, 'There is gold and many pearls, but lips of knowledge are like a precious vessel.' The first part of the possuk is referring to everyone who brought donations to build the Mishkan. Some brought gold, some silver, and the Heads of the Tribes brought pearls and precious stones. What is the meaning of the end of the possuk, “but lips of knowledge are like a precious vessel"? This is referring to Moshe who was despondent and bemoaned to Hashem that everyone brought donations to the Mishkan except for him! Hashem consoled him; I swear on your life, your speech is beloved to me more than anything, as we see Hashem only called to Moshe as it is written, "And He called to Moshe...".
Zera Shimshon asks, how do we see Moshe's speech was so dear to Hashem by the fact that Hashem called to Moshe? In this possuk we only see that Hashem spoke to Moshe but we don't find that Moshe spoke at all!
Chazal and the Value of Causing Others to Act
Zera Shimshon answers in light of two excerpts of Chazal, a Medrash and an excerpt from the Gemara.
- The Medrash explains the possuk (Mishlei 27/18), "the one that guards a fig will eat from that fig" is referring to Moshe. Moshe supervised the building of the Mishkan and directed each person how to do their job so they would not make a mistake or deviate from what Hashem commanded. Therefore, the Mishkan is called on Moshe's name like it is written (Bamidbar 7/1); “And it was on the day that Moshe finished erecting the Mishkan...". Even though many people took part in building the Mishkan, the Torah only mentions that Moshe "finished" building it, because since he directed and advised everyone how to build it and what to do, it is as if he was the one who built it.
- It is written in Mesechta Babba Basra (9a); R' Elazar says: One who causes others to perform an admirable act is greater than one who performs that act himself.
According to these two sources Zera Shimshon explains that Moshe's words were more precious to Hashem than the donations of the rest of Bnei Yisroel because Moshe caused the builders of the Mishkan to do their work properly, therefore Moshe's speech was dearer to Hashem than the actual work of those who build the Mishkan.
Hashem rewards people middah k’neged middah (measure for measure), therefore the fact that Hashem spoke to Moshe as a reward, shows that Moshe's speech, i.e. his instructing the people how to work, was dear to Hashem.
The Allusion in the Possuk
Zera Shimshon concludes that Moshe's speech was dear to Hashem is also alluded to in the possuk itself. The Mefarshim are bothered about what the word "saying" means in the last word of the possuk, "And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed, saying." If Hashem called to Moshe obviously Hashem spoke to him!
Zera Shimshon answers, this is alluding to what we said above; the reason Hashem spoke to Moshe was because, "saying". Saying is not referring to Hashem's speech but rather it is referring to Moshe's saying and speaking to the workers of the Mishkan.
