(לב) ויעשו בני ישראל. אֶת הַמְּלָאכָה ככל אשר צוה ה' וגו':
(32) ויעשו בני ישראל And the children of Israel did [Rashi adds: the work] according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they did.
What's bothering Rashi?
Rashi is bothered because "did" is repeated twice. Look at the original verse: it says "the children of Israel did" and then "so they did."
Reflection Questions:
1. How does Rashi's addition (he adds "the work" to the verse) help us understand more?
2. What "work" are they referring to?
Write your own question about this verse:
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(35) And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.—
Rashi on Exodus 40:35
"Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting." But another verse in the Torah (Numbers 7:89) states: "And when Moses would come into the Tent of Meeting." [This is a contradiction, right?] There comes a third verse [in Exodus 40] to explain: "...for the cloud rested on it [the Tent of Meeting]." Therefore, we can conclude that as long as the cloud was upon it he could not come in; but once the cloud left, he could enter and speak with Him.
What's bothering Rashi?
Rashi is dealing with the contraction -- this verse says Moses cannot enter the Tent of Meeting, but in other places in the Torah it says he could not enter the Tent of Meeting.
Reflection Questions:
1. How does Rashi's commentary explain this problem? Does he solve it?
2. Rav Yishmael taught 13 rules about interpreting the Torah. One of them is this: If two verses contradict each other, a third verse will fix the problem. Is this true about Exodus 40:35?
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