פרשת תרומה

1) ה׳ spoke to Moshe, saying:

(2) Speak to Bnei Yisrael to bring Me contributions; you shall accept contributions for Me from every person whose heart moves him to give.

(3) And these are the contributions that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper;

(4) blue, purple, and crimson dyed wool, fine linen, goats’ hair;

(5) tachash skins and shittim (acacia/cedar) wood;

(6) oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense;

(7) shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen

(8) And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

(9) Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it.

(3) ועצי שטים AND SHITTIM WOOD — But from where did they get this in the desert? Rabbi Tanchuma explained it : Our father Yaako vforesaw by the gift of Ruach Hakodesh that Bnei Yisrael would build a Tabernacle in the wilderness, in the future: he therefore brought cedars to Egypt and planted them there, and commanded his children to take these with them when they would leave Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 9; cf. Bereishis Rabbah 94 and Rashi on Exodus 26:15).

(3) Shittim Wood. Some of our ancient sages said( See Tanchuma 1:9 and Bereshit Rabba 94:4. Also see Rashi.) that the patriarch Yaakov planted acacia trees in Egypt, and Israel, upon the command of Moshe, brought them out. And every man, with whom was found acacia-wood…brought it (Ex. 35:24) is proof of this, just like with blue wool and purple. It raises the question, אשר נמצא אתו-That Israel had acacia wood in their possession, why would they have had taken this wood out Egypt? Why would they need this type if wood? . Furthermore, it is clear that the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were going to offer sacrifices and then return to Egypt. That is why the Egyptians lent the Israelites [gold and silver jewels plus raiment]. How could the Israelites take out so much wood, and so many boards, especially as each one of which was ten cubits? The boards were also accompanied by bars.This intensifies the problem. How could they take out boards and bars from Egypt? In Egypt they passed by the seat of the king. What was their answer to those who asked them why they were carrying acacia wood when they were going on a three-day journey to offer sacrifices? Now we do not know whether our ancestors had a tradition that the Israelites took the acacia wood out of Egypt. If they did, then we will accept their tradition. However, if their statement is based on reasoning, then we must seek another explanation. We suggest that there was a forest of acacia trees next to Har Sinai. When Israel came to Sinai, Moshe told them that they would be spending a long time there. I have already explained, that there was no cloud over them at this time.Each one of them then made a booth. The princes made court-like structures, each one in accordance with his status. They cut the entire forest down, for they were a large nation. They made booths, Out of the acacia wood. Moshe did not speak to them regarding the Mishkan until after the Yom Kippur After which he spoke to Israel regarding the construction of the tabernacle. This is the meaning of with whom was found (Ex. 35:24).53The meaning of which is: with whom was found for his personal needs, the reference being to the wood which they had cut in order to construct their booths.