Chapter 40

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2"On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall set up the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting.   בבְּיֽוֹם־הַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ תָּקִ֕ים אֶת־מִשְׁכַּ֖ן אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
3There you shall place the Ark of the Testimony, and you shall spread the dividing curtain toward the ark.   גוְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָֽעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־הָֽאָרֹ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּרֹֽכֶת:
and you shall spread… toward the ark: Heb. וְסַכֹּתָ, an expression denoting protection, for this [dividing curtain] was a partition [not a covering].   וְסַכֹּתָ עַל־הָֽאָרֹן: לְשׁוֹן הַגָּנָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי מְחִצָּה הָיְתָה:
4You shall bring in the table and set its arrangement; you shall bring in the menorah and kindle its lamps.   דוְהֵֽבֵאתָ֙ אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֔ן וְעָֽרַכְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֶרְכּ֑וֹ וְהֵֽבֵאתָ֙ אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָ֔ה וְהַֽעֲלֵיתָ֖ אֶת־נֵֽרֹתֶֽיהָ:
and set its arrangement: [I.e., arrange] the two stacks of the [loaves of] showbread (Lev. 24:6).   וְעָֽרַכְתָּ אֶת־עֶרְכּוֹ: שְׁתַּיִם מַעֲרָכוֹת שֶׁל לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים:
5You shall place the golden altar for incense before the Ark of the Testimony, and you shall place the screen of the entrance to the Mishkan.   הוְנָֽתַתָּ֞ה אֶת־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַזָּהָב֙ לִקְטֹ֔רֶת לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הָֽעֵדֻ֑ת וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ אֶת־מָסַ֥ךְ הַפֶּ֖תַח לַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
6You shall place the altar of the burnt offering in front of the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting.   ווְנָ֣תַתָּ֔ה אֵ֖ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָֽעֹלָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֕י פֶּ֖תַח מִשְׁכַּ֥ן אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵֽד:
7You shall place the washstand between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and there you shall put water.   זוְנָֽתַתָּ֙ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֔ר בֵּֽין־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְנָֽתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖ם מָֽיִם:
8And you shall set up the courtyard all around, and you shall put up the screen for the gate to the courtyard.   חוְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־הֶֽחָצֵ֖ר סָבִ֑יב וְנָ֣תַתָּ֔ אֶת־מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֥עַר הֶֽחָצֵֽר:
9You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Mishkan and everything within it, and you shall sanctify it and all its furnishings; thus it will become a holy thing.   טוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־שֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֖יו וְהָ֥יָה קֹֽדֶשׁ:
10You shall anoint the altar for the burnt offering and all its implements; you shall sanctify the altar; thus the altar will become a holy of holies.   יוּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֛ אֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הָֽעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְהָיָ֥ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִֽׁים:
11You shall anoint the washstand and its base and sanctify it.   יאוּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּ֑וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֖ אֹתֽוֹ:
12And you shall bring Aaron and his sons near the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and you shall bathe them in water.   יבוְהִקְרַבְתָּ֤ אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְרָֽחַצְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּמָּֽיִם:
13And you shall clothe Aaron with the holy garments, and you shall anoint him and sanctify him so that he may serve Me [as a kohen].   יגוְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֥ אֹת֛וֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹת֖וֹ וְכִהֵ֥ן לִֽי:
14And you shall bring his sons near and clothe them with tunics.   ידוְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו תַּקְרִ֑יב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם כֻּתֳּנֹֽת:
15And you shall anoint them, as you have anointed their father, so that they may serve Me [as kohanim]. And this shall be so that their anointment shall remain for them an everlasting kehunah throughout their generations."   טווּמָֽשַׁחְתָּ֣ אֹתָ֗ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר מָשַׁ֨חְתָּ֙ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וְכִֽהֲנ֖וּ לִ֑י וְ֠הָֽיְתָ֠ה לִֽהְיֹ֨ת לָהֶ֧ם מָשְׁחָתָ֛ם לִכְהֻנַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹֽרֹתָֽם:
16Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did.   טזוַיַּ֖עַשׂ משֶׁ֑ה כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה:
17It came to pass in the first month, in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Mishkan was set up.   יזוַיְהִ֞י בַּחֹ֧דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֛וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הוּקַ֖ם הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
18Moses set up the Mishkan, placed its sockets, put up its planks, put in its bars, and set up its pillars.   יחוַיָּ֨קֶם משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲדָנָ֔יו וַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ אֶת־קְרָשָׁ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֖ן אֶת־בְּרִיחָ֑יו וַיָּ֖קֶם אֶת־עַמּוּדָֽיו:
19He spread the tent over the Mishkan, and he placed the cover of the tent over it from above, as the Lord had commanded Moses.   יטוַיִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־הָאֹ֨הֶל֙ עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וַיָּ֜שֶׂם אֶת־מִכְסֵ֥ה הָאֹ֛הֶל עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
He spread the tent: They are the curtains of goat hair (Exod. 26:7, 36:14).   וַיִּפְרֹשׂ אֶת־הָאֹהֶל: הֵן יְרִיעוֹת הָעִזִּים:
20He took and placed the testimony into the ark, put the poles upon the ark, and placed the ark cover on the ark from above.   כוַיִּקַּ֞ח וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־הָֽעֵדֻת֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַבַּדִּ֖ים עַל־הָֽאָרֹ֑ן וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת עַל־הָֽאָרֹ֖ן מִלְמָֽעְלָה:
the testimony: [I.e.,] the tablets [of the testimony].   אֶת־הָֽעֵדֻת: הַלּוּחוֹת:
21He brought the ark into the Mishkan and placed the screening dividing curtain so that it formed a protective covering before the Ark of the Testimony as the Lord had commanded Moses.   כאוַיָּבֵ֣א אֶת־הָֽאָרֹן֘ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֒ וַיָּ֗שֶׂם אֵ֚ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֔ךְ וַיָּ֕סֶךְ עַ֖ל אֲר֣וֹן הָֽעֵד֑וּת כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
22He placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the northern side of the Mishkan, outside the dividing curtain.   כבוַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן צָפֹ֑נָה מִח֖וּץ לַפָּרֹֽכֶת:
on the northern side of the Mishkan: In the northern half of the width of the Temple [i.e., the Mishkan]. -[from Yoma 33b]   עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן צָפֹנָה: בַּחֵצִי הַצְּפוֹנִי שֶׁל רֹחַב הַבַּיִת:
side: Heb. יֶרֶךְ, lit., thigh, as the Targum [Onkelos renders it]: צִדָּא, the side, like the thigh that is on a person’s side.   יֶרֶךְ: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, צִדָּא, כַּיָּרֵךְ הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא בְּצִדּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם:
23He set upon it an arrangement of bread before the Lord as the Lord had commanded Moses.   כגוַיַּֽעֲרֹ֥ךְ עָלָ֛יו עֵ֥רֶךְ לֶ֖חֶם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
24He placed the menorah in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the southern side of the Mishkan.   כדוַיָּ֤שֶׂם אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד נֹ֖כַח הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן נֶֽגְבָּה:
25He kindled the lamps before the Lord as the Lord had commanded Moses.   כהוַיַּ֥עַל הַנֵּרֹ֖ת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָה֑ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
26He placed the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the dividing curtain.   כווַיָּ֛שֶׂם אֶת־מִזְבַּ֥ח הַזָּהָ֖ב בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לִפְנֵ֖י הַפָּרֹֽכֶת:
27He made the incense go up in smoke upon it as the Lord had commanded Moses.   כזוַיַּקְטֵ֥ר עָלָ֖יו קְטֹ֣רֶת סַמִּ֑ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
He made the incense go up in smoke upon it: in the morning and in the evening, as it is said: “every morning when he sets the lamps in order [he shall make it go up in smoke]” (Exod. 30:7).   וַיַּקְטֵר עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת: שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת וְגוֹמֵר (שמות ל'):
28He placed the screen for the entrance of the Mishkan.   כחוַיָּ֛שֶׂם אֶת־מָסַ֥ךְ הַפֶּ֖תַח לַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
29The altar of the burnt offering he placed in front of the entrance of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting, and he offered up the burnt offering and the meal offering upon it as the Lord had commanded Moses.   כטוְאֵת֙ מִזְבַּ֣ח הָֽעֹלָ֔ה שָׂ֕ם פֶּ֖תַח מִשְׁכַּ֣ן אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיַּ֣עַל עָלָ֗יו אֶת־הָֽעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
and he offered up the burnt offering and the meal offering upon it: Even on the eighth day of the investitures-which was the day of the setting up of the Mishkan-Moses officiated and offered up the communal sacrifices, with the exception of those that Aaron was commanded [to offer up] on that day, as it is said: “Approach the altar” (Lev. 9:7).   וַיַּעַל עָלָיו וגו': אַף בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי לַמִּלּוּאִים, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הֲקָמַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שִׁמֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה וְהִקְרִיב קָרְבְּנוֹת צִבּוּר, חוּץ מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר קְרַב אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹמֵר (ויקרא ט'):
the burnt offering: The daily burnt offering.   אֶת־הָֽעֹלָה: עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד:
and the meal offering: [This refers to] the meal offering of the libations of the daily burnt offering, as it is said: “And one-tenth of fine flour, thoroughly mixed with… oil” (Exod. 29:40).   וְאֵת הַמִּנְחָה: מִנְחַת נְסָכִים שֶׁל תָּמִיד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעִשָּׂרֹן סֹלֶת בָּלוּל בְּשֶׁמֶן וְגוֹמֵר (שמות כ"ט):
30He placed the washstand between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and there he put water for washing,   לוַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֔ר בֵּֽין־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן שָׁ֛מָּה מַ֖יִם לְרָחְצָֽה:
31and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet from it.   לאוְרָֽחֲצ֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֑יו אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם:
and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash: On the eighth day, they were all equal in respect to the kehunah. Its [Aramaic] translation is וִיקַדְּשׁוּן מִנֵּיהּ, and shall wash from it, for on that day Moses washed with them.   וְרָֽחֲצוּ מִמֶּנּוּ משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן: יוֹם שְׁמִינִי לַמִּלּוּאִים הֻשְׁווּ כֻלָּם לִכְהֻנָּה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּמְקַדְּשִׁין מִנֵּהּ, בּוֹ בַיּוֹם קִדֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה עִמָּהֶם:
32When they entered the Tent of Meeting and when they approached the altar they would wash as the Lord had commanded Moses.   לבבְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד וּבְקָרְבָתָ֛ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ יִרְחָ֑צוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
and when they approached: Heb. וּבְקָרְבָתָם, like וּבְקָרְבָם, when they will approach (sic).   וּבְקָרְבָתָם: כְּמוֹ וּבְקָרְבָם – כְּשֶׁיִּקְרְבוּ:
33He set up the courtyard all around the Mishkan and the altar, and he put up the screen at the entrance to the courtyard; and Moses completed the work.   לגוַיָּ֣קֶם אֶת־הֶֽחָצֵ֗ר סָבִיב֙ לַמִּשְׁכָּ֣ן וְלַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּתֵּ֕ן אֶת־מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֣עַר הֶֽחָצֵ֑ר וַיְכַ֥ל משֶׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָֽה:
34And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.   לדוַיְכַ֥ס הֶֽעָנָ֖ן אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
35Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.   להוְלֹֽא־יָכֹ֣ל משֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶֽעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting: But one [other] passage says: “And when Moses would enter the Tent of Meeting” (Num. 7:89), [which is an apparent contradiction]. The third passage [verse 35] came and reconciled them: “because the cloud rested upon it.” You may henceforth say that as long as the cloud was upon it, he could not enter, [but when] the cloud withdrew, he would enter and [God] would speak with him. -[from Torath Kohanim, Shalosh Esrei Middoth, Thirteen methods, Section 8]   וְלֹֽא־יָכֹל משֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד: וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד (במדבר ז')? בָּא הַכָּתוּב הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְהִכְרִיעַ בֵּינֵיהֶם – כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה עָלָיו הֶעָנָן לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לָבֹא, נִסְתַּלֵּק הֶעָנָן נִכְנָס וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ (ספרא):
36When the cloud rose up from over the Mishkan, the children of Israel set out in all their journeys.   לווּבְהֵֽעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַסְעֵיהֶֽם:
37But if the cloud did not rise up, they did not set out until the day that it rose.   לזוְאִם־לֹ֥א יֵֽעָלֶ֖ה הֶֽעָנָ֑ן וְלֹ֣א יִסְע֔וּ עַד־י֖וֹם הֵעָֽלֹתֽוֹ:
38For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire within it at night, before the eyes of the entire house of Israel in all their journeys.   לחכִּי֩ עֲנַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֤ה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְאֵ֕שׁ תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לַ֖יְלָה בּ֑וֹ לְעֵינֵ֥י כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם:
before the eyes of the entire house of Israel in all their journeys: On every journey (מַסָּע) that they were traveling, the cloud would rest in that place where they encamped. The place of their encampment is also called a journey (מַסָּע). Likewise, “And he went to his stations (לְמַסָּעָיו) ” (Gen. 13:3) [i.e., to the stops along his journey], and likewise, “These are the journeys (מַסְעֵי) ” (Num. 33:1). Since from the place of their encampment they resumed their journeys, they are all called “journeys” (מַסָעוֹת).   לְעֵינֵי כָל־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶֽם: בְּכָל מַסָּע שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹסְעִים, הָיָה הֶעָנָן שׁוֹכֵן בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יַחֲנוּ שָׁם; מְקוֹם חֲנִיָּתָן אַף הוּא קָרוּי מַסָּע, וְכֵן וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו (בראשית י"ג), וְכֵן אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי (במדבר ל"ג), לְפִי שֶׁמִּמְּקוֹם הַחֲנִיָּה חָזְרוּ וְנָסְעוּ, לְכָךְ נִקְרְאוּ כֻלָּן מַסָּעוֹת: