Management of the Tabernacle
These are the appointments over the Tabernacle – the Tabernacle being a testimony – assigned by Moses. The work of the Levites was to be under the direction of Itamar, son of Aaron the priest.

Moses’ chief artisan, Betzalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, proved to be so insightful that even in those cases where Moses had not told him explicitly what God had told him to do, he intuited God’s instructions on his own and had thus carried out all that GOD had commanded Moses.

With him was Oholiav son of Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman and weaver, and an embroiderer in turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and in linen.

To demonstrate how Moses was in charge of the entire process of constructing the Tabernacle, the Torah now gives some examples of the quantities of raw materials the people brought to him. All the gold that was used for the work, in all the holy work – that is, the gold of the wave-offering – came to 29 talents and 730 shekels, of the sacred shekels (approximately 1404 kg or 3095 lbs). This amount of gold was not enough for all the gold that was needed in making the Tabernacle’s components, so Moses – who was exceptionally wealthy – made up the difference from his own funds.

The silver from those of the community who had been counted – i.e., the lay males between ages 20 and sixty – came to 100 talents and 1775 shekels, of the sacred shekels (approximately 4828 kg or 10,645 lbs):

a beka per head, which is a half-shekel according to the weight of the sacred shekel, for all those 20 years and over, up to age 60, who had passed through the line of those counted in the census, 603,550 in all, as follows:
603,550 people × 0.5 shekel/person = 301,775 shekel;
301,775 shekel ÷ 3000 shekel/talent = 100 talents and 1775 shekel.

The 100 talents of silver were used for casting the bases for the Tabernacle and the bases for the Curtain: 100 bases from 100 talents, one talent for each base. There were 40 bases on each side of the Tabernacle, 16 at the back, and 4 under the Curtain.

And with the 1775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars of the Courtyard, overlaid their tops, and banded them. The people donated much additional silver beyond the mandatory half-shekel.

The copper of the wave-offering came to 70 talents and 2400 shekels.

With it he made the bases for the Screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the Outer, copper Altar and its copper Grate, and all the Altar’s utensils,

the bases for the pillars of the Courtyard all around and the bases for the Screen at the entrance to the Courtyard, all the stakes for the Tabernacle, and all the stakes for the Courtyard all around. But the Laver was made from the copper mirrors that the women donated, as described above.

Making the Ephod
With the turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, they made the netted packing cloths for use in the Tabernacle, and also made Aaron’s sacred garments – as GOD had commanded Moses.

The Torah now resumes the account of how the artisans made the Tabernacle and its accoutrements, continuing with the priestly garments. The artisan made the Ephod out of threads composed of 28 strands: four gold threads, one twined with six threads of turquoise wool, one twined with six threads of purple wool, one twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one twined with six threads of twined linen.

In order to fashion the gold threads, they hammered out the sheets of gold and he cut them into threads, to be intertwined with the turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and the fine linen. The Ephod was made with a woven design.

They made attached shoulder straps for it; they were attached by sewing at its two visible ends as seen from the back.

The belt that fastened it and that was above it was made like it, of one piece with it, and out of the same 28-strand thread: one gold thread twined with six threads of turquoise wool, one gold thread twined with six threads of purple wool, one gold thread twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one gold thread twined with six threads of twined linen – as GOD had commanded Moses.

They made the two rectangular onyx stones mounted in gold settings; they were engraved, as a signet ring is engraved, with the names of Israel’s sons.

He then affixed them to the upper ends of the shoulder straps of the Ephod as stones of remembrance of the righteousness of the sons of Israel – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Making the Breastplate
He made the Breastplate of woven design, out of the same 28-strand fabric as the Ephod was made: four threads of gold, one twined with six threads of turquoise wool, one twined with six threads of purple wool, one twined with six threads of scarlet wool, and one twined with six threads of twined linen.

They made the Breastplate to be folded over into a square, a span long and a span wide when folded over.

They set it with four rows of mounted gems: The first row was a row containing a carnelian, an emerald, and a topaz.

The second row: a red garnet, a sapphire, and a diamond.

The third row: a zircon, an agate, and an amethyst.

The fourth row: an aquamarine, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted so as to be encased in settings of gold.

The gems bore the names of the 12 sons of Israel, all 12 by name; each one’s name was engraved as on a signet ring, for all 12 tribes.

For attaching the top edge of the Breastplate to the shoulder straps of the Ephod, they made pure-gold chains, braided like cords.

They made two gold settings and two gold rings, and they attached the two rings to the two upper corners of the Breastplate.

They ran the two gold braids through the two rings on the upper corners of the Breastplate.

They attached the two ends of each of the two braids to the two settings, which they affixed toward the front of the shoulder straps of the Ephod.

They made two additional gold rings and attached them to the two lower corners of the Breastplate, on the corners of its edge that faces the Ephod, the rings being attached to the inner fold of the Breastplate.

They made a third set of two gold rings, and attached them to the outer edge of the lower ends of the two shoulder straps at the back of the Ephod, next to where they were joined to it, above the belt of the Ephod.

They linked the Breastplate by its rings to the rings of the Ephod with a cord of turquoise wool so the Breastplate would be connected to the front of the belt of the Ephod and so the Breastplate would not come loose from the Ephod – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Making the Robe
Betzalel made the Robe to be worn under the Ephod, woven entirely out of turquoise wool.

The edge of the top opening of the Robe was folded inwards, like the collar of a coat of mail: all around its opening there was an edging so that it would not rip.

On the lower hem of the Robe they made hollow spheres shaped like pomegranates out of turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, intertwined.

They made bells of pure gold and placed the bells between the pomegranates, all around the lower hem of the Robe, amid the pomegranates:

a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the lower hem of the Robe, for the Tabernacle service – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Making the Tunics, the Headgear, the Sash, and the Forehead-Plate
They made the woven linen tunics for Aaron and his sons,

and the linen Turban for Aaron, the splendid but less elaborate linen hats for his sons, and the linen trousers for all of them, all out of twined linen.

And they made the Sash for Aaron’s Tunic embroidered out of twined linen and turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool, and the sashes for his sons’ tunics – as GOD had commanded Moses.

They made the Forehead-plate, the holy crown, of pure gold, and they inscribed upon it with script like that of a signet ring the words “Holy unto GOD.”

They inserted a cord of turquoise wool into it, to pass over the top of the Turban – as GOD had commanded Moses.

All the work of making the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting and its accoutrements, was completed by the artisans. The rest of the Israelites brought everything they had donated exactly in the manner that GOD had commanded Moses.

Presenting the Work to Moses
They brought the inner, tapestry-covering of the Tabernacle to Moses, the Tent of goat-hair coverings, and all the other accoutrements of the Tabernacle: its clasps, planks, crossbars, pillars, and bases;

the roof of red-dyed ram skins, the roof of tachash hides, and the partition Curtain;

the Ark of Testimony, its poles, and the Cover;

the Table, all its utensils, and the showbread;

the pure-gold Candelabrum with its lamps – the lamps in due order – all its utensils, and the oil for illumination;

the golden Altar, the anointing oil, the incense-offering, and the Screen for the entrance to the Tent;

the copper Altar, its copper Grate, its poles, and all its utensils; the Laver and its base;

the nettings of the Courtyard, its pillars, and its bases; the Screen for the entrance to the Courtyard, its tying ropes, and its stakes; and all the utensils for the work of dismantling and erecting the Tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting;

the netted packing-cloths for use in the Tabernacle, the sacred garments for Aaron the high priest, and the garments of his sons ministering as priests.

The Israelites had done all the work exactly in the manner that GOD had commanded Moses.

Moses saw that they had indeed done all the work exactly as GOD had commanded, and Moses blessed them, saying, “You have done all this so that God’s presence will again dwell among you. May His presence indeed rest on your handiwork.” He prayed, “May the pleasantness of the presence of God, our God, be upon us. God, please validate the work of our hands for us in this way.”

The Command to Erect the Tabernacle
GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

On the first day of Nisan, the first month, you must erect the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

After you have erected the structure, you must place there the Ark of Testimony, and you must screen the Ark with the Curtain.

You must bring in the Table and set up its arrangement of showbread, and you must bring in the Candelabrum and light its lamps.

You must place the golden incense Altar in front of the Ark of Testimony, and you must emplace the Screen for the entrance to the Tabernacle.

You must place the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle, i.e., the Tent of Meeting.

You must then place the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and you must put water in it.

You must set up the Courtyard all around, and emplace the Screen for the entrance to the Courtyard.

You must take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its contents; you will thereby sanctify it and all its utensils, making it holy.

You must anoint the sacrificial Altar and all its utensils; you will thereby sanctify the Altar, making the Altar holy of holies.

You must anoint the Laver with its base and thereby make it holy.

The Command to Install the Priests
You must bring Aaron and his sons into the Courtyard, outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and immerse them in the water of a mikveh.

During the week of installation rites, you will have to dress Aaron and his sons yourself, since they will not yet be qualified to function as priests and therefore will not be able to perform any part of the priestly service – including dressing themselves in their priestly vestments. On 1 Nisan, however, they must begin to officiate as priests, so in principle they will be able to dress themselves. Nonetheless, you must still dress Aaron one last time in the holy garments and anoint him, and you will thereby sanctify him and he will minister to Me. Since it is Aaron’s offerings this day that will cause My presence to be revealed in the Tabernacle, thereby fulfilling the purpose of its construction, and constructing the Tabernacle is in your charge, you must prepare him for performing this day’s rites by dressing him.

His sons, however, will not perform this day any rites related to the fulfillment of the Tabernacle’s construction. Still, since this is the first day they will serve as priests, you must inaugurate them into this office by dressing them in their main priestly vestment, the tunic. Therefore, after they put on their trousers, you must bring forth his sons and dress them in tunics. They must then put on their sashes and headgear themselves.

You must then anoint them as you anointed their father, and they will minister to Me, and their anointing will endow them with an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”

On 23 Adar, Moses began performing the installation rites on Aaron and his sons, as God had commanded him and as will be described in detail later. Then, on 1 Nisan, Moses performed the rites of this day exactly as GOD had commanded him.

Erecting the Tabernacle
Thus, it was in Nisan, the first month, of 2449, the second year after the Exodus, on the first of the month, that the Tabernacle was for the first time erected and not dismantled the same day.

Moses erected the Tabernacle: he set up its bases, fitted its planks, inserted its crossbars, and erected its pillars. He could not lift the planks on his own, but, as God had told him, he applied himself to the task and the planks rose up by themselves.

He spread the Tent of goat-hair sheets over the first covering of the Tabernacle, the tapestries, and placed the ram-skin and tachash-skin roof of the Tent over it – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Moses then began to place the furnishings in their proper place inside and outside of the Tabernacle. As soon as he finished positioning each furnishing, he performed the task for which that furnishing was used. Even though normally, the individual furnishings would not function unless the entire Tabernacle was in place, special conditions applied to the inaugural process that took place this day. Moses had officiated as the priest during the seven consecration days, performing all the regular daily priestly rites. On the eighth day, 1 Nisan, Moses continued doing this. Aaron offered up only the installation offerings, and only began to officiate at the regular daily rites the next day. Moses took the Tablets of the Testimony from the wooden ark he had made himself and placed them in the Ark. He positioned the poles on the Ark, and placed the Cover on top of the Ark.

He brought the Ark into the Tabernacle, and emplaced the partition Curtain so that it would screen the Ark of Testimony – as GOD had commanded Moses. He then put the broken first set of tablets into the original wooden ark he had made. This ark would precede the people whenever they would travel and would be taken with them into the battlefield when they would go to war.

He placed the Table in the Tent of Meeting on the northern side of the Tabernacle, outside the Curtain.

He then set up an arrangement of showbread on it before GOD – as GOD had commanded Moses – even though it was Sunday, and the showbread is normally laid out on the Table only on the Sabbath.

He placed the Candelabrum in the Tent of Meeting opposite the Table, on the southern side of the Tabernacle.

He then lit the lamps before GOD – as GOD had commanded Moses – even though it was morning, and the lamps are normally lit only in the afternoon.

He placed the golden Altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Curtain.

He then burned an incense-offering on it – as GOD had commanded Moses. He burned the incense once in the morning and once again in the afternoon, in accordance with the normal practice; there was no exception to the normal practice in the case of the incense.

He emplaced the Screen for the entrance to the Tabernacle.

He then placed the sacrificial Altar in front of the entrance to the Tabernacle, i.e., the Tent of Meeting, and upon it he sacrificed the daily ascent-offering and its accompanying grain-offering and libation – as GOD had commanded Moses.

He placed the Laver between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and put water in it for washing.

From it Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons would wash their hands and feet – Moses on that day only, Aaron and his sons from that day on.

They would wash whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or drew near to the Altar – as GOD had commanded Moses.

Moses then set up the Courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and the Altar, and he emplaced the Screen for the entrance to the Courtyard. With this, Moses completed the work. Aaron then performed the inauguration rites, as will be described later in detail.

The Divine Presence Rests on the Tabernacle
The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of GOD filled the Tabernacle.

Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting since the cloud had rested on it and GOD’s glory filled the Tabernacle. But when God withdrew the cloud from the outer chamber of the Tabernacle, Moses could enter it and converse with God.

The Tabernacle remained in place from 1 Nisan to 20 Iyar. Thereafter, whenever the cloud rose from above the Tabernacle, the Israelites would embark on all their journeys.

If the cloud did not rise, they would not set out until the day it rose.

For wherever they camped, the cloud of GOD was above the Tabernacle by day, and fire would be there by night, visible to the entire House of Israel, at all the stations of their journeys.