## Kli Yakar on Exodus Chapter 40

###### Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:2:1
[Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Exodus/r/40:2:1)

**בְּיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ תָּקִים אֶת מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.** כְּתִיב בַּפָּרָשָׁה שְׁלֹשָׁה פְעָמִים לְשׁוֹן הֲקָמָה, א׳ ״תָּקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן״, ב׳ ״הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן״, ג׳ ״וַיָּקֶם מֹשֶׁה״, וְאָמְרוּ רז״ל (ויקרא רבה נב ד) שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל חַכְמֵי לֵב מְקִימִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לַהֲקִימוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: עֲסוֹק אַתָּה בַּהֲקָמָתוֹ וְהוּא עוֹמֵד מֵאֵלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הוּקַם״ – מֵאֵלָיו מַשְׁמָע. וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה רֶמֶז לְכָל הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה, כִּי קָצְרָה יַד הָאָדָם לְהַשְׁלִימָם מֵהַתְחֵל וְגָמוֹר, אֶלָּא הָאָדָם הוּא הַמַּתְחִיל וַה׳ יִגְמוֹר עַל יָדוֹ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ רז״ל (קידושין ל:) כְּנֶגֶד הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע: אִלְמָלֵא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹזְרוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לוֹ כוּ׳. וְצִוָּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הֲקָמַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה, מַסְכִּים לְדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁהָעוֹלָם נִבְרָא בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים״, בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה שֶׁנִּקְרָא רֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג כא) ״וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ״, וְאִם כֵּן דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ מֹשֶׁה הֵקִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם, כָּךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁהָיָה בָּנוּי בְּתַבְנִית הָעוֹלָם הוּקַם עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁבְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא הָעוֹלָם, כָּךְ בְּיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן. וּלְדַעַת רז״ל (תורת כהנים שמיני א) הָיָה יוֹם זֶה שְׁמִינִי לַמִּלּוּאִים, וְאוֹתוֹ יוֹם נָטַל עֲשָׂרָה עֲטָרוֹת: רִאשׁוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית כוּ׳, עַיֵּן בַּיַּלְקוּט פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמִינִי (תקכ).

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**On the first day of the first month, you shall set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting** The language of “setting up” is written in the portion three times: 1. *you shall set up the Tabernacle*, 2. *the Tabernacle was set up*, 3. *and Moses set up*. And our Sages said (Vayikra Rabbah 52:4) that the Israelites and all the wise-hearted people were setting up the Tabernacle but they could not erect it. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said, “You engage in setting it up, and it will stand by itself,” as it says, *it was set up*, implying it happened by itself. And this contains an allusion to all the deeds that a person does, because a person’s hand is too short to complete them from beginning to end, rather, the person initiates and God completes it through him. And so our Sages said (Kiddushin 30b) regarding the evil inclination, “If the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not help him, he could not overcome it, etc.” And He commanded that the setting up of the Tabernacle be done by Moses, which agrees with the words of the Midrash that says that the world was created in the merit of Moses, as it says, *In the beginning [reishit] God created*, in the merit of Moses who is called “beginning,” as it says *And he saw the first portion [reishit] for himself* (Deuteronomy 33:21). And if so, it is as if Moses set up the world, similarly the Tabernacle which was built in the pattern of the world was set up by Moses. And just as in the beginning He created the world, so too on the first day of the first month, the Tabernacle was set up. And according to our Sages (Torat Kohanim, Shemini 1), this day was the eighth day of the consecration, and that day received 10 crowns, the first for the work of creation, etc., see in Yalkut Parashat Shemini (520).


###### Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:2:2
[Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Exodus/r/40:2:2)

וּבִשְׁלֹשָׁה הֲקָמוֹת אֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ מִקְצָת מְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשָׁה מִקְדָּשִׁים. וְיֵשׁ לִי כִּדְמוּת רְאָיָה לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, כִּי מִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן וְשֵׁנִי הָיוּ תְּלוּיִין בִּזְכוּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי מִתּוֹךְ הַזְּכוּת וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה זָכוּ לְבִנְיָן זֶה. עַל כֵּן נֶאֱמַר ״תָּקִים״ וְ״יָקֶם״, כִּי זֶה מְדַבֵּר בַּהֲקָמָה הַתְּלוּיָה בִּפְעֻלָּה אֱנוֹשִׁית. אֲבָל מִקְדָּשׁ שְׁלִישִׁי אֵינוֹ תָּלוּי בִּזְכוּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֲפִלּוּ בְּדוֹר שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ חַיָּב יָבֹא הַגּוֹאֵל, וְאִם כֵּן אֵינוֹ תָּלוּי בִּפְעֻלָּה אֱנוֹשִׁית אֶלָּא מֵאֵלָיו יִבָּנֶה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״הוּקַם״, מֵאֵלָיו מַשְׁמָע.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And regarding these three establishments, some commentators said that they correspond to the three Temples.** I have something like a proof for their words because the First and Second Temples were dependent on the merit of Israel, as it was through merit and repentance that they earned this building. Therefore it says *you shall erect* and *he erected*, as this speaks of an establishment that depends on human action. But the Third Temple does not depend on merit, for even in a generation that is entirely guilty, the redeemer will come. And if so, it does not depend on human action, but rather it will be built by itself. Therefore it says *was established*, meaning by itself.


###### Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:34:1
[Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Exodus/r/40:34:1)

**וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּכְבוֹד ה׳ מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן.** נִרְאֶה מִזֶּה שֶׁכְּבוֹד ה׳ אֵינוֹ הֶעָנָן, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָאֵשׁ וְהָאוֹר דְּהַיְנוּ כְּבוֹד ה׳ הָיָה נִרְאֶה מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן, כִּי זוּלַת הֶעָנָן לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁרִי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ, כִּי בְּאוֹר הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֹא יוּכַל הָאָדָם לְהִסְתַּכֵּל, קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּאוֹר זֹהַר שְׁכִינָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. עַל כֵּן הָיָה הָאוֹר הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַהוּא תָּמִיד נִרְאֶה מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן. וּכְשֶׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן נִבְדְּלוּ זֶה מִזֶּה, כִּי הָאוֹר הָאֱלֹהִי הָיָה נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כִּי שָׁם מְקוֹם קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהֶעָנָן נִשְׁאַר מִבַּחוּץ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר סוֹף פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים (שמות כד טז) ״וַיִּשְׁכֹּן כְּבוֹד ה׳ עַל הַר סִינַי וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶעָנָן שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים״, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר הֶעָנָן כִּסָּה אֶת כְּבוֹד ה׳ כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לִרְאוֹת הַכָּבוֹד הַהוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר שָׁם ״וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד ה׳ כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל״, כִּי עַל זֶה הָאֹפֶן יָכְלוּ לִרְאוֹת הַכָּבוֹד. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר כָּאן ״וְלֹא יָכֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן וּכְבוֹד ה׳ מָלֵא הַמִּשְׁכָּן״, כִּי אִלּוּ הָיָה כְּבוֹד ה׳ מְעֹרָב עִם הֶעָנָן הָיָה יָכוֹל לָבוֹא שָׁמָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר סוֹף פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים ״וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן״, כִּי לְפִי שֶׁאָז הָיָה כְּבוֹד ה׳ מְכֻסֶּה בֶּעָנָן הָיָה אֶפְשָׁרִי לְמֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן. אֲבָל עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁנִּבְדְּלוּ זֶה מִזֶּה, שֶׁהֶעָנָן הָיָה מִבַּחוּץ וּכְבוֹד ה׳ הָיָה בְּלֹא עָנָן תּוֹךְ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, עַל כֵּן הָיָה מִן הַנִּמְנָע לְמֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא תּוֹךְ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, מַשְׁמָע אֲבָל עַד אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד סָמוּךְ לוֹ מַמָּשׁ הָיָה יָכוֹל לָבוֹא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן. וְעַל פִּי דְּבָרֵינוּ אֵלֶּה יְתוֹרְצוּ הַרְבֵּה סְפֵקוֹת בְּעִנְיָן זֶה אֲשֶׁר נִתְעוֹרְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הַמְפָרְשִׁים.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.** It appears from this that the glory of the Lord is not the cloud itself, but rather it is that the fire and light — that is, the glory of the Lord — was seen from within the cloud. For without the cloud, it would have been impossible to gaze upon it, because if a person cannot look directly at the light of the sun, how much more so could they not look at the radiant light of His blessed Divine Presence. Therefore, that holy light was always seen through the cloud. When the Tabernacle was erected, they became separated from each other, as the divine light entered into the Tabernacle, for there was the place of His blessed holiness, while the cloud remained outside. This is what it says at the end of Parashat Mishpatim (24:16): *And the glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days.* This means that the cloud covered the glory of the Lord so that they would be able to see that glory, as it says there: *And the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of all Israel,* because in this manner they were able to see the glory.
Therefore it says here: *And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.* For if the glory of the Lord had been mixed with the cloud, he would have been able to enter there, as it says at the end of Parashat Mishpatim: *And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud.* This is because at that time, the glory of the Lord was covered by the cloud, making it possible for Moses to enter into the cloud. But now that they were separated from each other — with the cloud outside and the glory of the Lord inside the Tent of Meeting without a cloud — it was impossible for Moses to enter the Tent of Meeting. This implies, however, that Moses could approach right up to the Tent of Meeting, very close to it, even though the cloud rested upon it. Based on our explanation, many questions regarding this matter that commentators have raised can be resolved.


###### Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:34:2
[Kli Yakar on Exodus 40:34:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Exodus/r/40:34:2)

**חסלת ספר שמות – בעזר נותן עוז ותעצומות.**

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**The book of Exodus is completed — with the help of the One who gives strength and might.**