## Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel

###### Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 9:1
[Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma/s/Vayakhel/r/9:1)

‎**וַיַּעַשׂ** אֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים לַמִּשְׁכָּן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אָמַר רַבִּי תַחֲלִיפָא דְקִסְרִין, לִמֵּד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁאִם בִּקֵּשׁ אָדָם לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת מֵאִילָן עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, אוֹמֵר לוֹ: וּמָה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהַכֹּל שֶׁלּוֹ, כְּשֶׁאָמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ מִשְׁכָּן, חָס עַל אִילָן עוֹשֶׂה פֵרוֹת, אַתָּה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

**Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman:**
**And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood (Exod. 36:20).** R. Tahlifa of Caesarea said: The Holy One, blessed be He, taught man correct behavior. If a man desired to build a house with the wood of a fruit-producing tree, one should say to him: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, to whom everything belongs, prohibited the use of the wood of a fruit-bearing tree in building the Tabernacle, how much more so are you prohibited from doing that.


###### Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 9:2
[Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma/s/Vayakhel/r/9:2)

מַהוּ לַמִּשְׁכָּן. שֶׁאִם יִתְחַיְּבוּ שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְהֵא הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִתְמַשְׁכֵּן עֲלֵיהֶם. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם לֹא מִשְׁכָּן וְלֹא מִקְדָּשׁ מַה תְּהֵא עֲלֵיהֶם. אָמַר לוֹ: נוֹטֵל אֲנִי צַדִּיקִים שֶׁבָּהֶם מִבֵּינֵיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ מִתְמַשְׁכְּנִין עֲלֵיהֶם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, וַיַּהֲרֹג כָּלֹ מַחֲמַדֵּי עָיִן (איכה ב, ד), אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים. לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: וַיַּעַשׂ אֶת הַקְּרָשִׁים לַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות לו כ, כב).

**Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman:**
What is suggested by the word *mishkan* (“Tabernacle”)? If Israel is worthy (of punishment), the Tabernacle would be seized as a pledge (*mashkon*) for them. Moses said: Master of the Universe, when there is neither a Tabernacle nor a Temple, what will serve as a pledge for them? He answered: I shall take the righteous from among them, and they will be their pledge. Hence it says: *And he that hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye* (Lam. 2:4). These are the righteous. Therefore it is written: *And he made the boards for the Tabernacle of acacia-wood* (Exod. 36:20).