בצלאל בו אורי בן חור, “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur;” Betzalel’s ancestry is given for 3 generations, whereas that of his assistant Oholiov is only traced to his father. The reason is that Betzalel’s grandfather had become a martyr during the episode of the golden calf, when he tried to prevent the people from dancing around the golden calf. Seeing that the building of the Tabernacle was primarily in order to facilitate atonement for the sin of the golden calf, it is appropriate that the Torah mentions Chur’s name in this connection.

ואת המנורה הטהורה, “and the candlestick, the pure one;” none of the other furnishings of the Tabernacle have had the adjective; “the pure one” added to it, except the candlestick and the table in Leviticus 24,6. The reason is that neither the table nor the candlestick ever had blood sprinkled on them.

ואת בגדי השרד, “and the service vestments.” The word שרד is reminiscent of פליט ושריד in Jeremiah 44,14, where it refers to remnants of escapees after the destruction of the Temple. Here too, the expression is referring to excess materials used for weaving of the carpets forming the inner ceiling of the Tabernacle, and the priestly garments, as well as the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle and the dividing curtain between the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. From these remnants the covers for the furnishings of the Tabernacle while it was in transit were constructed. These covers were alluded to by the same expression in Exodus 39,41.

ואת קטורת הסמים לקדש, “and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place;” i.e. for use in the holy places.

אך את שבתותי תשמורו , “but you must observe My Sabbath days;” the reason why the Torah repeats this instruction was to tell us that this applies not only during the period when the Tabernacle was being constructed, but for all future generations. This is the origin of which type of work is forbidden to be performed on the Sabbath. Any type of work which was performed during the construction of the Tabernacle, i.e. was required to be performed in the construction of the Tabernacle or service in the Tabernacle, was henceforth forbidden to be performed on the Sabbath.

כי אות היא ביני וביניכם, “for it is a sign between you and Me for generations.” By the use of the word: וביניכם, the Torah emphasizes that it is only between G-d and the Jewish people that such a relationship exists. It is only the Jews who use the Sabbath to rest on it as G-d rested on it after having completed creating the universe. When you rest on the Sabbath like I did, then all the world will know that you are My people.

ושמרתם את השבת, “you must observe the Sabbath;” the reason that this has been repeated is to warn that anyone desecrating the Sabbath purposely and publicly, will be executed. If he does so secretly, he will be cut off from membership in the Jewish people and its eternal future by an act of G-d. Seeing that the penalty has already been spelled out, the warning not to become guilty of this sin and its penalty has to be spelled out also; hence the Torah writes not only: מחלליה מות יומת, but also: כל העושה בו מלאכה מות יומת, “anyone performing forbidden activities on it will be executed.” It does not matter whether such forbidden activity is carried out by day or by night. This is made clear by the repetition of ויום השביעי קודש, “the entire seventh day is holy.”

ששת ימים יעשה מלאכה, “during six days work may be performed.” This verse refers to work being performed if you so desire; another verse says ששת ימים תעבוד, “during six days you are to perform the kind of work which is normally felt as something burdensome.” (Exodus 35,2) The reason why the Torah writes both formulations is to tell us that when we observe the Torah, others may perform this kind of labour on our behalf; if we do not observe the Torah, such as “benefiting” by an extra day of work, we will experience all seven days as days when we have to perform demeaning work. The repetition of the instruction was necessary on account of the penalty of מות ימות, “he will be executed,” having been written twice.

ושמרו בני ישראל, “The Children of Israel shall observe, etc,;” they shall have in mind the next Sabbath during the six working days, looking forward to it, and to prepare for it in order not to need to desecrate it when it comes. This expression was mentioned earlier in v. 14; it is repeated here on account of it having to match the expression ברית עולם, “an everlasting covenant.”

ככלותו לדבר אתו, “when He had concluded speaking with him;” just before dawn on the seventeenth.

לוחות אבן, “Tablets of stone.” This word is used as meaning that the raw material that these Tablets were made of was indestructible, i.e. not subject to disintegration by natural wear and tear. An alternate interpretation: the word was used as a hint that most capital offences when committed deliberately are subject to the penalty of death by stoning.”[Seeing that the Tablets had been made in the celestial regions, the word “stone” had to be used as we are not familiar with the raw material used, and since Moses smashed them, no one even ever saw the Tablets. Ed.]