לא תבערו אש, “do not kindle fire;” the reason that the Torah singled out lighting a fire on the Sabbath as a forbidden activity by naming it, is that to the average person lighting a fire seems hardly as something that can be called “work.” If it had not been specifically singled out, people might have said that they would certainly not perform activities even remotely connected to creative activity, but they would never have dreamt that lighting a match would be considered by the Torah as on a par with that of sowing, ploughing, or kneading a dough, for instance. In the Talmud, tractate Shabbat folio 70, there is a dispute about whether this activity has been mentioned specifically in order to tell us that the penalty for violating it is not the same as for other work prohibitions, or that it has been singled out to tell us that even such an activity is forbidden on pain of the death penalty.

ויבואו האנשים על הנשים, “and the men came to the women intending to deny them to offer their jewelry such as חח ונזם nose rings and ear rings; however the women were quite anxious to donate even these pieces of jewelry, seeing that it was for holy purpose. This is why the Torah gives them special credit for their general attitude in verse 26: וכל הנשים אשר נשא לבם אותנה, “and all the women whose heart stirred them, etc.” According to our sages, this is the reason why they were given a holiday each Rosh Chodesh by being allowed to treat it as a sort of holiday, not having to perform tedious activities. This was also in recognition of the fact that they had refused to part with any of their jewelry during the episode of the golden calf. (Compare Exodus 32,2, as interpreted by Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer in chapter 45). According to our author, they were given off on the first day of the month of Nissan during that year, as that was the day when the Tabernacle was put up. Subsequently, every Rosh Chodesh became a semi-holiday for the women.

והנשיאים, “and the princes, etc.; the Talmud in tractate Yuma folio 75 claims that the word נשיאים here refers to clouds, quoting as its source Proverbs 25,14: נשיאים ורוח וגשם אין, “like clouds and wind that do not bring rain.” It is explained there that when the manna would fall from the sky it was accompanied by precious stones falling alongside as well as pearls. This is the meaning of Exodus 36,3: והם הביאו אליו עוד נדבה אליו בבוקר בבוקר, “and they kept bringing to him voluntary offerings every morning.” It was the manna which has been described in the Torah as coming down בבוקר בבוקר (Compare Exodus 16,21). Rabbi Yochanan on that folio adds that all the donations for the Tabernacle were contributed on two mornings, and even that quantity was more than was required. [He interpreted the words: בבוקר בבוקר, as referring only to two mornings. Ed.[

'את אבני השהם וגו.” And the shoham stones;” each prince brought the type of jewel that was used for his tribe on the High Priest’s breastplate. They also contributed the oil for anointing the Tabernacle.

ראו קרא, “see! He has called upon, etc.” What does the word: ראו mean here? When Moses had told the people that Betzalel would be the chief architect/craftsman, and that he would be constructing the Tabernacle, (beginning of chapter 31, where he had been told about Betzalel and Oholiov by name by G–d) there was murmuring among the Israelites who charged Moses with nepotism and assigning every position of importance to members of his family. He therefore repeated here that these men had not been chosen by him but by G–d, personally. In fact, Moses, personally, had originally thought that he himself had been charged with the whole task, seeing that G–d had said to him: ועשית , “you will make,” etc., chapter 25,17, and subsequently. The plural impersonal mode had been reserved for the construction of the Holy Ark (Exodus 25,10). G–d explained to him then already that on the contrary, not as he had thought, he would not build the Tabernacle but a descendant of Chur, who had given his life trying to stop the Jewish people from making a golden calf would be charged with that task. By doing so he would help atone for the murder of his grandfather and for the sin of the golden calf. This is why the Torah traces Betzalel’s ancestry to Chur, i.e. Betzalel son of Uri, son of Chur. (Compare Exodus 31,2)

בחכמה, “with wisdom;” as is written in Proverbs 3,19: בחכמה יסד הארץ,

בתבונה, “with understanding,” as is written there,” כונן שמים בתבונה, “He establishes the heavens with understanding.”

בדעת, “with knowledge;” as is written there in verse 20: בדעתו תהומות נבקעו, “by His knowledge the depths were broken up.” These attributes were used again when Solomon built his Temple as we know from Kings I 7.14. They will be used once more when the third and final Temple will be built as we know from Proverbs 24,3-4: בחכמה יבנה בית ובתבונה יתכונן, ובדעת חדרים ימלאו כל-הון יקר ונעים, “a house will be built by wisdom; it is established through understanding. Its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and beautiful riches.”