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Sforno on Exodus Chapter 27

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קַרְנֹתָיו. הַיְדוּעוֹת לְכָל מִזְבֵּחַ, וְכֵן בְּאָמְרוֹ "וְיָעָיו וּמִזְרְקֹתָיו וְכוּ'".

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

קרנותיו, a feature of all altars, as were the shovels and the basins for the blood as receptacles.

כַּרְכֹּב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. הָרָגִיל לִהְיוֹת בְּכָל כְּלִי עֵץ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חולין כה.) אֵלּוּ הֵם גּוֹלְמֵי כְלֵי עֵץ, כָּל שֶׁעֲתִידִין לָשׁוּף וּלְכַרְכֵּב.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

כרכב המזבח, ledges which are common to all vessels made of wood, as our sages confirm in Chulin 25 “these are wooden vessels in their original unfinished state that are not susceptible to ritual impurity; any such vessel or instrument that is not fit for intended for scraping the scales off fish, etc.”

נְבוּב לֻחֹת. כְּמוֹ תֵּבָה בְּלִי שׁוּלַיִם וּבְלִי מִכְסֶה.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

נבוב לוחות, similar to a box which has no rim around its base and no cover.

כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה אוֹתְךָ בָּהָר. שֶׁיְּמַלְאוּ חֲלָלוֹ בַּאֲדָמָה בִּשְׁעַת חֲנִיָּתָם, וְעַל הָאֲדָמָה אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד (ויקרא ו:ו).

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

כאשר הראה אותך בהר, that they were to fill the hollow inside with earth at the times they would be encamped. The fire [reserve of the wooden pile some of which was kept constantly burning. Ed.] which was to be kept going on the altar as described in Leviticus 6,6, would be based on the earth.

מֵאָה בָאַמָּה וְעַמּוּדָיו עֶשְׂרִים. כָּל חָלָל שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם עִם עַמּוּד שֶׁלּוֹ הָיָה חֲמִשָּׁה. אָמְנָם לֹא הָיוּ עֶשְׂרִים עַמּוּדֵי צָפוֹן וְעֶשְׂרִים עַמּוּדֵי דָרוֹם מַתְחִילִים אֵלֶּה נֹכַח אֵלֶּה בְּקַו יָשָׁר, אֲבָל הָיְתָה הַתְחָלַת הַפֵּאָה הָאַחַת נִמְשֶׁכֶת מִתְּחִלַּת הַפֵּאָה שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָּהּ כְּמוֹת אֶחָד חָלָל, וְעַמּוּדֵי הַמִּזְרָח וְהַמַּעֲרָב הָיוּ מַתְחִילִים בְּרִחוּק מִן הַפֵּאָה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת כְּמוֹת אֶחָד חָלָל.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

מאה באמה ועמודיו עשרים, the space between one pillar and the next including one of the pillars was 5 cubits. However, there were no 20 pillars either along the northern wall or along the southern wall of this courtyard at such intervals but the ones linking up with the east wall and the west wall had to be adjoining the ones running at 90 degree angles from them. [the careful reader will perceive that it is impossible for all the pillars to have been placed five cubits apart from both their partners on the other side, as they would then have covered a total distance of more that the 300 cubits making up the total length of the four “walls.” Ed.]

וַחֲשֻׁקֵיהֶם. עֲגוּלִים סוֹבְבִים הָעַמּוּד בְּאֶמְצָעוֹ לְנוֹי:

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

וחשוקיהם, sort of bracelets attached to the pillars for decorative purposes.

לְכֹל כְּלֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּכָל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ. הַכֵּלִים הַצְּרִיכִים לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, כְּגוֹן פַּטִּישׁ וּמַקָּבוֹת וְזוּלָתָם הַצְּרִיכִים בִּשְׁעַת הוֹרָדָה וַהֲקָמָה:

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

לכל כלי המשכן לכל עבודתו, the vessels, tools needed to perform all the service connected with the Tabernacle.

וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה. הִנֵּה מַה שֶּׁאָמַר עַד עַכְשָׁיו "וְעָשִׂיתָ" יוּבַן שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי אַחֵר, וְזֶה שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה לָאוּמָנִים שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ. וּלְפִיכָךְ בְּאֵלּוּ הַשָּׁלוֹשׁ מִצְווֹת שֶׁצִּוָּה הִנֵּה אָמַר וְאַתָּה, לְהוֹדִיעוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל עֲשִׂיַּת הַשֶּׁמֶן, וְשֶׁיַּקְרִיב אֵלָיו אֶת אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו (שמות כח:א) וְשֶׁיְדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל חַכְמֵי לֵב (שמות כח:ג).

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

ואתה תצוה, If, prior to this admonition, the Torah introduced its instructions with the words ועשית, “you will do, etc.,” the meaning had been that Moses was not to do this personally, but that he was to delegate the tasks in question. The formulation ואתה, however, means: “and you personally.” He, personally, was to issue instructions to the Israelites concerning providing the oil for the Menorah. He, personally, was to assemble Aaron and his sons and to address all the חכמי לב, “wise-hearted people.” (28,1 and 28,3)

וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ. כְּשֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ, וְזֶה יִהְיֶה בִּכְלוֹת הַשֶּׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר שֶׁהִתְנַדְּבוּ עַתָּה בִּנְדָבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁלֹּא יַחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִצְוַת הַדְלָקַת הַמְּנוֹרָה מִצְוַת שָׁעָה בַּשֶּׁמֶן הַהוּא שֶׁהִתְנַדְּבוּ בִּלְבַד.

Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009

ויקחו אליך, as the need would arise in the future, after the Tabernacle had been completed. The people should not think that donating oil for the Menorah now was the only time that this commandment would be actual. It would have to be replaced from time to time as the supply kept would become depleted on an ongoing basis.

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