“Bezalel’s Artistic Legacy”
(updated and revised from Vayakhel 5765-2005)

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

When this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, lists the abundant talents of Bezalel, the architect of the Tabernacle, we encounter one of the very few instances (cf. parashat Kee Tisah, Exodus 31:1-6) in which the Torah reveals Judaism’s attitude toward art and artistry. As we shall see in the following verses, the Torah’s positive attitude toward Bezalel, the Tabernacle’s master craftsman, is clear and unequivocal.

In Exodus 35:30, Moses speaks to the children of Israel, and declares: רְאוּ קָרָא השׁם בְּשֵׁם, בְּצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה, See, that G-d has called by name, Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. Bezalel is not simply appointed by Moses, he is “called by G-d by name” to be the architect of His Tabernacle. This “calling” clearly indicates that Bezalel is no ordinary artisan. This, of course, is confirmed by the verse in Exodus 35:31, in which Moses says of Bezalel: וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱ־לֹקִים, בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה, G-d has filled him [Bezalel] with His G-dly spirit, with wisdom, insight, knowledge and with every craft.

Indeed, the range of Bezalel’s talents are stunning. He is a master craftsman and a knowledgeable designer. He is a skilled worker with gold, silver, copper, and knows how to cut precious stones, carve wood and weave tapestry.

The Ramban points out that the expression used by the Torah (Exodus 35:30) רְאוּ קָרָא השׁם בְּשֵׁם, בְּצַלְאֵל…, attests to the fact that G-d has called Bezalel by “name,” and implies astonishment. G-d, in effect, declares: “Let everyone see Bezalel’s prodigious talents!” After all, says the Ramban, the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt for more than one hundred years. The one “skill” they were to master as slave laborers was the ability to make bricks and mortar. The Israelites surely never learned to work with gold, silver or precious stones. In fact, during their back-breaking slavery they, most likely, rarely saw these valuable materials. And so, it is clear that Bezalel’s endowments are not natural, but rather the result of רוּחַ אֱ־לֹקִים, the Divine spirit that rested on him. His talents were undoubtedly a gift of G-d.

According to the rabbis in Tractate Sanhedrin 69b, Bezalel was only 13 years old when he was chosen to supervise the tabernacle’s construction. His tender age also underscores the fact that his talents were hardly natural, but rather the result of a Divine gift. The Be’er Mayim Chaim maintains that the verse, Exodus 36:1, לָדַעַת לַעֲשֹׂת, אֶת כָּל מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, which states that Bezalel was endowed with the talents that were necessary for all the “holy works”–implies that Bezalel’s talents were only valid during the time that he worked on the sacred “holy works”–the Tabernacle furnishings. In fact, according to the Gaon of Rogatchov in his work Tsofnat Pa’aneach, as soon as the Tabernacle was completed, Bezalel’s talents vanished. Bezalel’s assistant, Oholiyav, however, whose talents were natural, did not lose his skills, and continued to pass them on to succeeding generations.

The rabbis also note that in Exodus 35:30, the Torah text not only identifies Bezalel as a descendent of Uri, but also mentions that he was the grandson of Hur of the tribe of Judah—noting three generations, something most unusual in the bible. Oholiyav, on the other hand, is only identified as the son of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan—noting only the usual two generations. The commentators indicate that Bezalel’s distinction points to the long history of commitment and sacrifice on the part of Bezalel’s family. It was, after all, according to tradition, Bezalel’s grandfather, Hur, who lost his life attempting to stop the people from sinning with the Golden Calf. And now, his grandson has similarly chosen to devote his life to G-d, by building G-d’s sanctuary.

Judaism has a long history of valuing aesthetic beauty, as demonstrated by the religious concept known as הִדּוּר מִצְוָה, hidur mitzvah—which encourages Jews to make the mitzvot more and more beautiful. Nevertheless, Judaism’s attitude toward art has been, at best, ambivalent. Despite the fact that the Torah in parashat Vayakhel seems to give a clear endorsement of the wonderful works of Bezalel and Oholiyav, the Torah generally appears to be apprehensive about art. This reticence is primarily due to the fear of violating the Second of the Ten Commandments that prohibits making images of other gods. Two-dimensional art, although tolerated, was often considered too distracting to display in the synagogues. Nevertheless, handwritten manuscripts of religious books were frequently adorned with lovely artistic figures and letters. Similarly, spice boxes for havdalah, menorot for Chanukah have been common objects of art in Jewish homes for many hundreds of years.

Even though, from the context of the biblical passage, it would seem that the prohibition against certain art forms would only apply when the image is made for the purpose of worship, sculpture is frowned upon. Therefore, three-dimensional art (e.g. sculpture) was out of favor for much of Jewish history, for fear that it would lead to the worship of images. The Code of Jewish Law–the Shulchan Aruch (Yorah Dayah 141:4-7) rules that it is permitted to paint, draw or weave figures of human beings in a tapestry, but not to make statues of the complete human form. It is, however, permitted to sculpt an incomplete human figure, for example the head alone or the torso alone. Basically, Judaism is absolutely determined to avoid anything that may smack of idolatry.

In light of Judaism’s historic ambivalence toward art, the admiration in which Bezalel was held, is particularly unique. In the Middle Ages, when art was dominated by the Christian church and almost all of art was of a religious nature and included many icons, any Jewish passions for artistry were surely diminished. Except for very personal art, almost all forms of art fell out of favor. Since the enlightenment and the emancipation, however, art has started again to play a more dominant role in Jewish life. In fact, it seems, at times, as if Bezalel himself has come back to life once again!

Bezalel was not only unique because of his multiple talents and varied skills. In Exodus 35:34, after the Torah lists his many skills, it also says of Bezalel, וּלְהוֹרֹת נָתַן בְּלִבּוֹ, that G-d gave Bezalel the ability to teach, to be able to pass on his skills to others, to other artisans in his generation. Indeed, when we

behold the beautiful contemporary artwork that emanates from Israel and from other Jewish artisans, we must remember to say “thank you” to Bezalel for transmitting those artforms to others and keeping them alive.

May you be blessed.

Please Note: This Shabbat is Shabbat Parashat Shekalim. On this Shabbat, an additional Torah portion, known as Parashat Shekalim, is read. It is the first of four additional thematic Torah portions that are read on the Shabbatot that surround the

holiday of Purim.

This week’s supplementary Torah reading is found in Exodus 30:11-16, and speaks of the requirement for all the men of Israel, aged 20 and above, to bring a half-shekel in order to be counted as a member of the People of Israel. In later years, these shekels were donated to the Temple in anticipation of the festival of Passover, when funding for the daily sacrifice had to be renewed.