Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Teruma – Shelishi: The Menorah and Tapestries (Tuesday, 30th Shevat)

MENORAH — 25:31–40

Q1. What does “mikshah tei’aseh hamenorah” mean according to Rashi?

A: The Menorah must be hammered out of one solid piece of gold — not made in parts and soldered together.

Q2. How does Onkelos translate “mikshah”?

A: As “negid,” meaning drawn out / stretched by hammer blows.

Q3. Why does the Torah use the passive “tei’aseh” instead of “ta’aseh”?

A: Because Moshe found the Menorah difficult to understand, Hashem told him to throw the gold into the fire and it would form by itself.

Q4. What is “yerechah” (its base)?

A: A box‑like foot with three legs extending downward.

Q5. What is “kanah” (its stem)?

A: The central vertical branch rising from the base, holding the center lamp.

Q6. What are the “g’vi’im” (goblets)?

A: Long, narrow gold cups (like “maderins” in Old French) protruding from each branch for beauty.

Q7. What are the “kafetorim” (spheres)?

A: Spherical apple‑shaped protrusions (“pomeles” in Old French) on the stem and branches.

Q8. What are the “perachim” (flowers)?

A: Decorative flower‑shaped designs on the Menorah.

Q9. What does “mimena yihyu” teach?

A: All parts must be made from the same block of gold, not attached later.

Q10. How did the six branches extend from the Menorah?

A: Diagonally upward from the stem, with the tops of all six branches level with the central branch.

Q11. What does “meshukadim” mean?

A: Engraved with decorative designs (Onkelos: “metzayrin”).

Q12. How many goblets were on each branch?

A: Three.

Q13. What else besides goblets was on each branch?

A: A sphere and a flower.

Q14. How many goblets were on the center stem?

A: Four — one below the branches and three above them.

Q15. What is unusual about the phrase “meshukadim kaftoreha u’feracheha”?

A: Rashi says it is one of five verses whose division is unclear — either “four goblets engraved” or “its spheres and flowers engraved.”

Q16. How many total goblets were on the Menorah?

A: 22 — 18 on the six branches, 4 on the stem.

Q17. How many spheres were on the Menorah?

A: 11 — six on the branches, three where branches emerge, two additional on the stem.

Q18. How many flowers were on the Menorah?

A: 9 — six for the branches, three for the stem.

Q19. According to Rashi’s description, how tall was the Menorah?

A: 18 handbreadths.

Q20. What are the “neiroteha” (its lamps)?

A: Bowl‑shaped cups holding oil and wicks.

Q21. What does “vehe’ir al eiver paneha” mean?

A: The side lamps must tilt inward so all lights shine toward the center stem.

Q22. What are “melkaḥeha”?

A: Tongs used to remove and position wicks (“tenayls” in Old French).

Q23. What are “machtoteha”?

A: Small shovels used to scoop wick‑ash from the lamps (“poysedure” in Old French).

Q24. How much gold was used to make the Menorah and its tools?

A: One kikar of pure gold — exactly one sacred talent (3000 shekels).

Q25. What does “ure’eh va’aseh” mean?

A: Hashem showed Moshe a Menorah of fire and said: “See and make according to this.”

Q26. What does “asher atah mar’eh” mean according to Rashi?

A: “That you are being shown” (not “showing others”) — vocalized with chataf‑kamatz.

📘 Tapestries of the Mishkan — 26:1–14

Q27. What were the 10 lower tapestries used for?

A: As the roof and outer covering over the Mishkan planks.

Q28. What materials made up each thread?

A: One linen thread + three wool threads (turquoise, purple, scarlet).

Q29. How many total strands were in each thread?

A: 24 strands (each sub‑thread had 6 strands × 4 types).

Q30. What does “keruvim ma’aseh choshev” mean?

A: The cherubim pattern was woven on both sides (not embroidered).

Q31. How many tapestries were sewn together in each set?

A: Five and five.

Q32. What does “isha el achotah” mean?

A: “One to its sister” — Hebrew idiom for items in feminine form fitting together.

Q33. What are “lula’ot”?

A: Loops (“lazoles” in Old French).

Q34. What is “ha’choberes”?

A: The attached set of five tapestries.

Q35. What does “hakitzonah” mean?

A: The endmost tapestry of the second set.

Q36. What does “makbilot” mean?

A: The loops must be exactly aligned — opposite one another.

Q37. How long was each tapestry?

A: 28 cubits.

Q38. How wide was each tapestry?

A: 4 cubits.

Q39. How many gold clasps joined the lower tapestries?

A: 50.

Q40. What are “karsai zahav”?

A: Clasps (“fermeylz” in Old French).

Goat-Hair Coverings — 26:7–14

Q41. What does “yeri’ot izzim” mean?

A: Sheets made from goat hair, not goat skins.

Q42. What were these goat-hair sheets used for?

A: As a Tent (Ohel) spread over the lower tapestries.

Q43. How many goat-hair sheets were made?

A: Eleven.

Q44. What were the dimensions of each goat-hair sheet?

A: 30 cubits × 4 cubits.

Q45. How were they grouped?

A: Five connected together and six connected together.

Q46. What was done with the extra “half sheet”?

A: Half was doubled over the front like a bride’s veil.

Q47. How many copper clasps connected the goat-hair sheets?

A: Fifty.

Q48. What does “serach ha’odef” refer to?

A: The leftover portion extending beyond the lower curtains.

Q49. Which side is “achorei hamishkan”?

A: The west side — the “back.”

Q50. What did the extra two cubits cover?

A: The bottom two cubits of the planks on the back side.

Side Coverage

Q51. What is meant by “ha’ama mizeh v’ha’ama mizeh”?

A: One extra cubit on each side (north and south).

Q52. What does this teach about the goat-hair sheets’ length?

A: They were two cubits longer than the lower tapestries.

Q53. What lesson does Rashi say the Torah teaches here?

A: To protect valuable items with adequate covering.

Outer Roof Coverings

Q54. What is “mikseh la’ohel”?

A: A roof covering over the goat-hair Tent.

Q55. Which materials made up the top coverings?

A: Red-dyed ram skins, and tachash skins above.

Q56. According to Rabbi Nechemiah, how far did the top skins extend?

A: Only over the roof area (30 × 10 cubits).

Q57. According to Rabbi Yehudah, how many top coverings were there?

A: Only one, half ram skins and half tachash skins.

General Structural Understanding

Q58. How do we know the tapestries hung behind the planks?

A: Rashi says “they hung down behind them to cover them.”

Q59. How many cubits of the planks’ height did the lower tapestries cover?

A: Eight of ten cubits.

Q60. Why do the planks’ lower two cubits remain uncovered in the lower layer?

A: Because the planks’ bottom cubits were inside the silver bases.