Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on February 24, 2012 by Barer
This week’s parsha is chalk-full of measurement details for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), which leaves little room for inspirational lessons. Fortunately for me, the Rashbam took this opportunity to answer one of my long-standing questions – when does the Rashbam feel it necessary to add his own commentary and when is he happy to leave readers to consult his grandfather’s – in a rare introductory remark to the parsha. In it he says: “The parshiyot dealing with the mishkan and breastplate [examples of the articles of worship described in this and the next few parshiyot], if I keep my comments short, please consult the commentary of our rabbi Shlomo the father of my mother, may his righteous memory be for a blessing” (rough translation mine). In the academic gloss on the Rashbam’s commentary, Prof. Lockshin notes that this is an odd thing for the Rashbam to say, as his commentary to this parsha is not particularly shortened. He does not provide an answer, but in reading through the parsha while glancing at both the Rashbam’s and Rashi’s commentaries, I think the meaning is clear. Rashi goes on at considerable length making all of the measurements of the different components of the Mishkan perfectly clear (he must have considered the text on its own to not be clear), and in comparison the Rashbam’s commentary is quite brief.
Look at my mentor
If all of the details here
Need explanation
