(21) יהוה smelled the pleasing odor, and יהוה resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.

(1) And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (2) On the first day of the first month you shall set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. (3) Place there the Ark of the Pact, and screen off the ark with the curtain. (4) Bring in the table and lay out its due setting; bring in the lampstand and light its lamps; (5) and place the gold altar of incense before the Ark of the Pact. Then put up the screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle. (6) You shall place the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. (7) Place the laver between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. (8) Set up the enclosure round about, and put in place the screen for the gate of the enclosure. (9) You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all that is in it to consecrate it and all its furnishings, so that it shall be holy. (10) Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils to consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy. (11) And anoint the laver and its stand to consecrate it. (12) You shall bring Aaron and his sons forward to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with the water. (13) Put the sacral vestments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve Me as priest. (14) Then bring his sons forward, put tunics on them, (15) and anoint them as you have anointed their father, that they may serve Me as priests. This their anointing shall serve them for everlasting priesthood throughout the ages. (16) This Moses did; just as יהוה had commanded him, so he did. (17) In the first month of the second year, on the first of the month, the Tabernacle was set up. (18) Moses set up the Tabernacle, placing its sockets, setting up its planks, inserting its bars, and erecting its posts. (19) He spread the tent over the Tabernacle, placing the covering of the tent on top of it—just as יהוה had commanded Moses. (20) He took the Pact and placed it in the ark; he fixed the poles to the ark, placed the cover on top of the ark, (21) and brought the ark inside the Tabernacle. Then he put up the curtain for screening, and screened off the Ark of the Pact—just as יהוה had commanded Moses. (22) He placed the table in the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain, on the north side of the Tabernacle. (23) Upon it he laid out the setting of bread before יהוה —as יהוה had commanded Moses. (24) He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table, on the south side of the Tabernacle. (25) And he lit the lamps before יהוה —as יהוה had commanded Moses. (26) He placed the altar of gold in the Tent of Meeting, before the curtain. (27) On it he burned aromatic incense—as יהוה had commanded Moses. (28) Then he put up the screen for the entrance of the Tabernacle. (29) At the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting he placed the altar of burnt offering. On it he offered up the burnt offering and the meal offering—as יהוה had commanded Moses. (30) He placed the laver between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing. (31) From it Moses and Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and feet; (32) they washed when they entered the Tent of Meeting and when they approached the altar—as יהוה had commanded Moses. (33) And he set up the enclosure around the Tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen for the gate of the enclosure. When Moses had finished the work, (34) the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle. (35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of יהוה filled the Tabernacle. (36) When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys; (37) but if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until such time as it did lift. (38) For over the Tabernacle a cloud of יהוה rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.

(12) When each girl’s turn came to go to King Ahasuerus at the end of the twelve months’ treatment prescribed for women (for that was the period spent on beautifying them: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and women’s cosmetics, (13) and it was after that that the girl would go to the king), whatever she asked for would be given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

On a related topic, the Gemara cites that Rav Yehuda said: One who goes out during Nisan and sees trees that are blossoming recites: Blessed…who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy. Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: From where is it derived that one recites a blessing over scent? As it is stated: “Let every soul praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6). He explains the verse: What is it from which the soul derives benefit and the body does not derive benefit from it? You must say: That is scent. Even over items from which only the soul derives benefit, one must recite a blessing and praise God. And Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: The young men of Israel are destined to emit a sweet scent as the Lebanon, as it is stated: “His branches shall spread and his beauty will be as the olive tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon” (Hosea 14:7).