Purim and the Mishkan
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Share(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃ (ג) וְזֹאת֙ הַתְּרוּמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּקְח֖וּ מֵאִתָּ֑ם זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ד) וּתְכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ וְעִזִּֽים׃ (ה) וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאׇדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּֽים׃ (ו) שֶׁ֖מֶן לַמָּאֹ֑ר בְּשָׂמִים֙ לְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃ (ז) אַבְנֵי־שֹׁ֕הַם וְאַבְנֵ֖י מִלֻּאִ֑ים לָאֵפֹ֖ד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ (ח) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ (ט) כְּכֹ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ מַרְאֶ֣ה אוֹתְךָ֔ אֵ֚ת תַּבְנִ֣ית הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת תַּבְנִ֣ית כׇּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְכֵ֖ן תַּעֲשֽׂוּ׃ {ס}
(1) ה' spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved. (3) And these are the gifts that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper; (4) blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair; (5) tanned ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood; (6) oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; (7) lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. (8) And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. (9) Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it.
(ה) וּבִמְל֣וֹאת ׀ הַיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה עָשָׂ֣ה הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לְכׇל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצְאִים֩ בְּשׁוּשַׁ֨ן הַבִּירָ֜ה לְמִגָּ֧דוֹל וְעַד־קָטָ֛ן מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּחֲצַ֕ר גִּנַּ֥ת בִּיתַ֖ן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ו) ח֣וּר ׀ כַּרְפַּ֣ס וּתְכֵ֗לֶת אָחוּז֙ בְּחַבְלֵי־ב֣וּץ וְאַרְגָּמָ֔ן עַל־גְּלִ֥ילֵי כֶ֖סֶף וְעַמּ֣וּדֵי שֵׁ֑שׁ מִטּ֣וֹת ׀ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֗סֶף עַ֛ל רִֽצְפַ֥ת בַּהַט־וָשֵׁ֖שׁ וְדַ֥ר וְסֹחָֽרֶת׃ (ז) וְהַשְׁקוֹת֙ בִּכְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכֵלִ֖ים מִכֵּלִ֣ים שׁוֹנִ֑ים וְיֵ֥ין מַלְכ֛וּת רָ֖ב כְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ח) וְהַשְּׁתִיָּ֥ה כַדָּ֖ת אֵ֣ין אֹנֵ֑ס כִּי־כֵ֣ן ׀ יִסַּ֣ד הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עַ֚ל כׇּל־רַ֣ב בֵּית֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כִּרְצ֥וֹן אִישׁ־וָאִֽישׁ׃ (ט) גַּ֚ם וַשְׁתִּ֣י הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה עָשְׂתָ֖ה מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה נָשִׁ֑ים בֵּ֚ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת אֲשֶׁ֖ר לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃ {ס}
(5) At the end of this period, the king gave a banquet for seven days in the court of the king’s palace garden for all the people who lived in the fortress Shushan, high and low alike. (6) [There were hangings of] white cotton and blue wool, caught up by cords of fine linen and purple wool to silver rods and alabaster columns; and there were couches of gold and silver on a pavement of marble, alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mosaics. (7) Royal wine was served in abundance, as befits a king, in golden beakers, beakers of varied design. (8) And the rule for the drinking was, “No restrictions!” For the king had given orders to every palace steward to comply with each man’s wishes. (9) In addition, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for women, in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
(יא) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יב) כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַה' בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃ (יג) זֶ֣ה ׀ יִתְּנ֗וּ כׇּל־הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל מַחֲצִ֣ית הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל תְּרוּמָ֖ה לַֽה'׃ (יד) כֹּ֗ל הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת ה'׃ (טו) הֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִֽמַּחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת ה' לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ (טז) וְלָקַחְתָּ֞ אֶת־כֶּ֣סֶף הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנָתַתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(11) ה' spoke to Moses, saying: (12) When you take a census of the Israelite men according to their army enrollment, each shall pay ה' a ransom for himself on being enrolled, that no plague may come upon them through their being enrolled. (13) This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight—twenty gerahs to the shekel—a half-shekel as an offering to ה'. (14) Everyone who is entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, shall give יהוה’s offering: (15) the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than half a shekel when giving יהוה’s offering as expiation for your persons. (16) You shall take the expiation money from the Israelites and assign it to the service of the Tent of Meeting; it shall serve the Israelites as a reminder before ה', as expiation for your persons.
״בַּחֲצַר גִּנַּת בִּיתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ״. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר: הָרָאוּי לֶחָצֵר — לֶחָצֵר, הָרָאוּי לַגִּינָּה — לַגִּינָּה, הָרָאוּי לַבִּיתָן — לַבִּיתָן. וְחַד אָמַר: הוֹשִׁיבָן בֶּחָצֵר וְלֹא הֶחְזִיקָתַן, בַּגִּינָּה וְלֹא הֶחְזִיקָתַן, עַד שֶׁהִכְנִיסָן לַבִּיתָן וְהֶחְזִיקָתַן. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: הוֹשִׁיבָן בֶּחָצֵר וּפָתַח לָהֶם שְׁנֵי פְתָחִים, אֶחָד לַגִּינָּה וְאֶחָד לַבִּיתָן.
The verse states: “In the court of the garden of the king’s palace” (Esther 1:5). Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to how to understand the relationship between these three places: Court, garden, and palace: One said: The guests were received in different places. One who, according to his stature, was fit for the courtyard was brought to the courtyard; one who was fit for the garden was brought to the garden; and one who was fit for the palace was brought to the palace. And the other one said: He first sat them in the courtyard, but it did not hold them, as they were too numerous. He then sat them in the garden, but it did not hold them either, until he brought them into the palace and it held them. A third understanding was taught in a baraita: He sat them in the courtyard and opened two entranceways for them, one to the garden and one to the palace.
(א) וכסף פקודי העדה מאת ככר. כסף של מחצית השקל לכל אחד מששים רבוא ישראל עלה למאת ככר שהרי שש מאות אלף חצאי שקלים הם שלש מאות אלף שקלים שלמים ולפי שישראל נמנו במדבר סיני ועלו שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים ע"כ כשהיה בידם מאת ככר חצאי שקלים נשארו שלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים שהם אלף ושבע מאות וחמשה ושבעים שקלים שלמים ששכח משה. וכתב רש"י בפירושו הככר ששים מנה ומנה של קדש היה כפול הרי הככר מאה ועשרים מנה והמנה כ"ה סלעים הרי ככר של קדש שלשת אלפים שקלים ומאת ככרים הם שלש מאות אלף שקלים, שהרי שש מאות אלפים חצאי שקלים הרי הם ג' מאות אלף שלמים והיתרים שהיו שלשת אלפים תק"ן חצאי שקלים הם אלף ושבע מאות וחמשה ושבעים שקלים שלמים ע"כ.
(ב) ומעתה כיון שחצי שקל לכל אחד מששים רבוא עלה מאת ככר שקל שלם לכל אחד עולה מאתים ככר, מכאן ואילך צא וחשוב בשקלי המן שהיו עשרת אלפים ככר כסף שנתכוון לתת בשביל כל אחד מששים רבוא ישראל הערך הגדול שבתורה שהוא חמשים שקל כענין שכתוב בפרשת ערכין, וכשתחשוב חמשים שקל לכל אחד מששים רבוא חמשים פעמים מאתים ככר הם מאה פעמים מאה ומאה פעמים מאה הם עשרת אלפים ככר, או נאמר כי מפני שידע המן חטא שבטי ישראל במכירת יוסף בעשרים כסף שהם חמשת שקלים ועונש החטא ההוא לא נפקד עליהם עדיין ע"כ חשב מחשבה לקנות כל ישראל לתת בשביל כל אחד מששים רבוא חמשת שקלים, כי חשב שיצליח בזה ויעלה בידו לגודל חטאם, וכענין שאמרו במדרש (בראשית ל״ז:כ״ה) וישבו לאכל לחם אמר להם הקב"ה אתם מכרתם את אחיכם מתוך משתה חייכם שבניכם נמכרים בשושן מתוך משתה שנאמר (אסתר ג׳:ט״ו) והמלך והמן ישבו לשתות.
(ג) ולפי זה היה די שיתן בשבילם אלף ככר כסף כי כן חשבון חמשה שקלים לכל אחד מששים רבוא שעולה אלף ככר לפי חשבון חצי שקל לכל אחד שהוא עולה למאת ככר.
(ד) אבל אפשר לומר שרצה לכלול בזה כוונה אחרת שרצה ליתן מן האלפים עשרה ועשה כן כנגד עשרת הדברות שהיה חושב לדחותם בעשרה שלו, זה שאמרו (שם ג) ועשרת אלפים ככר כסף אשקול, לבטל בעשרה שלו זכות העשרה שנתנו מתוך האש והקול, וזהו לשון אש"קול, והקב"ה ברחמיו הפליא לעשות עמנו וגבר עלינו חסדו עד שאפילו קומץ שעורים שלנו דחה י' אלפים ככר כסף שלו ונתהפך בביתו צליל שעורים סערת ה' חמה להחליש כחו הגדול למעלה ונהרגו עשרת בניו מלמטה.
(ה) ומה שאמר וכסף פקודי העדה מאת ככר וכן ונחשת התנופה שבעים ככר זה יורה כי משה נתן להם חשבון על כל דבר ודבר והיה נותן הכל ביד איתמר לפי שלא יהיו ישראל חושדין אותו כשנתמנה גזבר על המשכן יחידי. ואמרו במדרש עליו הכתוב אומר (משלי כ״ח:כ׳) איש אמונות רב ברכות ואץ להעשיר לא ינקה, איש אמונות זה משה שנאמר (במדבר י״ב:ז׳) בכל ביתי נאמן הוא, רב ברכות שהביא הקב"ה ברכות על ידו ונעשה גזבר על מלאכת המשכן, ואץ להעשיר זה קרח שהיה לוי ובקש כהונה גדולה לפיכך לא ינקה מה כתיב ביה (שם טז) ותפתח הארץ את פיה, וכשם שצריך אדם לצאת ידי חובת המקום כך צריך לצאת ידי חובת הבריות שכן שנו רז"ל אין התורם נכנס לא בפרגוד חפות ולא במנעל ולא בסנדל ולא באפונדתו ולא באנפליא שמא יעשיר ויאמרו מתרומת הלשכה העשיר או שמא יעני ויאמרו מעון הלשכה העני. וכן צריך אדם להזהר שלא יהיו הבריות מרננים ומשיחין אחריו שכן דוד התפלל ואמר (שמואל ב כ״ב:מ״ד) ותפלטני מריבי עמי, ופסוק מלא הוא (במדבר ל״ב:כ״ב) והייתם נקיים מה' ומישראל וכתיב (משלי ג׳:ד׳) ומצא חן ושכל טוב בעיני אלקים ואדם.
(1) וכסף פקודי העדה מאת ככר, “and the silver of those of the community who were recorded amounted to 100 talents, etc.” The silver of the half-shekel contributions of the 600,000 males over the age of 20 amounted to 300,000 whole shekels (100 talents). Seeing that actually there were 603,550 males being counted, the total amount was precisely that mentioned in our verse, i.e. 100 talents and 1775 shekel (a talent having 3,000 shekel). According to the accounting listed in the Torah here, any silver “donated” rather than handed over as the mandatory amount by males over the age of twenty was not mentioned here.
Rashi, in his commentary, computes the numbers as follows: “a talent equals 60 manah. Seeing that the shekels being counted were described as “holy shekels” i.e. double the weight of the ordinary shekel, a talent would be equivalent to 120 manah. The manah is equivalent to 25 selaim. This gives you an amount of 3.000 shekel per talent. Rashi continues, arriving at the same result we already mentioned. (2) Having established all this we can now address the amount of silver Haman offered to pay King Ahasverus in exchange for permission to destroy the Jews in his kingdom. Seeing that he offered 10.000 talents of silver, this was equivalent to 50 shekel for every Jew assuming that there had been 600.000 Jews at the time. The number 50 shekel is the maximum amount per adult male between the age of 20 and 60 prescribed by the Torah (Leviticus 27,3) that someone “donating” his own equivalent to G’d has to give to the Temple treasury.
Another way of understanding why Haman picked on this amount of silver may be that when the Israelites sold their brother Joseph and received 20 pieces of silver in exchange, i.e. an amount of 5 shekel, or half a shekel each, and their guilt had not yet been atoned, he concluded that in exchange for the amount he offered he could legally make all the Jews his slaves (again by assuming that there were a total of 600.000 Jews). He felt certain that he would succeed seeing that the brothers had never been punished by G’d for selling Joseph into slavery. He presumably reasoned similar to what we have been told in Midrash Tehillim 10 that because the brothers sat down to eat their meal (Genesis 37,28) after throwing Joseph into the pit but before selling him, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred, G’d was so angry that He said: “seeing you have sold your brother as a result of feasting, your descendants will be sold as a result of their having feasted (participating in the banquet given by King Ahasverus).” This is why the Book of Esther makes such a point of telling us that the King and Haman sat down to a feast after having concluded the deal in which Haman acquired authority to do to the Jews whatever he wanted. (3) If we reflect on this calculation, Haman only had to offer a payment of 1.000 talents of silver as when you multiply the number 600,000 by 5 you have 3,000,000 shekel or 1,000 talents. [Each brother had received half a shekel at the time, and the amount required by G’d for atonement of the sin of the golden calf was also only one half shekel per adult male. Ed.] (4) It is possible to see a different motivation in the amount Haman offered the king in exchange for the Jews. He wanted to offer one thousand shekel in exchange for each of the Ten Commandments, i.e. the merit the Jews had acquired by agreeing to accept the Ten Commandments. When you look at the word אשקול “I will weigh,” which Haman used when offering this amount in exchange for the Jews (Esther 3,9), you could divde that word into two, i.e. אש קול, “fire and sound.” At the revelation at Mount Sinai the Jews had experienced the sound of G’d’s voice out of thunder and lightning, i.e. out of אש and קול. At that time G’d performed exceptional acts of kindness with us so that the fistful of barley (which represented the Omer sacrifice brought on the date of the month Haman was hanged) was found to be worth more than ten thousand talents of silver which Haman had offered the king. There is a tradition that on the 16th of Nissan, the day Haman was hanged, Mordechai had studied the laws of the Omer (a sacrifice which could be brought only while the Temple was standing). (5) In our portion the Torah speaks about the נחושת התנופה, that the total quantity of copper donated for the Tabernacle was some 70 talents plus 2400 shekel in weight. We learn from these details that Moses gave an exact accounting to the people concerning everything which had been contributed. He handed over everything to Ittamar who was appointed assistant treasurer so that he himself could not be suspected of having held back anything for himself seeing he was in sole charge
The Midrash in Shemot Rabbah 51,1 states that the description (Proverbs 28,20) “a faithful man will enjoy many blessings; but he who is too eager to become rich will not go unpunished,” applies to Moses and Korach respectively. Of the former G’d Himself said “he is trustworthy in My entire house,” (Numbers 12,7).”He enjoyed many blessings,” means that Moses was the instrument through whom Israel received many blessings He became the treasurer of the Tabernacle’s funds. The words: “he is too eager to become rich,” refer to Korach who was not content with the distinction of being a Levite but wanted to become a priest also. Due to this greed, he did not go “unpunished,” but the earth opened up and swallowed him and all his riches (Numbers 16,32).
Just as a person must be able to face G’d with a clear conscience, so it is important to appear unblemished in the eyes of the people. When addressing this subject our sages in Shekalim 3,2 postulate that the donors when delivering their mandatory contribution must not enter the office designated for receiving same while wearing clothes which could conceal any money in its folds, etc., in order that in the event such people become wealthy sometime afterwards they could not be accused of having helped themselves to money stored in that office. Even if such a person was a wealthy man he is not allowed to wear this kind of clothing so that should he become poor afterwards people might say that he was being punished for misappropriating funds from that office. People must always be on guard to conduct themselves in such a fashion that they do not arouse suspicions in their fellowmen that they have been guilty of some misdemeanor. David already prayed to G’d that this should not happen to him when he said (Samuel II 22,44) ”You have saved me from the strife of peoples.” There is an even more specific verse in the Torah concerning this subject in Numbers 32,27: “you will be clear before the Lord and before Israel.” We also have an explicit verse about this subject in Proverbs 3,4: “and you will find favor and high esteem in the eyes of G’d and man.”
Rashi, in his commentary, computes the numbers as follows: “a talent equals 60 manah. Seeing that the shekels being counted were described as “holy shekels” i.e. double the weight of the ordinary shekel, a talent would be equivalent to 120 manah. The manah is equivalent to 25 selaim. This gives you an amount of 3.000 shekel per talent. Rashi continues, arriving at the same result we already mentioned. (2) Having established all this we can now address the amount of silver Haman offered to pay King Ahasverus in exchange for permission to destroy the Jews in his kingdom. Seeing that he offered 10.000 talents of silver, this was equivalent to 50 shekel for every Jew assuming that there had been 600.000 Jews at the time. The number 50 shekel is the maximum amount per adult male between the age of 20 and 60 prescribed by the Torah (Leviticus 27,3) that someone “donating” his own equivalent to G’d has to give to the Temple treasury.
Another way of understanding why Haman picked on this amount of silver may be that when the Israelites sold their brother Joseph and received 20 pieces of silver in exchange, i.e. an amount of 5 shekel, or half a shekel each, and their guilt had not yet been atoned, he concluded that in exchange for the amount he offered he could legally make all the Jews his slaves (again by assuming that there were a total of 600.000 Jews). He felt certain that he would succeed seeing that the brothers had never been punished by G’d for selling Joseph into slavery. He presumably reasoned similar to what we have been told in Midrash Tehillim 10 that because the brothers sat down to eat their meal (Genesis 37,28) after throwing Joseph into the pit but before selling him, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred, G’d was so angry that He said: “seeing you have sold your brother as a result of feasting, your descendants will be sold as a result of their having feasted (participating in the banquet given by King Ahasverus).” This is why the Book of Esther makes such a point of telling us that the King and Haman sat down to a feast after having concluded the deal in which Haman acquired authority to do to the Jews whatever he wanted. (3) If we reflect on this calculation, Haman only had to offer a payment of 1.000 talents of silver as when you multiply the number 600,000 by 5 you have 3,000,000 shekel or 1,000 talents. [Each brother had received half a shekel at the time, and the amount required by G’d for atonement of the sin of the golden calf was also only one half shekel per adult male. Ed.] (4) It is possible to see a different motivation in the amount Haman offered the king in exchange for the Jews. He wanted to offer one thousand shekel in exchange for each of the Ten Commandments, i.e. the merit the Jews had acquired by agreeing to accept the Ten Commandments. When you look at the word אשקול “I will weigh,” which Haman used when offering this amount in exchange for the Jews (Esther 3,9), you could divde that word into two, i.e. אש קול, “fire and sound.” At the revelation at Mount Sinai the Jews had experienced the sound of G’d’s voice out of thunder and lightning, i.e. out of אש and קול. At that time G’d performed exceptional acts of kindness with us so that the fistful of barley (which represented the Omer sacrifice brought on the date of the month Haman was hanged) was found to be worth more than ten thousand talents of silver which Haman had offered the king. There is a tradition that on the 16th of Nissan, the day Haman was hanged, Mordechai had studied the laws of the Omer (a sacrifice which could be brought only while the Temple was standing). (5) In our portion the Torah speaks about the נחושת התנופה, that the total quantity of copper donated for the Tabernacle was some 70 talents plus 2400 shekel in weight. We learn from these details that Moses gave an exact accounting to the people concerning everything which had been contributed. He handed over everything to Ittamar who was appointed assistant treasurer so that he himself could not be suspected of having held back anything for himself seeing he was in sole charge
The Midrash in Shemot Rabbah 51,1 states that the description (Proverbs 28,20) “a faithful man will enjoy many blessings; but he who is too eager to become rich will not go unpunished,” applies to Moses and Korach respectively. Of the former G’d Himself said “he is trustworthy in My entire house,” (Numbers 12,7).”He enjoyed many blessings,” means that Moses was the instrument through whom Israel received many blessings He became the treasurer of the Tabernacle’s funds. The words: “he is too eager to become rich,” refer to Korach who was not content with the distinction of being a Levite but wanted to become a priest also. Due to this greed, he did not go “unpunished,” but the earth opened up and swallowed him and all his riches (Numbers 16,32).
Just as a person must be able to face G’d with a clear conscience, so it is important to appear unblemished in the eyes of the people. When addressing this subject our sages in Shekalim 3,2 postulate that the donors when delivering their mandatory contribution must not enter the office designated for receiving same while wearing clothes which could conceal any money in its folds, etc., in order that in the event such people become wealthy sometime afterwards they could not be accused of having helped themselves to money stored in that office. Even if such a person was a wealthy man he is not allowed to wear this kind of clothing so that should he become poor afterwards people might say that he was being punished for misappropriating funds from that office. People must always be on guard to conduct themselves in such a fashion that they do not arouse suspicions in their fellowmen that they have been guilty of some misdemeanor. David already prayed to G’d that this should not happen to him when he said (Samuel II 22,44) ”You have saved me from the strife of peoples.” There is an even more specific verse in the Torah concerning this subject in Numbers 32,27: “you will be clear before the Lord and before Israel.” We also have an explicit verse about this subject in Proverbs 3,4: “and you will find favor and high esteem in the eyes of G’d and man.”
(א) וַיָּ֩שֶׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (אחשרש) [אֲחַשְׁוֵר֧וֹשׁ] ׀ מַ֛ס עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְאִיֵּ֥י הַיָּֽם׃ (ב) וְכׇל־מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה תׇקְפּוֹ֙ וּגְב֣וּרָת֔וֹ וּפָרָשַׁת֙ גְּדֻלַּ֣ת מׇרְדֳּכַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר גִּדְּל֖וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ הֲלוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֙פֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י הַיָּמִ֔ים לְמַלְכֵ֖י מָדַ֥י וּפָרָֽס׃ (ג) כִּ֣י ׀ מׇרְדֳּכַ֣י הַיְּהוּדִ֗י מִשְׁנֶה֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ וְגָדוֹל֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְרָצ֖וּי לְרֹ֣ב אֶחָ֑יו דֹּרֵ֥שׁ טוֹב֙ לְעַמּ֔וֹ וְדֹבֵ֥ר שָׁל֖וֹם לְכׇל־זַרְעֽוֹ׃
(1) King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the mainland and the islands. (2) All his mighty and powerful acts, and a full account of the greatness to which the king advanced Mordecai, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Media and Persia. (3) For Mordecai the Jew ranked next to King Ahasuerus and was highly regarded by the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brethren; he sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all his kindred.
״וְהַשְׁקוֹת בִּכְלֵי זָהָב וְכֵלִים מִכֵּלִים שׁוֹנִים״. ״מְשׁוּנִּים״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! אָמַר רָבָא, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם: רִאשׁוֹנִים כָּלוּ מִפְּנֵי כֵלַי, וְאַתֶּם שׁוֹנִים בָּהֶם! ״וְיֵין מַלְכוּת רָב״, אָמַר רַב: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הִשְׁקָהוּ יַיִן שֶׁגָּדוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ בְּשָׁנִים.
The verse states: “And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, the vessels being diverse [shonim] from one another” (Esther 1:7). The Gemara asks: Why does the verse use the term shonim to express that they are different? It should have said the more proper term meshunim. Rava said: A Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: The early ones, referring to Belshazzar and his people, were destroyed because they used these vessels, the vessels of the Temple, and yet you use them again [shonim]? The verse continues: “And royal wine in abundance [rav]” (Esther 1:7). Rav said: This teaches that each and every guest at the feast was poured well-aged wine that was older [rav] than himself in years.
