ועצי שטים AND SHITTIM WOOD — But from where did they get this in the wilderness? Rabbi Tanchuma explained it thus: Our father Jacob foresaw by the gift of the Holy Spirit that Israel would once build a Tabernacle in the wilderness: he therefore brought cedars to Egypt and planted them there, and bade his children take these with them when they would leave Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 9; cf. Bereishit Rabbah 94 and Rashi on Exodus 26:15).

ועשית את הקרשים AND THOU SHALT MAKE THE BOARDS — It should be said: “Thou shalt make boards” (without the definite article), the same form which is used of each of the other things (parts of the Tabernacle)! What is the force of the term, “the boards?” It speaks of those boards that already existed as being designated for that purpose. For our father Jacob had planted cedars (shittim-trees) in Egypt and when he died be bade his sons carry them up with them when they would leave Egypt. He told them that God would once command them to erect a dwelling of shittim-trees in the wilderness. “See” — added he — “that they be ready in your possession!” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:5). That is what the Babylonian embodied in his liturgical composition: The plant of those who had been admonished by their father Jacob grew up rapidly to become the cedars for the beams of our House (the Tabernacle), which refers to the fact that they had been admonished that they (the cedars) should be ready in their possession in advance (before they were needed).

ועצי שטים, “and acacia wood.” Actually, the word שטים is a notrikon, an acrostic composed of the respective first letters in the words: שלום, טובה, ישועה, מחילה, “peace, goodness, salvation, and pardon.” There were some forests in the desert from which the Israelites were able to cut boards which they called shittim. This is also why we read in Joshua 2,1 that “Joshua sent out spies from (the forest around Shittim)” This is also what the prophet Isaiah referred to (Isaiah 41,19) when he wrote (in the name of the Lord) אתן במדבר ארז ,שיטה, והדס, “I will plant cedars in the deserts, acacias and myrtles, and oleasters.“ This is a very lightweight wood and it is very smooth. If we needed any proof that its wood was very light, consider the size of the boards of the Tabernacle’s which were 48 in number. Add two silver sockets for each board, i.e. 96 sockets, add all the upright boards use to surround the courtyard of the Tabernacle, which all had to be transported only by four wagons pulled by eight oxen, as spelled out in Numbers 4,29. Even though each board was 10 cubits high (6 meters) and their thickness was 1 cubit (60cm) and you will realise that unless the wood itself was extremely light, all of this could not have been pulled by only eight oxen. The other four oxen had to pull the weight of the carpets (4 layers) which formed the “roof” of the Tabernacle. We have been told in addition that the בריח התיכון, (Exodus 36,33), the center bolt, used to be Yaakov’s walking staff, the one with which he had crossed the river Jordan on his way to Lavan. Rashi claims that the shittim wood were trees that Yaakov had planted in Egypt as soon as he had come to Egypt, which the Israelites uprooted and took with them when departing from Egypt and which were used now to make the boards for the Tabernacle from. This is also what the liturgist bases himself on. Another interpretation found in the Midrash is that this was wood from the staff Yaakov had .taken with him on the way to Lavan. [I suppose that what the Midrash means is that Yaakov had planted that walking staff in the earth in Charan already, and it had developed. Ed.] This is why he had referred to it in Genesis 32,11, as a symbol of G–d’s providence guiding him during all the years he had been at Lavan. Ed.] It is not surprising therefore that he took those trees with him also to Egypt.

AND ACACIA-WOOD. Some of our ancient sages said that the patriarch Jacob planted acacia trees in Egypt, and Israel, upon the command of Moses, brought them out. And every man, with whom was foundacacia-wood…brought it (Ex. 35:24) is proof of this. They possessed acacia as they possessed the blue and the purple. However, one wonders, why does Scripture say, with whom was found, which means it was used for personal needs. Now, if we so interpret it, then we must ask, why did the Israelites take acacia wood out of Egypt? What need did they have for acacia wood? Furthermore, it is clear that the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were going to offer sacrifices and then return to Egypt. That is why the Egyptians lent the Israelites [gold and silver jewels plus raiment]. How could the Israelites take out many boards, each one of which was ten cubits? The boards were also accompanied by bars. In Egypt they passed by the seat of the king. What was their answer to those who asked them why they were carrying acacia wood when they were going on a three-day journey to offer sacrifices? Now we do not know whether our ancestors had a tradition that the Israelites took the acacia wood out of Egypt. If they did, then we will accept their tradition. However, if their statement is based on reasoning, then we must seek another explanation. We suggest that there was a forest of acacia trees next to Mount Sinai. When Israel came to Sinai, Moses told them that they would be spending a long time there. I have already explained that there was no cloud over them at this time. Each one of them then made a booth. The princes made court-like structures, each one in accordance with his status. They cut the entire forest down, for they were a large nation. They made booths. Moses did not speak to them regarding the tabernacle until after the Day of Atonement. This is the meaning of with whom was found (Ex. 35:24).

(6) The truth is that, as tradition tells us, when Jacob was about to go down to Egypt he was afraid lest his descendants might be lost among the peoples and lest God might remove His Presence from him. Hence God said to him: “Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation” (Gen. 46, 3), and then, “I will go down with thee into Egypt” (Ibid. 4).
(7) Jacob was still afraid lest he should be buried there and not with his fathers, so God said to him: “I will also surely bring thee up again” (Ibid.), to wit, to be buried in the grave of thy ancestors.