TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 37

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Betzalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half amot long, an amah and a half wide, and an amah and a half high.

אוַיַּעַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵל אֶת־הָאָרֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ׃

2He overlaid it with pure gold, inside and out; and he made a gold molding for it round about.

בוַיְצַפֵּהוּ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב׃

3He cast four gold rings for it, for its four feet: two rings on one of its side walls and two rings on the other.

גוַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל־צַלְעוֹ הָאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעוֹת עַל־צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִית׃

4He made poles of acacia wood, overlaid them with gold,

דוַיַּעַשׂ בַּדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב׃

5and inserted the poles into the rings on the side walls of the ark for carrying the ark.

הוַיָּבֵא אֶת־הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת־הָאָרֹן׃

6He made a cover of pure gold, two and a half amot long and an amah and a half wide.

ווַיַּעַשׂ כַּפֹּרֶת זָהָב טָהוֹר אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכָּהּ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבָּהּ׃

7He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work, at the two ends of the cover:

זוַיַּעַשׂ שְׁנֵי כְרֻבִים זָהָב מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֹתָם מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַכַּפֹּרֶת׃

8one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at its two ends.

חכְּרוּב־אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה וּכְרוּב־אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה מִן־הַכַּפֹּרֶת עָשָׂה אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִים מִשְּׁנֵי קצוותו [קְצוֹתָיו׃]

9The cherubim had their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They faced each other; the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the cover.

טוַיִּהְיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו אֶל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת הָיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים׃

10He made the table of acacia wood, two amot long, one amah wide, and an amah and a half high;

יוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ׃

11he overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it.

יאוַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב׃

12He made a rim of a hand's breadth around it and made a gold molding for its rim round about.

יבוַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וַיַּעַשׂ זֵר־זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִיב׃

13He cast four gold rings for it and attached the rings to the four corners at its four legs.

יגוַיִּצֹק לוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל אַרְבַּע הַפֵּאֹת אֲשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָיו׃

14The rings were next to the rim, as holders for the poles to carry the table.

ידלְעֻמַּת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת הָיוּ הַטַּבָּעֹת בָּתִּים לַבַּדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן׃

15He made the poles of acacia wood for carrying the table, and overlaid them with gold.

טווַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב לָשֵׂאת אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָן׃

16The utensils that were to be upon the table—its bowls, ladles, jugs, and jars with which to offer libations—he made of pure gold.

טזוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֶת־קְעָרֹתָיו וְאֶת־כַּפֹּתָיו וְאֵת מְנַקִּיֹּתָיו וְאֶת־הַקְּשָׂוׂת אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר׃

17He made the menorah of pure gold. He made the menorah—its base and its shaft—of hammered work; its cups, calyxes, and petals were of one piece with it.

va-YA-as et ha-m'-no-RAH za-HAV ta-HOR mik-SHAH a-SAH et ha-m'-no-RAH y'-ray-KHAH v'-ka-NAH g'-vee-E-ha kaf-to-RE-ha uf-ra-KHE-ha mi-ME-nah ha-YU

יזוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה זָהָב טָהוֹר מִקְשָׁה עָשָׂה אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה יְרֵכָהּ וְקָנָהּ גְּבִיעֶיהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ׃

 37:17 He made the menorah of pure gold

Knesset Menorah in Jerusalem

The menorah, made of “pure gold,” was lit with pure olive oil and gave off a radiant light. The light of the menorah is symbolic of the Jewish Nation’s duty to spread the light of Torah and God’s will. The pure gold and olive oil are reflective of the pure intentions necessary to influence the nations of the world for the sake of Heaven. Today, the menorah is the official symbol of the State of Israel, which represents the eternity of the Jewish People. The bronze menorah, located across from the Knesset, Israel’s parliament in Yerushalayim, was modeled after the menorah of the Temple. The six side branches are engraved with depictions of events from the Bible, as well as the Jews in exile. The center branch of this impressive menorah tells the story of the return to Eretz Yisrael, up until the establishment of the State of Israel. Now that the People of Israel have returned home, they can again work together to spread light to the rest of the world.

18Six branches issued from its sides: three branches from one side of the menorah, and three branches from the other side of the menorah.

יחוְשִׁשָּׁה קָנִים יֹצְאִים מִצִּדֶּיהָ שְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה קְנֵי מְנֹרָה מִצִּדָּהּ הַשֵּׁנִי׃

19There were three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch; and there were three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the next branch; so for all six branches issuing from the menorah.

יטשְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בַּקָּנֶה הָאֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפֶרַח וּשְׁלֹשָׁה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד כַּפְתֹּר וָפָרַח כֵּן לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִן־הַמְּנֹרָה׃

20On the menorah itself there were four cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals:

כוּבַמְּנֹרָה אַרְבָּעָה גְבִעִים מְשֻׁקָּדִים כַּפְתֹּרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ׃

21a calyx, of one piece with it, under a pair of branches; and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the second pair of branches; and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the last pair of branches; so for all six branches issuing from it.

כאוְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה וְכַפְתֹּר תַּחַת־שְׁנֵי הַקָּנִים מִמֶּנָּה לְשֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים הַיֹּצְאִים מִמֶּנָּה׃

22Their calyxes and their stems were of one piece with it, the whole of it a single hammered piece of pure gold.

כבכַּפְתֹּרֵיהֶם וּקְנֹתָם מִמֶּנָּה הָיוּ כֻּלָּהּ מִקְשָׁה אַחַת זָהָב טָהוֹר׃

23He made its seven lamps, its tongs, and its fire pans of pure gold.

כגוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה וּמַלְקָחֶיהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶיהָ זָהָב טָהוֹר׃

24He made it and all its furnishings out of a kikar of pure gold.

כדכִּכָּר זָהָב טָהוֹר עָשָׂה אֹתָהּ וְאֵת כָּל־כֵּלֶיהָ׃

25He made the incense mizbayach of acacia wood, an amah long and an amah wide—square—and two amot high; its horns were of one piece with it.

כהוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־מִזְבַּח הַקְּטֹרֶת עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּה אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ רָבוּעַ וְאַמָּתַיִם קֹמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ הָיוּ קַרְנֹתָיו׃

26He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides round about, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it round about.

כווַיְצַף אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר אֶת־גַּגּוֹ וְאֶת־קִירֹתָיו סָבִיב וְאֶת־קַרְנֹתָיו וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב׃

27He made two gold rings for it under its molding, on its two walls—on opposite sides—as holders for the poles with which to carry it.

כזוּשְׁתֵּי טַבְּעֹת זָהָב עָשָׂה־לוֹ מִתַּחַת לְזֵרוֹ עַל שְׁתֵּי צַלְעֹתָיו עַל שְׁנֵי צִדָּיו לְבָתִּים לְבַדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ בָּהֶם׃

28He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

כחוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וַיְצַף אֹתָם זָהָב׃

29He prepared the sacred anointing oil and the pure aromatic incense, expertly blended.

כטוַיַּעַשׂ אֶת־שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה קֹדֶשׁ וְאֶת־קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים טָהוֹר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵחַ׃