Why did G-d choose Bezalel?

Vayakel and Pekudei are narrative Torah portions that describe the creation of the Mishkan and the bigdei kehuna. The word “vayaas” — “and he made” — is used 40 times in these passages, 39 of them anonymously. Consequently, the names of the artisans who created a particular vessel remain unknown.

The one exception to this rule is the aron luchot habrit, the Ark of the Covenant: “Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high” (Shemot 37:1).  

We may well ask, “Why was Bezalel’s name explicitly mentioned only in regards to the aron luchot habrit, when he was the designer and architect of every aspect of the Mishkan?”

This is particularly timely, since the Torah informs us, “I [Hashem] have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehuda, and I have imbued him with the spirit of G-d, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship to do master weaving, to work with gold, with silver, and with copper, with the craft of stones for setting and with the craft of wood, to do every [manner of] work” (Shemot 31:2-5).

In his commentary on the Torah, Rashi suggests that “since he [Bezalel] devoted himself to the work more than the other wise men, it [the aron luchot habrit] was called by his name [i.e. the work was attributed to him alone].”

A generation later, the Ibn Ezra notes in his commentary that although Bezalel joined others in creating all of the Mishkan’s holy vessels, his name was associated in particular with the aron luchot habrit because of its singular holiness.

While both Rashi and the Ibn Ezra help answer our question, I believe the most holistic response is offered by Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk in his Torah commentary Meshech Chachma.

Rav Meir Simcha begins his analysis by noting that “other people participated in the construction of the various vessels at the time of the first and second Beit HaMikdash, and will do so in the future” (commentary on Shemot 37:1).

This, however, he asserts, is not the case regarding the aron luchot habrit, whose purpose was to house the Tablets of the Law (luchot habrit), since “from the time it was hidden away [shortly before the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash], no other one could be built, for another set of luchot could never be constructed.”

Rav Meir Simcha continues by explaining that the aron luchot habrit is therefore called the aron Bezalel, for it will “exist throughout all the generations — and there will never be another.”

“This is perhaps the reason for our verse’s specificity [when it states, “and Bezalel made,”] to teach us that throughout the generations another aron habrit, and set of Cherubim, may never be produced — but, rather, only those that Bezalel fashioned.”

Rav Meir Simcha’s first answer to our question is technical in nature: The underlying rationale for Bezalel’s association with the aron luchot habrit is because there can never be another one, since there will never be another set of luchot. As a result, the aron luchot habrit is forever known as aron Bezalel — the one and only aron luchot habrit that was created by Bezalel.

Rav Meir Simcha’s second answer to our query is more conceptually-based and answers another question as well: “Why was Bezalel chosen to build the aron luchot habrit?”

In order to understand his response, we need to focus upon the order of historical events surrounding the Mishkan and the sin of the Golden Calf, something that is hotly debated among the early and later Torah commentators.

In Rav Meir Simcha’s view, Hashem initially designated Bezalel as the architect of the Mishkan. Shortly following his appointment, however, the Jewish people participated in the heinous incident of the Golden Calf. At that point, Bezalel was specifically charged with the construction of the aron luchot habrit:

“The Holy One blessed be He was concerned, following the sin of the Golden Calf, that perhaps when someone would build the aron habrit, they would have forbidden thoughts during its construction that would be infused with idol worship. Therefore, Bezalel was chosen to build the aron habrit, since his grandfather [Chur] was murdered as a result of his refusal to participate in the creation of the Golden Calf.”

Our writer concludes his analysis with a solid explanation as to why Bezalel’s name was explicitly mentioned with the aron luchot habrit:

“Therefore, based upon his training and his natural orientation toward hating anything and everything associated with those who follow after the foolishness, forms and images of all manner [of idol worship,] he would never have embraced any of these foreign thoughts. Therefore, the Torah writes, “And Bezalel made,’ since he, and he alone, constructed the aron haluchot without any [potentially questionable] help whatsoever.”

According to Rav Meir Simcha, Bezalel emerges as a true hero of spirit who was blessed by Hashem with the unique talents and abilities not only to design and build the Mishkan in general, but to also construct the aron luchot habrit in particular, in purity and sanctity.

With Hashem’s help, may we merit to follow in his footsteps and dedicate ourselves to attaining such holiness of purpose in our lives.