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Tahash or Tachash[nb 1] (Hebrew: תחש ths) specifies the kind of leather, hide, skin (Hebrew: עור uwr "skin") referred to in the Bible as being used for the outer covering of the Tabernacle and to wrap sacred objects used within the Tabernacle for transport.[nb 2] This fact alone gives these skins a very special significance, as having great symbolical and spiritual religious importance, along with each of the other materials used in the making of the Mishkan.[1][nb 3] There is also a sacred play on words between Hashem and tahashim [2]תחשים השם.

The scriptural meaning of "tahash skins" is a matter of some debate. Tahash is traditionally interpreted to be a separate species of animal,[3] with tahash skins (plural עורת תחשים 'orot tahashim)[4][nb 4] being its hide or leather. Other interpretations see tahash as a process, such as dyeing skins a certain color, with tahash skins being perhaps "blue skins" or "blue-processed skins".[5][6] Philological and archaeological evidence has been cited as proof that tahash is the name of a technique for sewing blue faience beads onto leather, with tahash skins being "beaded skins".[7][8] Sages, scholars and linguists have debated the Biblical meaning of תחש ths and תחשים ths'm for centuries.[9][10] Its original meaning remains obscure.[11]

According to the Likkutei Sichos by Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994), finished skins of tahashim were actually donated by the people from the spoils of Egypt already in their possession[12] (1391-1271 BCE[13]). This accords with the reading in the Torah: Shemot-Exodus 35:23:[14]

כג. וכל איש אשר נמצא אתו תכלת וארגמן ותולעת שני ושש ועזים וערת אילם מאדמים וערת תחשים הביאו

And every man with whom was found blue, purple, or crimson wool, linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red or tachash skins brought them.

And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. Moses erected the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses:[15]

"Over the tent itself you shall make a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and above that, a covering of tahash skins."[16]

Variant readings of עורת תחשים

The word Tachash has been interpreted as fine leather, and as various animals, including the badger[17] the porpoise,[18] the narwhal,[19] the giraffe[20][21][22] and the antelope.[17]

Some rabbis in the Talmud (compiled and redacted c. 200-500 CE) understood "skins of tachashim" to be animal skins,[3] not specially tanned and finished leather. The question is debated in the Talmud as to whether the tahash was a kosher (ritually clean) animal. Many suggested identifications for the tahash are proposed, such as the fleet-footed antelope (taking תחש tahash from חש hish, "fleet"),[22] and the ermine, weasel, keresh,[3][22][23] wild ram, okape, giraffe, narwhal, sea cow, dugong, and seal.[19][10] Among the options cited is the possibility that the tachash was a cryptid created specifically for the construction of the tabernacle and not in existence since.[3]

The tahash of Moses' day was a separate species, and the Sages could not decide whether it belonged to the genus of wild beasts or to the genus of domestic animals, and it had one horn in its forehead, and it came to Moses' hand [providentially] just for the occasion, and he made the [covering of the] Tabernacle, and then it was hidden. —Soncino Babylonian Talmud: Shabbath 28b

The Brown–Driver–Briggs Hebrew Lexicon states:

† תחש n.m. tahas: a kind of leather or skin, and perhaps the animal yielding it (probably the dugong, compare Arabic ثذش dolphin, W.Gesenius Thesaurus Linguae Hebraeae [1500], A. Dillman–V.Ryssel [Exodus 25:5], G.E.Post [James Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible BADGER]); Assyrian taɧsu [Friedrich Delitzsch, R. Baentach Erech.xvi], for which Friedrich Delitzsch [Prolegomena 77ff; Assyrisches Handwörterbuch 705] conjectures the meaning sheep(skin); J.H.Bondi [Egyptiaca I.ff] compares Egyptian tḥš, leather; see summary of views M'Lean-Shipley [Encyclopedia of the Bible BADGERS SKINS]; absolute 'ת Numbers 4:6 +; plural תחשים Exodus 25:5 +; —leather used for (woman's) sandals Ezekiel 16:10; elsewhere for cover of tabernacle Numbers 4:15, 'עור ת verses 6.8.10.12.14, ערת (ה)תחשים Exodus 25:6 26:14 35:7.23 36:19 39:34 (all Priestly Code or Narrative.)"

Etymologically, Tehasim תחשים has been connected to an Assyrian word meaning "sheepskin" and an Egyptian word meaning "to stretch or treat leather": tahas תחש seems to be cognate with Akkadian dusu - tuhsia - "goat/sheep leather [dyed and tanned the color of dusu-stone]" out of which the tabernacle cover (Exodus 26:14; Numbers 4:6) and luxury boots and sandals were made (Ezekiel 16:10.)[24] The Hebrew word תחש tehas is itself probably of foreign derivation, probably denoting a species of antelope.[17]

The form of the word normally used as the ordinary translation of Hebrew tahas has also changed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary's entry and treatment is for TAHASH, not "tachash" (it has no entry for TACHASH.) The Encyclopedia Judaica (2007) also uses the form TAḤASH, with a dot below the "H" (it too has no entry for TACHASH). The actual meaning of tahash remains obscure.

Animals

Cryptid

"...it had one horn in its forehead, and its hide had six colors..." R. Yehudah. Oil painting by Heinrich Harder, 1916

The first mention of a one-horned cryptid called "the tahash" appears in the Talmud (not earlier than 70-200 CE).[3] According to the Encyclopedia Judaica (2007) it was a clean animal, had multicolored skin, and was identical with keresh, the legendary unicorn.[22]

Rashi, a medieval French rabbi, mentions the tahash in his commentary on Exodus 25:5 "skins of tachashim".[25] "A kind of animal which existed only at that time."[26]

The fact that the tahash has not been sighted since the time of Moses is supported by the fact that it is not mentioned by Aristotle and other ancient Naturalists of the classical period, the Physiologus of the 2nd century, the Etymologiae of the 7th century, and other documented sources through the 12th century, such as the medieval Bestiaries cited in the compilation The Medieval Bestiary: Animals in the Middle Ages.[27]

Louis Ginzberg (1843–1953) included a single mention of the animal Tahash in his six-volume work Legends of the Jews (1909–1938):[28]

"God created the animal Tahash exclusively for the needs of the Tabernacle, for it was so enormous that out of one skin could be made a curtain, thirty cubits long. This species of animal disappeared as soon as the demands of the Tabernacle for skins were satisfied." —The Altar

Natan Slifkin, the "zoo rabbi", in his thoroughly researched book Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash (2007) says that among the Sages of the Talmud there were opinions that the tachash was actually a real unicorn (though not of the mythological type), but others understood it as a different type of animal altogether, or not even as an animal at all, and that "a very likely candidate" for the meaning of tachash is beautiful beadwork on leather.[10][7][8]

Badger

Eurasian badger.

Rashi's commentary on Ezekiel 16:10 translates תחש as taisse in Old French (12th century[nb 5]—from Greek τρόχος, "runner, turner", "one who runs round"), which later interpreters took to mean "badger", and still do today[29][30][31] (see semantic change). He adds: " [ Jonathan renders ] "And I put shoes of glory on your feet."[32]

The German Luther Bibel of 1545, translates וערת תחשים as Dachsfelle "badgers' skins".[33]

The 1611 Authorized Version, or King James Version (KJV), translates the Masoretic Text of the word תחשים as "badger," giving "badgers' skins".[34]

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible 1708-1710, offers a critique of the King James Version's translation "badgers' skins":

"badgers' skins, so we translate it, but it should rather seem to have been some strong sort of leather (but very fine), for we read of the best sort of shoes being made of it, Eze. 16:10."[35]

Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary 1831, corrects the translation "badgers' skins" at Exodus 25:5:

"4. Rams' skins, badgers' skins (rather violet-coloured skins,) and shittim wood"[9]

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1823–1894) "Badger" says,

"Our translators seem to have been misled by the similarity in sound of the Hebrew tahas and the Latin taxus, 'a badger'. The revisers have correctly substituted 'seal skins.' The Arabs of the Sinaitic peninsula apply the name tucash to the seals and dugongs which are common in the Red Sea, and the skins of which are largely used as leather and for sandals."[36]

The Encyclopedia Judaica says, "The AV and JPS translation of 'badger' has no basis in fact".[22]

According to the Torah the badger and the seal are unclean, "detestable": Leviticus 11:27 and 11:12[37]

"Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you." Leviticus 11:8

Dugong

Dugong

A popular hypothesis of the early- to mid-20th century proposed that the term "tachash" means dugong. This translation is based upon the similarity between the Hebrew tachash and the Arabic word tukhas or tukhesh, which means dugong.[38][39][40][10] The Arabs generally applied the descriptive tukhas – البدر / دلفبن – to dugongs and sea cows, to dolphins and porpoises, from which they harvest skins for leather for their tents and curtains and sandals. Nineteenth century travellers noted that the Bedouin Arabs of the Sinai made leather sandals from the skins of very large sea-mammals they call tucash [36][41] ذروف البدر/ دلفبن. In 1843, in recognition of this perceived relationship, Eduard Rüppell designated the dugong as Halicore tabernaculi (although it is now termed Dugong dugon).[42]

Wilhelm Gesenius (pub. Boston, 1850) under the word "tachash" states that the Arabs of Sinai wear sandals of dugong skin. This is taken to explain the meaning of the phrase in the Book of Ezekiel (16:10), "I gave you sandals of tahash skin." Later, in revision (pub. 1905, Leipzig), he cites Egyptologist J. H. Bondi, who adduces the Old Egyptian root t-ch-s to make 'or tahash mean "soft-dressed skin" instead:[41] "I gave you sandals of soft-dressed skin."

The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907–1914, under "Tabernacle" states: "...Two outer coverings (no dimensions are given), one of dyed rams' skin and one of dugongs skin, protected the whole structure."

The editors of the Encyclopaedia Judaica (2007) article TAHASH state that "because the Arabic tukhesh means the sea-mammal Dugong hemprichii, some endeavor to identify it with the tahash." In conclusion, they say, "...the identity of the tahash remains obscure."

According to the Torah the dugong is unclean, "detestable": Leviticus 11:10 [37]

"Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you." Leviticus 11:8

Dolphin

Dolphin

The Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917 (Mechon Mamre) translates וערת תחשים as "sealskins".

The Anchor Bible Series, 1956, claims the precise meaning of tehasim is uncertain: during the 20th century Hebrew תחש, tahas, is often treated as the same as the Arabic term دلفبن tuhas (cf. duhas) for "dolphin," "but this interpretation is not certain."[43]

According to the Torah the seal and the dolphin are unclean, "detestable": Leviticus 11:10 [37]

"Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you." Leviticus 11:8

Goat

Angora goat

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (1952) renders 'oroth T'Hashim as "goatskins."[44] The updated English Standard Version (2001) retains the reading "goatskins" with a footnote to Exodus 25:5 which says,

"Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins".

The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says, "...the word used is not the normal word for goat."[45]

Antelopes

Greater Kudu of eastern and southern Africa.
Mouflon wild ram, one of two ancestors of domestic sheep breeds.

The word תחש tachash is probably of foreign derivation, a clean animal with fur, probably a species of (blue) antelope.[17]

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible lists "BADGERS'" (14 entries) as number 8476 in the Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of the Old Testament:

"8476. תחש tachash, takh'-hash; prob. of for. der.; a (clean) animal with fur, prob. a species of antelope:—badger.

The New Smith's Bible Dictionary says the word translated into KJV English as "badger" is:

"(Hebrew: Tachash) The antelope. Tachaitze of Eastern Africa, bluish slaty-gray in color. Sculptured in Egypt."[46]

Rashi's commentary on Ezekiel 16:10 reads taisatz instead of taisson in the earlier editions (from Greek τρόχος "runner, turner").[nb 6]

Some have proposed that the most likely antelope to be the Tanakh tachash is the addax.[47] The Hebrew words for antelope, addax and tahash are cognate, having a common etymological origin, sharing similar meanings, sounds and spellings.[48]

Levi ben Gershon (Ralbag) (1288-1344), commentary on the Pentateuch, sees עורת תחשים instead as skins of the multi-colored wild ram (Mouflon) of the Sinai,[19] which disappeared from that region shortly after the time of Moses.

Okapi

Okapi

S. M. Perlmann (Zoologist, set 4, XII, 256, 1908) suggests that the okapi, "a species of antelope," is the animal indicated by tachash.[41]

The okapi was known to the ancient Egyptians; shortly after its discovery by Europeans in 1901, an ancient carved image of the animal was discovered in Egypt.[49]

Although the okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe.

Giraffe

Saadia Gaon (born c. 892, d. 942) interprets "tahash skins" as "black leather",[19] leather worked in such a manner as to come out dark and waterproof, made of skins taken from the zemer which he definitively translates into Arabic as zirafa, "giraffe".[50]

Processes and color

Several Hebrew grammarians and translators propose that "'orot t'chash'm" refers not to the skins of a particular animal but to a method of processing skins.

Tanning and dyeing

Model of the tabernacle compound in tent form, with dusu-colored outer covering.

Hebrew תחש t-h-s appears cognate with Akkadian duhsuh / dusu / tuhsia:

"Goat/sheep leather [dyed and tanned the color of dusu-stone]."[43]

Hebrew תחשים t-h-s-m appears connected to an Assyrian word meaning "sheepskin" and an Egyptian word meaning "to stretch or treat leather".[43]

Wilhelm Gesenius (1848-50, pub. Leipzig 1905) cites Egyptologist J. H. Bondi (Aegyptiaca, i.ff) who adduces the Egyptian root t-ch-s, making the Hebrew expression " 'or tahash / 'or tachash" mean "soft-dressed skin".[41][43][51][52] Modern scholarship (1960, 1963, 2007) also sees Hebrew tahash as derived best from the old Egyptian word tj-h-s, "to treat leather."[43][51][53] Encyclopedia Judaica (2007) says,

"In Egyptian ths means well-tanned leather and on this basis some are of the opinion that tahash too was merely leather tanned in a certain way."[22]

Dark and waterproof

Saadia Gaon (892 - 942), Jonah ibn Janah (990 - 1050), and Avraham son of Rambam (1186 - 1237) interpret "tahash skins" as "black leather", leather worked in such a manner as to come out dark and waterproof.[19][9][54]

Color

Several translations propose that 'orot t'chash'm refers to very fine leather[55] or sheepskins dyed the color of hyacinth.[56] According to this interpretation, the text of Exodus 26:14 means "a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and above that a covering of hyacinth skins" ("blue skins", "violet skins").[9][41][57]

A model of the Mishkan with the outer covering of skins dyed a very dark blue-indigo-purple-violet-black color: "not unlike the color of the sky." Midnight blue
The color of the sky at evening is a blue-indigo-purple-violet color the ancients proposed as tahash, identical to the tahash covering over the Mishkan model above.

The Septuagint translates 'orot T'cHashim as δερμα υακινθινον, derma huakinthinon, "blue skins".[5] The word "huakinthinos, huakinthos" (KJV "jacinth"), according to Strong's Hebrew Lexicon, means "deep-blue",[58] "a dark blue, verging on black".

The Jewish historian Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, in Antiquities 3:6:4 (Ant.3.132-133), interpreted the skins as dyed of a blue color "not unlike the color of the sky".[59][60]

Onkelos (c. 35-120 CE) renders tahash as ססגונא– ssgwn, sasgawna, sas-gona, ssgvn, sas-gavna, a contraction of סס ss "rejoice" and גונא gvnə "color" ("glorious color"):[25]

"...that is why we translate it sasgawna, [meaning] that it rejoices in many colors..." (Sabbath 28a)

Targum Jonathan understands tahash as כהניא– khn,[61] the color of "glory" (priestly regalia—the color of the sky, the sapphire-stone, the seat of glory):

[Jonathan renders]: "...I put shoes of glory on your feet..." (Ezekiel 16:10)[62] (richest blue, indigo, violet)

Aquila of Sinope, a 2nd century CE native of Pontus in Anatolia produces an "exceedingly literal" translation of the Tanakh into Greek around 130. There is some (inconclusive) evidence[63] that he retains the Greek ὑακἱνθινον (deep "blue") as the literal translation of the Hebrew [58]תחשים.

Judah haNasi (170-220 CE) renders his opinion that tahash skins are skins dyed altinon (Greek, άλήδινον, aledinon), seemingly purple.[64] The Jerusalem Targum also translates עורתתחשים as "purpled skins".[65]

About 235 CE Origen of Alexandria incorporates the literal Greek version of Aquila of Sinope in his Hexapla; both Aquila of Sinope and Judah haNasi along with the Targum Yerushalmi translate עורתתחשים as skins of color (purple, violet, indigo, blue). Huakinthos (hyacinth blue) is retained in the Hexapla as the literal Greek translation of tahas (tachash.)

The Vulgate translation (c. 405) of tahash is pelles ianthinas, violet skins.[9]

Nathan ben Jehiel, 1035–1106, most noted for his compilation the Arukh, featuring extensive etymologies, interprets tahash skins as "blue-processed skins": Aruk s.v. Teynun.[19]

The Old Testament of the Douay-Rheims Bible (1609) interprets the outer covering of the tabernacle as "violet colored skins".

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) says:

Septuagint dermata huakinthina. In all the passages cited in Ex and Nu these skins are mentioned as being used for coverings of the tabernacle; in Ezekiel 16:10, for shoes or sandals. The Septuagint rendering would mean purple or blue skins, which however is not favored by Talmudic writers or by modern grammarians, who incline to believe that tachash is the name of an animal.[41]

Modern Bible translators have rendered עורת תחשים 'orot tchash'm as colored skins or leather, fine leather.[66] For example, the 1851 translation by Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton is "blue skins".[5] The Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition Catholic Bible translates the tahas skins of the outer covering of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:14), and the coverings of everything within and around it (Numbers 4:6-14), and the shoes of Jerusalem (Ezechiel 16:10), as "violet colored skins."[67] The Living Torah, by Aryeh Kaplan[68] and the editors and translators of the World ORT translation, Navigating the Bible II (2006-2008 bible.ort.org), render עורת תחשים, the outer skins of the Mishkan, as well as all skins covering the kodashim קדשים (holy things), as "blue-processed skins":[6]

Exodus 25:5: "...reddened rams' skins, blue-processed skins, acacia wood,..."

According to this scholarship, "tanned and (blue-)dyed skins" seems to be a more probable meaning for 'orot tehasim than the skin or hide of a specific animal, either known or unknown, domestic or wild.

Beading

Turquoise beads

Stephanie Dalley (2000) marshalls philological and archaeological evidence as proof that dusu/duhsu/tahas is a technique of sewing blue faience beads onto leather to attain various chromatic effects.[7] William H. C. Propp (2006) cites this research, translating tahas/tahasim as "beaded" ("beaded skins"), in his translation of Exodus in The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40.[8][10]

Importance of textual and cultural and religious context

Given the prohibitions in the Torah (Pentateuch) forbidding the Israelites to touch anything they are to regard as unclean abominations,[69] a great number of commentaries and scholarly articles over the centuries, beginning with the Talmud, have been written discussing the question of why scholars and translators and interpreters familiar with the Biblical text, and familiar with the importance of textual and cultural and religious context, should propose the skin of an "unclean, non-kosher 'detestable'" (NAB) "animal 'abomination'" (KJV, RSV) as the outer covering of the Tabernacle, rather than the skin of a clean, kosher animal, such as the sheep, goat or antelope instead.[3][70][71]

Additional meanings

'Orot Tahashim as covering for the Mishkan of HaShem makes a sacred connotative paronomasia on "Tahashim" and "HaShem"[72][2]: תחשים / השם: skins tachashim as covering for the Dwelling of the Name (ה HaShem). This play on words is even more evident from the fact that before the 1st millenium BCE (1000 BCE) the Yodh י was not used as a vowel and He ה and Heth ח were nearly identical in sound (Pre-exilic phonetic value):[73] תחשם / השם. In addition, the Hebrew תאה / תא ta' means mark off, designate, a room that is circumscribed.[74] ת—חשם / ת—השם

Allegorical readings of scripture interpret the tahash as a sign of the Qahal, the congregation, multitude, assembly of the people whom God has called out from among the nations of the earth to Himself, to submit to Him alone, with all their talents and gifts, and bear witness to His Name.[70][71][75][76][77][1] This kind of reading gives a "deeper meaning" to the words in the text of Exodus 25:8: "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst."[78]

Linguistic origins and possible translations

2800-1530 BCE Akkadian language: duhsuh / tuhsia dyed sheep/goat leather[43]
2600-2000 BCE Old Egyptian language: ths stretched/treated leather, soft-dressed skin[22][41][51][52][53]
2000 BCE Eastern Africa (Cushitic languages): tachaitze, blue antelope[17][46]
c. 1600-1151 BCE Moses receives donation of finished tachash skins from the people[12][14][13]
1000 BCE Aramaic language, 8th century BCE Arabic language: tucash (from) underneath, the deep[38][39][40]
3rd-1st century BCE Septuagint: derma huakinthinon blue skin (verging on black)[9][58][5]
1st century CE Josephus: (blue) "not unlike the color of the sky"[59][60]
2nd century CE Syriac: azure skin[9]
120 Targum Onkelos: ssgvn joyous color; Targum Jonathan: khn glory[25][61]
130 Aquila of Sinope: derma huakinthinon blue skin (verging on black)[58][63]
170-220 Judah haNasi: aledinon purple skin[64]
c. 220 Jerusalem Targum: purpled skin[65]
200-500 Talmud: animal skins, tahash skins, antelope skins[3][23]
c. 235 Hexapla (Greek): huakinthinon[58][63]
3rd century Coptic: violet skin[9]
c. 405 Vulgate: pelles ianthinas violet skins[9]
200-500 Talmud: animal skins, the multi-colored, one-horned tahash[3][23][22]
867 Arabic: "black leather"[9][19]
892-942 Saadia Gaon: dark "black" waterproofed leather from the zemer (giraffe)[9][19][20][21]
970-1050 Jonah ibn Janah: dark "black" waterproofed leather[9][19]
1040-1105 Rashi: taisse "runner" (from Greek τροχός)[25][29][30][31][32]
1035-1106 Nathan ben Jehiel The Aruk: Teynun: "blue-processed skin"[19]
1186-1237 Avraham son of Rambam: blue-processed skin[19]
1288-1344 Ralbag: wild ram[19]
1609 Douay-Rheims Bible: violet skin[79]
1611 Authorized King James Version: badgers' skin[80]
1831 Adam Clarke's Commentary, citing Bouchart: hysginus, a very deep blue[9]
1851 Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton: blue skin[5]
1899 DV: violet colored skins[79]
1901 ASV: sealskins[81]
1949 BBE, NWT, NRSV, GW: leather[82]
1952 RSV, ESV: goatskins[83]
1970 New American Bible, Judaica Press Complete Tanach: tahash skin, tachash skin[14][57]
1971 NASB: porpoise[84]
1978 NIV, JPS Tanakh, REB, WEB: sea cow, dolphin, dugong[85]
1981 Aryeh Kaplan, Navigating the Bible II: blue-processed skin[19]
2006 The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40: beaded skins[8]
2007 Encyclopaedia Judaica: the meaning of Tahash remains obscure[22]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Hebrew תחש, IPA /t-χ-ʃ/ "T-H-S", ths, TeHaS, tehas, TaHaS, tahas, תחש Tahas, Thachash, Thahash, Tachash, Tahash. (Hebrew letters)—ת "Tav"—ח "Heth"—ש "Shiyn" (approximate articulation "tawv"-"khayth"-"sheen") תחש "T-H-S" or "T-CH-SH": pronounced takhash, takh'-ash, with hard "ch" as in "CHanukkah / Hanukkah," German ch = Greek X (nearly "kh") as in "XP" ("chi-rho", i.e. "khee-hro"): from James Strong, "Hebrew Articulation," in Strong's Concordance, Madison: 1890, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible, with their Renderings in the King James Version: Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of the Old Testament, page 4.
  2. ^ Singular [lit.] "skin tahash", 'or tahash, עור תחש, "tahash skin"—plural [lit.] "skins tahashim", 'orot tahashim, עורת תחשים, "tahash skins".
  3. ^ For "symbolical spiritual religious significance"—see multiple footnotes at "Additional meanings"
  4. ^ עור "skin", וער "and skin"—The Hebrew word for skin or hide –'or– is ער or עור, without Vav ו at the beginning of the word, unless used in the conjunction ער plus ו, "And skin" or "And hide":—וער. The Vav before the Ayin ע Resh ר Vav ו Taw ת, i.e. [ ו - ערות ], in the following sites is a grammatical conjunction meaning "and": Hebrew - no vowels; Masoretic spelling, Hebrew - plene spelling, Hebrew with Cantillation Marks, Hebrew with Vowels, Hebrew-English - paraellel MT and JPS 1917, Judaica Press Complete Tanach, Judaica Press Complete Tanach with Rashi, Navigating the Bible II and Scrollscraper Tikkun. Coupled with Biblical Hebrew (BH) written in Ktiv haser (meaning consonants are not always in use) 'וער' transliterated 've'or means "and leather/skin" (with conjunction)—the spelling 'עור' simply means "skin" without conjunction (see Numbers 4). Strong's number 5783 and 5785: (5783) עור 'uwr oor a primitive root; to bare (be bare): to be made naked: (5785) עור 'owr, ore (from 5783 עור 'uwr oor) skin (as naked); by implication hide, leather, skin. —The letter 'Ayin ע is generally neglected (passed over silently in reading) by Occidentals, owing to the difficulty they experience in pronouncing it accurately. James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D. Strong's Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible: Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of The Old Testament. 1890, Madison, N.J. p. 4. ISBN 0-529-06679-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Old French e chalcei tei taisson; earlier editions read taisatz instead of taisson. Hillel Raiter, "Le Ta'hach et la licorne", p. 56., cited by Natan Slifkin in Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash, Chapter One: Unicorns of Different Colors, pp. 57-58, footnote 25.
  6. ^ see section "Badger" with footnote [nb 5] this article.

References

  1. ^ a b Louis Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews: Volume III: —The Altar—The Symbolical Significance of the Tabernacle—
  2. ^ a b David Steinberg. Biblical Hebrew Poetry and Word Play: Reconstructing the Original Oral, Aural and Visual Experience: Wordplay in the Hebrew Bible.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Babylonian Talmud: Shabbath 28a,b (scroll down to 28b): "What is our conclusion with respect to the tahash which existed in Moses' days? ——"
  4. ^ Strong's Hebrew Lexicon 5785 עור 'owr, from 5783 עור 'uwr, a primitive root
  5. ^ a b c d e The Septuagint: Introduction (kalvesmaki.com), —English translation of Septuagint Book of Numbers, chapter 4: "blue skins" (4:6ff) —and Greek Septuagint Book of Numbers, chapter 4: δερμα υακινθινον (4:6ff) "derma huakinthinon"
  6. ^ a b See Navigating the Bible II: Bamidbar-Numbers Chapter 4.
  7. ^ a b c S. Dalley, Journal of Semitic Studies 45:1-19, Faience and Beadwork, 2000, Hebrew "tahas", Akkadian "duhsu";
  8. ^ a b c d William H. C. Propp, The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40: Volume 2A, 2006, p. 310 "5 and reddened ram skins and beaded skins and acacia wood," and p. 374 "beaded skins T'hasim (singular tahas) is an ancient riddle that has now been solved..."
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Few terms have afforded greater perplexity to critics and commentators than this ['orot tachashim as badgers' skins]."..."The Septuagint and Vulgate have skins dyed a violet color; the Syriac, azure; the Arabic, black; the Coptic, violet; the modern Persic, ram-skins, &c. The color contended for by Bochart is the hysginus, which is a very deep blue." Adam Clarke, Bible Commentary (1831): Exodus 25:5, "Badger skins".
  10. ^ a b c d e Natan Slifkin (2007). Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash. published by Zoo Torah. p. 384. ISBN 978-1-933143-18-5. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help); External link in |publisher= (help) Distributed by Yashar Books/Lambda Publishers 3709 13th Avenue, Brooklin, NY 11218, Distributed in Israel by Judaica Book Centre, 5 Even Israel Street, Jerusalem 94228. See Chapter One: Unicorns of Different Colors, pages 41-79. Various proposals are discussed in detail. "beadwork" pages 78-79. "re'em" pages 44, 49-51, 53-55. "monokeros" page 45. "rhinoceros" pages 46-49. "aurochs" pages 50-51. "oryx" pages 51-52. "tachash" page 55ff. "goatskins" page 56. "galaktinon/gala xeinon", "weasel", "ermine", "badger" page 57. "unicorn" page 58. "ganet" (a cat) page 59. "keresh" pages 61, 69-71. "one-horned" sheep and calves pages 62-63. "Living Unicorn" page 63. "narwhal" page 64. "giraffe" pages 72-75. "antelope" page 75. "okapi" page 76. "dugong" page 77.
  11. ^ "T'hasim (singular tahas) is an ancient riddle..." William H. C. Propp, The Anchor Bible, Exodus 19-40: Volume 2A, 2006, p. 374. "The identity of the tahash remains obscure." Encyclopedia Judaica, Second Edition, 2007, Volume 19 SOM-TN, "TAHASH", p. 435a.
  12. ^ a b "Vol. 34, Shabbos Parshas Terumah 6th Day of Adar, 5747". Sichos in English. Sichos in English.org. Retrieved 2 February 2011. Page 3.
  13. ^ a b 1600-1151 BCE — There is a wide divergence of opinion on the dates of the period of Moses and the Exodus: 1600-1500 BCE, Simcha Jacobovici writer and director (© 2006 A&E Television Networks). "James Cameron presents: THE EXODUS DECODED". from The History Channel. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link) (Hosts James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici, with consulting archaeologists Prof. John Bimson, Trinity College, and Donald B. Redford, Pennsylvania State University); —1571-1451 BC Conservapedia: Moses; —1526-1317 BCE Moses facts - Freebase.com; —1520 BC People in History: Moses; —1400-1280 BCE Judaism 101: Moses, Aaron and Miriam; —13th c. and early part of 12th c. BC (roughly 1299-1151 BC) Catholic Encyclopedia: Moses
  14. ^ a b c "tachash skins" Judaica Press Complete Tanach: Shemot-Exodus Chapter 35:23 (Chabad.org); and "tahash skins" New American Bible: Exodus 35:23 (nccbuscc.org)
  15. ^ Exodus 40:17-19 RSV. see Judaica Press Complete Tanach: Shemot-Exodus Chapter 40:17-19 (Chabad.org)
  16. ^ Exodus 26:14 NAB. see Judaica Press Complete Tanach: Shemot-Exodus Chapter 26:14.
  17. ^ a b c d e Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew Lexicon "badger" ("probably a species of antelope"); The New Smith's Bible Dictionary: Badger.
  18. ^ In the New American Standard Bible: see Exodus 25:5 and Numbers 4:6-14.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Footnote to Navigating the Bible II Exodus 25:5 "blue-processed skins": it lists "Teynun" (blue), "black leather", "glaksinon, galy axeinon" (ermine), weasel, badger, "keresh", wild ram, antelope, okape, giraffe, narwhal, sea cow, dugong, and seal (according to Pliny, "Naturalis Historiæ" 2:56). These are discussed in detail in Natan Slifkin's Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash.
  20. ^ a b Rabbis Natan Slifkin and Amitai ben-David point to the giraffe as a possible identification. This is based on Saadia Gaon's identification of the tahash as 'zemer' and both Radak and Saadia Gaon translate zemer as giraffe.Slifkin, Natan. "Identification". ZooTorah. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  21. ^ a b Slifkin, Natan. "The Unicorn Convention". ZooTorah. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i Encyclopaedia Judaica, Second Edition, 2007, Volume 19 SOM-TN: "TAHASH", page 435a.
  23. ^ a b c Babylonian Talmud: Chullin 59b (scroll down to 59b): "Rab Judah said: The Keresh is the deer of Be-Ilai...R. Joseph said: The hide of the deer of Be-Ilai is sixteen cubits long." (see also the footnotes on that page.)
  24. ^ William H. C. Propp, The Anchor Bible, Vol. 22, Ezekiel 1-20, 1964, page 270: "XV. Jerusalem the Wanton. Ezekiel 16:10", page 278: Comment: "tahas, out of which..."
  25. ^ a b c d Terumah Exodus-25:5.
  26. ^ "existed only at that time"—interpreted by Rabbi Amitai Ben-David as meaning that it was only found in that part of the Sinai wilderness at that time. Rabbi Amitai Ben-David, Sichas Chullin, p. 417, cited by Rabbi Natan Slifkin, Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash, page 62, and footnote 33.
  27. ^ The Medieval Bestiary: Animals in the Middle Ages: Alphabetical Cross-Reference Index
  28. ^ Louis Ginzberg, 1843-1953, (Published 1909-1938). Legends of the Jews. Johns Hopkins University Press, The Jewish Publication Society, 2005. p. 1650. ISBN 9780827607095. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: year (link) Volume III: The Altar
  29. ^ a b Old French "taisse", from Greek τρόχος, "runner" Cultivated plants and domesticated animals in their migrations from Asia to Europe, by Victor Hein, page 493 (click on highlighted "Page 493 >>" to display full page of "note 84, page 352"): "Here we follow the common opinion, namely, that tasso, taxo, taxus, badger...it runs into the large many-branched stem to which τέχνη, τέκτων, τεύχω, τύκος, etc., belong. ... This explanation is supported by the Greek τρόχος in Aristotle, De Gener. Anim., 3, 6, in which word lies, not only the simple meaning of runner, but also of turner, one who runs round (compare τροχός wheel,..."
  30. ^ a b Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: Exodus 25:5 "...and it is much questionable whether the same creature is meant we call the badger, since that with the Israelites was an unclean creature..."
  31. ^ a b Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Completely Revised, Updated and Expanded. © 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. p. 161 "badger skins". ISBN 978-0-8054-2836-0. "...seems doubtful, as the word used is not the normal word for badger."
  32. ^ a b "glory" כהנא kəhunnah –Judaica Press Complete Tanach with Rashi (Chabad.org) Yechezkel-Ezekiel-Chapter 16 Ezekiel 16:10 "...[the skin of the] badger, ..." [Jonathan renders] "And I put shoes of glory on your feet." See All Targums on a verse (Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon). Numbers Rabbah 14:3; Hullin 89a. and Strong's Hebrew Lexicon number 3550.
  33. ^ Reading Hebrew תחש "t-h-s" as equal to "dhs / dachs" — Luther Bibel 1545: 2 Mose 25:5.
  34. ^ See KJV Exodus 25–26, Exodus 35–36, Exodus 39, Numbers 4, and Ezekiel 16:10.
  35. ^ commentary on Exodus 26:7-14
  36. ^ a b "tucash" —Easton's Bible Dictionary: Badger
  37. ^ a b c For other translations of Leviticus 11 see Bible Verse Finder.
  38. ^ a b Because the Arabic tukhesh means the sea-mammal Dugong hemprichii, some endeavor to identify it with the tahash. Encyclopedia Judaica, 2nd ed., Vol. 19: "TAHASH".
  39. ^ a b The Arabic tukhesh (dugong/manatee dolphin porpoise underneath bottom) is also similar (linguistically and phonetically) to the Yiddish word for "underneath, beneath, bottom" tukhas / tokhas / tuches which applies to derrieres, i.e. buttocks: Yiddish Dictionary: tokhas תחת "underneath, beneath"—from Hebrew תחת tahat / tachath "below, underneath" —see also References: Yiddish Dictionary Online. see linguistic term "false friend", Language change, and Yiddish language. To "leather" or "tan" someone's tukhes or tokhes was to administer a prudent corrective punishment for disobedient naughtiness.
  40. ^ a b Ectaco Arabic Online Dictionary: "manatee" see Dugong and Manatee "the Eastern Hemisphere's Dugong".
  41. ^ a b c d e f g Alfred Ely-Day. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915). —"t-ch-s", Wilhelm Gesenius, J. H. Bondi (end of article), and "okapi", S. M. Perlmann (end of article), Shanghai businessman and scholar, 1908 (see article "Kaifeng Jews: History", 9th paragraph, "Despite their isolation from the rest of the Jewish diaspora...", 6th sentence, "S. M. Perlmann, a Shanghai businessman and scholar, wrote in 1912..."
  42. ^ In 1776, it was originally designated Trichechus dugon by Philipp Ludwig Statius Muller. —The Paleobiology Database (enter Trichechus dugon in top field, click |SEARCH|.)
  43. ^ a b c d e f Anchor Bible Series: The Anchor Bible (Ezekiel 16:10, Comments); the Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 6: Si-Z, 1992, page 298: "TABERNACLE": d. The Outer Enclosures; page 307: "TAHASH": Heb. tahas....; and William H. C. Propp, The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40: Volume 2A: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, Nov. 2006 (First Edition), p. 374 –"dusu / duhsu a reddish-yellow stone or leather of that color used for sandals and other purposes."
  44. ^ Exodus 25:5: "tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood." Catholic Biblical Association of Great Britain (1946–1966). Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America (ed.). The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. Thomas Nelson. pp. 1005 Old Testament, pp. 250, New Testament. ISBN 0-89870-490-1, 0-89870-491-X. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: date format (link)
  45. ^ Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 166: "badger skins".
  46. ^ a b The New Smith's Bible Dictionary: B: (see "badger")
  47. ^ List of animals in the Bible: "Addax" and "Antelope"—Ian A. Stuart. Kathy Hall (ed.). The Animals' Bible. Thirteenth Level Media. p. 499. ISBN 0986571504, 9780986571504. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help). Four species of antelope are listed: the dishon, probably the addax antilope addax; the çebhi or gazelle, antilope dorcas; the 'ô, perhaps the bubale, antilope bubalis; and the yáhmûr, Arabic name for the roebuck and oryx (antilope dorcas)
  48. ^ Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of the Old Testament: see definition and audio for Addax and Tahash, and for אדש 'adash, a primitive root, "tread, thresh", —for דוש dûwsh, דוש dôwsh, דיש dîysh, a primitive root, to "trample" or "thresh", —for דישן dîyshôn, a clean animal, "leaper, antelope", —for דשא dâshâ, a primitive root, "sprout", "bring forth, spring", —and for תחש tachash, a "clean animal"—see also related Hebrew terms listed for 'adash, desh, dishon, desha, and tachash.
  49. ^ Okapi - Between legend and science from Zoo-E News March 2007 Number 2.
  50. ^ The Torah u-Madda Journal: Giraffe: A Halakhically Oriented Dissection, Doni Zivotofsky, Ari Z. Zivotofsky and Zohar Amar. –See page 204 "The Giraffe as the Biblical Zemer."
  51. ^ a b c Kitchen, K. A. (1960). "Some Egyptian Background To The Old Testament". Tyndale Bulletin. 6 (1). Heb. 'tahash' is probably best derived from the old Egyptian word 'tj-h-s', 'to treat leather', Erman & Grapow, Worterbuch d. Aeg. Sprache, V, 396, 7. So Bondi, Aegyptiaca, 1-4, corrected by Griffith, in Petrie, Deshasheh, 1898, 45-6, and revival by Albright and Cross, Bibl. Archaeol., 10, (1947), 62 and n. 22
  52. ^ a b Brown Driver Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon, page 1065 † תחש tehas.
  53. ^ a b Merrill C. Tenney, ed. (1963). Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 63-9310. –"Much speculation has centered on the latter term, and it appears to be connected etymologically with an early Egyptian word tj-h-s, used technically of treating or processing leather."
  54. ^ Garments of Salvation – Ancient Dyes: "blue-processed skins". see also commentaries under ANCIENT DYES for discussions of "tekhelet", "sky-blue" and "blue processed skins".
  55. ^ Bible in Basic English BBE, Revised Standard Version RSV, New Jerusalem Bible NJB, New Revised Standard Version NRSV, God's Word Translation GW.
  56. ^ Septuagint LXX, Vulgate Vulg., Douay-Rheims Bible DV, Navigating the Bible II NavBib-II.
  57. ^ a b The New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition. 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., Catholic Book Publishing Company, N.Y. p. 83. footnote Exodus 25:5 "Tahash".
  58. ^ a b c d e Greek huakinthinos, also huakinthos: —KJV jacinth.
  59. ^ a b Flavius Josephus (c.93 CE), "The Works of Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews: Book III: Chapter 6", books.google.co.uk, William Whiston, A. M., 1736, p. 88b, retrieved 4 March 2011 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  60. ^ a b Barnes' Notes on the Bible: Exodus 25:5 "Badgers' skins": (citing Josephus) "Leather, probably of a sky-blue color, formed from the skins of the תחש (a general name for marine animals)."
  61. ^ a b SearchGodsWord.org Hebrew Lexicon 3550 כהניא and Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary of The Old Testament 3550 kəhunnah, and 3547 כהן kahan ..."put on regalia", (i.e. regalia of great dignity/authority.)
  62. ^ The Complete Jewish Bible With Rashi Commentary Yehezkel-Ezekiel 16:10: "[Jonathan renders] I put shoes of glory on your feet."
  63. ^ a b c Jewish Encyclopedia: Aquila of Sinope: Fragments in the "Hexapla".
  64. ^ a b Jerusalem Talmud Yerushalmi: Shabbath 2:3.
  65. ^ a b Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: Shemot-Exodus 24-27 Section XIX Terumah XXV. See NTCS: The Newsletter for Targumic and Cognate Studies: "Pentateuchal Targumim: The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan Ben Uzziel On the Pentateuch With The Fragments of the Jerusalem Targum From the Chaldee," by J. W. Etheridge, 1862.
  66. ^ Navigating the Bible II (2000), GW (1995), NAB (1991), NRSV (1989), NJB (1985), RSV (1952), BBE (1949). See translations of עורת תחשים in other languages Exodus 25:5 (bibref.hebtools.com).
  67. ^ See Douay-Rheims Bible: Exodus 26:14, Numbers 4:6-14 and Ezechiel 16:10
  68. ^ Moznaim, 1981 . ISBN 0-94011-35-1. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  69. ^ Leviticus 11:8
  70. ^ a b Chanan Morrison. Gold from the Land of Israel: A New Light on the Weekly Torah Portion from the Writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook. p. 147. ISBN 978-9657108925. all of creation is included.
  71. ^ a b Natan Slifkin. Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythological Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash. pp. 68ff. ISBN 978-1933143187.
  72. ^ Exodus 20:20/20:24 in every place where I cause my name [Shem שם—את-שמי] to be remembered I will come to you and bless you; –—Exodus 25:8 let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them; –—Exodus 26:14 you shall make for the tent a covering of [rams' skins dyed red] and [tahash skins] ['orot tahashim תחשים]; –—Exodus 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (texts rendered here are from RSV) Here the word "LORD" is used as a substitute for the Divine Name. "Adonai", "Kyrios", and "LORD" are conventional substitutions for the Tetragrammaton "YaHWeH".
  73. ^ See Matres lectionis and Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar 7 and 2 and 30 and 6.
  74. ^ Strong's Hebrew Lexicon 8376. תאה tâ'âh, ta-aw'; a primitive root; to mark off, i.e. (intensively) designate:—point out. Also 8372. תא tâ', taw; and (feminine) תאה tâ'âh (Ezekiel 40:12), taw-aw'; from (the base of) 8376; a room (as circumscribed):—(little) chamber. —See Consecrate.
  75. ^ See Kolel's Parasha Study number 1999 –includes as many talents and gifts as possible ("...it seems much more fun to imagine that the tachash could be a giraffe, a narwhal, or a mythical unicorn"), and Strong's Hebrew Lexicon number 2363 h-sh, and h-sh. "...taking tachash from hish (fleet)."
  76. ^ The Jerusalem Jewish Voice: The Weekly Torah Reading--A First Glance Bamidbar: Numbers 1:1-4:20: A COLORFUL CARAVAN The tachash was known for its speed; its use here symbolizes the unimpeded speed with which Torah must be spread, as the Jewish folk wanders the desert of history. —Partners In Torah: The Melvin Magerman Parsha Partner: 14 Sivan 5769, 6 June 2009: Parsha Pointers: Talking Points NASO: Parshas Naso, by Rabbi Elazar Meisels Tachash hides symbolized the physical world. —The OU/NCSY Israel Center: Torah tidbits: MISC section - contents: 4. Words of Wisdom, Words of Wit, by Shmuel Himelstein: "What is a TACHASH?" —Chulin, 60: Thoughts on the daily daf: (single horn) It had only one horn coming out of the middle of its head. This symbolized following the single, straight and logical way, the way of Hashem, and not deviate due to personal desires. It was used to show that the Jewish people repented for their sin. —Rabbi Kook on Terumah: Tachash and Erev Rav: It represents the desire to include as many talents and gifts as possible – even those that, on their own, might be negative – when building up the nation. This specifically relates to Moses' decision to allow the "Erev Rav" (the "Mixed Multitudes") join the Jewish people as they left Egypt. —Learning Torah.org Terumah: The Tachash and the Erev Rav, Rav Kook (Chanan Morrison) —Torah MiTzion: Religious Zionist Kollels: Parsha Online: Parshat Vayakhel: Tachash and Gold: The Tachash is viewed as the interface between eternal values and a particular (temporal) reality. —OU טרה Torah Insights, by Rabbi Avraham Fischer: Shabbat Parshat Bamidbar, 26 Iyar 5765 - June 3, 2005 the tachash covering of the holy vessels of the Mishkan during transport shows how precious and special they are. This is similar to the concept of Tzniut, modesty and inwardness, in which the concealment of the body indicates the uniqueness and kedushah of the soul which is within (Tehillim 48:14; Micha 6:8; Tanchuma Ki Tissa 31; Rut Rabba 4:8). —mlc The Meaningful Life Center: the coarse leather "covering" made from the hide of a tachash corresponds to a society and environment even more corrupting than a person's own negative inclinations—physical life enmeshed in bobily needs and relationships, in negative drives and inclinations, and in a world still distant from its creator, Based on an address by the Rebbe, Shabbat Bamidbar 5725 (June 5, 1965) —Hadrash Ve-Haiyun Dor Rev'i, Efraim Levine: The Midrash (Torah Sh'laima Shemos 48) says that just by looking at the tachash one's anxiety would dissipate. The outer covering of these utensils was tachash, the hide that evoked joy. This is symbolic of our approach to mitzvos. When approaching a mitzvah one's initial emotion should be joy. —Parsha In Depth The materials donated correspond to the components of the human being: tachash skins, the scalp. The Mishkan is the equivalent of the universe (Midrash Rabbah). Thus the tachash expressed the true nature of every creation: that it exists to the sole end of serving and revealing the divine essence implicit within it (The Lubavitcher Rebbe). —The Jerusalem Jewish Voice: The Weekly Torah Reading--A First Glance: VAYIKRA ("He called...") LEVITICUS 1:1-5:26 the Mishkan also resembles God's other microcosmos, Man--it too has outer "skin" (the outer curtains of goat and tachash skins). —Zohar III, 152a the biblical stories are only the outer garment of the Torah; —The Tabernacle: a makeshift sanctuary in the wilderness, by Rabbi Louis Jacobs, from The Jewish Religion: A Companion, published by Oxford University Press, which says that the purpose of the Tabernacle was not for God to reside there inside of it, but as an example to encourage them to make room for God in their hearts, dedicating the ultimate value of many forces in the world, the multiple colors of the tahash a metaphor that represents the desire to include as many talents and gifts as possible; —Rabbi Judah ben Tema (Ethics of the Fathers, 5.20) counselling the people to be strong as the leopard and swift as the eagle, fleet as the gazelle and brave as the lion to do the will of thy Father in Heaven; —Perek Shirah, an ancient midrash, assigns verses from Scripture to various elements of the natural world, teaching lessons on life and the universe (includes the "wild beast" of the Talmud, Shabbat 28a,b, which the sages say includes the tachash, "a kind of wild beast", Rabbi Nehemiah) —Jewish Encyclopedia: SHIRAH, PEREK (PIRKE):
  77. ^ a metaphor to Christians of the kingdom of God: Acts 10:1-35 the great curtain containing all kinds of animals, Matthew 13:47 the great net that gathered every kind, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 the community itself as the dwelling of the Spirit of God, Revelation 21:26 the glory and honor of the gentile nations brought into it, C. H. Raven, God's Sanctuary, John Ritchie Ltd., 1991 ISBN 978-0-946351-31-2 —–Moses Tabernacle–Foreshadows Christ Redemption: For the Eyes of Your Understanding: Volume VII: Christ in the Tabernacle–A Foreshadow of Redemption: Volume 7–Table of Contents: Chapter 4–Coverings for the Tent: Badgers' Skin Covering represents the covering of the Abrahamic Covenant.–—The Jewish Virtual Library: Allegory—–Bible Encyclopedia.com: Allegory. —CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Types in Scripture. ——See: Typology, Aristobulus, Philo, Kabbalah, sensus mystica.
  78. ^ See 2 Corinthians 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." RSV
  79. ^ a b Douay-Rheims Numbers 4:5-4:14
  80. ^ King James Version Numbers 4:5-4:14
  81. ^ American Standard Version Numbers 4:5-4:14
  82. ^ New Revised Standard Version Numbers 4:5-4:14
  83. ^ English Standard Version Numbers 4:5-4:14
  84. ^ New American Standard Bible Numbers 4:5-4:14
  85. ^ New International Version Numbers 4:5-4:14
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