Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 39:42/רמב"ן על שמות ל״ט:מ״ב
אוְטַעַם כֵּן עָשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל הָעֲבֹדָה כָּל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְיִקְרָאֶנָּה עֲבוֹדָה לוֹמַר כִּי עָשׂוּ אוֹתָהּ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד, כְּעִנְיַן "וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" (שמות כ"ג:כ"ה), "וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ" (דברים יג ה). וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיֹּאמַר בְּכָאן כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה עַל הַכֵּלִים, כַּלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ל"ט:מ') "אֵת כָּל כְּלֵי עֲבֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן", וְהִזְכִּיר תְּחִלָּה הַכֵּלִים לֵאמֹר כִּי אֲפִלּוּ בַּכֵּלִים נִזְהֲרוּ וְעָשׂוּ כַּמְּצֻוֶּה בָּהֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן הִזְכִּיר "וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת כָּל הַמְּלָאכָה":
1ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE ETERNAL COMMANDED MOSES, SO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID ALL ‘HA’AVODAH’ (THE WORK) — all the work of the Tabernacle. Scripture calls it avodah [a term which means also “the Service” to G-d], in order to indicate that they did it for the service of the Glorious Name, it being similar to that which is said, ‘v’avad’tem’ (and ye shall serve) the Eternal your G-d;39 and Him ‘ta’avodu’ (shall ye serve).40 It is possible that the phrase all the ‘avodah’ refers here also to all the vessels, similar to the expression, “all the vessels of the ‘avodah’ (service) of the Tabernacle.”41 Thus Scripture first mentioned the vessels, in order to say that even in making the vessels they were careful to do them exactly as they were commanded, and afterwards it states, And Moses saw all the work…42