I

n Vayakhel we meet, for the 
second time, the man who 
became the symbol of the 
artist in Judaism, a man by the 
name of Betzalel.
Then Moses said to the 
Israelites, “Know 
that the Lord has 
chosen Betzalel, 
son of Uri, the 
son of Hur, of the 
tribe of Judah, 
and has filled him 
with a Divine 
spirit of wisdom, 
understanding and knowledge 
in every craft, to make artistic 
designs for work in gold, silver 
and bronze, as well as cutting 
stones for setting, carving wood, 
engaging in every other craft. 
He has also given him the ability 
to teach others, together with 
Oholiav, son of Achisamach of 
the tribe of Dan. He has filled 
them with the skill to do all 
kinds of work as engravers, 
designers, embroiderers in sky-
blue, purple, or scarlet wool or 
fine linen, and as weavers. They 
will be able to carry out all the 
necessary work and design.
” Ex. 
35:30-35

It would be Betzalel (together 
with Ohaliab) who would 
make the Tabernacle and its 
furnishings and be celebrated 
through the centuries as the 
inspired craftsman who used 
his skills for the greater glory of 
God.
The aesthetic dimension 
of Judaism has tended to be 
downplayed, at least until the 
modern era, for obvious reasons. 
The Israelites worshipped the 
invisible God who transcended 
the universe. Other than the 
human person, God has no 
image. Even when He revealed 
Himself to the people at Sinai: 
“You heard the sound of words 
but saw no image; there was only 
a Voice.
” Deut. 4:12
Given the intense connection 
— until around the 18th 
century — between art and 
religion, image-making was 
seen as potentially idolatrous. 
Hence the second of the Ten 
Commandments: “Do not make 
for yourself any carved image 
or likeness of in the form of any 
creature in heaven above or the 
earth beneath or in the waters 
below.
” Ex. 20:4

This concern continued 
long after the biblical era. The 
Greeks, who achieved unrivaled 
excellence in the visual arts, 
were, in the religious sphere, 
still a pagan people of myth and 
mystery, while the Romans had 
a disturbing tendency to turn 
Caesars into gods and erect 
statues to them.
However, the visual dimension 
was not wholly missing from 
Judaism. There are visible 
symbols, like tzitzit and tefillin. 
There is, according to the Sages, 
a meta-mitzvah known as hiddur 
mitzvah — “beautifying the 
command” — to try to ensure 
that all objects used in the 
performance of a command are 
as beautiful as possible.
The most significant intrusion 
of the aesthetic dimension 
was in the Tabernacle itself, its 
framework and hangings, its 
furniture, the cherubim above 
the ark, the menorah, and the 
vestments of the priests and the 
High Priest, lekavod uletifaret, 
“for dignity and beauty” (Ex. 
28:2).
Maimonides in The Guide for 
the Perplexed (III:45) says that 

most people are influenced by 
aesthetic considerations, which is 
why the Sanctuary was designed 
to inspire admiration and awe; 
why a continual light burned 
there; why the priestly robes 
were so impressive; why there 
was music in the form of the 
Levitical choir; and why incense 
was burned to cover the smell of 
the sacrifices.
Maimonides himself, in 
the work known as The Eight 
Chapters — the introduction to 
his commentary on Mishnah 
Avot — speaks about the 
therapeutic power of beauty and 
its importance in counteracting 
depression: “Someone afflicted 
with melancholy may dispel 
it by listening to music 
and various kinds of song, 
by strolling in gardens, by 
experiencing beautiful buildings, 
by associating with beautiful 
pictures, and similar sorts of 
things that broaden the soul …
” 
The Eight Chapters, chapter 5

A BALM TO THE SOUL
Art, in short, is balm to the soul. 
In modern times, the thinker 
who spoke most eloquently 
about aesthetics was Rav Kook. 
In his Commentary to the 
Siddur, he wrote: “Literature, 
painting and sculpture give 
material expression to all the 
spiritual concepts implanted in 
the depths of the human soul, 
and as long as even one single 
line hidden in the depth of the 
soul has not been given outward 
expression, it is the task of art 
[avodat ha-umanut] to bring it 
out.
” Olat Re-ayah, II, 3
Evidently, these remarks 
were considered controversial, 
so in later editions of 
the Commentary, the phrase 
“Literature, painting and 
sculpture” was removed and in 
its place was written, “Literature, 
its design and tapestry.”
The name Betzalel was 
adopted by the artist Boris Schatz 
for the School of Arts and Crafts 
he founded in Israel in 1906, 

Rabbi Lord 
Jonathan 
Sacks

SPIRIT
A WORD OF TORAH

God’s Shadow

34 | MARCH 7 • 2024 
J
N

