שמות, פרק ל״א, פסוק י״ב

The instructions to construct the Tabernacle culminate in a dramatic transition, immediately shifting focus to a strict warning about observing the Sabbath. This sudden change in topic is deeply intentional, teaching that the holy work of building the Tabernacle does not override the requirement to rest on the Sabbath [אברבנאל, ברכת אשר, קאסוטו]. Naturally, people might assume that actively laboring for God by building a physical space for His presence is a higher, more perfect form of worship than passively refraining from work. To prevent this mistake, God explicitly makes clear that stopping to rest takes priority over active creation [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the close placement of these two subjects serves as the legal foundation for Sabbath laws. All the forbidden categories of work on the Sabbath are directly learned from the specific types of labor required to build the Tabernacle [ברכת אשר].

The narrative introduces this Divine communication with a distinct term, departing from the standard phrasing that typically precedes eternal commandments. One approach explains that this choice reflects the fact that no new law is being given; the Sabbath had already been commanded previously. Rather, these are simply clarifying instructions regarding the relationship between the Sabbath and the building of the Tabernacle [רש ר הירש]. Alternatively, the phrasing serves a stylistic purpose, avoiding repetition since the immediate continuation of the command instructs Moses to speak to the people [קאסוטו].

Conversely, other commentators view this specific choice of words as an expression of the highest form of direct communication. God delivered this message to Moses without any intermediary or messenger [אור החיים, צפנת פענח, חנוכת התורה]. This directness carries deep legal significance regarding Sabbath restrictions, specifically those related to speech. Because God created the world through speech, His rest on the seventh day was also a rest from speaking. To convey to the Israelites that they too must refrain from certain types of speech on the Sabbath, such as asking a non-Jew to perform work, it was necessary for Moses to deliver the command directly. Only Moses, who had the Divine Presence speaking directly through him, could speak of God's rest in the first person and accurately convey its profound nature [חנוכת התורה]. Hearing the command directly from the prophet himself, rather than through a translator, granted these Sabbath laws a unique severity, as violating them meant directly breaching the words of a prophet [צפנת פענח].

Finally, the concluding directive to share these words takes on a unique meaning. While similar phrasing often indicates a message meant solely for the prophet, the specific sequence of communication used here demonstrates that the command was intended to be broadcast to the entire nation of Israelites [אבן עזרא, אבי עזר].