When we think of Spiritual gifts, we tend to think
about the overtly supernatural ones, like prophecy, tongues, healing, miracles,
and discerning spirits. But while we are indeed told to eagerly desire
these "better giifts" (1Co. 12:31), the fact is that there are numerous other
gifts that are just as important: Teaching, administration, knowledge,
wisdom, helps, mercy, prayer, art . . . Yes, there is indeed a
Spiritual gift of artistry, and without it, the Tabernacle could never have been
built.
God gave this special gift to Bezalel the son of Uri
and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, representing the largest and greatest of the
tribes (Judah) and smallest of the tribes (Dan) respectively. So great was
the skill the Holy One gave them, that the rabbis said that they had been given
knowledge of the very building blocks of the universe: "Said R. Judah said
Rab, 'Bezalel knew how to join together the letters by which the heaven and the
earth were made'" (b. Berakhot 55a). While this is, perhaps, and
exaggeration, there is no doubt that the Eternal One gave them superlative
skill; hammering a functioning menorah out of a single block of gold is
no mean task!
Just as the Lord gave Bezalel and Oholiab the special
skill to build His Tabernacle, so He gives each of us gifts to aid in the
building up of His House. We need to each put aside thoughts of jealousy
or envy, but appreciate both our own gifts and those of others, putting them to
the work that our King has given us: "When you come together, each one of
you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up" (1Co. 14:26).