The Tabernacle of Exodus as a Work of Art: An Aesthetic of Monotheism

367 Pages·2009·11.52 MB·English

by  Maurice Schmidt

THE TABERNACLE OF EXODUS
AS A WORK OF ART
THE TABERNACLE OF EXODUS
ASA WORK OF ART
An Aesthetic of Monotheislll
Maurice Schnlidt
With a Preface by
Michael 1. Lewis
The Edwin Mellen Press
LewistolloQueellston· Lampeter
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schmidt, Maurice.
The Tabemacle of Exodus as a work of art: an aesthetic of monotheism / Maurice
Schmidt; with a preface by Michael J. Lewis.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-3782-1
ISBN-I 0: 0-7734-3782-7
1. Tabemacle.2. Jewish aesthetics. 3. Art and religion. 4. Architecture and religion.
1. Title.
BM654.S342010
296.4'9--dc22
2009042358
hoI'S serie.
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
Front cover: Bridegroom a/the Torah: Simhat Torah, an oil painting by Maurice Schmidt
Photograph of painting by Reba Graham
Copyright © 2009 Maurice Schmidt
All rights reserved. For information contact
The Edwin Mellen Press The Edwin Mellen Press
Box 450 Box 67
Lewiston, New York Queenston, Ontario
USA 14092-0450 CANADA LOS ILO
The Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd.
Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales
UNITED KINGDOM SA48 8L T
Printed in the United States of America
To my generations:
To my dear wife, Rebecca goes the thanks that most works of long
gestation must have - encouragement, protection of time, provision of a lifestyle,
and an appreciation of the "other" given with loving self-sacrifice. The work of
"the woman of valor" is of a divine essence, being in so many ways as incorporeal
as the Divine, Himself. I therefore dedicate this work to my beloved wife,
Rebecca and beloved son, Joshua Jacob, who illuminate my days with love and
encouragement.
Unending too is my gratitude to my dear parents, Max and Serene Schmidt
and Oma Levy, and to my grandparents, Jacob and Minna Schmidt who formed
me strongly in the veneration of our tradition. With them belong my dear
nurturing Aunt Jolan and Dr. Mark "Uncle Maxi" Hirschfeld, the "God fearing
atheist" as he titled himself. He was the first in my life as a budding teen to
challenge and debate with me in hard philosophical temlS the beliefs that the rest
of the family were instilling into my soul. None of the family members in this last
paragraph are here to see my finished work. The root sees not the branch, nor the
seed the plant, but they are never apart. Therefore, to my grandparents who
kindled the light of my past, and to my beloved parents who bound me to my
heritage I dedicate this work.

Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Author's Foreword v
Preface by Michael ,T. Lewis, PhD IX
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction
Part I
The Tabernacle's Creation and Its Vocabulary of Forms 5
Chapter 1
In the Shadow of the Divine: Monotheism's First WOI'k of Art 7
A. The Aesthetic in Judaism 10
B. Tzniut - Hiddeness/Modesty versus Visible Power 11
C. Oligins, Structures, and Purpose 12
D. The Tabernacle Structures 14
E. Entrance Screen of the Outer Court 15
F. Geometry: The Compass of Divine Navigation 19
G. Death Cult Eliminated 20
H. The Shape of the Holy: The Square, The Square and a Half,
and the Double Square 23
1. The Shape of the Holy: Geometry as the Metaphorical Bond
to Eternity 28
J. Divine Proportion: The Golden Section Relationships in the
Tabernacle 32
Chapter 2
How Works of Art Work: Covenantal Color, Sacred Forms
and Holy Spaces 35
A. Mona Lisa 37
B. BathSheba 39
C. Architecture: Teacher of the Ancients 41
D. Measured by Hand, Made by Hand 48
Chapter 3
The Ascent of the Moral-Spiritual Aesthetic in Civilization 51
A. The Sublime, the Majestic, the Glorious, and the Holy 52
B. Exoskeleton versus Internal Skeleton: A Comparison between
Classical and Non-classical music 59
C. The Primitive Versus the Classical 60
D. Thought and Knowledge 61
E. The Attributes ofIdols: Singularity, Wholeness, Frontality 63
F. Moses and Aaron, Prophets and Artisans 66
G. God Speaks Through Art 68
Chapter 4
When Gods were Equal, Men were Not: Israel as a Classical
Civilization 71
A. Life in Ancient Israel: The Biblical Vision 72
B. Conceived In Liberty: The Birthday of Israelite Civilization 72
C. Civilization without an Aristocratic Ruling Class 74
D. "Is Not the Good also Beautiful" -Plato 80
E. Art in Ancient Civilization 82
Part II
The Tabernacle Structure, Vessels, and Meaning 87
Chapter 5
The Shape of the Holy: The Moral Dimension of Geometry 91
A. Salt the Crystal Fornl of Eternity 92
B. The Tablets of Testimony Placed in the Ark of the Covenant 92
C. Materials used for the Tablets of Testimony 97
D. The Moral Dimension of Geometry 97
E. The Builder's Code 100
F. Square and Cube: the Father of Forms 101
G. The Shape of Eternity 104
II. Egypt's Human Proportion: The Tabernacle's Moral Order 105
1. The Golden Section Rectangle 108
1. The Expressive Use of Forms 110
K. The Modem Equivalents of the Ancient FOl11lS 112
L. Crystalline Fornlations 114
M. The Chambered Nautilus 116
Chapter 6
The Fleeting Colors of Eternity 119
A. Color as Covenant: A Biblical Theory 119
B. The Covenantal Colors: Blue, Purple, and Scarlet 121
C. Entering the Tabernacle: The Light and Ret1ection Inside
the Holy Place 124
D. The Geometry of the Curtains: Their Transmission of
Colored Light 126
E. Color and Light Inside and Outside the Tabernacle 134
F. Robes Color as Nobility 135
Chapter 7
The Seven-Branched Lamp: the Menorah of Ancient Israel and Its
Covenantal Significance 137
A. The Menorah: An Example of the Working of an Israelite
Aesthetic 138
B. Mirror Images of Covenant 140
C. Fonus of the Lamp 143
D. The Tripod Base 145
E. Summary of Covenants Embodied in the Lamp 147
F. Motifs, Materials, and Workmanship 155
G. Hammered versus Cast Metal 157
H. Polishing by the Hammer: Finish and Effect 161
ChapterS
The Laver, the Altars, and the Table of Showbread 163
A. The Laver 164
B. The Outer Altar of Offering and the Inner Altar of Incense 169
C. Symbolic and Aesthetic Relationships 175
D. The Table of Showbread 179
E. Measurement of the Un-measured: The Two Tiers ofthe Table
of Showbread 181
F. Separated Parts: The Ramp of the Altar ofOftering and the
Two Tiers of the Table of Showbread 182
G. The Tiers of Showbread: The Second Split Square of Covenant 185
H. The Table of Showb read's Significance and Symbolism 188
Chapter 9
Curtains of Heaven, Boxes of Remembrance: The Tabernacle's
Influence on Personal Ritual and Sym bois 191
A. The Judaic Significance of the Tzitzit 192
B. Tefillin: Sacred Contents in Sacred Fonus 195
C. Shape and Ritual Become Covenant and Journey 198
D. The Metric of the Divine Metaphor 203
E. Binding and Praying: The Tefillin Ritual's Sacred and
Metaphysical Journey 204
Chapter 10
Meaning in the Tabernacle Ritual of Disassembly and Portage 209
A. Rearing up and Taking down of the Tabernacle: The Meaning
of the Ceremonies of Assembly and Disassembly 209
B. The Godlike Elements 210
C. The Dismantling and Portage of the Tabernacle 210
D. Colors 211
Chapter 11
Ancient Art and Architecture: A Cultural View 215
A. Differences of Practical Application of a Similar Canon by Egypt
and Greece 216
B. Sculpture: The Squared Block 216
C. The Feminine Modesty of the Tabernacle and its Vessels 223
D. Israel, the Bride of God: The Sexual Symbolism of the
Tabernacle 228
E. How Works of A11 Create Their Effect 232
F. Additional Meaning of the Tabernacle's Existence and the Unity
It Gives to Jewish Biblical Writing 233
Part III
The Tabernacle's Influence on Other Monotheistic Religious
Structures 235
Chapter 12
Tabernacle to Temple to Synagogue: The Three Structures of
Ancient Israel 239
A. The Tabernacle 239
B. The Temple of Solomon 240
C. Introduction to the Synagogue 241
D. The Synagogue Today 242
E. Echoes and Evocations: Differences and Commonalities 243
F. West Becomes East: A Comparison of the Tabemacle and
Solomon's Temple 244
G. East to West 247
H. Solomon's Temple 249
1. The Synagogue Structure 252
Chapter 13
The Tabernacle ofIsrael Enters Christianity 259
A. An Irony of History: The Similarity in Origin of Israel's
Second Temple and the Second St. Peter's Basilica 260
B. The Holy Versus the Imperial 261
C. Overlay and Deviation: The Cross Enters the Tabernacle 265
D. Geometric Resemblances: The Solomonic Splendor of the
First St. Peter's 267
E. Transformations: Imperial Majesty Replaces
Heavenly Dominion 269
F. From Jerusalem to Rome: From Herod I to Pope Paul V,
A Strange Convergence 270
G. Urbi Et OrM: From Sacred Square to Public Square 271
Chapter 14
The Architecture of Islam: The Third Scriptural Religion 277
A. The Mosque: Islam's Tent of Meeting 279
B. Origins of Mosque Design: Geometry in Asymmetric Garments 279
Chapter 15
The Journey Recalled 285
A. The Journey of the High Priest: A Convergence of Geometry
and Light 288
B. Shadows and Echoes 289
Chapter 16
Final Thoughts 295
Appendices
A. The Institutional and Governmental Underpinnings oflsrael
as Given in the Torah 299
B. The Menorah as a Mystical Object 303
A. Arched Branch versus Diagonal Branch Conceptions 305
C. Placement of Objects in the Tabernacle 307
A. The Laver 307
B. Placement of the Table, the Menorah and the Golden Altar 307
C. Ark, Altar, Lamp, and Table: Spatial-Symbolic Relationships
in the Tent of Meeting. 309
D. The Offset Square of the Tent of Meeting 310
D. Tefillin: Boxes of Remembrance 311
A. Origin of Shape and Color: Why Two Te tillin instead of One? 312
E. Robed in Majesty, Clothed iu Light: The Talit and Tzitzit 315
A. The Rope Bearer 315
B. For the Specifically Jewish Elements of Tzitzit 319
C. Notes: Tzitzit-Music 320
F. Disputing the Existence ofthe Tabernacle 323
G. The Sephardic Synagogue 325