We read in the Parshah of Ki Tisa (Exodus.31.1-3):
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
רְאֵ֖ה קָרָ֣אתִֽי בְשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה׃
The LORD spoke to Moses:
See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft;
I found this description of Bezalel’s understanding interesting.
The common triad of intellect is “Chochmah, Binah, and Da’at” as seen in the Daily Amidah. Why Tevunah instead of Binah?
We see two other people given Tevunah in addition to wisdom.
וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים חָכְמָ֧ה לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּתְבוּנָ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְרֹ֣חַב לֵ֔ב כַּח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃
God endowed Solomon with wisdom and discernment in great measure, with understanding as vast as the sands on the seashore.
בֶּן־אִשָּׁה֩ אַלְמָנָ֨ה ה֜וּא מִמַּטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֗י וְאָבִ֣יו אִישׁ־צֹרִי֮ חֹרֵ֣שׁ נְחֹשֶׁת֒ וַ֠יִּמָּלֵא אֶת־הַחָכְמָ֤ה וְאֶת־הַתְּבוּנָה֙ וְאֶת־הַדַּ֔עַת לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־מְלָאכָ֖ה בַּנְּחֹ֑שֶׁת וַיָּבוֹא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖עַשׂ אֶת־כָּל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃
He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a Tyrian, a coppersmith. He was endowed with skill, ability, and talent for executing all work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and executed all his work.
Bezalel, King Solomon, and Hiram are described with having Tevunah, as well as being tasked with building Holy Temples.
Tevunah and Binah both translate to understanding in English. But Tevunah is distinct to Binah. Binah can refer to mastering individual branches of knowledge, while Tevunah refers to the ability to assimilate and utilize knowledge. Being able to draw conclusions from different areas of knowledge that seem to be unrelated. Which is what a master architect needs to do.
“Specialization is for insects”, these master builders needed to not only have encyclopedic knowledge, but the understanding to combine branches of knowledge to create something new.
This is parallel with what is said in Proverbs.
יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כּוֹנֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃
“The LORD founded the earth by wisdom; He established the heavens by understanding;”
The world was created with these three branches of intellect. The Temple was symbolic as a microcosm for the universe, only fitting the same spiritual and intellectual tools were used.
