Shabbat Themes-Vayakhel-The Importance of Targum

We are required to complete the weekly portion to gather with the congregation, reading the Hebrew text twice, and the Targum once. There is an underlying reason for including the Targum. It functions like the hair of the tefillin, which is a law given to Moses on Sinai. Indeed, the Torah descended wrapped in the covering of the Targum, just as is this week’s parsha, “the curtains of goat hair for the tent cover the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:14).” Because this combination promotes wholeness, one’s days and years are prolonged and the Accuser is given no opportunity to open his mouth in dissent., Your mnemonic is “These men are made whole through us (Genesis 34:21).”

The esoteric reason for “the Hebrew text twice,” is to parallel Torei Zahav, the “circlets of gold (Song of Songs 1:11).” [Sod haShabbat, Section 2]