The Sedra states that Betzalel made everything that HaShem commanded Moshe, which provokes Rashi to make an astonishing observation.

How could it be that Betzalel saw and understood a Prophecy more clearly than Moshe?

The Rambam in the Seventh Chapter of Yesoidei HaTorah spends five Halochos explaining how the process of Prophecy works. A Prophet must be a spiritual giant. He must be a Talmud Chochom and have a brilliant mind. Prophecy occurs when the Prophet is asleep or in a dream-like state etc. In the sixth Halocho the Rambam explains how Moshe Rabbeinu’s Prophecy is utterly different to any other. Moshe was wide-awake when he prophesied. Other Prophets had their messages delivered through an Angel and so the message was unclear, taking the form of a riddle or a parable. Moshe was spoken to directly by HaShem and therefore the message was crystal clear, containing no ambiguity.

Which makes Rashi’s statement even more difficult, how could Betzalel have superseded Moshe?

In last weeks Sedra when Betzalel was appointed to build the Mishkan the Posuk reports..

The Alshich says that Moshe was anxious that no one should think that Betzalel was appointed through nepotism. His grandfather Chur was Miriam’s sons. So Moshe invites them to "Look!" it is HaShem who is appointing him not Moshe. Then he writes…

Chur died Al Kiddush HaShem when he refused to make the Golden Calf and there lies the key to understanding the Rashi.

Understanding what exactly was wrong with the making of the Golden Calf is not as easy as it first seems. The Ramban makes it clear that they certainly did not intend it to be a god. They themselves state that it is to be a replacement leader for Moshe whom they refer to explicitly as a Man. By emphasising that Moshe is a man they are pointing out another of their motives. Men die! They want a leader who will not leave them. They want a vehicle through whom HaShem can communicate to them which will never be lost, a gold statue!

This is of course not an idea, which is alien to Yiddishkeit, after all they will eventually be given exactly that! HaShem’s voice spoke to Moshe from between the wings of the Keruvim who sat atop the Ark. The Keruvim were two gold statues! They were therefore simply anticipating a Mishkan both in form and purpose that they were eventually to receive.

What was wrong with the Golden calf was the fact that they were inventing it. No matter how sincerely you think you alterations or innovations might enhance Judaism, or how closely they resemble the real thing, if HaShem has not sanctioned them they will and must eventually fail.

Rashi explains that Aaron’s tactic was to try and delay this mistake in the hope that Moshe would return in time to stop it. He did not however simply refuse to be a part of it because he saw what had happened to his nephew Chur. If they were to kill Aaron too, then their crime would be so great, that even Moshe would not succeed in persuading HaShem to forgive them.

Chur who refused to participate in any way and died for his refusal, had refused to be a part in making a false Mishkan. His Grandson Betzalel would be rewarded Mido Kneged Mido (measure for measure) by making the real Mishkan. So in this respect uniquely he was given superior understanding to Moshe so that everyone would know that HaShem was saluting and rewarding his Grandfathers sacrifice.