Betzalel

Rabbi Twerski has an interesting take on the special character of Betzalel, the one given credit as the major artisan of the Mishkan.

The Torah goes to the trouble of telling us that his full name was בצלאל בן אורי בן חור. We also learn that his great grandmother was Miriam, sister of Moshe. His grandfather, חור, was murdered by the angry mob who worshipped the Golden Calf. חור tried to prevent this horrible event from taking place, and lost his life, in the process.

The greatness of Betzalel is that he showed no resentment towards the people, when he was asked a few months later, to build the Mishkan. He is referred to as one who possessed רוח אלוקים, the spirit of G-d. He would not have achieved such status if he was an angry, bitter man.

It was his self mastery that allowed him to be given this holy task.

This whole incident teaches that a prerequisite for achieving greatness is to eliminate anger and resentment, and act wholeheartedly with love for the Jewish people.