In the beginning of this week’s parsha the Torah tells us about the person appointed to spearhead the building of the Mishkan. The pasuk stated it were to be Betzalel, the son of Uri who was the son of Chur, whom all belong to the shevet of Yehuda. The obvious question-asked by many meforshim-is that at times we find in the Torah the reference of a personality and it mentions their father’s name too. However, it’s unique that we mention a name, their father’s name and their grandfather’s name. What seems to be the connotation and worth in mentioning that Betzalel was not only the son of Uri but he was also the grandson of Chur, who originated from the shevet of Yehuda?

Meshech Chochma answers with an imperative message for us all.

When we delve into our history we can see a common thread in the lives of individuals that came from Shevet Yehudah, most notably Nachshon ben Aminadov and Chur. They both performed acts of mesiras nefesh in their generation. Nachshon, the leader of Shevet Yehuda, by krias yam suf, Chur by the ma’aseh egel.

What goes through a person’s mind when they have to make a decision? They start by making cheshbonos whether they should or shouldn’t do it, what is the right thing to do and what the consequences can be. If a person had the opportunity to be moser nefesh he would naturally start making these calculations. They would take the wisdom that Hashem gave them and start the back and forth process, in their mind. Their inner feelings would pull them in the direction to be moser nefesh but their intellect, their chochma, would hold them back. Once a person starts making cheshbonos they usually don’t end up going through with it. However, that was not the case by the leader of shevet Yehuda or Chur. They disregarded their chochma and allowed their inner feelings to dictate their decisions which ultimately allowed them to be moser nefesh. They acted spontaneously and on impulse, the way one should act in order to be moser nefesh. Hashem therefore granted them the reward and said I am going to give the lineage of shevet Yehuda the ability they put aside their chochma and allow their inner feelings to reign and be mekadesh shem shomayim for My sake. I will instill into their grandchildren extra chochma and binah which will allow them to build the Mishkan.

There is a famous question asked all over: Why does one not make a beracha when a person is being killed for the sake of a kiddush Hashem? The answer is that any mitzvah that is dependent on someone else you cannot make a beracha on.

Comments Rav Yaakov Emdan, zt”l, that the main decision by a kiddush Hashem is the initial commitment you have made. Once you have already made the commitment you were already mekayem the mitzvah and you will receive your rightful reward.

As a nation, we have to try to train ourselves and to take upon ourselves this lifelong mission. We have to constantly prepare ourselves to be ready to be moser nefesh for Hashem, at any given moment, without any question-any time of the day. It’s in this manner that we put our complete faith in Hashem and trust that he will send us Moshiach speedily in our days!