Oholiav the Assistant

When God appoints Betzalel as the Chief Architect of the Mishkan, he also appoints Oholiav son of Achisamach to assist him. Oholiav is an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. He is from the tribe of Dan. Rashi on Exodus 35:34 notes that this tribe is one of the lowliest tribes of Israel (while Betzelel hailed from Judah, the tribe of the kings).

Is there a significance to the tribe of Dan, in terms of Oholiav's job? One of my talented Bibliodrama participants, Joanne Jackson Yelenik, pointed out that the blessing that Jacob gives to Dan on his deathbed is (Gen: 49:17): 

17. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that bites the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

Joanne suggested that, just as Dan was there to be the vanguard of the camp, Oholiav was there to clean up the mess and make sure nothing fell by the way. Following her lead in looking at Jacob's blessings, I suggested a further role, using the image of the snake biting the horse's heels.

The evil inclination, or ego, could be compared to a rider on a horse. It tries to ride us and control us. Along comes the snake, and though smaller, is able to bite the heels of the horse and throw the rider. It is not a pleasant experience for the horse, but at least the rider is off its back. 

Perhaps, then, Oholiav's job was to make sure that Betzalel, of the kingly tribe and given the prestigious job of the Chief Architect of the Mishkan, did not for a moment slide into ego. That would be an inappropriate energy to enter via his hands into the vessels of the Mishkan.