When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week I learned that Parashat Terumah (תְּרוּמָה) is the 19th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Terumah (תְּרוּמָה) contains 4,692 Hebrew letters, 1,145 words, 96 verses and makes up 155 lines of a Torah scroll. Terumah opens as G-d tells Moses to collect donated materials in order to build a dwelling place for G-d called the Mishkan (Tabernacle). G-d describes how to build the vessels that will fill the Mishkan – including the ark, table, menorah, and sacrificial altar, as well as the Mishkan’s walls and curtains.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Terumah for Shabbat, February 17, 2024 aka 8 Adar, 5784:
This Shabbat we share in the great simcha of the bat mitzvah of Kayla MacGill and wish her family Mazel Tov. The Torah portion of Teruma gives us the design and construction details of the building of the Mishkan- the holy place of worship which will be carried in the desert as the Jewish nation marched from Mount Sinai to Israel. All of the holy articles which were included in worship and sacrifice are included in fine detail and each had an important function in fulfilling the commandment, “And they shall construct to me a holy dwelling that I may dwell in their midst”.
Two important questions: 1. Why was it necessary to construct a dwelling place for G-d’s Shechina when G-d is everywhere in the universe? The answer relates to the sin of the golden calf. G-d realizes that the people need a symbol of G-d’s presence at all times in order not to lose faith and fall back into idolatry. The Mishkan represents G-d’s guiding presence and provides reassurance G-d’s guidance is ever-present.
Question 2 is more complex and delves into human nature. Why was it necessary for the Torah to give such fine details for every article used in the Mishkan and the Tent of Meeting? This reminds us of how, in modern times, many people worship famous entertainers or sports stars. They may even dress or act like their heroes and attempt to assume their persona! The attention to detail in all of the Holy articles focuses our energies on the supreme importance of our spiritual relationship with G-d. While everyone would like to throw a football like Patrick Mahomes, sing like Taylor Swift, or sink three pointers like Lebron James we realize that we may not have the physical ability to accomplish these feats.
However, EVERYONE, has the ability to reach out to G-d and become closer to the Ribono Shel Olam- the Creator of the Universe. We emphasized this fact in the past week of the Superbowl, by taking time to wear Tefillin around the world with our fellow Jews and elevating the spiritual over the physical by focusing our energies on learning the intricacies of prayer and tefillin together. May our efforts to lead to the attainment of new and higher spiritual goals.”
Questions to ponder:
- Why are the construction of the Cherubim not considered as Avodah Zara (idol worship) even though they have physical form?
- Why do the Cherubim’s wings spread upward on the Holy Ark?
- Which symbols taken from the description of the articles in Terumah are found in modern Synagogues?
- Mentioned in Teruma are various spices. What was peculiar about the spice Galbanum? What does this represent?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his shicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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