VOLUME 104 NUMBER 7
Adar 3, 5783
February 24, 2023
PARSHAS TERUMAH
Candlelighting Time 5:28 PM
In the desert we merited that Hashem dwelled with us. However, this phenomenon requires a deep explanation. How can Hashem in His infinite genre ‘fit’ into a finite place? Furthermore, did Hashem really need a place to call His home? The command to give for the construction of the Mishkan was stated in a very interesting manner. They were told to separate money and take it for Hashem. It would seem that the appropriate way to have said it would have been, give it for the Mishkan.
K’sav V’kabalah explains that actually we were the recipients of the donations made to the Mishkan. He parallels this to the Talmud’s dictum that when one gifts to someone of eminence, the donor himself feels honored and distinguished and it is though he has received a gift from that special person. All who contributed to the Mishkan realized the tremendous significance of their donations. After all, they were enabling Hashem to ‘join’ us. That was certainly not trivial. On the contrary, the entire nation succeeded in elevating their personal status and that of the nation in its totality.
Chasam Sofer adds a nugget of incredible clarity to give us a better understanding of the importance of the Mishkan. He poses the question that, truthfully speaking, all the resources that we possess are actually owned by Hashem. We honestly do not control anything rather Hashem bestows upon us from His munificence. We, however, have the responsibility to utilize our assets responsibly as Hashem would want us to. Therefore, the Mishkan was really not built from our gold, silver and copper but rather from our desire to contribute to its construction based upon the means that Hashem endowed us with. That was the essence and the core element of the Mishkan. And on the contrary, one who did not give with total zeal and enthusiasm for the Mishkan although he may have given a tremendous amount of material for its building, in fact gave nothing whatsoever. Because the Mishkan was predicated and based upon the will of the people to create a relationship with Hashem to the best of their ability.
Nachmonides and Rabbeinu Bachya present a picture of the Mishkan as a diminutive reenactment of Mt. Sinai when we received the Torah. And they draw many analogous points to explain their theme. As we know, the essence of our reception of the Torah was substantiated upon our tremendous commitment and dedication to fulfill Hashem’s will. And that was exactly the fundamental element which truly established the Mishkan. Hence their correlation of the two is extremely telling and poignant.
We entered this week into the month of Adar, a month of joy and simcha for our nation as we recall the events of Purim that created such happiness and elation for our nation! S’fas Emes enlightens us that the word Adar really means that Hashem resides amongst us. The word Adar is composed of three Hebrew letters, aleph, daled and reish. The aleph alludes to the name of Hashem which begins with an aleph, Elokim. The daled is a reference to the Hebrew word dal which means one who is impoverished. And reish also suggests the word rash also connoting one who is poor. The idea is that Hashem dwells with us when we are humble and subservient to His will and not presenting ourselves with arrogance and egotism. When we relate to Hashem on the level as His servants and bending to harken to His voice then we merit the Mishkan whether in its physical structure or its elemental manifestation within us.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
When Hashem commanded Moshe to build the Mishkan, he was aghast. How can I make a physical structure to contain Hashem in His infinitude. Hashem responded that you and the nation will do your best and that is all that I ask of you.
CHOFETZ CHAIM
GOOD SHABBOS
