Weekly Reading Insights: Trumah 5764

 

 

Overview of the Weekly Reading: Trumah

To be read on 6 Adar 5764 (Feb. 28 )

Mishpatim is the 7th Reading out of 11 in Exodus and 19th overall, and 43rd out of 54 in overall length.
Exodus 25:1-27:19; Haftorah: Kings I 5:26-6:13 (details of building the First Temple)

Pirkei Avot: not till after Passover

Primarily concerns the preparations for building the tabernacle. the Jews were commanded to offer the necessary material for the tabernacle. Specifications were given for the construction of the ark, table, showbread, menorah, sacrificial altar, and their accompanying equipment; the outer and inner curtains, coverings, beams, pillars, and outer encompassing enclosure of the tabernacle.


FROM THE MASTERS OF KABBALA (K:19-64/Trumah)

From the holy Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Z:19-64/Trumah )

[Once given a place to dwell, the Other Side] forces a person to serve him and entices him with all sorts of persuasions in different ways to make him waiver [from the way of Torah and mitzvot] and live with him [in emptiness]. The spirit of the Holy is not like this, rather it requires full payment and a great and strenuous effort [to conquer the Yetzer Hara, which is attached to the Other Side].

For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on our KabbalaOnline site.

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From the holy Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A:19-64/Trumah )

Bezalel] therefore made three arks, one within the other, for the brain also possesses three shells: the thick membrane, the thin membrane, and the skull, above which is the skin.

For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on our KabbalaOnline site.

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From the Shelah, Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (S:19-64/Trumah )

TThe number twelve symbolizes the twelve leaders in the physical universe, the twelve signs of the zodiac; on a still higher plane, they allude to the twelve permutations in which the letters of the Ineffable Name can be written.

For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on our KabbalaOnline site.


FROM THE CHASSIDIC REBBES (V:19-64/Trumah)

"They shall bring Me a contribution." (25:2)
The Torah portion of Teruma (literally Contribution) follows that of Mishpatim (Laws or Ordinances), to teach us that a person must acquire his wealth honestly and lawfully. Only then does his contribution to tzedaka have any value.
(Mekor Baruch)

"They shall make Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst." (25:8)
The "indwelling" of G-d in the Sanctuary is directly proportional to the amount of effort we invest in sanctifying our personal lives. When a Jew brought holiness into his daily routine and mundane affairs, it caused the holiness in the Temple in Jerusalem to intensify as well.
(Avnei Ezel)

"You shall make a candlestick of pure gold...its cups, its knobs, and its flowers." (25:31)
Symbolic of the entire Torah, each element of the menora represents a different part of the Torah's teachings. The six branches of the menora stand for the sixty tractates of the Talmud. The knobs and flowers represent the baraitot and meimrot (teachings of the Sages outside the Mishna). The cups allude to the esoteric teachings of the Torah, for cups are used to hold wine -- wine being the inner part of Torah, referred to as the "wine of Torah" (also alluded to in the saying, "When wine enters, secrets emerge."
(Ohr HaTorah)

 


A MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE

from the Chabad Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for

www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org


An essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent

(for a free weekly email subscription, click here) (W:19-64/Trumah)

The first verse of the parsha begins,"And take for me a trumah," referring to contributions towards the building of the Sanctuary. Today we interpret it as contributing to authentic Jewish causes. Apart from projects that a person may assist, it is customary to give some amount of tzedakah (charity) daily. The Shlah quotes the Ari, the great Kabbalist of Safed, that the most propitious time to give tzedakah is during the initial part of the morning-prayer service, during the section, "And David blessed", while reciting the words, "and You rule over all". 'All' refers to the world.

The Shlah explains that 'all' also refers to the Shechinah, the indwelling of G-d in this world. The spiritual aspect of giving tzedakah increases this revelation of G-d's presence in the world. For those people who do not pray regularly in a synagogue, it may help to carry a small charity receptacle where coins can be deposited for distribution at a later time. Rabbi Yehuda (Baba Basra 10a) says that "Tzedakah is great because it hastens the redemption," as the verse says, "Keep the law and do tzedakah, because My redemption is close and My righteousness is to be revealed (Yeshaya 56/1).

This first verse calls for Sanctuary contributions to be made that "every person's heart will prompt him to give". The Seer of Lublin discusses the meaning of these words in a context besides tzedakah. He writes that it is every person's job to serve G-d and thereby elevate the spiritual reality of this world. It is a mistake for a person to think that personal sins or failings make him or her ineligible, that this is a spiritual goal only for others. The words "every person" teach us that spiritual contributions are expected and possible by all. G-d knew what He was doing when He made the world, and foresaw every individual and soul that would exist. G-d created each person unique because He desires their service in that particular way. Even a person far from personal perfection has what to contribute.

"And make Me a Mikdash-sanctuary-and I will dwell within them" (25/8). Rebbe Michil of Zlotchev would say in the name of Rebbe Shmelke of Nikolsberg, that the word 'mikdash' can also refer to each specific individual: work on yourself, make yourself holy, and I will dwell in you. But Rebbe Michil could not accept this as the path for everyone. He remarked that this attitude applies to Rebbe Shmelke, but the rest of us relate more to a different verse: "The Mikdash (sanctuary) of G-d, established by Your hands" (15/17), meaning that even making myself holy, this too is through Your hand, G-d. The Lubavitcher Rebbe clarifies and unites both points: G-d has given us the ability to sanctify ourselves; we just have to attain this.

What is meant by being holy? Simply that the world does not control us; we are capable of controlling the world. 'Kadosh'-the root word of Mikdash- means separate; we can separate ourselves from mundanity. R' Hillel of Paritch taught that if those people who were very involved in the pleasures of this world would know how big a pleasure it is to taste true spirituality, they would abandon all of their other pursuits and chase after G-dliness.

"And you should make two keruvim-cherubs-on the lid of the ark" (25/18). Rashi explains that the keruvim were golden statues in the form of young children. The Torah describes how they were to be made out of one piece of beaten gold on top of the ark, wings spread covering the ark, facing each other. The Rebbe explains that the purpose of the ark was to carry the two tablets. These represent our Torah way of life. What establishes this Torah in our lives? Our children (as symbolized by the keruvim) who are studying and living it. The spread wings symbolize how our children 'cover' and insure our future. If your children are not in a Jewish school, find an appropriate school and put them in. If you do not spend time studying with your children, start today. Why wait?


Shabbat Shalom, Shaul Leiter

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