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.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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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click here)
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