Category Archives: Terumah

5783, Bat Ayin, Exodus, Parsha, Terumah

Concentrated, Humble God (Truma)

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Concentrated, Humble God (Truma)

What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God. -Monica Baldwin

After the Jewish nation has fled Egypt, had the sea part for them, received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and started learning in earnest the laws of God, God commands them to build the Tabernacle. In fact, the remainder of the Book of Exodus deals predominantly with the instructions regarding the Tabernacle and its subsequent construction.

For those of us familiar with the narrative, we are already accustomed to the presence of the Tabernacle. Presumably, even the idolatrous cultures at the time would find nothing surprising about a dedicated edifice for a divinity. However, from a Jewish theological perspective, the concept can be startling. Can we really create an abode for an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God? What does it even mean?

The Bat Ayin focuses on the prime verse in Exodus 25:8 which states:

“And make for me a Temple and I will dwell among them.”

He explains that it indeed stretches the theological imagination as to how the presence of God can be somehow more focused in a prescribed spatial location and that in some unknowable way it was a function of God humbling Himself. In order to connect with us in a more tangible and intimate way God elected to have some aspect of Himself concentrated (as in the Kabalistic concept of Tzimtzum). This apparently reflects an incredible level of humility. Again, it is impossible to imagine these concepts, but it takes a divine magnitude of humility to somehow redirect or refocus a part of the divine essence to a point in space and time.

The Bat Ayin adds, that part of this distillation effort on God’s part was a reflection of the nation of Israel also demonstrating humility. That when Israel was commanded to construct the Tabernacle, they needed to show their reverence to God in their thoughts, their speech and their deeds. The only way to accomplish that was to have true and wholehearted humility and subservience to God. When God saw Israel’s humility, He mirrored their efforts, humbled Himself and concentrated an aspect of His presence into the physical structure of the Ark of the Covenant that was housed within the Tabernacle.

May we realize the value of healthy humility and that God is closest to the humble.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To our son, Yehoshua Spitz, on his graduation from the outstanding Mechina Olamit pre-military training program, and his enlisting in the IDF’s artillery division next month.

5782, Chidushei HaRim, Exodus, Parsha, Terumah

Divine Charity Cycle (Trumah)

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Divine Charity Cycle (Trumah)

The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live. -Ethel Percy Andrus

The Jewish nation has been freed from Egypt; they’ve received the Torah with God’s Revelation at Mount Sinai. Now, at the foot of the mountain, they start their next grand task, the building of the Tabernacle with all its sacred objects, including the altars, the Candelabrum, the Showbread Table and in the inner sanctum, in the Holy of Holies, the Ark containing the Tablets of the Law.

However, to build this Tabernacle with its array of special items, materials are needed. And that’s how this week’s Torah reading starts off. God instructs Moses to ask for donations (this is the original synagogue fundraiser).

God tells Moses:

“And you will take for Me a contribution, from every person whose heart so moves him, you shall take My contribution.”

The Chidushei HaRim on Exodus 25:2 notes the possessive language of “take,” “for Me,” and “My.” He explains that God is saying a few things in this verse. The first part is that a person needs to “take” themselves out of their mundane matters of this world. God is saying you need to take yourselves away from your narrow, personal, selfish concerns and dedicate yourselves “for Me.” Only a person whose heart moves him to contribute can really dedicate themselves to God. There is little room for God in the selfish man’s heart.

However, the Chidushei HaRim’s deeper point is that the truth is that everything we contribute to God is already His. All of creation, everything in it, ourselves, our possessions, our abilities, our time, are all from Him. When we give to Him, we are giving Him what is His. Any illusions we have that something, anything, belongs to us, is false and misleading. God has given us of His bounty, of His blessings, in part, to see how we use them. How do we use our gifts and blessings? Do we hoard? Do we keep it to ourselves? Do we only think of ourselves? Or do we think of a greater purpose, be it family, community, those that are more needy or disadvantaged?

Drawing on God’s blessings and participating in the divine cyclical chain of giving is a privilege which can be continuously improved, strengthened and renewed.

May we find the most effective uses for the bounty God gives us.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To the start of two months of Adar in this Jewish leap year. May they usher in greater joy.

 

5781, Bechor Shor, Exodus, Parsha, Terumah

Lighting God’s House (Trumah)

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Lighting God’s House (Trumah)

Light is the first of painters. There is no object so foul that intense light will not make it beautiful. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Torah portion of Trumah deals primarily with the building components of the Tabernacle. It first lists all of the raw materials: gold, silver, copper, various colored yarns, linens, skins, and wood. It mentions precious stones, of which we receive a detailed listing later on. The portion also specifies all of the construction details, every article of the Tabernacle including the Ark, the Table of the Showbread, the Candelabrum, as well as the exact construction of the walls of the Tabernacle. Afterward, we get details of the ritual vestments of the Kohens, especially those of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, who among other items wore the Breastplate embedded with twelve different precious stones.

Nestled in between these very concrete, architectural, and sartorial elements and descriptions are two notable and unusual exceptions.

The Torah also lists:

“Oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense.”

The Bechor Shor on Exodus 25:6 wonders why these specific non-building or vestment components are itemized in the middle in what was otherwise a shopping list for the constructors and tailors. He further wonders, that if indeed the Torah felt the need to digress into some of the operations of the Tabernacle such as oil for lighting and anointing and spices for the incense, why then doesn’t it also list the other operations such as baking bread or offering sacrifices?

The Bechor Shor answers that the anointing oil was required for anointing the Tabernacle implements and therefore could be considered part of the building process. The spices also required specialized artisans to prepare them and the ingredients needed to be specially itemized and assembled beforehand. However, that doesn’t answer the need for “oil for lighting.”

The Bechor Shor further elaborates that it is not the way of a king to enter his home before the place has been illuminated for him. It is not proper for a king to enter a darkened abode. Similarly, the spices are required so that the home should have a pleasant fragrance. It would be inappropriate for the king to enter a home that is dark and malodorous. Therefore, the oil and the spice, the light and incense are indeed building requirements. They are vital components for building the Tabernacle, to light it, and to perfume it.

May we ever be in bright and sweet-smelling abodes, and if not, make them so.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To beautiful and gentle snowfall.

5780, Exodus, Meshech Chochma, Parsha, Terumah

God wants us, He doesn’t need us (Truma)

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God wants us, He doesn’t need us (Truma)

Man is a creation of desire, not a creation of need. -Gaston Bachelard

 

After the historic divine revelation at Mount Sinai, God commands Moses to build a Sanctuary, the Tabernacle. The Torah provides extreme detail as to the composition, construction, and measurements of the inner components of the Tabernacle as well as to its structural elements.

The central and most famous component of the Tabernacle is the Ark of the Covenant, where the two tablets containing the newly received Ten Commandments were stored. (It is not, contrary to popular belief, being held in a US government warehouse, after being rescued from the Nazis by Indiana Jones…).

A curious design feature of the Ark is that it has two poles for carrying it. Well, that’s not the curious part. The curious part is that there is an explicit command that those two poles may never be removed from the Ark, even when there is no longer a need for them and nobody is carrying the Ark.

The Meshech Chochma on Exodus 25:11-18 learns a deep lesson as to the necessity of permanently leaving the carrying poles in an Ark that is not being carried.

He explains that we misunderstand the role of the poles and by extension, God’s role and relationship to us.

The poles are not there to carry the Ark. The Ark, in some metaphysical fashion which we don’t understand but that the Talmud verifies (Tractate Sotah 35a), carries itself. In fact, not only does the Ark carry itself, but it actually carries the people who think they’re carrying the Ark.

To support his argument further, the Meshech Chochma brings the example of the second most famous component of the Tabernacle, the Candelabrum, the Menorah. According to Maimonides, the Menorah was lit not only at night but also during the day. Why light the scarce and precious olive oil during the day when there is no need for illumination? The Meshech Chochma explains that it comes to make the same point. God doesn’t need the light; not at night and not during the day. By lighting the Menorah during the day, the obvious lack of a practical physical purpose demonstrates that God doesn’t need it. The same point is made by the poles. The Ark doesn’t need the poles, and by having them permanently attached, even when at rest, it further demonstrates that at a deeper, fundamental level, they are not really needed.

Ultimately, these physical examples inform our own relationship with and service to God. God doesn’t need it. God manages and will manage just fine without us. However, He wants us. He does want a relationship with us. He does want us to reach out to Him. He does want us to connect. Not because He needs us, but rather, because He wants us.

May we always be wanted by God.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To the Israeli voters (again).

5779, Berdichever, Exodus, Parsha, Terumah, The Times of Israel

Holy Comedians (Truma)

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Holy Comedians (Truma)

Comedy is an escape, not from truth but from despair; a narrow escape into faith. -Christopher Fry

God gives Moses extremely detailed instructions as to the construction of the Holy Tabernacle, the portable Sanctuary in the desert, the physical manifestation of God’s abode on Earth. The Tabernacle would become the center of the Israelite camp during their wanderings. Only when King Solomon builds the Temple in Jerusalem do the Ark of the Covenant and the other holy articles and rites receive a permanent home.

The description of the Tabernacle which Moses receives is so detailed that it even includes the composition of the hides that would be used on the outer walls. In Hebrew, this particular type of hide is called a “Tachash,” for which there is a debate as to exactly what type of animal it was.

The Berdichever sides with the opinion that the Tachash was not a particularly nice or attractive hide. However, he draws an unusual corollary to the fact that the Tachash hide was a bit rough.

He states that while the Sanctuary walls were not so nice on the outside, the inside of the Sanctuary was beautiful. The parallel he makes is to jokes. A joke can be at times rough, even a bit surprising (the element of surprise is often what we find comedic). However, making some (appropriate) fun and having a laugh, loosens up the audience and makes them much more receptive to deeper, more meaningful and more inspiring content and messages. The rough exterior leads to a beautiful and important interior. Just as the rough Tachash exterior of the Tabernacle led to a beautiful inner reality, a funny joke can lead to beautiful inner discussions.

There is a famous Talmudic story of a great sage who was informed that his future neighbors in the afterlife were in the area. Curious, he went to seek them out and was surprised to discover that they were a couple of comedians. He finally understood that even though they weren’t great sages or learned men, they had tremendous merit because of the great joy and happiness they brought to people.

May we always be among those who make others smile, laugh and be filled with joy.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To Randy B. who always makes me laugh.

5778, Exodus, Parsha, Rabbeinu Bechaye, Terumah, The Times of Israel

The Price of Laziness (Trumah)

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The Price of Laziness (Trumah)

A lazy person, whatever the talents with which he set out, will have condemned himself to second-hand thoughts and to second-rate friends. -Cyril Connolly

Moses calls upon the nation of Israel to donate material for the construction of the Tabernacle in the desert, the structure that will house the Tablets of the Law which they received on Mount Sinai. This portable Temple would accompany the Jewish people throughout their desert journey until they entered the land of Israel. Within Israel, the Tabernacle would have a semi-permanent structure and location, until the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem by King Solomon, hundreds of years later.

What is particularly impressive about Moses’ call for donations was the speed with which the Jewish nation responded. The donations came so quickly and so plentifully, that the artisans actually had to tell Moses to announce to the people to stop bringing anything more. They had more than they needed.

Rabbeinu Bechaye on Exodus 25 (Trumah) learns a lesson as to the vital importance of such alacrity and the converse hazards of laziness. Laziness is a negative trait, but it is particularly damaging when it comes to bear on the performance of commandments.

Rabbeinu Bechaye gives a number of examples, the first being prayer. It is not hard to pray. What is challenging during prayer is to remain focused on the words you’re saying, on connecting and actually communicating with God, and not letting your mind wander to ruminations about work, money, possessions and other mundane thoughts. Not only is such prayer not effective – it is an affront to God, and may provoke His ire more than His pleasure. (This doesn’t mean you’re better off not praying – it means focus!).

Laziness can affect all aspects of our lives, primary our work lives. Rabbeinu Bechaye expands, based on King Solomon’s phrase that “as smoke is to the eyes, so too is the lazy person to his senders.” When you want to warm yourself by lighting a fire, if the fire produces a lot of smoke which then goes into your eyes, you may not remain so pleased with the fire. Likewise, a lazy person who is assigned a task or an errand will somehow manage to spoil the undertaking by their lack of energy, drive or motivation.

Quoting the Sages of the Talmud, “If someone said: “I didn’t try and I accomplished, don’t believe them. I tried but I didn’t accomplish, don’t believe them. I tried and I accomplished, believe them.” For that reason, King Solomon in Proverbs constantly attacks laziness and asks us to look at the industrious ants as positive models who work hard in the summer to provide for themselves in the winter. For those who stir themselves and are quick to work hard, especially in Torah, in the commandments and in character development, they will see gains, they will see accomplishment, they will elevate themselves from level to level, and will always make progress in their lives. The lazy ones will always fall back.

May we get our acts together, get out of bed, and conquer ourselves and our world.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To our forces engaged on the Syrian front.

 

5777, Exodus, Hirsch, Parsha, Terumah, The Times of Israel

Golden Spirit

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Golden Spirit

An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; A villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards, himself his own dungeon. -Saskya Pandita

Since time immemorial, mankind has admired metals for their strength, their reliability, their durability. It is therefore no coincidence that the first three materials that God requests for the construction of His Sanctuary are gold, silver and copper.

Because of our modern sophisticated metallurgical products, in our industrialized and technologically advanced era, we generally don’t have an instinctive understanding of the roles and properties of these different metals. In biblical and pre-industrial times there was a greater affinity and appreciation for the different metals, how they were found, refined, processed and used.

Rabbi Hirsch on Exodus Chapter 25 explains how these precious metals are mentioned here not only for their practical uses, but also because of the characteristics they represent:

“In our discussions of Jewish symbolism we have shown how the Biblical text has chosen metals, because of their hardness, as the most appropriate metaphors for firmness and strength. Because of the value attached to metals, Scripture employs them as symbols of the value attached to qualities of the spirit. But it is especially because of their metallurgical properties that Scripture cites metals as the most striking symbol of all that is good and true, in “alloys” of various degrees with evil and falsehood, and as a metaphor for the process of “testing” and “refinement” associated with truth and morality. Copper symbolizes baseness, or nature still in its unrefined state. Silver connotes a more advanced stage at which the object is still in need of purification but has clearly become amenable to refinement. Gold, which primarily occurs in unalloyed form and can withstand the most rigorous tests, is taken as the symbol of the purest, most genuine form of moral nobleness and true constancy.”

“Metals combine maximal ductility with maximal firmness. When softened by fire and beaten with a hammer while still soft, they can be given any desired shape, but once they have received that shape they retain it so firmly that it can be destroyed only by superior force. Hence metals symbolize to us the character trait we should activate in our obedience to the dictates of duty and particularly to the will of God as it has been revealed to us. Indeed, the Word of God is described as a “hammer” and a “fire.”

“Consequently, metals, more than any other substance in nature, present themselves as the most fitting symbol of what our moral attitude should be toward our calling.”

In Rabbi Hirsch’s analogy, copper would be our starting point, silver is the next level of refinement and gold is the goal. The fire and hammer of God’s word should mold us; guide our innate strength and capacity, to shape ourselves as vessels for Him. Once we have found that ideal path, that ideal form of service, we should not be easily moved from it, but rather retain a solid, useful, steadfast direction, that is not easily bent or turned.

In short, our spirit, our dedication, our commitment should be metal-strong.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To the precious women of Garin Be’Matan. Stay strong. You’re on amazing paths.

5776, Exodus, Parsha, Sfat Emet, Terumah, The Times of Israel

Impossible Reality

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 Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality. -Ralph Marston

drawinghands

Philosophers enjoy debating as to the nature of reality. However, their musings are rarely relevant to the common man. Scientists limit reality to what our senses and their instruments can detect, and while highly practical, their contemplations do not address the needs of the soul.

Judaism has generally taken a holistic view of reality, encompassing body and soul, this physical world as well as a spiritual plane. The Kabbalists go into intense detail providing sophisticated constructs as to how the spiritual world functions, how it interacts with the physical and the various relationships this engenders.

The Sfat Emet in 5631 (1871) explains that reality is malleable, and that the shaper of reality is none other than ourselves. He learns this from the Torah and the relationship between God, the Torah and human beings. He claims that everything (whatever that means) is in the Torah and that man can reach all (again, subject to definition) solely based on his earnest willpower.  And the reality-creating willpower is really faith. Depending on the strength and focus of one’s faith, he is able to determine, able to define the reality of the world around him.

May we develop strong faith and build a worthy reality.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To Escher. His mind-bending reality has a spiritual quality to it.

5775, Baal Haturim, Exodus, Parsha, Terumah, The Times of Israel

Bread of Faith

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First posted on The Times of Israel at: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/truma-bread-of-faith/

Baal Haturim Exodus: Trumah

Bread of Faith

There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness; and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much. -Mother Theresa

The Baal Haturim on Exodus 26:9 states that in the merit of the service of the Table of the Showbread in the Temple, the entire world was bestowed with blessings.

Story: A simple baker was reading the Torah portion. He read about the Showbread that the priests placed in the Temple every week. He felt bad for God that since the destruction of the Temple, nobody was giving God bread anymore. He decided that in honor of the Sabbath, he would place two loaves of Challah, the traditional bread for the Sabbath, in the Ark of the Torah in the synagogue. He was so excited about his decision, he woke up before dawn Friday morning and placed the very first loaves he had baked in the Ark, with a short prayer to God to accept his offering.

In the same synagogue there was a poor caretaker who had fallen on hard times. He couldn’t afford Challah for that Sabbath. That Thursday night in the synagogue, he cried and pleaded to God to help him, that he should not come to his family empty-handed. As was his ritual, every Friday morning, he cleaned up the synagogue for the Sabbath. He opened the Ark to check on the Torah, and lo and behold! Two warm fresh Challahs were waiting there for him. The caretaker cried for joy, thanking God for this miracle, for remembering him after all and listening to his prayer.

The baker arrived early Friday afternoon to the synagogue, curious as to what had happened to his loaves. He opened the Ark, and to his surprise, the loaves were gone! God had accepted his humble offering! Encouraged, the baker did the same thing the following Friday. The caretaker was humbled and moved each time he found the warm, fresh bread. This cycle continued for months, both the baker and the caretaker filled with an extraordinary joy, yet unaware of each others actions.

One Friday, the Rabbi of the synagogue woke up early and decided to do some studying in the back of the synagogue. Unnoticed, the Rabbi saw the baker bring in his loaves and put them in the Ark and reverently bestow them to God. Later, he saw the caretaker gingerly, lovingly, removing them and thanking God. The Rabbi understood immediately the error these simpletons were making. He called them both and berated them: “You fools! God is not placing or receiving the Challah. It is your own human hands that are responsible.” Both the baker and the caretaker stood there ashamed, while their foolishness was brought to light and their simple faith shattered.

That night, the Prophet Elijah came to the Rabbi in a dream: “You evil man!” Elijah screamed at the Rabbi. “God has not had as much joy in the world, since the service of the Showbread in the Temple was stopped, as when the baker delivered the Challah, and the caretaker received it, and they both displayed a pure, simple faith. Know that the evil you have done cannot be undone and you have caused great anguish to God!”

Sometimes, simple faith is the best.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To our baker, Netanel, on his first batch of successful and tasty biscochos!

 

 

5774, Exodus, Netziv, Parsha, Terumah, The Times of Israel

Portable Honor

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First posted on The Times of Israel at: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/truma-portable-honor/

Netziv Exodus: Truma

Portable Honor

“There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty. But the crown of a good name is greater than them all.” Rabbi Simon, Avot 4:17

God instructs Moses to build the Tabernacle, the portable desert Temple. The people of Israel contribute generously of their time and resources towards its construction. The last part of the Book of Exodus is filled with the details of the building, materials, labor, components, utensils, measurements and final assembly of what is otherwise also known as The Sanctuary.

There were a few components within the Tabernacle that were of particular significance. The most prominent was the Ark of the Covenant that carried the tablets of stone that bore the famed Ten Commandments. The Ark was situated in the innermost chamber of the Sanctuary. Two other components are worth mentioning for their symbolism: the Table and the Altar.

According to the Netziv on Exodus 25:14, the Ark is symbolic of Torah, the Altar is symbolic of the priesthood and the Table is symbolic of kingship. As per Rabbi Simon quoted above, it relates well to the concept of the three crowns and indeed, each of these components (the Ark, Altar and Table) had a raised border that surrounded its upper surface not unlike a large physical crown. The Mishna in Tractate Avot goes on to enumerate how one can attain these metaphorical crowns. Those of priesthood or kingship are by definition only available to a small subset of the people of Israel, but the crown of Torah is available to all.

The Netziv makes another interesting observation. The crowns of kingship and priesthood are not only attainable based on ones lineage, but can also only be reached when the people of Israel are fully established in the land of Israel. However, the crown of Torah can be reached anywhere in the world, independent of the national situation.

May we not only individually find our crowns of Torah, but as a nation may we see the crowns of priesthood and kingship restored speedily in our days.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ben-Tzion

Dedication

To the Uruguayan parliament, for their meaningful and moving remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust.