Parashat Terumah 5783

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields

This week’s Torah reading, Parashat Terumah, contains one of the most monumental and significant verses in the entire Torah, (Exodus 25:8) V’asu lee mikdash v’shachanti b’tocham,  Make for me a sanctuary, so I (God) shall dwell amongst you.  In Parashat Terumah, the Israelites are commanded to build a Mishkan,  the movable Tabernacle used by the Israelites while they were wandering in the desert. The Tabernacle, the mishkan, was built so that God could dwell within the camp. Today, all of our homes and our tables are considered a Mikdash Miat, a mini sanctuary.  Furthermore, we ourselves are sanctuaries for God. Therefore, we should all make sure that our homes, our behavior, our communities, and our sisterhoods are worthy places for God to truly dwell amongst us. Chazak v’Ematz – Be Strong and Courageous!