Parashat Terumah 5785

by Rabbi Margie Cella

Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. In this week’s parashah, God gave to Moses all the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings, including the ark, the menorah, and the altar. 

The list of needed materials was lengthy: gold, silver, bronze, fine yarns and linens of many colors, ram skins and goat skins, wood, oil, spices and incense, onyx and gemstones. This portable sanctuary was to be the dwelling place for God; therefore, it needed to be built from only the finest substances. God instructed Moses to tell the people to bring a terumah, a free-will offering from the list of raw materials. The motivation for giving these gifts, God said, was to come from the heart. God’s desire was for the construction of the mishkan to come about through a collaborative effort of the entire nation. The contribution of each person was essential for the success of the endeavor: the joint commitment to completing the project would, in itself, create the space for God to dwell among them.

Today, it is just as important that we commit ourselves to being united in our support of each other and our beloved Eretz Israel and standing strong in the face of rising anti-semitism. Together, we must enable God’s presence to dwell among us.

Am Yisrael Chai! All people of Israel Live!