Perhaps the most “all-encompassing” and preliminary verse to the Mishkan (and more than that, as we will soon see, Hashem willing) is in the first Aliyah: Hashem says to Moshe Rabbeinu ‘And you shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst.’
Now, there is a beautiful theme that many of our Gedolim teach us on this - with slightly different variations (and I will quote different ones which I have seen):
#1: Says the Alshich HaKadosh: The verse does not say ‘I will dwell in its midst’; but rather ‘I will dwell in their midst’. This teaches us that Hashem won’t just dwell in the midst of the People of Israel - but within all of us. He is ‘within our midst’. And the Shelah HaKadosh says essentially the same thing.
#2: Writes the first Lubavitcher Rebbe - Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi zt”l in Tanya: “This is what man is all about. This is the purpose of his creation and of the creation of all the worlds, higher and lower - that there be made for G-d a dwelling in the lower realms."
#3: Similarly, Rebbe Aharon HaGadol of Karlin zt”l teaches in Beis Aharon that a person needs to make themselves a Sanctuary - a holy person - and then Hashem will dwell within them. (HaRav Shimshon Refoel Hirsch zt”l says basically the same thing - just about Hashem dwelling in the midst of Yisroel as a whole).
Those insights are extremely inspiring and enough to think about in and of themselves, but, with Hashem’s Help, I would like to “go further” - and add a beautiful insight from the Nikolsburger Rebbe (Rebbe Yosef Yechiel Michel Lebovits shlita): Teaches Rebbe Lebovits shlita: Hashem is always close to us - but that doesn’t mean we are close to Him. He never distances Himself from us, but if we, Chas V’Shalom commit transgressions, then we are distancing ourselves from Him!! And the same goes for the constant blessings He sends us, explains the Nikolsburger shlita: Hashem always sends us blessings - however, if we are sinning and distancing ourselves from Him, Chas V’Shalom, then the blessings just don’t reach us!! (From Nikolsburg.org).
But now let us put all these incredible teachings together: Hashem wants to be close to us and dwell in our midst: And He does His part!
But we also have a part to do: We need to ascend closer to Him. And we do this by keeping His Commandments and serving Him properly - sanctifying ourselves. Hashem revealed Himself to us at Har Sinai, gave us the Torah and took us as His People - drawing close to us. And He always dwells in our midst, making it easier for us to access Him - reaching out His Hand, so to speak, for us to grab. Now we must sanctify ourselves and make ourselves a Sanctuary - thereby drawing close to our Holy Father in return, and taking hold of His outstretched Hand.
Now, with the Help of Hashem, I would like to share with you at least 10 beautiful insights on the parsha:
1) Ask HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l - the Beis HaLevi (quoted in Sefer L’Hisaneig) and HaRav Baruch Epstein zt”l (in Torah Temimah); why is it that right after Parshas Mishpatim - dealing a lot with monetary laws - we have Parshas Terumah, where Hashem asks us to give for the Mishkan? And they answer beautifully: It is to teach us that if a person is going to give - they need to give with good money. It can’t have been acquired dishonestly, Chas V’Shalom.
(And HaRav Eliyahu Schlesinger shlita - in Eileh HaDevarim - says something very similar: That it is because we first must know the Halachos of money, then we can give. Otherwise, the contributions might come from dishonestly earned money, Chas V’Shalom).
2) The question is asked; why was the donating to the Mishkan a voluntary thing - why was it not made an order or a Command?
Answers the Avnei Nezer (the Sochochover Rebbe - Rebbe Avraham Borenstein zt”l); the Mishkan was something that brought closeness with Hashem - and in order to feel that closeness and love, we must have a burning desire to do so. It cannot be forced. And so, he explains, contributing to the Mishkan was a voluntary thing – people had to have a burning desire to do so.
Adds my Rebbe, HaRav Binyomin Goldstein shlita, beautifully: In the absence of a Mishkan or Beis HaMikdash, we are told (see above) that we must make our hearts into a Sanctuary for Hashem. But this cannot be done without the desire to serve Hashem - the passion and feeling.
If someone has a burning desire to bring Hashem into their heart; nothing can stand in their way. However, he says, if the desire for closeness is not there (Chas V’Shalom), it is essentially impossible to make the Sanctuary for Hashem. We can “go through the motions” of keeping the Commandments - but if the desire of the heart is not there, then the task of building an inner-Sanctuary for Hashem cannot be accomplished. (From my Rebbe, HaRav Binyomin Goldstein shlita’s Dvar Torah on Parshas Terumah).
3) So the famous question is asked; why is the wording in the first verse when talking about us contributing to the Mishkan ‘they should take’? It would have been more proper to say ‘give’! Not only this, but the Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu says that once we said ‘We will do and we will listen’ - immediately Hashem wanted for us to give the Portion. Why is this, asks HaRav Shlomo Ganzfried zt”l (author of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch)?
But he answers to the first question we quoted: When we give - it actually is taking (meaning that we get a lot from giving). We gave some things but we got such a precious thing (and even more than just that!) - Hashem dwelling in our midst! It is so awesome!
And this answers what the Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu says, he explains: So he quotes the story from Gemara Shabbos where someone said to Rava z”l that we are an impetuous people - saying ‘We will do’ before even hearing what we would do have to do! But by saying ‘We will do’ first, says Rav Ganzfried zt”l, we were saying that we know that whatever Hashem asks of us is really for our benefit. Everything is a gift to us. And so when Hashem asked us to give - we understood that it actually was “taking” (receiving) for us. (From Sefer Apiryon).
And we could just add the teaching of the Alter of Novhardok (HaRav Yosef Yozel Hurwitz zt”l): He taught that one who gives gets much more than the receiver: The receiver gets something of limited value; while the giver acquires a good and pure heart. (Quoted in Sparks of Mussar).
4) But there is also a different answer to the teaching of the Tanna D’vei Eliyahu: It is quoted in the name of Rebbe Meir of Premishlan zt”l that it could be because when we had the inspiration still from ‘Naaseh V’Nishma’ - immediately then we needed to build the Mishkan. (From Sefer Ner Yisroel).
5) Okay; so the list of the donations was: Gold, silver, copper…… wait; says the Reisha Rav - HaRav Aharon Levine (or Lewin) zt”l: It is not the gift itself that was important to Hashem - because what physical things does Hashem need? But then what was important to Him?
Says Rav Levine zt”l; it was the good will. For just them giving shows that they love Hashem. And this love is important to Him. (From Ha’Drash Vi’Ha’Iyun). And I might add that this is a big encouragement in and of itself - as it shows us that every little bit of love we might have for Hashem is so important in His “eyes”!
(In a similar vein, the Maggid of Dubno - HaRav Yaakov Krantz zt”l, in Ohel Yaakov - teaches us that Hashem specifically wanted us to give things that are special to us, as that shows love, and we are giving our love and our heart).
6) On a different note - but the same thing in the Torah - HaRav Yaakov Neiman zt”l comments that the Mishkan being built by these materials teaches us that the Mishkan should bring holiness to all aspects of our lives. We need to elevate all areas of our life. (From Darkei Mussar).
7) So, as we know, one of the materials was Tachash skins. And Rashi HaKadosh quotes from Gemara Shabbos 28a, b, which tells us that the Tachash was an animal that only existed for a little time - and it had many colors.
Says HaRav Ben Tzion Firer zt”l: The many colors of the Tachash represent the many “shades” of good. There are many good ways for a person to follow. (For example; there are Chassidim, Baalei Mussar, etc. Or the Brisker learning style and the Chassidishe learning style. They are different - but both good). However, he says; everything in the Mishkan was made exactly according to what Hashem said. So, even though there are many good ways - we do not have permission to just follow what we think is good: We must go according to Hashem’s Word.
8) Okay; so we get on to the Aron: HaRav Nosson Adler zt”l (quoted in many places) notes (as some others do, as well) that the measurements for the Aron are all in halves! So he explains that a Torah scholar (represented by the Aron - which held the Torah) must never look at themselves as whole: They need to always realize that they have more to learn. (I have seen this quoted in the name of the Pardes Yosef zt”l, as well).
I saw on Chabad.org another thought quoted in the name of Rav Adler zt”l: He teaches us that the halves represent the fact that we must break our ego in order to acquire Torah. These two thought really go hand in hand – and they go for all of us.
9) So, the Aron, as we know, was to be coated with gold ‘from inside and from outside’. Teaches us Rabbeinu Chananel zt”l (others say this too); this goes to teach us the Talmudic dictum (Yoma 72b) that a Torah scholar (and all of us) must be consistent: Our actions when we are outside - in the eyes of others - must be consistent with how we act inside - when people aren’t watching us (though Hashem still is….).
10) The Beis HaLevi (HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l) comments differently, however: He explains that it teaches us that we must support Torah scholars (and Torah learning, I might add): Just as we act prosperously within our homes - so too we must act prosperously outside our homes, giving generously. (Quoted in The Stone Edition Chumash).
11) We are told that the Aron and the Menorah represent Torah scholars: So, HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein shlita quotes from his father-in-law, HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l: And he explains: The Aron, which stayed “behind closed doors” - i.e. in private - represents the fact that a Torah Sage must sometimes stay in private and to themselves. However, says Rav Elyashiv zt”l, the Menorah, which shone light on all its surroundings, represents that a Sage also needs to go out and light up the world. (Quoted in Aleinu L’Shabeiach).
12) So, as we know, the Aron had to have Cheruvim on top - two of them, facing each other. Teaches the Nikolsburger Rebbe (Rebbe Yosef Yechiel Michel Lebovits shlita); the last letters (if you mix them up a bit) of the words ‘וּפניהם אישׁ אל אחיו’ spell the word ‘שׁלוֹם’. This teaches us, he explains, that when we look at one another with respect, with a desire to see each other’s goodness, then there is true and everlasting peace. (From Nikolsburg.org).
13) Says HaRav Yitzchok Elchonon Spector zt”l: “These two traits – to have wings reaching upward and faces focused on each other – must be the goal of all Jews. We must on the one hand set lofty personal goals and always seek to ascend to new heights. On the other hand, we must be focused on the needs of others, looking out with sensitivity toward those around us, ever ready to lend a hand…” (Quoted in M’Shulchan Govoha).
14) Similarly, HaRav Dov Weinberger shlita comments on this, and explains that a person must always aspire upwards - just like the wings were pointed upwards. And the Torah (in the Aron) helps us achieve this. However, he explains, we must turn our attention to others, as well, and make sure not to hurt them.
And he adds that, as Rabbi Abahu z”l tells us (Gemara Chagigah 13b), the faces of the Cheruvim (this is just one opinion, I believe) were that of a child. Says Rav Weinberger shlita; a young child is totally dependent on their parents and they know that everything comes from them. So too, he says, we must be with Hashem….. (From Shemen HaTov).
15) Okay; one more thought from an Acharon (later Rav) in this Dvar: The Menorah, as we know, was made out of one piece of gold - hammered out. And, as we quoted above, this is one of the Vessels that represents the Torah: Says the Chofetz Chaim (HaRav Yisroel Meir HaKohen Kagan zt”l): This represents the fact that the entire Torah is one. All the different parts of it - the Mishnah, Gemara, etc. - is all one. (From Chofetz Chaim Al HaTorah).
I wish every single person a wonderful week!
