Parashah Terumah
A teaching of the Rebbe on the parsha adapted for children
At the beginning of Parashah Terumah the Torah commands the Children of Israel to bring two donations to build the Tabernacle. A donative for the basements, and another donative for the construction of the Tabernacle and its utensils. For the basements each one donated a half shekel of silver and for the rest of the items each one donated what his heart desired. What is the reason for this difference and why were two types of donations necessary? And what can we learn from this for our daily service to God?
At the end of the commandment to donate for the Tabernacle, the Torah commands every Jew to make a Tabernacle: “And they will make a sanctuary for Me and I will dwell in them”, and our Sages Z ́ ́L explained: “Within each one and one". The Tabernacle, with all the details of its service, exists even today, in the spiritual service of every Jew. The plinths are the base of the Tabernacle, the foundation, on them the whole building is raised, the spiritual service. The skirting boards symbolize the service of self-annulment and “receiving the yoke”, accepting internally and intrinsically to receive the mitzvot of G-d, being a servant of G-d. For this service, all are worth; also the simplest Jew receives the reign of God, in the same way as the greatest sage. Therefore, for this donation all Jews were equal and all gave half a shekel, every Jew submits his heart to the service of HaShem, and remembers that he is only half of a whole through his union with the Creator. The donation for the elements of the Tabernacle was made by each one according to their possibilities and their category. The personal and inner service of each Jew differs from that of his companion and each one approaches his donation according to his strength and according to his category.
In fact, if my will is to turn on the light of G-d in my inner sanctuary, I must perform my service to HaShem, on a firm basis of acceptance of the yoke, with firmness and simplicity in any situation that I find myself, the compass that guides me will be the will of G-d expressed in the Torah and its mitzvot. To build my Tabernacle and light the eternal fire in it, I must sanctify my strength, my skills and feelings to fulfill my personal service to G-d. Use all the strength of my soul and my portion of the world to bring them the light of G-d and hasten the arrival of our righteous Mashiach soon, in our days.
