ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם
“Make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell within it”
The Kabbalists note that the verse does not say “Make for Me a Mikdash and I will dwell with in it”, rather it says “I will dwell within them”. Accordingly, they explain that Hashem’s true desire is to dwell within each of us, that we become a Mishkan, a resting place where His presence is revealed.
The Zohar teaches “the design of the Mishkan and the form of man are one”.
The layout of the Mishkan comprised of 3 zones. The most external zone was the outer courtyard. The Mishkan sanctuary itself was divided into 2 rooms; the Kodesh and the Kodesh Hakodoshim.
These 3 zones parallel the different layers of the Neshama.
The courtyard represents the most external aspect of our psyche. This refers to our speech and our actions. Chassidus refers to these as the “garments” of the soul. Just like our clothing is separate from ourselves and can be easily changed, our behaviours do not define who we are, and we are able to change them relatively easily.
The Kodesh, where the Temple vessels (the Menorah, Shulchan and incense altar) stood, represents a deeper level within the psyche. These are intellect and emotions, our ideas and our feelings. Unlike our actions, these are more inner. But even our ideas and our feelings are not the essence of who we are and do not define us. Even our ideas and feelings can change. The core of our being is the essence of the soul, which is “a part of G-d”. This is our unchanging identity and the truth of our being. This parallels the Kodesh Hakodoshim.
word “ויתנו” meaning “and they shall give for Me” rather than “take for Me”.
We can understand this based on the explanation that this Terumah represents the Torah which was given from Above to below. As the receivers of the Torah that is alluded to in the word Terumah, the use of the word ‘take’ now makes sense, as we “take” the Torah which Hashem gives to us.
In addition to meaning “they shall take for Me”, our sages interpret the verse to mean “they shall take Me”. The Zohar teaches that Hashem and the Torah are one. The Rambam similarly writes that Hashem and His wisdom are one. By studying Torah and understanding it with our human minds, it is as though we are “taking” Hashem as He is found in the Torah. This is why only this Terumah uses the word לי.
The second Terumah - the half Shekels used to purchase the Korbanos, corresponds to the pillar of Avodah - the Temple service. This also includes prayer, which was established by the sages to replace the Korbanos after the Temple was destroyed and the sacrifices could no longer be brought.
The second Terumah adds the words אֲש ֶׁ֣ר יִדְּב ֶׁ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔ו. The other mentions of Terumah do not include the qualification that it be from those “whose heart inspires them”. Prayer is “the service of the heart”, an emotional experience and connection to Hashem.
The final Terumah reflects the pillar of Gemilus Chassadim. In a broader sense, this refers to the observance of the physical Mitzvos. The third Terumah required taking different mundane materials, and elevating them to become part of the Mishkan - a dwelling place for Hashem.
Similarly, in the performance of Mitzvos, we take physical items within the world and elevate them to become vessels for G-dliness e.g. leather for Tefillin, wool for Tzitzis and the many agricultural Mitzvos. This is the concept of a Dirah Betachtonim, transforming our world to be a dwelling place for Hashem by using everything within it to serve Him.
The purpose of the Mishkan is expressed in the verse ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. The mystics point out that the verse literally reads “and they shall make for Me a Mikdash and I will dwell within them”, referring not to the physical Mishkan but to Hashem’s desire to dwell within every Jew.
Through our offerings of Torah study, heartfelt prayer and most importantly our observance of Mitzvos, we “take” Hashem, so that His presence resides inside of us; in our hearts, our minds, our body and soul and from there to our homes and the rest of the world.
Terumah, the name of our Parsha means an offering of donation. The word Terumah (in slightly different variations) appears three times in the opening Pesukim;
דַּבֵּר֙ א ל־בְּנֵֶּׁ֣י יִשְּרָאֵּּ֔ ל וְּיִקְּחוּ־לִִ֖י תְּרוּמָָ֑ה מֵּאֵֵּ֤ת כׇּל־אִיש֙ אֲש ֶׁ֣ר יִדְּב ֶׁ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִקְּחִ֖ וּ א ת תְּרוּמָתִִֽ י׃ וְּז ֹאת֙ הַּתְּרוּמָּ֔ ה אֲש ֶׁ֥ר תִקְּחִ֖ וּ מֵּאִתָָ֑ם זָהֶָׁ֥ב וָכ ִ֖ס ף וּנְּחִֹֽ ש ת׃
“Tell the children of Israel that they should take for Me an offering; you shall accept gifts for Me, from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity. And this is the offering that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper”.
Literally, the Pesukim are discussing a singular offering, namely the contributions given by Bnei Yisrael towards the building of the Mishkan. However, our sages teach that the three references of Terumah allude to three different Terumah contributions.
The first Terumah refers to the half Shekel contribution that was given by the Jewish people in the desert. This silver was used to build the Adanim - the silver sockets that formed the base on which the walls of the Mishkan stood.
The second Terumah refers to the annual half Shekel contribution that was collected and used to purchase the communal sacrifices each year.
The final Terumah refers to the general donations towards the Mishkan. Unlike the first two donations which were restricted to half a Shekel of silver from each person, these donations included 13 different materials that were needed for the construction of the Mishkan as listed in the Parsha; gold, silver, copper etc. Each person could give as much as they desired for this donation.
Chassidus explains that these three Terumos correspond to the three pillars of Divine service on which the world stands, that are enumerated in Pirkei Avos; Torah study, Avodah (the sacrifices) and Gemilus Chassadim (acts of Kindness).
With this in mind, we can understand the nuanced differences in how the Terumos are alluded to in the Pesukim and the different wording used in the Torah for each of them.
The first mention of Terumah corresponds to the pillar of Torah study. The word תרומה contains the letters of the word תורה with an extra מ, which alludes to the 40 days over which the Torah was given on Har Sinai (מ having the gematria of 40).
Concerning this Terumah it says “and they should take for Me Terumah” - ויקחו לי. Since the Pasuk describes an act of donating, it should have used the word “ויתנו” meaning “and they shall give for Me” rather than “take for Me”.
We can understand this based on the explanation that this Terumah represents the Torah which was given from Above to below. As the receivers of the Torah that is alluded to in the word Terumah, the use of the word ‘take’ now makes sense, as we “take” the Torah which Hashem gives to us.
In addition to meaning “they shall take for Me”, our sages interpret the verse to mean “they shall take Me”. The Zohar teaches that Hashem and the Torah are one. The Rambam similarly writes that Hashem and His wisdom are one. By studying Torah and understanding it with our human minds, it is as though we are “taking” Hashem as He is found in the Torah. This is why only this Terumah uses the word לי.
The second Terumah - the half Shekels used to purchase the Korbanos, corresponds to the pillar of Avodah - the Temple service. This also includes prayer, which was established by the sages to replace the Korbanos after the Temple was destroyed and the sacrifices could no longer be brought.
The second Terumah adds the words אֲש ֶׁ֣ר יִדְּב ֶׁ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔ו. The other mentions of Terumah do not include the qualification that it be from those “whose heart inspires them”. Prayer is “the service of the heart”, an emotional experience and connection to Hashem.
The final Terumah reflects the pillar of Gemilus Chassadim. In a broader sense, this refers to the observance of the physical Mitzvos. The third Terumah required taking different mundane materials, and elevating them to become part of the Mishkan - a dwelling place for Hashem.
Similarly, in the performance of Mitzvos, we take physical items within the world and elevate them to become vessels for G-dliness e.g. leather for Tefillin, wool for Tzitzis and the many agricultural Mitzvos. This is the concept of a Dirah Betachtonim, transforming our world to be a dwelling place for Hashem by using everything within it to serve Him.
The purpose of the Mishkan is expressed in the verse ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. The mystics point out that the verse literally reads “and they shall make for Me a Mikdash and I will dwell within them”, referring not to the physical Mishkan but to Hashem’s desire to dwell within every Jew.
Through our offerings of Torah study, heartfelt prayer and most importantly our observance of Mitzvos, we “take” Hashem, so that His presence resides inside of us; in our hearts, our minds, our body and soul and from there to our homes and the rest of the world.
