There are two chapters in the beginning of this Parsha. The first is the commandment of keeping Shabbos. The second is the commandment of donating to the Mishkon.
Of course these two commandments must be intertwined. Let us dwell into the similarities: By Shabbos the commandment was from Moshe to the whole Jewish community, and the same by the donations Moshe speaks to the whole Jewish community. What is the connection?
We find in Chazal a Hekesh – an analogy. When two cases are mentioned together in the same passage or in adjacent passages, we can assume that since they are placed side by side, they are correspondent. For this reason, legal inferences may be drawn by comparing the two cases. This is found in many subject throughout the Gemarra. Now if the subject of keeping Shabbos was with convening, the same must have been by the donating. If by donating to the Mishkon had to be whose heart is so moved shall bring them, the same has to be with Shabbos. What is the connection?
In Parshas Teruma the Jews are commanded to construct the Mishkan so that Hashem would be able to dwell amongst the Jewish people. Harav Chazkal Levinstein, the renowned Mashgiach of the Chevron Yeshiva used to ask what exactly is the concept of Hashem to dwell amongst its inhabitants. What does it mean for Hashem to dwell on earth? Isn’t Hashem by definition everywhere and all-knowing? Rather the term dwelling refers to Hashem’s constant desire to have a close relationship with the inhabitants of this earth.
We know from Chazal that Hashem rests His Shechina only when there is unity among Klal Yisrael. When Hashem commanded to make a Mishkon and to rest the Shechina it had to be constructed with unity. The phrase states: "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." (Shemos 25:8). The term means everyone together. Therefore it says in Parshas Ki Sisa: "the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than half a shekel when giving the offering for the Mishkon." Everyone has an equal part. When is there equality? When it is given via whose heart is so moved shall bring them. Not because you are forced to give, rather the person thrives to be close to Hashem. The only way to have Hashem dwell on you, is through becoming a resting place in you for Hashem.
For this it had to be Moshe then convened the whole Jewish community. Through Unity and Achdus, we merit to have the Shechina rest upon us. The same idea is by Shabbos, where we are in unity. The Seudos Shabbos and the coming together with family and friends, this brings unity and the Shechina.
The Torah is giving a solution on how to enter into Shabbos, with the same concept of the donations, which was whose heart was moved shall bring them. We cannot enter into Shabbos unless we prepare ourself in the six days.
On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Shabbos of complete rest, holy to Hashem. The six days work to prepare yourself spiritually for the Shabbos, and the whole week will be Shabbos. Shabbos means rest, and the true purpose is, to have Hashem rest His Shechina on you, as we have to constantly work to have a close relationship to Hashem. This connects Shabbos and the Mishkon, as with unity, and being prepared we can become Holy to Him.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
