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You shall make the planks of the Mishkan of shiitim wood. (26:15)

The Midrash Tanchuma tells us that these wooden planks were actually the result of Yaakov Avinu’s  foresight.  He anticipated that his descendants would one day erect a Mishkan.  Aware  that such lumber did not exist in the wilderness, he  brought them with him to replant them in Egypt.  He instructed his children that when they would be liberated from the Egyptian exile,  they should take these trees along with them.  Yaakov taught his children that the future edifices of Klal Yisrael must be built upon the foundations of the past.  We must keep in mind the mesiras nefesh,  devotion to…

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They shall make an Ark of shittiim wood…You shall cover it with pure gold…and you shall make on it a gold crown all around. (25:10,11)

Three of the four primary Klei haMishkan, appertenances of the Mishkan, had crowns/ golden rims, decorating them: the Aron HaKodesh; Ark; the Shulchan, Table; and the Mizbayach, Altar.  The Menorah, candelabra, did not.  This fact corresponds with the words of Chazal in Pirke Avos, 4:13, “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehunah, priesthood, and the crown of malchus, kingship.  The crown of shem tov, a good name, is greater than them all. ” The Aron HaKodesh, which contained within it the two Luchos  upon which were inscribed the Aseres Hadibros, Ten Commandments, corresponds with the…

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And let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him. (25:2)

Parashas Terumah is preceded by Parashas Yisro and Mishpatim, both parshios that focus on the halachic aspects of our lives.  Parashas Yisro details the Revelation at Har Sinai and the Aseres Hadibros, Ten Commandments.  Next is Parashas Mishpatim, containing many laws, most of which focus upon man’s relationship with his fellow man.  Parashas Terumah follows with Hashem’s command that everyone is responsible to contribute towards the building of the Mishkan.  A lesson can be derived from the sequence of the parshios.  In order for Torah to survive,  we must be willing to sustain it.  Hachzokas ha Torah, sustaining those that…

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