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Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5756

“You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made… see and make, according to their form which you are shown on the mountain.” (25:31,40)

The various forms of the Menorah were to be hammered out from one large ingot of gold. The Midrash teaches that Moshe had great difficulty visualizing the exact appearance of the Menorah. In response, Hashem showed him a Menorah made of fire. Moshe was still concerned regarding his ability to make the Menorah to Hashem’s specifications.  Hashem told Moshe to cast the ingot into a fire, and a completed Menorah emerged.  The Menorah, therefore, was actually created without human intervention. The Maharal suggests that Moshe fashioned the Menorah, but when he cast it into the fire as part of the…

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Home -> 5756 -> Terumah

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5756

“You shall make a table.. you shall cover it with pure gold and you shall make for it a gold crown all around.” (25:23,24)

Rashi contends that the gold crown which surrounded the Shulchan was above the misgeres, molding. In contrast, the crown surrounding the Aron was part of the actual box that projected upward, encircling the top of the Aron. The crown of the Shulchan is called the keser malchus, crown of monarchy. The Shulchan was the medium through which the blessing of nourishment flowed to the world. The golden rim surrounding the upper edge of the Shulchan symbolized the loftiest position of material power in Klal Yisrael — the crown of monarchy. The Aron which contained the Luchos symbolized the Torah, and…

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Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5756

“And I shall speak with you from atop the cover… that is on the ark of the testimonial tablets… and you shall make a table of shittim (acacia) wood.” (25:22,23)

In a novel exposition, a number of commentators explain the juxtaposition of the Shulchan to the Aron in the following manner. The Shulchan attests to an individual’s integrity and worthiness for Olam Haba. The Shulchan is the symbol of prosperity. It represents the demand upon every Jew to share his material abundance with those less fortunate than he. The Shulchan testifies that its owner has fulfilled his obligation to others. Rabbeinu Bachya cites a custom that was performed by a number of pious individuals in France.  They would have their table taken apart in order to build their aron, coffin….

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Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5756

“Within the rings of the Aron shall remain the poles, they may never be removed from it.” (25:15)

Rashi adds one word, okugk, forever, which according to Horav Yitzchak Goldwasser, Shlita, implies a profound thought.  The badim, carrying poles of the Aron Ha’Kodesh, were never to be removed from the Aron. Thus, the badim were an integral part of the Aron. The Leviim who carried the Aron by “the badim” were carrying the actual Aron. There is no distinction between the Aron and its badim; they are one and the same. We may add to this thought. Badim serve as a metaphor for the supporters of the Torah.  They can never separate themselves from the Torah which they…

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Home -> 5756 -> Terumah

Sruly Schnair
In Terumah, 5756

“This is the portion that you shall take from them: gold, silver and copper … Shoham stones and stones for the settings, for the Eiphod and the Choshen.” (25:3,7)

Various means may be employed to establish the value of a given item.  Obviously, not all items have the same value to everyone.  Supply and demand increase or decrease the market value  of most items. The Torah has its own unique measuring stick for determining the value of an object. Let us explain: The Ohr Ha’Chaim Ha’kadosh questions the sequence for enumerating the various gifts to the Mishkan. The Torah’s arrangement seems to imply that the most valuable item is cited first, followed by the other gifts in order of their decreasing value. After all, the Torah first enumerates the…

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