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ויהי תאמים מלמטה ויחדו יהיו תמים על ראשו אל הטבעת האחת

They must be coupled together on the bottom, and they must also be coupled together evenly on the top with one (square) ring. (26:24)

The Mishkan had two abutting wall planks, which ran from east to west and from north to south, meeting at the corner of the Mishkan. They are described as to’amim milmatah, coupled together on the bottom. The words to’amim and teumim have the same root, which means twins. Thus, although being two distinct units, separated by the Adanim, silver sockets at the bottom (in which pegs of the planks were placed), they fitted and complemented one another. The tops of the planks had to be tamim, matched up – completely, united by the tabaas, ring, that passed over them. Horav…

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ועשית שנים כרבים ... משני קצות הכפורת. והיו הכרבים פרשי כנפים למעלה ... ופניהם איש אל אחיו

You shall make two Cherubim… from both ends of the Kapores…The Cherubim shall be with wings spread upward… with their faces toward one another. (25:18,20)

The Baal HaTurim writes: Keruvim – Kravya, like young children. He cites the pasuk, Ki naar yoraei v’ohaveihu; “When Yisrael was a lad I loved him” (Hoshea 11:1). The purpose of the Mishkan is to draw and continue hashroas haShechinah, the Divine Presence, into the earthly sphere (thus, bringing sanctity and deeper spirituality into our midst). The primary place where the Shechinah reposed was between the Keruvim, whose facial features were that of young children. The Keruvim aroused Klal Yisrael’s attribute of naarus, an exciting, exuberant and passionate drive to serve Hashem and observe His mitzvos. This is the merit…

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ועשית ארון עצי שיטים ... ונתת אל הארון את העדות אשר אתן לך

They shall make an Ark of atzei Shittim (Acacia wood)… You shall place in the Ark the Testimonial tablets that I shall give you. (25:10,16)

The Aron HaKodesh was the receptacle that contained within it the first Luchos HaBris –which Moshe Rabbeinu broke as a result of the cheit ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf – and the second Luchos. Chazal (Berachos 8b) compare a talmid chacham, Torah scholar, who, due to no fault of his own has forgotten his learning to the Shivrei Luchos, Broken Luchos. As we are instructed to place the Broken Luchos respectfully beside the Luchos Shniim, Second Luchos, so, too, are we commanded to respect the elderly Jew whose Torah erudition is sadly now a matter of history. One may…

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ועשו ארון עצי שטים אמתים וחצי ארכו ואמה וחצי רחבו ואמה וחצי קמתו

They shall make an Ark of atzei shittim, acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length; a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. (25:10)

Chazal (Talmud Yoma 21a) teach that one of the miracles which occurred in the Bais HaMikdash was Aron einah min ha’middah, the place of the Aron HaKodesh, Ark, was not included in the measurement of the Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy of Holies. Based on the measurement, the Ark should not have fit inside the room. The Kodesh HaKodoshim measured twenty cubits by twenty cubits, and a Braissa states that a space of ten cubits was on either side of the Aron. Thus, only through a miracle did the Aron fit in the Kodesh HaKodoshim. Obviously, how this occurred is beyond the…

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ועשית שנים כרובים זהב

You shall make two Keruvim of gold. (25:18)

The Baal HaTurim writes: Keravia, like children (corresponding to the pasuk), Ki naar Yisrael v’o’haveihu, “When Yisrael was a lad, I loved him” (Hoshea 11:1). The Alter, zl, m’Kelm explains the connection between this pasuk and the Keruvim, who had the countenance of children, as alluding to the youthful manner, the approach one must maintain with regard to Torah study. We are to approach Torah study and mitzvah performance with raananus, youthful vitality. Excitement, passion, freshness: these are appellations that apply to youth. Horav Yisrael Salanter, zl, explains the above pasukim (from Hoshea) that Hashem especially loves Klal Yisrael when…

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ועשו ארון עצי שטים ... וצפית אתו זהב טהור ... ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב

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

The zer zahav, gold crown, was an attachment which symbolized the kesser Torah, crown of Torah (Yoma 72b). Chazal (Shemos Rabbah 34:2) teach that three kessarim, crowns, exist: Kesser Malchus, crown of Monarchy; Kesser Kehunah, crown of Priesthood; and Kesser Torah. The crown of Monarchy is symbolized by the zer, crown, that was on the Shulchan, Table. The crown of Kehunah is symbolized by the zer on the Mizbayach, Altar.  Interestingly, concerning the construction of the crown of both the Shulchan and Mizbayach, the Torah writes, V’asissa, “You shall make l’misgarto, for its molding (Shulchan);” V’assisa lo, “You shall make…

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ויקחו לי תרומה מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו תקחו את תרומתי

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

Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, interprets this pasuk homiletically, employing it to establish the guideline for tzedakah, charitable giving. Ish asher yidvenu libo; a man whose heart compels him to give, who gives sincerely, has attained a lofty achievement. We all give, because we can, because Hashem has commanded us to give. Do we give out of shame, afraid of what our friends will say? Do we give out of a sense of guilt? How does one reach the plateau of honest, heartfelt giving? He must believe that it is not his money that he is giving to the poor man,…

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דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה

Speak to Bnei Yisrael and let them take for Me a portion. (25:2)

“Them” refers to the people, to those in charge of collecting funds. It definitely does not refer to Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen. They could not be the collectors, because If Moshe and Aharon were to come knocking on someone’s door and state that they were going door-to-door collecting money, would anyone be so audacious as to say, “no!”? Certainly not. One does not turn his back on the leaders of Klal Yisrael. This is not the way Hashem wanted the Mishkan to be built. It had to be the product of free-will contributions. Furthermore, as Horav Reuven Karlinsky, zl,…

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ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

All of the Menorah’s varied shapes and forms had to be hammered out of one large ingot of gold. Nothing could be made separately and later attached. Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma) teach that this feat (the making of the Menorah) proved to be difficult for Moshe Rabbeinu to conceptualize. He simply could not visualize how the Menorah should appear. Hashem showed Moshe a Menorah made of fire. Still, our leader and Rebbe could not properly create the Menorah. Hashem instructed Moshe to fling the ingot into fire, and a completed Menorah emerged. This miracle is alluded to by the words, “shall…

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ועשית מנרת זהב טהור מקשה תיעשה המנורה

You shall make a Menorah of pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made. (25:31)

Chazal (Midrash Tanchuma) teach that Moshe Rabbeinu had difficulty visualizing the completed Menorah. Hashem showed him a Menorah of fire. Moshe still had difficulty in making it. Hashem then instructed Moshe to hurl an ingot of gold into the fire – and a completed Menorah emerged. This Midrash is laden with commentary addressing Moshe’s difficulty, in as much as we only find two other places in the Torah in which Moshe experienced difficulty understanding Hashem’s command. Obviously, the idea of a Menorah fashioned of fire has a profound message. I came across an inspiring story concerning Chanukah which I think…

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