Terumah- Offerings

Thanks again for your contribution Rabbi Jack. -Brad

"He Provides Us A Way"


Parashat HaShavua Terumah / Offering

This Week's Reading List:
Shemot / Exodus 25:1-27:19
Melachim Aleph / 1 Kings 5:26-6:13
Mattityahu / Matthew 5:33-37
Ivrim / Hebrews 9:1-10


Shemot {25:1} HaShem spoke to Moshe (Moses), saying, {25:2} "Speak to bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel), that they take a korban (draw near / offering) for Me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take My offering. {25:3} This is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, brass, {25:4} blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, {25:5} rams' skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, {25:6} oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, {25:7} onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate. {25:8} Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. {25:9} According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tent, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it.

G-d didn't just tell Moshe how to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) -- He showed him the pattern! I'm sure that, just as Moshe left Mount Sinai with the two tablets, he left with the architectural plans of the Mishkan in hand.

The Mishkan provided a method for G-d to live among His people -- despite their fallen condition! With the construction of the Mishkan a holy G-d could now live in the midst of an unholy people.

The reality is that the Mishkan was a recreation of the Gan Eden, a holy place for G-d to dwell. The Mishkan was, in essence, G-ds refuge, a place where there was no imperfection, a place where nothing related to death or uncleanness could enter. This Mishkan was totally G-d centered.

The entire system of korbanot (plural for korban), outlined for us in the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) chapters 1-4, was man centered. Man coming to G-d. Our approach to G-d was through the korban, while G-d's approach to us was through the Mishkan. Due to sin man failed in coming to G-d because G-d cannot fellowship with sin, so G-d created a visible way for man to come to Him and for Him to come to man.

Shemot {25:8} And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

G-d is expressing three things here: HIS MISHKAN (TABERNACLE), HIS SHEKINAH (PHYSICAL PRESENCE), and HIS KEDUSHAH (HOLINESS). These three terms Mishkan, Shekinah, and Kedushah, represent G-d's desire to dwell among His people. The Mishkan always designates the sanctuary and is a synonym for the phrase, "tent of meeting." The word Mishkan places the emphasis on the representative presence of G-d:

Vayikra {26:11} And I will set My Mishkan among you: and My soul shall not abhor you. {26:12} And I will walk among you, and will be your G-d, and you shall be My people.

The Mishkan was a mobile Temple, a place for G-d to tabernacle among His people while they were wandering in the wilderness. It protected His Kedushah. A Kadosh (Holy / Separated) G-d was not able to walk freely among His people because of their sin. Therefore, a sanctuary that was Kadosh (Holy / Separated) had to be provided so that He could dwell among them, so that b'nei Yisrael could offer atonement for their sin and so that G-d and His most treasured possession could have fellowship, one with the other. The Mishkan was a place where bnei Yisrael could worship and commune with a Kadosh G-d.

Shekinah is a word that expresses the visible divine Presence of God, especially when resting between the cherubim over the Kaporet (the Atonement Seat). Shekinah refers to the instances when G-d revealed Himself in a visible fashion. For example: on Mount Sinai when the smoke, thunder and lightning came that was the Shekinah Glory of G-d. In the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies), the luminous cloud that rested above the Aron HaKodesh (Ark of the Covenant) and lit up the room that was the Shekinah Glory of G-d. Also, the cloud and the fire that watched over and led bnei Yisrael in the wilderness that was the Shekinah Glory of G-d.

The Mishkan shows us the sinfulness of man. The separation necessary between a Holy G-d and sinful man is vividly demonstrated in its construction and existence.

The Mishkan shows us the Holiness of G-d so that we understand that we must approach G-d His way -- not our way!

Ivrim (Hebrews) {10:19} Therefore, mishpocha (family), having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Yeshua, {10:20} by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

And lastly the Mishkan shows us the grace of G-d. It shows us that, despite our sinfulness, G-d chooses to save us and to dwell among us anyway. He does this because of His love for us and His desire to dwell among us. He reaches down to man so as to have fellowship with him, and so that He can dwell among us. He provides us a way to overcome the barriers that separated us.

Yeshua is not always obvious in the Tanach. G-d has hidden Him in symbolisms, reserved for those who are willing to search for Him, find Him, recognize Him and believe in Him. In that way, if someone truly desired to find G-d, they would just have to look into the symbolism provided for us in the building material and construction method specified by HaShem for the building of the Mishkan.

If someone told you that there was $100, 000. 00 worth of gold hidden somewhere in your room, and you could keep it if you found it, then I bet that you would not waste a minute tearing the place apart to look for the gold, would you not? G-d has hidden eternal life with Him in Heaven. He has hidden it in His Word. Gold will only last your life time, if that, eternal life is, well, it is ETERNAL. Which do you think is more valuable to have?

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber