B"H
Monday, Shevat 29, 5782 / January 31, 2022
This week's Parsha, Terumah, is about the Jewish people’s contributions for the building of the Mishkan-Tabernacle in the desert. The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe saying: 'Speak to the Children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering.”
G-d told Moshe to collect the contributions for the construction of the Mishkan-Tabernacle. The purpose is stated in the Parsha, "And they shall make Me a sanctuary so that I shall dwell among them."
Q. Why does Parshat Terumah, where G-d commands to construct the Mishkan, come right after Parshat Yitro and Mishpatim, in which we read about the Giving of The Torah to the Jewish people?
A. The Midrash explains it with the following parable: A great and mighty king loved his only daughter dearly. When the time came for her to get married, she married a prince from another country.
After they were married, the prince wanted to take his wife back to his country. When the king realized that his only child was about to move away, he said to his son-in-law, "You know how much I love my daughter. Until now I enjoyed her company greatly and now I will miss her. Thus, I ask of you only one favor. Wherever you and my daughter will live, please build a home for me next to yours so that I can come and stay near you."
The same is with the Torah and the people of Israel. For thousands of years, the Torah was in G-d’s possession - in heaven. Now, after we read in Parshat Yitro and Mishpatim that G-d gave the Torah away to the Jewish people, He requests, "Make Me a sanctuary, so that I shall dwell among them!”
The Midrash explains that when G-d told Moshe to build a sanctuary so that He may rest among them, Moshe said to G-d, "Your glory fills the heaven and earth! How can we possibly build a structure in which You can dwell?" G-d replied, "I do not ask the impossible. I do not ask that they build according to My means but according to theirs. Do the best you can and I will dwell amongst you!
The Midrash tells that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, who was very righteous, yet very poor, once saw a nicely shaped rock which he wanted to bring as a gift to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, the rock was too heavy for him to carry and he couldn't afford to pay porters to deliver it to Jerusalem.
Rabbi Chanina prayed to G-d. Soon five angels in the form of people appeared. They immediately offered to carry the rock for free to Jerusalem, although with the condition that Rabbi Chanina put his finger to the rock and help them carry it.
Our sages explain that the angels didn't need Rabbi Chanina's help. But G-d wants us to try to the best ofOUR ability, then He will take care of the rest. All G-d wants from us is that we do the best WE can.
This year is a Hebrew leap year, thus there are two months of Adar.Tonight (Monday night), Tuesday & Wednesday is Rosh Chodesh Adar 1.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND SUCCESSFUL DAY