FEBRUARY 27, 1998 VOL 1, ISSUE 16 1 ADAR 5758

In the Torah portion of Terumah, the Jews are commanded to bring terumah (offerings) for use in the Mishkan (the Tabernacle). The command is repeated three times: "They shall take unto Me terumah;" "you shall take My terumah;" "This is the terumah that you shalltake." Our Sages comment that the Torah is referring here to three different types of terumah: the terumah used for constructing bases for the Mishkan's beams; the terumah of the silver half-shekel for the purchase of communal offerings; and general offerings for the construction of the Mishkan.

Of the above three offerings, only the terumah of the half-shekel was obligatory throughout the time that the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash stood -- every Jew was commanded to contribute a half-shekel a year for the purchase of communal offerings. In commemoration of the above, we read the Torah portion concerning the half-shekel on the Shabbos that precedes Rosh Chodesh Adar, the time when the announcement was made about the half-shekel while the Beis HaMikdash still existed. Additionally, some say that before Purim, a half-coin of the currency of the country should be given in commemoration of the half-shekel that used to be given during the month of Adar.

The command regarding the offering used for the sockets was germane only prior to the building of the Mishkan, as was the command regarding the general construction offerings, which applied only prior to the construction of the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash. Torah, however, is eternal, and thus applies equally to all times and places; in terms of man's spiritual service, the terumah of the sockets and the terumah of the general construction offerings must apply nowadays as well. How so? There was a fundamental difference between the terumah of the Mishkan's sockets and the terumah for the construction of the Mishkan itself: Regarding the former, all Jews gave an equal amount -- a half-shekel; regarding the latter, each Jew gave according to his heart's desire.

In terms of our personal spiritual service, the terumah for the sockets represents the self-abnegation and acceptance of the Heavenly Yoke that stem from the essence of every Jew's soul, and concerning which all Jews are equal. This also explains why the half-shekel given by every Jew was used only for the sockets, and not for the rest of the Mishkan: The sockets constituted the foundation upon which the entire Mishkan stood. In spiritual terms, the sockets are congruous with acceptance of the Heavenly Yoke, inasmuch as such acceptance serves as the foundation of all spiritual service, springing from the soul's essence, wherein all Jews are equal.

The terumah for the general construction of the Mishkan, however, reflects intellectual and emotional service, which depend upon each individual's spiritual status; the spiritual level -- "heart's desire" -- of one Jew differs significantly from that of his fellow. These two levels are also to be found within our daily

spiritual service: Every Jew's spiritual service begins immediately

upon awakening, with Modeh Ani, a prayer recited even before

"Let them take for Me an offering." (25:2) QUESTION: According to Rashi, the word "li" teaches "lishmi" -- "for My name." What is the connection between terumah and Hashem's name? ANSWER: The four-lettered name of Hashem is spelled "Yud Heh Vav Heh" and it teaches the correct manner of offering tzedakah. The "Yud" represents the coin being given. The "heh" is the hand (five fingers) giving the coin. The "Vav" is the poor man stretching out his hand to receive the coin, and the final "Heh" is the receiving hand. However, if a poor man first stretches his hand out and asks for tzedakah, the name of Hashem is not in order. Rashi is teaching that the proper way to give tzedakah is "lishmi" -- in the order of the spelling of My name.

"And they shall make an Ark." (25:10) QUESTION: Why for all the vessels made for the Mishkan such as the table, menorah, etc. does the Torah command in a singular form -- "ve'asita" -- "And you shall make," while only for the Ark and efod (apron) does it say "ve'asu" -- "And they shall make? " (28:6) ANSWER: The Ark contained the tablets and represents the idea of studying and observing Torah. The word "efod" has the numerical value of 85, which spells the word "peh" --"mouth" -- and is a hint for the Torah Sheba'al Peh -- the Oral Torah. With the plural expression Hashem is alluding that both the Written and Oral Torah belong to Klal Yisrael. Each and every Jew has a share in it and no individual can claim ownership of Torah.

-The Rebbe

Rabeinu Haggadol the alter Rebbe, set forth a program for chassidim of striving (avoda) with the mind and seeking truth, to critically examine one's every move to be certain it conforms strictly with truth and comes through avoda, effort. This avoda does not imply- as some think, altogether erroneously- that one must pulverize mountains and shatter boulders, turn the world upside down. The absolute truth is that any avoda, any act, whatever it may be, is perfectly satisfactory when performed with true Kavana; intent: A b'racha pronounced with kavana; a word of davening as it should be, with a prepared heart and an awareness of "before Whom you stand"; a passage in Chumash said with an awareness that it is the word of G-d; a verse of Tehillim; a beneficent trait of character expressed in befriending another with affection and love. The truth of the matter is, that to achieve this calls for great and intense effort, meaning simply to study a great deal of Torah and to comprehend it-each according to his ability-and then G-d will help him be what truth demand.(from: the rebbe's hayom yom - Adar 2).