FEBRUARY 19, 1999 VOL 2, ISSUE 22 3 ADAR 5759
Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063
PARSHAT TERUMAH
The Torah portion of Terumah tells how the Jewish people were commanded to erect the Tabernacle, the Mishkan, so that G-d may "dwell among them." It also tells how the Jews went about fulfilling this command by donating the necessary items. There are three opinions offered by our Sages regarding the time at which this took place: One opinion is that both the command to build the Mishkan and the Jews' donations occurred soon after the Torah was given, and prior to the sin of the Golden Calf. A second opinion holds that both the command and the bringing of gifts took place after G-d forgave the Jewish people on Yom Kippur for the sin of the Golden Calf, "so that all the nations would know that they [the Jewish people] were forgiven for the sin of the Calf." The third opinion is that G-d's command came to Moshe before the sin of the Golden Calf, but that he passed it on to the people only after Yom Kippur.
The Talmud informs us that although there may be divergent opinions among our Sages, "All are equally the words of the living G-d." Thus, it is understood that although the construction of the Mishkan and the bringing of donations had to have happened in accordance with only one of these three schedules, all three opinions are true as they relate to the spiritual Mishkan within the heart of every Jew. In what regard are they all true? Following G-d's giving of the Torah, and before the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jewish people were on the level of tzaddikim, the truly righteous. Then they committed the sin of the Golden Calf. When they were forgiven on Yom Kippur, they attained the level of ba'alei teshuvah, penitents.
Herein lies the difference between the abovementioned opinions: According to the opinion that the command to build the Mishkan and the giving of donations occurred soon after the giving of the Torah and prior to the sin of the Golden Calf, the Mishkan was constructed by tzaddikim. According to the opinion that the command to construct the Mishkan came on Yom Kippur, its erection was the work of penitents. According to the opinion that the sin of the Golden Calf took place between the time of the command to make the Mishkan and its actual construction, even the wicked - those who sinned with the Golden Calf - were able to participate in the construction of a Sanctuary for G-d.
The lesson is as follows: A Jew on the lofty plane of a tzaddik may mistakenly think that having attained so high a level he should involve himself with purely spiritual matters, and that making a physical dwelling place for G-d should be left to those still struggling with the corporeal world. Herein comes the lesson of the first opinion: The command to construct the Sanctuary was given to tzaddikim. Since the tzaddik still exists within this physical world, failing to elevate the mundane by transforming it into a Mishkan can lead to a spiritual downfall. We may think that this manner of service applies only to a tzaddik, who never had to confront and vanquish evil. The penitent, however, has achieved this victory, and may think that he need not occupy himself any longer with physical service. We therefore have the second opinion, which informs us that the command to construct the Sanctuary was given to penitents. Then we have the third opinion: It teaches us that repentance is not a prerequisite to doing good deeds. Even something as sacred as a Sanctuary for G-d may be built by sinners who have not yet repented. Begin doing good at once, secure in the knowledge that repentance will surely follow!
(From: Wellsprings, Based on the teachings and talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson on the weekly Torah Portion Redacted in this format by Rabbi Sholom Wineberg, Based on Likkutei Sichos Vol. VI, pp. 153-156.)
LAWS OF LASHON HARA
Based on the rule that one must endure social and financial loss rather than speak lashon hora, it would seem that there should be no halachic justification to speak loshon hora for a constructive purpose (l'toeles) . Why then does the halachah permit constructive statements to be made? We have noted that all forms of loshon hora fall under one of two categories: (1) derogatory statements; (2) statements which have the potential to cause the subject harm. Derogatory speech was explained as being lowly in that the speaker focuses on the negative aspects of someone's character or behavior. There are times when discussing someone's shortcomings is clearly constructive, and the responsible thing to do. This is true either: when one is attempting to assist the person he is speaking about, or when he is trying to protect others from that person. In such cases, though negative traits or actions are being mentioned, the statements made do not constitute loshon hora. Destructive speech is loshon hora; constructive speech is not. (From: Chafetz Chaim: A Lesson a Day by Rabbi Shimon Finkelman and Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz)
INSIGHTS ON REDEMPTION
"They shall make Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell among them." (25:8) This is the mitzvah of building a sanctuary for the Divine Presence, at first the Tabernacle in the desert and later the Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem. The expression in this verse seems inconsistent: It ordains the making of a sanctuary as a dwelling for the Divine Presence, but then states "I shall dwell among them" instead of "in it!" Our sages thus explain that the Torah speaks not only of a general, central sanctuary for the nation, but also of an individual sanctuary to be "built" and established by every individual Jew. That is, each one must transform himself and his quarters into a sanctuary for G-d: a place of Torah, Prayer and Charity, with effort that all one's thoughts, speech and deeds be for the sake of Heaven, and to infuse with holiness all that we relate to.
This individual and private sanctuary must manifest itself as such even on the physical level, by acquiring sacred items like the holy books of a Chumash and a Siddur, and a Charity-Box, and to place these into that private sanctuary. These three items in particular are the very pillars which were the foundation of the Bet Hamikdash:
TORAH: The Bet Hamikdash housed the Holy Ark which had the two tablets on which were engraved the Ten Commandments. Indeed, the Holy Temple stood on Mount Moriah, the name of which indicates that "Hora'ah - instruction about Torah - laws emanated from there to all of Israel" by means of the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) which was located there.
TEFILAH (Prayer): All sacrifices were offered in the Bet Hamikdash, and our prayers are the substitute for the sacrifices. In fact, of the Bet Hamikdash it is said, "For My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations," and "This is the Gate of Heaven."
TZEDAKAH (Charity): The flow of kindness to and for the world emanated by virtue of the holy "Table" in the Bet Hamikdash (Terumah
25:23ff.) Moreover, in the Bet Hamikdash there was a special room called the "Chamber of Secret Gifts" into which people put anonymous gifts which were used for the anonymous support of the poor.
When a Jew builds his individual sanctuary in this mode, G-d promises
that "I shall dwell among and within them," just as in the central sanctuary
in Jerusalem. Moreover, intensive study of Torah, fervent Tefilah (especially for the Messianic redemption), and acts of Tzedakah, will bring about, speedily in our days, the third and permanent Bet Hamikdash to be established by Moshiach. (
From: Insights to Geula, Chabad in Cyberspace)
The initial preparations for delving into deep intellectual concepts, especially concepts of G-dliness, are (a) a strenuous effort of the body to be rid of one's delight in worldly maters, and (b) a strenuous effort of the soul to stimulate delight in intellectual pursuit in general, and in G-dly matters in particular..(
From Rebbe's Hayom Yom, 1 Adar 4).
We must learn to cultivate our natural faith. We cannot allow our reason to drown out the inner voice that tells us what we know to be true with every fiber of our being. A healthy mind recognizes its innate limitations, acknowledging that there are many experiences outside the narrow scope of our own logic. -The Rebbe