The Crown Awaits You
Terumah
ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם
"Build for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell within it"
The Torah’s eternal directive to build a dwelling place for Hashem introduces this
week’s Parsha, the commandment to build a Mishkan.
For those Hebrew grammarians, you may have observed the grammatical “inconsistency” in this verse.
The word בתוכם does not mean in it, but rather in them. Our sages explain that to build a sanctuary in which Hashem’s presence will rest is not merely about the construction of a physical structure. Rather it expresses Hashem’s desire to reside within every single Jewish person.
The carefully designed Mishkan and its vessels form the blueprints by which we transform ourselves to becoming a fitting receptacle for Hashem’s presence.
Three of the Temple vessels described in Parshas Terumah had a decorative feature referred to as a Zeir (lit. a crown); the Aron Hakodesh (the Holy Ark which contained the Luchos), the Shulchan (the Table on which the Lechem Haponim was placed) and the Mizbeach Haketores (Incense Altar).
What is the significance of these three crowns? As the source of wealth and financial prosperity, the crown on the Table alludes to the Crown of Malchus (kingship).
The incense was one of the most lofty services in the Beis Hamikdosh which could only be performed by a Kohen. The Zeir on the Incense Altar represents the Crown of Kehunah (priesthood).
The Talmud teaches us that King David came and acquired the Crown of Kingship for himself and for his descendants. Aharon HaKohen came and took the Crown of Kehunah for himself and his offspring. But the final crown, the Kesser Torah, remains accessible and available to all. The Talmud warns us, that should we think that the Crown of Torah is of lesser status than the other two. On the contrary, the Kesser Torah is the most precious of all.
When Moshe is commanded to make the Mishkan and its vessels, the directive is issued as ועשית, and you shall make. The Torah uses the word you in its singular form. When commanded to build the Aron, the Torah says ועשו, and they shall make, using the plural term.
Whereas the ability of Bnei Yisroel to be a part of the other making the other Keilim was not possible, they were all included in the instruction to make the Aron.
The Crown of Torah does not belong to an exclusive group of scholars. The Torah is the inheritance of every Jew and is accessible to all.
The Menora also represents the study of Torah. The Chasam Sofer explains the difference between the metaphor of the Menora and of the Aron. The Menora represents the in-depth pilpul study of the full-time Torah scholars. The Aron represents the essence of the Torah. Not everyone can be a Menora, but everyone must be an Aron. Daily Torah study, even perek in the morning and one perek at night is an obligation for every person, be they a Kollel student or businessman.
In Torah Or on this week’s parsha, the Alter Rebbe extols the greatness of the fixed times of Torah study established by working Balabatim. Wine is often used as a metaphor for Torah. There is regular wine and then there is הרקח יין, fragrant wine. Regular wine is enjoyable, but fragrant wine provides an even deeper level of pleasure. Fragrant wine represents the Torah Shiurim of the businessman.
The noble Torah study by full-time Torah scholars is an incredible accomplishment. But it is the working man, who comes home tired from a busy day and devotes themselves to a Shiur with tremendous self-discipline and exertion that generates the highest levels of pleasure and Nachas Above.
"Build for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell within it"
The Torah’s eternal directive to build a dwelling place for Hashem introduces this
week’s Parsha, the commandment to build a Mishkan.
For those Hebrew grammarians, you may have observed the grammatical “inconsistency” in this verse.
The word בתוכם does not mean in it, but rather in them. Our sages explain that to build a sanctuary in which Hashem’s presence will rest is not merely about the construction of a physical structure. Rather it expresses Hashem’s desire to reside within every single Jewish person.
The carefully designed Mishkan and its vessels form the blueprints by which we transform ourselves to becoming a fitting receptacle for Hashem’s presence.
Three of the Temple vessels described in Parshas Terumah had a decorative feature referred to as a Zeir (lit. a crown); the Aron Hakodesh (the Holy Ark which contained the Luchos), the Shulchan (the Table on which the Lechem Haponim was placed) and the Mizbeach Haketores (Incense Altar).
What is the significance of these three crowns? As the source of wealth and financial prosperity, the crown on the Table alludes to the Crown of Malchus (kingship).
The incense was one of the most lofty services in the Beis Hamikdosh which could only be performed by a Kohen. The Zeir on the Incense Altar represents the Crown of Kehunah (priesthood).
The Talmud teaches us that King David came and acquired the Crown of Kingship for himself and for his descendants. Aharon HaKohen came and took the Crown of Kehunah for himself and his offspring. But the final crown, the Kesser Torah, remains accessible and available to all. The Talmud warns us, that should we think that the Crown of Torah is of lesser status than the other two. On the contrary, the Kesser Torah is the most precious of all.
When Moshe is commanded to make the Mishkan and its vessels, the directive is issued as ועשית, and you shall make. The Torah uses the word you in its singular form. When commanded to build the Aron, the Torah says ועשו, and they shall make, using the plural term.
Whereas the ability of Bnei Yisroel to be a part of the other making the other Keilim was not possible, they were all included in the instruction to make the Aron.
The Crown of Torah does not belong to an exclusive group of scholars. The Torah is the inheritance of every Jew and is accessible to all.
The Menora also represents the study of Torah. The Chasam Sofer explains the difference between the metaphor of the Menora and of the Aron. The Menora represents the in-depth pilpul study of the full-time Torah scholars. The Aron represents the essence of the Torah. Not everyone can be a Menora, but everyone must be an Aron. Daily Torah study, even perek in the morning and one perek at night is an obligation for every person, be they a Kollel student or businessman.
In Torah Or on this week’s parsha, the Alter Rebbe extols the greatness of the fixed times of Torah study established by working Balabatim. Wine is often used as a metaphor for Torah. There is regular wine and then there is הרקח יין, fragrant wine. Regular wine is enjoyable, but fragrant wine provides an even deeper level of pleasure. Fragrant wine represents the Torah Shiurim of the businessman.
The noble Torah study by full-time Torah scholars is an incredible accomplishment. But it is the working man, who comes home tired from a busy day and devotes themselves to a Shiur with tremendous self-discipline and exertion that generates the highest levels of pleasure and Nachas Above.