Parshas Trumah

This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Trumah. Hashem commands Moshe (Moses) to construct a “dwelling place” for His presence. This dwelling place is in Hebrew called the Mishkan. There were also some very important Kaylim or vessels that needed to be constructed and placed in the Mishkan. We learn about some of those . They are: the Aron (ark) containing the luchos (tablets), the Shulchan (table) which the Lechem HaPanim (show bread) was put on, the Menorah (candelabra), the Mizbayach (alter) where animals were offered, and the copper Mizbayach (alter) where spices were offered.

There is a passuk where Hashem commands Moshe how to construct the Mishkan. It says, “from every man whose heart will motivate him you shall take my portion.” Rabbi Moshe Sofer zt”l (a.k.a. the Chasam Sofer) says on this passuk that Hashem didn’t need the gold and silver from the B’nai Yisroel because it would seem ridiculous that Hashem, the Creator of the Universe, would need some gold and silver in his dwelling place. The answer is that it wasn’t the gold or silver but He wanted them to give what was important to them. Hashem wanted their dedication and He wanted the effort that a man was willing to put in. That is what Hashem wanted His “dwelling places” to be “constructed” of.

Hashem commanded Moshe to construct the Aron (ark) and all of the measurements were half measurements. As it says in the passuk, “two and a half cubits its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.” Rabbi Nosson Ben Shimon HaKohen Adler explains that Hashem had the measurements of the Aron be halves rather then whole numbers to teach us and to remind the great Torah scholars that they have not even reached “perfection” or wholeness in their learning.

We should all learn from this week’s Parsha that Hashem wants us to dedicate ourselves completely and through our great effort we should all be zocheh (merit) to reach our full potential - Amen!

HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Parshas Tetzaveh (TET-TZAH-VEH)!