Parashat Terumah
February 3, 2022
Rabbi Mick Fine, Middle School Hebrew Department Chair
This week‘s Torah portion, תרומה (Terumah – Offering), prescribes the giving of donations by Bnai Yisrael (The Children of Israel) to a major campaign, with the aim of constructing a divine home for God — the Mishkan — a means through which the people can connect, celebrate, and coalesce around Avodat Hashem — serving God.
In the opening verses of this week’s parashah, we read a kind of mission statement: “ דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כָּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרֽוּמָתִֽי” — which could be translated: “Speak to Bnai Yisrael, and take offerings for me; from every person with a generous heart — take my offering.” The Torah continues, and identifies the required materials for this project: זהב – gold, כסף - silver, נחושת – bronze, אבני שהם – precious jewels, עצי שיתים – planks of wood.
It’s worth noting that translating the Torah Hebrew — and the name of this week’s parashah — תרומה (terumah) as “offering” or “donation” misses an interesting difference: a terumah (מרים) uplifts. This lifting up can be understood as raising what are everyday material goods (perhaps obtained upon exit from Egypt) to a grand purpose, toward a shared communal value, and in fact national identity and stability.
It’s worth noting that translating the Torah Hebrew — and the name of this week’s parashah — תרומה (terumah) as “offering” or “donation” misses an interesting difference: a terumah (מרים) uplifts. This lifting up can be understood as raising what are everyday material goods (perhaps obtained upon exit from Egypt) to a grand purpose, toward a shared communal value, and in fact national identity and stability.
As the Hebrew Department Chair of the Leffell Middle School I have the unique station of observing and planning for the development of the Hebrew of nearly 200 students. As a Hebrew teacher I see the strides that my students make and the incredible efforts they put forth to cause those strides. Their hearts, their courage to summon the wood planks, bronze, and silver that they contribute is what makes the magic happen. Indeed the contributions of the Hebrew students — gold, silver, and brass — contribute to the fabric of the classroom, to the linguistic development of their peers, to their own abilities and, importantly, to their emerging Jewish identities as Hebrew speakers, consumers and producers of Hebrew culture.
Each student contributes their תרומה (terumah), and each is met where they are by our amazing Hebrew faculty. Our צוות עברית (Hebrew faculty) facilitates explorations of culture and language, היום ועכשיו (now and today) through a combination of generous hearts and methodic practices, and we work tirelessly to bring artifacts and channels of culture to life, raising these Hebrew sparks from the level of a word or a worksheet to an opportunity to gaze through a window into their own culture and self. At The Leffell School Hebrew teachers pivot — sharing a poem to help a young human with a tough day, or a practicing dialogue in which these young souls express sympathy.
In the Torah, the contributions of silver were destined to adorn the tops and bottoms of the fencing around the Mishkan. These architectural elements, called adanim in the Torah, in addition to being visually striking, also served the dual purpose of strengthening and grounding the individual pieces of the structure, bridging the gaps between them and making them more beautiful at the same time.
So we have learned the mission and how to accomplish it — receive offerings from those of a willing heart. Why include this emotional or devotional aspect? A Polish rabbi from the turn of the century, Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz offers that “The Torah is noting that the people who were successful in building the Mishkan were successful because of their inner courage to come forward and volunteer, to do what was needed.” Similarly, in our Hebrew classes we ask students to bring their whole hearts, to volunteer to jump into what might be cold and deep waters. Their success, as was Bnai Yisrael’s in the desert, reflects a willingness to do what is needed, even when challenging. Shabbat Shalom.
In the Torah, the contributions of silver were destined to adorn the tops and bottoms of the fencing around the Mishkan. These architectural elements, called adanim in the Torah, in addition to being visually striking, also served the dual purpose of strengthening and grounding the individual pieces of the structure, bridging the gaps between them and making them more beautiful at the same time.
So we have learned the mission and how to accomplish it — receive offerings from those of a willing heart. Why include this emotional or devotional aspect? A Polish rabbi from the turn of the century, Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz offers that “The Torah is noting that the people who were successful in building the Mishkan were successful because of their inner courage to come forward and volunteer, to do what was needed.” Similarly, in our Hebrew classes we ask students to bring their whole hearts, to volunteer to jump into what might be cold and deep waters. Their success, as was Bnai Yisrael’s in the desert, reflects a willingness to do what is needed, even when challenging. Shabbat Shalom.