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Terumah (2026)

Shabbat Terumah

Dvar Torah
The Torah portion opens with Hashem telling the Jewish people to build the Tabernacle which will become the center of the camp and the worldly home of the Shechina – the Divine Presence.

A massive fundraising campaign ensues, with the people generously giving gold, silver, precious stones and fabrics — but there are two critical conditions to participate. First, there is a specific list. Not everything is accepted and the materials must match what G-d asks for. Second, the Torah instructs to accept donations specifically from “every man whose heart maketh him willing” with Rashi explaining this as a wholehearted gift of goodwill.

As the spiritual epicenter of the Jewish people, the Tabernacle and later the Temple needed to be built on solid foundations. To create a true home for G-d we first have to understand that it’s not about us. It’s not about our egos and what we want to give, but what is needed from us. It’s also not enough to give begrudgingly or even passively. The literal fabrics of our community needed to be given wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm. Money can build a wall, but to build a home for G-d it takes much more.

In this sense, the building of the Tabernacle becomes a lighthouse for our entire engagement with Torah and Mitzvot. Indeed, this singular event necessitated a higher bar, and we are not expected to always reach the level demanded then. But the aspirational bar is set: to live a life of wholehearted enthusiastic service.

Adar
This week (Wednesday) marked the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar – the month of Purim – celebrating the miraculous deliverance of the Jewish People from decimation in ancient Persia. The Talmud teaches us that Adar is an auspicious and happy month which should be marked throughout with increased joviality.

Shabbat in/out times
Yerushalayim 16:50/18:07
Tel-Aviv 17:09/18:09
Dubai 17:58/18:51
Paris 18:01/19:09
NYC 17:19/18:19
Mexico City 18:21/19:12

Shabbat Shalom!
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to the speedy and full recovery of my sister Leora Channa bat Shulamit Nechama




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