Terumah 2010

One of the annoying things about politicians is the disconnect between what they say and what they do. Currently, both major parties are talking a lot about how they would like to help the American people. There seems very little evidence that is really what is on their minds. Instead, it seems to be a big game of who can make the other party look worse, with both eyes focussed firmly on the goal of getting reelected.

That might be why it is so much fun to watch the Olympics. In the Olympics, it doesn’t really matter what anyone says. What is important is what the athlete does. And for most sports, there is no arguing. One person is fastest. One person jumps furthest. One person goes highest.

We know without being told that each athlete has put his or her practice at the center of her life. Practice, training, has been the most important thing, and other things have been pushed to the side. The goal was to be there on this day, at the Olympics, where we see them strive.

We are probably somewhere between the politicians and the athletes. When asked what is most important in our lives, most of us would say family. But when there is a conflict between work and family, which comes first?

Many of us say we are dedicated to our religion, and to the principles of that religion. And yet, things come between us and services, between our good intentions and the tzedakah we give, between our volunteering and the very limited time we do have.

In Terumah, this week’s Torah portion, we begin the story of the construction of the Tabernacle, the משכן. Gd tells Moses in great detail how to make the ark, the menorah, the curtain around the holy of holies, the furniture and vessels, and the משכן itself. We could talk about the details, why this wood and not that wood, why fifty hooks and not fifty five, and believe me, a lot has been said on the subject.

But what strikes me is that the Israelites are not just saying that that Gd’s commandments are important to them. They are treating them as important. Every treasure that came with them from Egypt, gold, copper, silver, brass, beautiful dyed cloth, every beautiful thing will go into the creation of the משכן. 

When the people march on the משכן will be literally in their center. And inside the משכן, the holy of holies. And inside the holy of holies, the ark. So what is inside the ark?

Inside the ark will be kept the Tablets of the Law. Both the ones inscribed by Gd, which Moses will break, and the ones inscribed by Moses. And what is on the Tablets of the Law? 

Some say the Ten Commandments, and others say the the entire Torah. We don’t know exactly what the words were inscribed on the Tablets. But we know they were the word of Gd.

So what do the Israelites put at the center of their lives? First, the fact that we have a relationship with Gd. Second, that we must help those who need help. The widow and the orphan, in biblical days, were the people without what we today would call today a safety net. We know how to treat the stranger, for we were strangers in Egypt. 

That is the covenant. If we keep Gd in our lives, and treat others like Gd’s children, then Gd will keep us in His life. As this week’s haftarah portion tells us,  וַיְהִי דְּבַר־ײַ אֶל־שְׁלֹמֹה לֵאמֹר:  הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה בֹנֶה אִם־תֵּלֵךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי תַּעֲשֶׂה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹתַי לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־דְּבָרִי אִתָּךְ אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד אָבִיךָ:  וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא אֶעֱזֹב אֶת־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל:  

The word of the Eternal came to Solomon: As for this House you have built, if you follow My laws and do My rules and keep My commandments and be guided by them, I shall fulfill the words that I spoke to your father David: I will dwell among the Children of Israel, and I will never forsake My people Israel.

Amen.