Drash on T’rumah 2025

Rabbi Kim Ettlinger

Temple David

In Bereishit, Genesis, the creation of the world is described in 34 verses; but the passage describing the building of the Tabernacle, Mishkan is nearly three times as long!  We ask why?  Some commentators suggest this difference reflects the difficulty of the humans to build a physical sanctuary for God, while at the same time, making space for God in our hearts to dwell.

It’s a a beautiful idea, the thought of  each of us trying to build a sanctuary, in our hearts for God.

Terumah begins (Ex. 25:1-2) begins with:

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃

“And Adonai spoke to Moses, saying:  Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.”

Our hearts have been moved so much and we have wanted to give so much, more than we can and at times we have not known how to give.

The heart-wrenching more than 500 days of hostages in captivity and their barbaric releases have filled our hearts in a way we have wanted to give of our gifts in an extraordinary way.

We have given wholeheartedly in prayer and tikkun olam. We have given compassion and understanding. We have given anger and hate too.

We have given tzedakah and tzedek. We have given education and advocacy. We have shared and reshared on social media. We have cried and been resilient

We have…

The statement is “we have” but it is “we are”.  We have and we are and will continue to do until everyone is returned home to their families.

Every person is a gift, and these precious gifts must  be returned to us, so they can heal in body, my and soul, or so their neshamot can be at rest.

The souls of the Jewish people are bound up in the bonds of life, we are one and we need to be united.

I share the words of the song “Under The Sky – Mitachat LaShamayim” sung by David Broza and written by Ariel Meir around 1991.

It was made popular years ago,  it has stuck with me since I heard Broza play it at the Kinneret live.

Here are the words and the end of the song being the most poignant of all.

We have come here under the sky – Two like a pair of eyes

We have time under the sky – (Meanwhile,) You & I, we are still

Verse 1

You & I, the bed is wide for love.

Night & day, the smile apologizes for its laziness.

Verse 2

Come, we will give.

I will allow you to give to me to give to you.

Bridge

And (despite) through the fear, and the pain, though there be sorrow

I’ll love and love and love

A sanctuary is built in our hearts, and in the hearts of all who have a modicum of empathy and compassion.

Let us work through the pain so we have place for God and more.  Let us not have fear and let us have love.

Ken yhi ratzon.  May this be God’s will.