A Thought On Parshas Terumah
A Thought On Parshas Terumah
"...v'asu aron..."
"...and they shall make an ark..." (25:10)
Our parsha is devoted to instructions about constructing the mishkan - the Shrine in the desert - which was the central place for our spiritual communion over forty years of travel. Verse after verse speaks about building and assembling - v'asisa this, v'asisa that. This word is second person singular imperative, as many different individuals were involved with the process, and were given this "individual instruction" to form, shape, design and make the utensils and structures which were housed in the mishkan.
When the above verse gives the instruction to construct the Ark, however, the word form changes to third person plural - and they shall make the Ark. This alters the flow of the verses significantly and begs interpretation.
The Bechor Shor offers that since the Ark housed the Torah, and everyone is responsible for learning and practicing the Torah, if follows that the verse wants all of us to feel that we are responsible for honoring and respecting the Divine contents of that Ark. Symbolically, then, the instruction to build the Ark of the Torah was worded as a group task, not something which can be relegated to just one person or another. We all must, then, make ourselves containers of Torah. Each of us is an "arkitecht".
The Bechor Shor adds that we must derive from this an additional lesson that when it comes to a Torah scholar - a talmid chacham - everyone is responsible to engage and interact with him in a supportive and constructive manner. Torah is not only the domain of select individuals. All of us share in studying and knowing its ways. The more one dedicates himself to Torah, the more we show honor for his Torah.
Wishing you a collaborative Shabbos! D Fox
"...v'asu aron..."
"...and they shall make an ark..." (25:10)
Our parsha is devoted to instructions about constructing the mishkan - the Shrine in the desert - which was the central place for our spiritual communion over forty years of travel. Verse after verse speaks about building and assembling - v'asisa this, v'asisa that. This word is second person singular imperative, as many different individuals were involved with the process, and were given this "individual instruction" to form, shape, design and make the utensils and structures which were housed in the mishkan.
When the above verse gives the instruction to construct the Ark, however, the word form changes to third person plural - and they shall make the Ark. This alters the flow of the verses significantly and begs interpretation.
The Bechor Shor offers that since the Ark housed the Torah, and everyone is responsible for learning and practicing the Torah, if follows that the verse wants all of us to feel that we are responsible for honoring and respecting the Divine contents of that Ark. Symbolically, then, the instruction to build the Ark of the Torah was worded as a group task, not something which can be relegated to just one person or another. We all must, then, make ourselves containers of Torah. Each of us is an "arkitecht".
The Bechor Shor adds that we must derive from this an additional lesson that when it comes to a Torah scholar - a talmid chacham - everyone is responsible to engage and interact with him in a supportive and constructive manner. Torah is not only the domain of select individuals. All of us share in studying and knowing its ways. The more one dedicates himself to Torah, the more we show honor for his Torah.
Wishing you a collaborative Shabbos! D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 8:23 PM
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