By Arielle Bouhadana
Censorship Editor
This week’s parasha, Terumah, contains the detailed instruction for the building of the Mishkan. Hashem says “VeAsu Li Mikdash, Veshachanti Betochum” – “they should make for me a sanctuary (Mikdash) and I will dwell within them”. The choice of words is strange. You would expect Hashem to say “dwell within it” but instead He says “dwell within them”. As such, the Torah is revealing to us that we are not only obligated to make a physical structure of a Mishkan, but we are obligated to make ourselves into a dwelling place for Hashem. Understanding what was needed to build the Mishkan is thus a window into understanding what we must do to make ourselves into a dwelling place for G-dliness.
The parasha begins with a listing of the various items needed for the Mishkan’s vessels and construction. The last items listed in the donations are expensive precious stones called the Avnei Shoham and Miluim, needed for the Cohen Gadol, which were donated by none other than the Sarim of each tribe, or the “Princes”, the leaders. But why are they mentioned last? The Or HaChaim notes that the princes’ donations was lacking in numerous ways and was mentioned last as a result.
How was this donation lacking? Firstly, the princes actually got hold of these precious stones in a miraculous manner. A midrash teaches us that when the Mann descended, the princes found these precious stones deposited along with the Mann in close proximity to their tent. As such, they never really put in any effort into attaining these stones and their giving of the stones was in no way “from the heart” and was considered on a lower level than the gifts of the rest of the nation. Think of a billionaire who donates a million dollars to a cause. At the same time a simple man donates a portion of his hard earned money to the same cause. Whose donation is more valuable? From the standpoint of the giver, the value of the donation is determined not by the amount given but rather by the extent to which the giver has invested himself in the gift; the more effort and sacrifice, the more valuable. In other words, “according to the strain is the reward”, or the modern equivalent ‘no pain, no gain’. Only with strain can one build muscle. Only with the tension of being stretched can the guitar string produce beautiful music. Only with real effort can any growth take place.
The Or HaChaim also explains from the Midrash that the princes thought to themselves, “let’s wait and let all the other people give first and then we will make up the remainder”. They waited to give until everyone else had given and there was nothing left to give but these stones. They gave last, and therefore they are recorded last in the list of the gifts. What is so bad about waiting? Rashi explains that the problem was they were lazy in giving. They had a good reason, but don’t we always have ‘good’ justifications as to why we will wait to do good things? “I will learn more about what it means to be Jewish when life is not so hectic”. The laziness Yetzer Hara is full of clever reasons to justify inaction. The Mesilat Yesharim teaches us that it is so often the voice of laziness that is behind our failures to grow in life and actualize our potential. Our physical nature is heavy. The most basic physical drive we have is simply for comfort and therefore any exertion of effort is seen as unwelcome. When we overcome our desire for comfort and actually get moving and do something, we are going against our basic nature of stagnancy – and that is hard. If you don’t put in the required effort then you are left in the default position – glued to the comfy chair – which while being comfy, is no place for growth, and in truth, is the source of much inner emptiness in our day and age.
Both the Or Hachaim’s answers combine under a single message: growth requires effort. Laziness, or complacency, is the source of spiritual decay. Just like a lazy garden owner will not only have no flowers or pretty grass to enjoy, he will soon have a garden full of thorns, weeds, and mess.
May we learn the lesson from the lack of action shown by the princes and actively break beyond the shackles of laziness to shine greatness onto all that we do. This is what we need to do to make ourselves into a dwelling place for Hashem, a mishkan, allowing the G-dly light of our souls to shine in, filling ourselves, our relationships, friendships, and life in general with glowing goodness.
Shabbat shalom :))
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