March 1, 2025
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA
Thisweek’sparsha,Terumah,isall aboutaveryspecial project—the building of the Mishkan, the holy place where Hashem’s presence would rest among the Jewish people! Hashem tells Moshe to collect donations from Bnei Yisrael, and every person who wants to give can bring something to help build the Mishkan. The donations included gold, silver, copper, colorful wool, fine linen, animal skins, wood, oil for the menorah, spices for incense, and precious gems. These materials would be used to make all the different parts of the Mishkan and its special holy objects.
Hashem gives Moshe exact instructions as to how to build each part of the Mishkan. The first and most
ONE BIG IDEA
In Parshat Terumah, Hashem tells Bnei Yisrael: "Ve’asu Li mikdash v’shachanti b’tocham" "Make for Me a holy place, and I will dwell among them.". Why does it say in “them”and notin “it?”Isn’t itreferringtothe Mishkan? What it means is that Hashem doesn’t just live in one building He wants to be close to each of us! When we do mitzvot, learn Torah, and treat others with kindness, we make a "mini-Mishkan" in our hearts. Just like Bnei Yisrael worked together to build the Mishkan, we can build a special place for Hashem in our lives by doing good deeds every day!
important item was the Aron (ark), which held the Luchot of the Torah. The Aron was made of wood and covered in gold, and it had a golden crown around it. On top of the Aron was the Kaporet, a gold covering with two Keruvim (cherubs) angel-like figures with wings facing each other. Hashem’s voice would speak to Moshe from between the Keruvim.
Next, Hashem describes the Shulchan (Table), which was made of gold and held the Lechem HaPanim (Showbread) twelve special loaves of bread that stayed fresh all week! The Menorah, a beautiful golden lamp with seven branches, was also in the Mishkan. Every night, the Kohanim would light the Menorah to spread its holy light.
The Mizbe’ach (Altar) was used for offering korbanot (sacrifices) to Hashem. There was a Mizbe’ach HaNechoshet (Copper Altar) for animal sacrifices outside the Mishkan and a Mizbe’achHaZahav (Golden Altar) inside for burning incense.
The Mishkan itself was made of wooden beams and colorful curtains, creating a special and holy space. The inside of the Mishkan was divided into two sections: the Kodesh (Holy Place) and the KodeshHaKodashim (Holy of Holies), where only the KohenGadol could enter on Yom Kippur.
Candle-lighting: 5:27pm
Havdalah: 6:24pm
allah: 5:25pm
PARSHA STATS
Mitzvot………………………….3 (2 Do’s, 1 Don’t)
Lines in the Torah ..............155 (43rd most)
Pesukim .............................96 (38th most)
Words ................................1145 (45th most)
Letters................................4692 (41st most)
Year(s)................................2448
(Source: OU Torah Tidbits)
The Mishkan became a sort of prefab building, which means that once it was built, it could easily be dismantled, packed up, moved, and then rebuilt pretty quickly at the next stop. Like a tent on a camping trip. In fact, did you know that the English word for Mishkan is Tabernacle, which means “tent” in Latin? Bnei Yisrael dismantled and rebuilt their “tent” every time they traveled to a different spot in the desert.
CHECKLIST
To be filled out after shabbat and brought in Monday.
I called to wish them a “Shabbat Shalom”
I went to ________________ shul (synagogue)
I did the Shabbat mitzvah of_______________
Hadlakat Nerot/Kiddush/Hamotzi/ Birkat Hamazon
Sang zemirot/songs
I wore __________________ in honor of Shabbat
I __________________________ in my home to prepare for Shabbat
Full Name: ______________________________
Class:
Parent Signature: _________________________
QUESTIONS
1. Why does the Torah seem to refer to the Mishkan in plural rather than singular?
2. What time does/did Shabbat start this week?
3. How many candles did the Menorah in the Mishkan hold? Do the Menorahs that we use on Chanukkah have the same number? Why or why not?
4. Thought question: If you had to build a house for Hashem, what would it be made of?
5. True or false: Anyone could go into the Kodesh Hakodashim anytime they wanted to.