Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Discusses Parshas Terumah on JM in the AM (5786)

Good morning Shabas everybody. Whoa. Tomorrow we have the privilege of starting and reading paras truma. Paras truma contains according to the three mitzvos two positive and one restriction. The two positive mitzvah are number one mitzvah base the obligation all right I'll leave I'll stay with that word but building the holy temple that is the first mitzvah the second one is a restriction which is that the staves or the poles that are connected to the ark are never to be removed moved. Okay, we have easy access to moving the ark. And finally, the third mitzvah is the precept of Leona arranging the showbread and the frankincense in the sanctuary. Okay. Really all of the para of Truma deals with the details of the construction of the sanctuary. It is clear that the whole idea of building a quote home house for God is an enigma to begin with. Man has need for a dining room, a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom. All the requirements of a house is what man needs. However, God doesn't need any of this. So the whole I and then as King Schlommo says in his dedication of the first ba mikdash, wait a second. He says the heavens cannot hold you God let alone a home. So the rabbis tell us there's a concept called simsum which means the ability of hashem to concentrate that there will be more of his presence in one place than in another place. On the one hand, we say every day kad Hashem is holy and melod where is he? Like uncle says he's all over up down right left all around. Good. So this whole idea of having a house for God is something which is clearly almost to begin with not something that we could understand. The rabbis tell us that there's clearly a great deal of symbolism that is involved with this construction. And I'd like to focus on one idea of this where to see how the Torah introduces this mitzvah of building a sanctuary for God. The para begins chapter 25 in the book of Schmos. Holy Truma literally speak to the children of Israel and let them take for me a portion. Take from me. What does that mean? Take for me a portion. Isn't it giving? So the first thing that you need to know is a delicious medish in Russ rabba. In the second chapter of Russ, we find that Russ goes into the field of Boaz and she is collecting, the different gifts to the poor that the owner of the field is to leave for the poor. Okay. She comes home with two shopping bags full of produce and Naomi says to her, "Oh, where'd you go today? Where'd you collect?" Now listen to what Russ answers. She says in chapter 2 of the book of Rusish, the name of the man aerosi imo that I did for him today is Boaz. Now what do you mean the name of the man that I did for him? If anything, who did for whom? I would believe that the one that's doing for the other is that Boaz is doing for Russ. No, more than what Boaz gave Rus in the form of sustaining her physically. does Russ do for Boaz by now changing him into a giver. Boaz is now a different individual. He's now a donor. He's now a giver. He's now someone that is helping others. There's been a transformation in Boaz's character. Whoa. What an incredible way to look at this mitzvah. And therefore, when you give, you're really taking for yourself. But I'd like to go to the next phrase. The Torah says, "From whom are we collecting donations? May is from every manu whose heart motivates him. You shall take my portion. Meaning that I'd like to introduce you to a fascinating gimra in Baba Basra 8b. There Rav teaches a very important lesson and the lesson is als and around 8 910 in Babasra various aspects of the laws of charity. And the first thing that we ought to learn is that sedoka is not to be translated as most of us probably do as charity. Charity is clearly a voluntary act that a person does. Is not always voluntary. What does that mean? It means that the representatives of the Jewish based in court of law are authorized to seize a pledge for an unpaid charity obligation. Now this obligation where did the obligation come from? Did the person obligate himself and say I will give X amount of money and that's why he's obligated or no there's a need in the community and the community says everybody has to participate. Now sometimes everybody participates equally and sometimes no based upon the individual's income the community has the right to tax. Exactly. We have an obligation and indeed if you take a look in the safer okay we find what is mitzvah 478 mitzvah 478 is not to refrain from sustaining a poor man and giving him what he needs and mitzvah 479 is the mitzvah of and how was this translated by to act with charity toward a person who needs it with gladness and a good heart. What's the difference? The check I give you. What's the difference? If I wrote it willingly or if I was coerced, I was embarrassed. How could I give this if other people? Come on. What? In other words, we should give of our personal wealth to anyone in need. support the poor man with whatever he requires for his sustenance with all our ability. Okay? And the continues that the Torah says, "You shall surely give open your hand." Okay? Now, even 100 times, it's also stated that you shall uphold him as a stranger. He shall live with you. And listen carefully. The idea is that the Torah is telling us that we have to do it in such a way that we don't embarrass etc. But there is an obligation. However, whereas there might be an obligation in for different charities for which the community has the right to tax everyone. God forbid there's a tragedy and uh the bread winner of the family has been taken away or a house has burned down. But whatever the tragedy might be the community has to step up that's a very interesting idea and they can be taxed comes along the saporno and says not in our situation here in our situation here the beginning of chapter 25 where the Torah is speaking of the mitzvah of building a sanctuary it has to be done may call from every individual whose heart literally is moving him, motivates him, okay, as opposed to any kind of coercion. And the saporno in his commentary on this verse says very clearly that this is to the exclusion of we don't tax somebody to contribute to the building of a base. Now that's not to say that if a community needs a synagogue. We're talking about building the base amikdash. And clearly what the Torah is informing us is that it is built based on the goodwill, the sincerity, the desire of the Jewish people. And this is what ultimately brings the ash that God's presence could, should will be in our midst. And interestingly says the malam even king David Mel is couldn't build the first base of mikdash. He readied it. be ready to get all the materials ready for the Schlommo. His son does it. Why? Because David would very well build it for ulterior motives. The ulterior motives would be that there'd be no more wars. Whoa, that's such a beautiful idea. But still, we want one thing to rats a as found in Shirim. The foundation of the B mikdash is love and it's done for no other reason but the Jew wants to have a beautiful relationship with with God and therefore Hashem which means Hashem is our shadow commensurate with our relationship right so our relationship to him is his relationship to us. Our relationship to others is his relationship to us. And therefore, for example, the rabbis teach us, which means when there's a multitude of people performing the mitzvah together, it's more honor and glory for the king. So, five men around the table Friday night, we're not going to have five men reciting kdish. will have one and the one is performing it for the entire group. Now, what does that mean? The more we bring people in, the more we invite them to our Shabas table, the more that we familiarize them with Torah and Mitsmos, more we show them how sweet Judaism and living as an observant Jew is. Whoa. The more connection amongst one Jew with another is bringing more co more splendor to the king himself. There's so many lessons that we have to learn from the mitzvah of the privilege. Interestingly, this is a mitzvah on the Jewish community. And we are living in a day that already we're close. I don't think we're there yet, but soon soon there will be more than 50% of world jewelry in the land of Israel. Whoa. Which will open up more spiritual doors for us. But just understand that when we read this week's para, stop yawning and stop saying to yourself, "Oh my goodness, all these details, who needs these details?" The answer is we do because this is the manner. By our voluntary giving, we give to him and he in turn blesses us with his presence and his blessings. Shabbat shalom to all.