Parsha Perspectives for Today - Terumah 5785 (Be a BRS Builder)

good morning Boer to welcome back to paraa perspectives for today always great to be together and to study the paraa and to tap into the para's timely and Timeless messages for us I want to thank our generous paraa series sponsors for the year for every year Becky and a cats and family in memory of David Gman our learning should beas David Ben and before we begin and dive into our par page 444 in the art SC Stone and we will keep coming back to this theme because it is so perfectly timed for our paraa but I want to talk to you about something incredibly exciting and ask for your help those who are here in person we have such a wonderful wonderful wonderful crowd you saw and you see when you pull in you see the tractors and the piles of dirt the construction and the building that's going on just like the mishkan we are building we are expanding we are doing more of what we do every year we have a global campaign and every year we ask those who listen and read and watch and connect to our Torah wherever you are in the world to help us help us spread it help us share it help us learn help us teach more and more and more this year we're not doing the global campaign per se we need everyone's help to finish expanding our mikash this incredible Center of Jewish life and learning and living that in person and on the ground impacts thousands but also from here spreads light around the world and our expanded campus will have more classes more programs more podcasts more more light that we can influence the world we need help so there are incredible people in this room who've already contributed and who are helping us build but what we're asking of the global Community this year and this year only it's not a new standard we're not asking you to hit this Mark going forward every year but for this year we are trying to find 250 Global ambassadors who will give or get $1,800 give or get $1,800 and your name will be listed as sponsoring the media room at BRS from which we will share and promote Torah podcasts people personalities be part of building that out if you give or you become an ambassador that raises from your friends and your neighbors and your customers and your clients $1,800 the BRS rabbis are coming to New York yush and here in South Florida to have a dinner take you out for dinner to say thank you all the global ambassadors in those three locations if you give or get $1,800 we are coming to you to meet face to face and to say Thank you so we're going to dive into the para but you can go to BRS online.org Global BRS online.org Global and dig deeper we normally ask people to give whatever you can we're asking you to not only give but to give and to get I hear from people all the time Rabbi my friends my cousins my neighbors my children my M they love the class they love the writings they love what comes out of BRS good don't just tell me you love it show me you love it show me the money not just you but you and your friends be a global Ambassador and help us help us not just locally but help us because locally if we have this campus and our new BRS media room from which we are going to share and project so much more your name will be listed on it you'll be making a difference for it and if you can't give or get 1800 give or get whatever you can we need your help whatever you can brsonline or.org Global page 444 par truma and if you think you're listening later and you just fast forwarded that to the beginning of the para I'm going to keep talking about it so you can't avoid it par truma page 444 God spoke to mem says speak to the Jewish people and take for me from everyone who has a general generous Heart Take truma This is the para I want to tell you that we timed it that we sat down and in our commands Center we said when should we have the campaign this week next week let's do a par truma but like so many other things in life we did not it just so happens to be that when we put the dates on the calendar Hashem chose that we would work on building our home da the paros where he is building his but I want to begin with the following question and the following Insight which is very much on my mind I last week M I was still finishing I was still finishing the weekly obligation to read the par twice with commentary even after last week's para because Mish so much Rashi Mish is filled with so many intricate detailed laws there's so much Rashi so Nuance so complicated so technical it took a long time so I finished Mish when we had already become we'd already begun the week of truma and we often finish a paraa we have a little break until we take a look at the next para but when you look at them in succession and you see it doesn't really flow so smoothly turn back to page 442 last week at the end of the we have this Covenant and there's a debate did it happen before har did it happen after Hari when exactly was this experience this spiritual moment coming down from the mountain they ate and they drank and they entered this Covenant Andes the almighty appeared the glory of God appeared like a consuming fire on the Mountaintop and mosha is on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights so the last we left off God and the glory of God are appearing to the people to mosha mosha is on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights Turn the Page all of a sudden there's a campaign going on all of a sudden there's a solicitation going on all of a sudden what happened what happened spiritual top of the mountain Moshe glory of God image of hasem spiritual kumay Tish Hari 40 days 40 nights ped you turn a page and all of a sudden the rabbi doesn't stop talking about the king campaign turn down a tab click the link sign up give get what what happened what happened to our kumit what happened to our Kuma where the fa and the Tish go where did the spiritual experience go so I want to share with you an Insight from someone who's become one of my reinfeld Weinfeld who was here earlier this year back in bokeh he is phenomenal ra and he says the following the para begins what is the connection between this para and the previous week which was about misham last week was a Lany of laws last week we went through so many details civil law Tor law criminal law so many detailed laws especially according to those who say that for the Mish was given after the if you understand that our Pasha and the building of the Tabernacle chronologically really only comes after the mistake and the sin of the golden calf so why the Torah put it in this order why did we go from last week's Mish Litany of laws into all of a sudden vehic true there's an appeal which is taking place a campaign which is taking place says reinfeld one explanation could be that now the building of the mishan people they're taking people's money so first they needed to know the Mish which dealt with how to deal with people's money and only afterward could it be that they could start dealing with other people's money there's a campaign there's an appeal we're building a house for Hashem we're transforming the world we're Redeeming the world we are Illuminating the darkness of the world so what money what resources What contributions can you take when you're trying to build such a center for hashem's presence and to connect with him you can't take tainted money contaminated money someone shared with me this morning a picture apparently Public's the great publics we're very indebted to our local publics but debate Publix is being sued for lots of money why because someone's claiming that Publix their weights and scales their measures are not I'm looking at Publix but that Publix didn't send it to me but Publix let's see Publix alleged weighty deception $5 million class action fight Publix is accused of implementing a deceptive scheme falsely claiming that foods sold by weights such as meats and cheeses and so on their scales are off and there's a class action law Su $5 million I don't know if it's true or not true I hope it's not true I love Publix especially love Publix now that wind Dixie is closing we love Publix even more I hope it's not true but let's say Publix came and said Goldberg you know your community supports us so much we want to give to the campaign we want to give to the appeal would we take that money say R Weinfeld before you could build the mishk of hem and you would solicit and you do an appeal for people's money you had to know how to define what's kosher money what's tainted money what is pure money what is contaminated money what is money that comes honestly and what is money that comes with integrity and what is the money that comes in ways that are compromised and corrupt and that's maybe why misham appears before truma because first learn the laws of honesty in business first learn the laws of what is pure and holy money now you could run an appeal and know the difference and the Jewish people we are warned and we are cautioned no matter how much pressure you are under no matter how much money you have to raise do not sell your soul don't take from Unholy sources don't take money that's earned in Unholy illegitimate ways how do we know and how do we Define Mish comes before truma Weinfeld that is his first insight the beginning of says I am God I hate I hate dishonesty stealing in the world therefore the donations should not God forbid be a mitvah they shouldn't be a positive deed that came out of something dishonest so first we have to ensure the money is rightfully owned and only then Trum that's his first insight and explanation but then reld continues perhaps another explanation could be as follows in the end of misham Cl the Jewish people said we think of as being the sedra the of T that has the story of Mount Si but the words nma aren't inro the words we will hear and then we will do where do those iconic words appear last week's para but as the statement says put your money where your mouth is so the first SEO the first commandment after they say Hashem you're amazing Hashem we love you hem we're So Into You Hashem you're everywhere Hashem embrace your place I am where I meant to be blah blah blah all those things Gober talks about the Hashem you're amazing Hashem says I'm so amazing put your money where your mouth is you have so much lip service you talk such a big game you have so much to say about wanting to be connected and wanting to be close to me and wanting to fulfill my will for this world it's lovely you say all those things now show me now demonstrate now let me see the biggest proof to if one is serious about a commitment of nasma is if you're willing to pay there are people who will give their kidney before they'll write a check or venmo or wire or whatever other mechanism of transferring funds there are people for whom it is so hard sadly tragically it is so hard to depart with their hard-earned money rabbis call Money dum dum is the same word as blood because it takes blood Sweat and Tears it takes work to earn that money and if a person gave their Blood Sweat and Tears they don't want to part with that money and there are many people who struggle they don't understand the greatest gmak the biggest Joy the most fulfilling use of that money the investment with the biggest return in this world and the next is when you give and when you share they don't know that so Hashem says to J by Weinfeld we go from Mish to truma why because Mish is let's sing It's amazing you're amazing thank you Hashem Hashem says oh thank me thank you Hashem let's see let's see put your money where your mouth is this connection is emphasiz as Weinfeld in the order of things in the Pas Trum itself the reason is because the beginning of the Pasha says the opening P we just read take a donation A Gift Anyone who has A Generous Heart now the appeal happens without saying the purpose of the appeal give gold give silver give materials give ingredients give Goods give your money give Bitcoin give Trump special coin give whatever coin give whatever you want para list everything you can give venmo zel wire carrier pigeon check cash everything the Torah says however you want we'll take it we'll find a way to take it but this is the only appeal that ever happened without ever saying what is the purpose of the appeal it's only at the way end of these opening the whole page page 444 the entire page is listing all of the things that you can give without telling us why for what towards what purpose why it's only at the end the oh oh we forgot to tell you why is it we'd like you to give what's the purpose of the appeal because we're building a house forem we are making a claw is where Jews of every background Jews of every strip Jews of every education Jews of every observance can feel comfortable warm welcome and connect to Hashem and through this place we're going to radiate light that's going to transform the world oh yeah we forgot to tell you that's why first we spent all this time asking you please give give give give and we never mention why and that's not a coincidence says rev Weinfeld at the time of the initial collection it is unknown what they were giving all these goods for that's the idea ofma expressing the willingness to do before you understand and know the meaning behind the doing by giving to the collection before knowing what for clly Israel was demonstrating and fulfilling nasma imagine I Mak a meeting I make an appointment with one of you and I say listen I need help I need a favor we're working at something and you say you know Rabbi say no more nasma I'm in I'm in I brought my checkbook just tell me how many zeros I'm in I said I one second I didn't tell you what it was for I didn't tell you what it's about how do you know that you believe in it how do you know you bu buy into it how do you know you're one of the Builders of it because that's first I'll do then nishma you can tell me afterwards what it's about so the evidence that truma comes after Mish to demonstrate put your money where your mouth is says R Weinfeld is implicit in the beginning of truma itself because the whole purpose of the appeal is not given until the appeal is done why this is the meaning of rashash could have just said take a donation why does it Saye take for me truma says Rashi meaning it's not a donation for a particular designated purpose rather it's Le Me Do You Love Me Do You Believe in Me do you want to be close to me do you want to be connected with me Hashem says is it about the water fountain you're going to dedicate is it about the room is it about the Maza you're putting up is it about the name you're memorializing or Lee is it about the relationship with me so the evidence in the demonstration of is even though doesn't come till the very end so after comes truma why because put your money where your mouth is the in the beginning of the par says that the mikash is a m place for the is a place for divine dwelling the notion is clearly seen in the make for me a sanctuary I'll dwell in them however the RA in the beginning of the RA in the beginning of his laws of the temple says there's a positive commandment to build a house for God so it will be ready to be to offer the sacrifices why did the ram abandon the reason the Torah gives and give us another reason how does that fit into the reason the Torah gives the Torah gives us a reason build for me a house I want to dwell among you I want to be connected with you I want to be available and accessible to you and the ra says yeah that's nice forget that reason technically where you gonna D where you going to offer caranas so the Bas of M is because you need to offer caranas where you going to have where you going to have we change the clock everybody sitting down we're soon coming out with our new list of Min because we've been expanding them people come and drive from all over because you need a minion at any hour it's our current campus and our future campus ready I think there's a demographic here who will appreciate this a new daily plug a new daily plug so you can hit the early bird special get to bed early plug you're good to go so the ra says why are you building a sh where else you going to get we're going to with aush that's why but why did the r give that as the reason to offer coros that's not the reason the Torah said the reason is the divine presence the divine presence say of Weinfeld the answer is that of course the purpose of the mishkan is to be a Divine dwelling place but only when a person gives sacrifices of himself does he make it that Divine dwelling place did you hear the ram is saying the ramam doesn't abandon the reason given by the Torah the ram is elucidating the reason reason given by the Torah the Torah says why should you build a Bas mikdash because don't you want to be connected to Hashem and hasem says know you know the way you can be connected to me offer a corbon what are you willing to give what are you willing to sacrifice what are you willing to do you think you're going to lean back sit back and recline be a spectator it's going to be handed to you a relationship with me relationships take work the more important the relationship the more intimate the relationship the more work it takes a healthy beautiful marriage is the greatest thing in the world takes work takes Consciousness and mindfulness and work takes sacrifice and compromise it takes putting someone else before yourself having children is the greatest thing in the world and those who are waiting should be blessed with many healthy children it takes work you got to wake up in the middle of the night you got to feed and diaper and clothe and small kids small problems and big kids big problems takes a lot of work and there's nothing better in the world why because the most meaningful relationships in life they take work they take sacrifice they take compromise they take effort and that's what the r is saying if you want a place for if you want a mish of divine dwelling you know what creates the feeling of access and connection with the Divine what are you willing to put in what's your work what sacrifice are you willing to make what sacrifice are you willing to offer it said that every home is a m the says I just spoke at a last night I should have used this that if a man and a woman Merit if they have peace and Harmony in their marriage if they are in tune and align if they respect and love and admire one another if they sacrifice and compromise and put the other party first then it's not just a wonderful marriage of happiness and Bliss for this man and woman they have transformed their house their home into a mikash into a miniature Temple why because God now dwells among them only when Isa when man and a woman are willing to make sacrifices that's what creates the space for that's what the r was telling us if you want space for takes sacrifice it takes work it takes effort so you say Rabbi I already give away my Myer I've already allocated my giving for 2025 through 2055 so I'm so sorry I can't contribute and say that's nice that's what you had to give that's what you were giving anyway now dig deep and make a sacrifice now go into your savings now make an invest that will give you the greatest return because if you want if you want to feel connected to the Divine if you want that relationship if you want to repair redeem the world if you want to be a source of that light then you got to be willing to sacrifice so the ra the ra when he codifies the laws of the mishon is not abandoning the reason the Torah gave he's elaborating he's expanding on it the Torah said the mishon is a place of divine presence the raham says how do you create and Achieve divine presence sacrifice coronos that's what it is all about RAB saaks or go to RAB salich first salich in his he points something out clarifies this phrase the Torah asks for every person whose heart inspires him for generosity and says do not use force or methods of coercion for this collection this the appeal the campaign for the building of the mishan was not obligatory was not obligatory there was no building fund that was put on everybody oh you want to be a member you want to live here you're now Bound by the new building fund no voluntary whoever believes whoever buys in if you want to voluntarily be part of it then we want you why wouldn't it be much more efficient when you achieve your goal much faster shouldn't everyone have to participate shouldn't it be 100% participation shouldn't it be mandatory obl although everyone whether poor or Rich must give the half shekel the contribution to the Mish was voluntary we'll read in a couple weeks both the and because we'll read it of course before pes's beginning that every Jew had to give a half shek that's how the census was done every Jew gave half a shek the currency and the calculation the census was taken so why when it came to the half shekel it didn't matter wealthy or poor everyone had to give and yet when it comes to the contribution to build the Mishka no no no no only only those who want to give every meeting I have every text I send I use the expression with maximum gratitude and minimum pressure if you want to give Hashem will make this happen if he decides this is going to advance his cause will he make it happen through you will you be lucky enough that he makes it happen through you or will it happen through someone else that's your choice maximum gratitude minimum pressure so why when it came to the half shekel did everyone have to give and when it comes to being a BRS Global Ambassador when it comes to helping us fulfill this dream then it's voluntary only those with a giving heart says the collection of money for the mishon is different from the collection of Charity the ra guide for the perplexed writes part three per chapter 53 that charity is an act of Justice how do you say charity in Hebrew Sedaka what's the root of the word Sedaka SED what does the word SED mean right justice seded but I don't understand when I give staka that's not just that's kindness that's Mercy that's compassion so it should be called the ram writes why do we call taking part of what I worked hard for and giving it to you or to an institution we call that that's just that's not just what's just is that I get to keep what I have having to share with you is not just It's Kind it's compassionate it's a nice thing to do but it's not just so why is it called staka what we called stucka should be called so the Torah allows the taking of Charity by force why there's an explicit Bas to the effect that it's permissible to remove object from the home of a pro of a prosperous person who refuses to give charity even on Friday just before Sundown one was allowed to force members of the community to givea is an obligation it's a tax what we think of as taxes I don't want to make those listening from outside Florida feel bad but our governor yesterday just announced that he's now trying to get rid of property tax in Florida so we have no state income tax and please God we'll have no property tax and we'll have even more traffic on our roads and highways when people want to take advantage of of that but what we call tax the taxes that we live with today the Torah also had a tax what was the is tax called ster and interestingly it was prated based on your income because 10% of your after tax income you were obligated to give to the community we have a set tuition in our schools but from the Torah perspective there wouldn't be a set tuition for every family why should the family that makes $10 million a year pay the same tuition as the person who's getting by on $40,000 a year it was prated based on income it's complicated we don't do that today but staka was essentially a obligatory tax to contribute to communal institutions to take care of the poor the needy to help the Widow and the orphan to ensure everyone could get a Jewish Education and the was so strong that in fact that portion of your income now why are we entitled to take a portion of your income we're entitled to not only encourage you we're entitled to not only lecture you we're entitled to not only obligate you we are entitled to Garner your wages to take what you should be giving to takaka I wish we could do that today Hali we would solve all the problems in the Jewish Community if the Jewish people would actually tithe like some other religions if we would actually tithe 10% of after tax income would go back to the Jewish Community we could solve all our problems there are many Jewish billionaires and Millionaires and we can solve our problems if people actually tithe 10% of after tax dollarss we can Garner wages in order to do that the gar Sal is quoting says we can go into your house and take your artwork your sculpture the money you're hiding in the books of the cushions the gold bars that you put in the safe we can take that even if you say well one second I was going to buy my shabas food with that no no no we're taking it because you owe it so that we're allowed to take why where where do we come from taking that because the answer is that that was never yours we are all stewards of hashem's money we spoke about this last week when it came to the IM the poor person with you and Rashi said see yourself as a poor person and we asked how could you see yourself as a poor person so last week we spoke about because if we all realize I'm not entitled to anything I have none of it is coming to me yes I work hard and yes I could take pride in my accomplishments but the senior partner and everything I do is the almighty and any success I have is only because he allows it and I am the steward of his money and he says by the way even though I'm the senior partner with without me You' have nothing you could keep 90% such a partner we would kill for could you imagine we had a partner who had all the connections all the access all the brains did all the work and says to us keep 90% that's God he says you can't have any of it without me but I'll tell you what you keep 90% 10% that really is mine that you're holding on to give it to my other children so now the community can come and say that other 10% it's never yours you're just a steward you're holding on to it for him now you have to give it to the other children why did the Torah eliminate the construction of the mishan from the class of activity which does not require consent on the part of The Giver so again the rub is asking why is building the mishun no no no that's only a maximum gratitude minimum pressure when it comes toab tuition assistance when it comes to that I can go into your house we don't do this today so don't practice it but theoretically I could Garner your wages I could go into your house and take what you should be giving because that never really belonged to you to begin with that we say is obligatory mandatory to the extent I can take it and yet when it comes to building a house forem the mun no no no no only K only if you're generous only if you have a good and a giving and a kind heart why the difference says listen carefully man is basically a homeless being no matter how large and opulent his home he is exposed he is subject to the visites of Life subject to nature which at best is indifferent to man at worst is hostile and subject to an inscrutable future there's only one home where man gains security God Hashem is called an abode the only home where man can find security is in Theon Hashem told Moshe not to collect the money for the misham by using Force because the mishk was to be built only if the nation felt the need to build a home for Hashem on their own for Hashem to descend from Infinity into a mishan built by man is K a sacrificial act on his part this act of self-contraction is a sacrifice he was willing to make but only if the people themselves wanted a mishan and were willing to contribute to build it because would you want to stand under a with someone who a gun was put to their head because they were told you have to marry you I wouldn't want to who would want to be in a marriage or relationship with the other party was only there because they had to be so Hashem says when it comes to the mishan which is our home the place of our intimate rendevu the place of our close connection I only want you there if you want to be there I only want you to be a partner and a builder if you believe in the mission and purpose and cause and if you don't want I'm not obligating you now when it comes to feeding the poor person I don't care whether you want to or don't want to I'm GNA take what you should be giving because we all need your help but when it comes to the mishan which is the house of a intimacy with us and hm the house of r with us in hasem that's the that's the place of love that's the home that's the bedroom that we have with only be there if you want to be there only give if you want to give only a it's a brilliant Insight of the r that distinction that difference between Saka which ised it's just you have to give we can Garner your wages we can take it from you and building a mishkan only if you want because staka the needs of the community I don't care whether you want or not you must give we're obligating you but when it comes to this house not forcing you to stand under the I'm not making you love me only love me only be under the only build a home with me only be in this bedroom with me if you want to be here now what did Hashem do to be there says the cabalist maybe we'll come back to this we'll see if we have time but maybe in honor of our campaign par should be two hours for the next couple weeks okay from that reaction we'll keep it at one so Sal says what did Hashem do for the mishan what do you mean what did he do he's infinite and omnipotent and he contracted himself he practiced what the mystics the cabalists call simum he contracted himself to fit in this world to be available and accessible in this world to be relatable so to say in this world he contracted and constricted himself so that we could have access to him in this world that's what he did that's what he gave up that's the sacrifice he made what are we willing to do to be there so it has to be a it has to be something that comes from A Generous Heart I told you I got the new rabak k a Coran store here in boka by the way I don't get any piece of the action I don't get anything for free but I want to promote it because it's beautiful to have a far store it's a beautiful Coran bookstore go there Window Shop you'll find something that you'll read and will change your life including this new beautiful Kish it's at The Fountains at The Fountains is a new beautiful corin's farm store this new beautiful Kish where they put out a beautiful but the commentary collected from Rabbi Lord Jonathan sax on the bottom and he makes the following point I'm only going to take one part of this essay or comment he has because I found it fascinating the early chapters ofos are all about the politics of Freedom we read about we went from slavery we were liberated we were emancipated but the last section beginning here until the end of the book a third of the book ofos is about the Apparently minor and seemingly irrelevant episode about the construction of the mishan that's ancient history that happened in the desert that's over why are we so obsessed why are we have so much Focus why is so much a third of this book about something that happened once and is done and is now relegated to history and listen to what rabak says he says putting all this together we arrive at the boldest of all of the exodus's political statements a nation at least the kind of nation the Jewish people are called on to become is created through the Act of Creation itself not all the Miracles of Yas MIT combined not even the revelation of sini itself turned the Jewish people into a nation in commanding Moshe to get the people to make the Tabernacle Hashem is effect in effect saying to turn a group of individuals into a covenantal nation they must build something together I repeat to turn a group of individuals we were taken and liberated out of Egypt we were scattered individuals who happened to all be slaves together but individuals how do you turn a group of individuals into a covenantal nation they must build something together Freedom cannot be conferred by an outside force not even by God himself it can be achieved only by Collective collaborative effort on the part of the people hence the construction of the Tabernacle a people is made by making by sax was amazing what a tragedy what a loss we miss him so much listen to his language to become the nation the Jewish people are called on to become is created through the Act of Creation itself a people is made by making a nation is built by building what they build was a home for the divine presence the mishan placed at the center of the camp with the tribes AR ra around it symbolized the Public Square the common good the voice that had been summoned them to Collective Freedom it was a visible emblem of community within the mishon was the Aron within the arum with the tablets and on the tablets were written the details of the Covenant it was the home of their constitution of Liberty what was true for the Jewish people holds true in every generation Society like the mishan is the home we must Build Together our campaign BR RS between the B and the r you can fill in the letters is Builders Builders we're trying to expand and double this campus that you come so often for sh and classes and Bas K afterno and concerts and speakers and is advocacy and army because we're trying to build not a camp we're trying to build clel build Torah build build our future build Outreach build youth build te build continuity we're trying to build build build build and that's how you create Community to turn a group of individuals into a communal Nation they must build something together and that's why a third of the book is about how we built together what we gave what we did what we what we built because that's what made us a people getting out of Egypt that liberated us that gave us some Freedom that didn't make us a people even standing at har being bound by Torah that was top down that was Hashem giving it to us what turned us into a covenantal community into a nation into a people we became a people when we built together that's what made all the difference so that's the beginning of the the contribution what's the purpose where is the greatest M it is in as we share every year we go from this singular to the plural because the ultimate place of divine dwelling is not in any bricks and mortar it's not in any square footage it's not in any decorations of the core it's not in any building where is the ultimate place of divine presence it's in us it's in every one of you it's in every Jew in bokeh and South Florida and around the world that we're trying to tap into to awaken to ignite that spark that Spirit the godliness in them that's our mission that's our message that's what we're building inherent and inside every Jew is a spark of Hashem is a godliness is a godliness is eternity is immortality it's in us but how do we access it how do we tap into it how do we nurture it how do we fan the flame of it we need a dwelling we need a mish we need a mikdash we need a campus of life and living Cradle to grave that every every age every background that everyone feels connected everyone feels warm and welcome everyone can call it home so that it's not the ends it's only means the ends is not to be on a campus Because that's hashem's dwelling it's to remind that Hashem is dwelling ultimately really is where in each and every one of us Turn the Page the first of the Cale now Tabernacle interestingly we're out of order before we get into the Tabernacle before we talk about the new campus let's talk about what will the furniture look like is it pews is it benches will there be tables Rabbi will they the blue chairs or these comfortable chairs let's it's kind of out of order this is a question we'll deal with another time but why do we begin truma instead of talking about the building we talk about the furniture don't you first talk about how to build your house and then you go shopping for the furniture you don't talk about the furniture and then you build the house around it so seemingly we're out of order but we begin with the furniture and what is the first piece of furniture build an arc build the out of AA wood two and a half and a half in width and a half in its in its height in its height one more comment from saxs for today and he writes the following literally they shall make Hashem instructs mha on the making of the sanctuary and its peren is detail by detail in each case the verb is in the second person singular v v we have a lot of verbs a lot of verbs go into building I'll repeat it we have five second person singular verbs you shall cover you shall make you shall pour you shall place you shall bring there's one exception one exception and that is the Aron The Arc there the verb is in the third person plural not the second person singular I already lost everybody because I mentioned grammar not the second person singular was a risk I was willing to take but the third person plural because the point is so beautiful it was a risk I was willing to take so why the shift why we go from second person singular to only with the AR with the ark now we're in third person plural why they shall make not you why they shift from the singular to the plural the Aron was made to hold what the luos among other things but the luos the tablets of stone given to Moshe the Torah calls Theos the they are the taets of testimony they were the physical symbol of the Sinai Covenant according to kazal both the complete set of tablets and the fragments of the first broken tablets that broke after both the Ark in short symbolized and represented Torah the reason therefore that the construction of the arc is commanded in the plural listen is because every Jew has a share in it unlike other aspects of service in the sanctuary or Temple Torah is the heritage of everyone see in the Mish is had to stop here only Le could go there and only kohanim could go past there and only kohanim could do this and only leim could do that all Israel were parties to the Covenant all were expected to know and study its terms Judaism might know other hierarchies but when it came to knowledge study and the dignity conferred by scholarship everyone stood on equal footing yes we have Kohan and is yes we different categories and hierarchies of people but when it comes to Torah it is our inheritance it is our heritage every yid every Jew has equal access to Torah Torah is all of ours belongs to all of us man woman child empty nesters Youth Department Outreach department and any Campus of Hashem is a place that Torah is available accessible inspires and informs everyone not only the elite sadly we struggle many of our schools much in the community is geared to the elite the elite can participate you know if you look behind me one of the holiest things on our campus is that page Turner a lot of people who come from other communities come and say what's with the numbers what what are the numbers what what are they what are they saying they're so unfamiliar so unfamiliar they didn't can't even imagine what it might be you know what those are those are the numbers so that anyone who walks in here we're all on the same same page how many people need the page Turners not many these days but even if there's one person without it would be lost then it's our responsibility to have it you know recently there was someone the normal the the person who ordinarily turns the pages wasn't here someone volunteered to do it and I got emotional it was a powerful moment because the purple person who was now coming up to keep everyone on the same page is one of the people who was benefiting the most was one of the biggest beneficiaries himself when he first moved here of why we had them isn't that incredible one of the people who needed it and benefited the most became the person who then turned the page so other people could be on the same page it's one of the holiest vessels on our campus is this page Turner because Torah is all of ours everyone deserves to be on the same page everyone deserves to be plugged in from Friday Night Live to the high level kabura that we're coming on our thousandth kabura we're celebrating in a couple weeks on shabas morning from the women's Meda to the men's based Med to the outage to the teen to the youth that's why here alone writes arex in its list of components part of the sanctuary the Torah shifts from the second person singular to the third person plural when it comes to the Aron home and symbol of the most significant form of knowledge everyone must have equal share everyone and that's why there is a grammatical shift because Torah belongs to us all Z bottom page 446 you shall place in the orc the testimonial tablets that I shall give you says the says you're putting in quot rashi rashi tells us these tablets are called the Torah is the testimonial between me and you because through it I commanded you all these Mitzvah right of Dr in his tells us listen to this because of two sins the ignorant in the Jewish people die because they call the arc ARA they have a nickname a disparaging nickname is B and they call the sh the B they call it a b it's our meeting place there writes instead of calling it The Holy sh you know what they call it the community center oh let's meet at the community center let's hit the Kish Club at the Kish at the community center JFK you know what JFK is if you don't you're lucky JFK is a relatively recent phenomenon in the Jewish people JFK JFK is just for kidish it's the people who come to sh JF K just for KES so there are people who say B kessis is not b b let's hit the community center JFK soash says if you call the sh instead of the Holy sh the holy place of Hashem the holy place of connection the holy place of Covenant instead of you say let's go to the community center so you're disparaging the sh disparaging the sh wres the reason it's such an egregious mistake to refer to the holy Campus of life and living in Hashem and as just a community center is says the Mas when you call it a Gathering Place whom are you eliminating who are you eliminating if you say let's go to the community center I'll meet you at the community center anything could get community center you can meet at the gym you can meet at Costco you can meet at Publix you can meet at whatever the community center is wherever you play play majan wherever you play bridge wherever you throw darts you go play pickup ball you go put together a softball game those are places that you meet and what defines who's there those meeting places those centers of community who's there only Those whom you see but ASU is categorically different because who's the most important person or being present in a Sho not just those that you can visibly see that are picked up on the camera the surveillance of the sh who's there Hashem himself the almighty now it's true us he's there Here There and Everywhere but our rabbis tell us where is he more intensely present where can you feel his presence you know outside of sh it's dial connection dial up it's 3G in high speed in it's the highest speed possible so the mar says second Hashem is here when you call it a base am it's a Gathering Place then what you are defining it by what you're characterizing it by what you're limiting it to is the people you see but that's not all this place is we have a thousand families and on a shabas there's 2,000 plus people and there's eight Min and it's hopping and moving and popping and people and doing and learning and laughing and having fun and kids playing but you know the biggest presence is Hashem is Hashem the most important presence on that campus on our campus in a mishan is Hashem and that's why those who call a base kessis a base have diminished it have disparaged it have done a disservice to it a disservice to it further says entertains the possibility what if you don't have a minion you have nine people and thees let's say one of our we're adding more and more 8 n 10 Mars so 10 o00 which in bokeh might as well be midnight 10:00 in bokeh is like midnight in New York just if you don't know there's a difference in time there's a time no no state income tax please God no real estate tax but there is a time difference 10 o'clock and boka might as well be two in the morning so our 10 o'clock minion we haven't missed one yet but let's say they only got nine so says if you have nine and the Aron you're good to go how the Wonders the gamar is the AR KES a person that you could count it towards a minion if nine look like 10 close enough now again do we follow that not follow that for Mar for other not for now but what was the G's what did the gamar think that nine and Theon are good says he says who's the one who sees but is not seen who's the one who sees and isn't seen Hashem it's like there's nine people they say no we only have nine what are we going to do we have N and hasem is here and he's waving from the Aron hey ho you forgot about me I'm here too I count too I'm also in the minion that's why you're here is to talk to me again do we practice this or not is not important but that's how the understands the g n plus Theon what's Ain no one who sees and isn't seen don't overlook not just some guy fast asleep in the back corner you could wake him up and he could be your 10th don't forget when you have nine open the Aron and Hashem is there waving that's the reason you're here so we can hang we can talk we can connect don't forget me nine and Aron so don't call it a base am Community Center you could find elsewhere there's a tennis and there's Golf and there's the country club and there's a challenge a lot of people are moving and living and they like country clubs are Bas um you want to worship at the altar of the country club you want to bow down to the buffet you want to make your life be defined Central to your life is the paddle ball not paddle ball what they call it today pickle ball pickle ball tennis Maan Bridge poker the country club that's the the base that's a B on nothing wrong with that go enjoy God bless that's a Bas that's a Bas but we're not building a Bas Hashem didn't ask us with the original Mish on or every mikd since then he didn't ask for a b b put out the best Kish you'll have the biggest B but nothing wrong with a good KES and we should put out a good KES but the best KES in town will get the biggest Bas but that's not what Hashem wants us to build a base what does he want us to build a base KES our own our own M hasem says I want a place where you're learning and living and investing and connecting and being inspired by a relationship with me where there is a great kidish but that's not the central part of why you're here that's not the defining factor or feature why you're here where there is other activity we have byog we have every month our empty nesters bring your own game come and play coffee and tea and slushies absolutely it's a place of socializing in connection but that's only part of what we have most of all you know who comes to show you know who shows up for bog Hashem he's here for that game for the is part of what do I skip to there's so much to [Music] say okay let's talk k a little bit top of page 448 what went on top of the Aron we're talking the first piece of furniture the first fixture first vessel was the Aron what went on top of the make two cherubs make them out of one solid block from both ends of the of the cover says the let's continue with says the make two two times we find K in the Torah two times we find K in the Torah we already saw the K once anyone remember where back in gracious Genesis 3: 24 the PK says there they lived m east of Garden of Eden were the cherubs the Ken so how could it be and here so here rash describes what the it was the face of child the Angelic pure innocent face of the child but if you flip Backes and go to chapter 3: 24 the Rashi on when the K are mentioned back in braus how does Rashi describe the K there they are angels of Destruction so which is it wonders of Dr are these Ken pure Angelic sweet faces of a child or are they satanic demonic faces of destruction of evil which are they and the answer of course is yes it depends where you are where were the Ken relative to ganeden outside of it east of the Garden of Eden and where are the K relative to the mishan in it say Dr that child that beautiful pure innocent wholesome optimistic child in the right environment the flourish and they'll Thrive and they'll radiate their purity but if they're outside of it if they're told you're an outsider you're an outlier you're outside of it they can turn into get mixed in with the wrong crowd subject to the wrong influences they themselves become practitioners ofala of Destruction and damage and Devastation Kim Hashem creates potential and it can go either way either or and the only question is where is it in the right environment in the right atmosphere on the inside if everyone is made to feel an Insider that's what a campus is it's a place where everyone is an Insider everyone belongs everyone is there there are no outliers or Outsiders There Are No Boundaries nobody's marginalized nobody's excluded because when a person is marginalized and excluded then they'll lack that way that's where they'll gravitate towards that's what they'll look like that's how they'll behave that's what they'll become but when someone is told you know we just had R Kish a few weeks ago the great R Kish we still have to put out our conversation behind the beam with r Kish was amazing he's amazing I sound like one of the Seminary girls who love him he's amazing okay I'm happy to sound like that he's amazing he's amazing so one of the things that are by Kish so refreshing is that every yid every Jew is an Insider is a pure Nish what's their story what makes them special how do we make them feel they belong because in a generation where so many feel invisible inconsequential ignored Outsiders so they become that if that's who I am I might as well be that if that's how you've defined me that's how you've characterized that's how you judge me if that's how you treat me if that's what you call me then I might as well be that that's who I'll hang with that's how I'll behave that's what I'll do but if we say that's not who you are you're aim you're a pure P you have a spark of godliness there's a mikash inside you let's find it I want to listen to it I want to hear it I want to know your story Everyone's an Insider Everyone's an Insider says Dr he quotes from his father the Dr that's says when you fight the Yahara what should you doap him to the B Med there's no Yahara when you're in the bass medish still plenty Yara in the Bas Med the answer is if you change your environment if you see yourself as an Insider if you see yourself as someone who belongs thear is there but now you have what you need to fight it but if you're an outsider an outlier a marginalized part of community then that is going to overcome you and you're going to come a so are you an Insider or are you an outsider is the difference says says sorry it's a different Insight it's such a good one and we're not going to get to it and it kills me R you know we'll expand on R he essentially says the following I'll talk to you in a different way talk to you in a different way the tells us these ra what is the form face of the cre says like a child is in the Babylonia one calls a child raash says the this most sacred vessel was covered with image of these young children now if I would have asked you whose image should we put on the B on Theon in the mikdash what would you say putos Feinstein put Sal put put the put all the personality that we learn and we draw from put our holy sadik Mar is you know what the crew of them should have been have you ever seen the video and kki early in the morning reciting together to anain to one another it's unbelievable video it's an amazing video they're incredibly Advanced age they must have been in their 90s and yet they're like two Newly Weds who every day start out by saying the morning blessings to one another to be able to answer amain to each other I don't know who what fly on the wall took that video on the one hand maybe infringed on their privacy but also gave us a great gift because it's a tremendous video so you want to ask me who to put on the cre him kki and re facing each other but we don't instead what do we put on the holy Aron which was kept in the holiest place on the planet we put a picture of children whove yet to learn or or achieve anything despite everything we say about them at their Bar Mitzvah until now they're we make them a whole they're a whole franchise we made you a logo We Made You yamakas we say the nicest things about you but if we're honest they haven't done anything yet and that's who we put as the image on top of the K moreover the Kum don't always have a positive connotation as we said angels of demolition of Destruction so which is it pure innocent children or angels of Destruction and the answer as we said said is yes are you an Insider or an outsider is it or inside the Mish but I want to offer you another perspective maybe in closing maybe not but maybe the image and message of the crew is not directed at the children it's directed at us and can go either way when being youthful and childlike makes you impetuous impulsive immature and juvenile then the attribute of youthful is a Mal of if you're being youthful is really you're being juvenile and immature irresponsible then it's a Mal of of Destruction but if on the other hand tapping into our youthfulness makes us energized and curious and innocent and ambitious and vivacious it's a great quality so that image of the child can go either way stay childlike your whole life there are people in this world people in this world there are people in this room over a hundred years old and their yearning and love of learning is childlike and there are people who are in their 90s who are immature juvenile self-centered children being childlike can go either way the N tells us in the 11th chapter I feel in love with the Jewish people when he is still a child when does hem love us when do I love Jewish people when they're a child I've called him my son ever since Egypt rant explains Hashem has a particular love for CLA Israel when we awaken the N the youthfulness the freshness the liveliness within ourselves children are naturally driven energetic curious adventurous open to new ideas new experiences children are eager to explore children are eager to accomplish adults tired exhausted set in my ways it is what it is I am what I am I'm not changing you're not changing nothing's changing adults are stuck they're fixed children o Adventure explore new ideas just getting started to be a Nar is to never be done to remain incomplete to refuse to let fatigue set in you can be older and be a Nar you can be young and be a zaching that's why we say in don't cast me away like I'm an old person what does that mean I'm an old person I walk slowly I got a walker I got a cane I can't go no it means even when I'm young don't let me feel unfixed don't leave fatigue set in don't let life become stale and boring don't let me lose my energy and curiosity let me never be an old person in my mindset because age is just a number was how old at Thea 37 years old and what does the Torah call him why was called the N at 37 he had youthful exuberance or willingness to go on this adventure yahushua is a grown man according to the iban Ezra when he comes to serve Moshe how old is he 56 but the Torah seizes energy and ambition and describes yosua yua 37 yua is 56 and he's still called the N why you call the N because it's a mindset Ken being childlike can destroy us if we indulge in impulsivity and immaturity or it can make us ageless what helps us experience the Holiness and happiness of Life K were craia they captured the version of us that hm loves isem loves us when we're not youth is not a demographic it's a description you know what maybe we should change the name of the empty nesters to the Youth Department the Youth Department shouldn't become the alers Youth Department should become the super Youth Department and the empty Neer should be the Youth Department should be the Youth Department because at that age age is just a number the empty nesters is the real youth Department because you could stay young at every age stay young at each and every age I'll just end as we're having rashes on Friday in chabas we're building up to puram it's a fascinating medish on the puram story it relates an episode in which Mor after learning of H's decree to the Jews the medes tells us I won't read it to you in the Hebrew we don't have time but Mor runs into three young school children and he asks them no what are you learning what are you learning tell me what you're learning what' you learn today what' you learn today so the first boy promptly recites the P he learns at school don't fear Terror nor the destruction of the wicked when it comes the second boy says a contrive a scheme but it will be foiled conspire a splot it will not materialize Hashem is with us and the third boy says to your old age I am with you I have made you and I will carry you I will sustain you and I will deliver you three boys they quote three when heard these responses immediately what does he do he laughs he laughs he laughs ham says to him what are you laughing at little kids they're telling you what they're learning it's making you laugh says you know why I'm laughing I just heard such good news was infu he was enraged and he said who am I going to kill first these children that you're laughing that somehow you're inspired by what's going on in M morai says I'm happy because of the Glad Tidings they told me that I should not be afraid of the evil plot our enemies want to kill the K the N that shares messages of optimism and hope inside us did Mori even meet three children or did Mori tap into the child in him hope optimism a bright future positivity when it comes to our future we have to see the child in us and that's what we sing on Friday night what do we say in the word means let me shake off shake off the dust and arise but his nari is not just shake off the dust hisi shake off the fatigue shake off the hopelessness shake off the cynicism and awaken the his wake up the wake up the old age wake up feeling fixed and set wake up being pessimistic and fatalistic and instead wake up the idealism energy determination tenaciousness wake up the N that's how we defeated H that's how we're going to defeat our enemies we're deep 500 plus days in it's exhausting wake up wake up the gur to continue to fight we beat we're going to continue to beat our enemies and it's through the having inside us so I end the way I began I'm so sorry I apologize in advance you're gonna grow sick and tired and I really I do feel bad but we have to get it done and there's an easy way for me not to do it it's for any of you to come and tell me you'll take care of the rest of it but we've got to finish what we're building be a builder be a builder with us many of you are and from the bottom of my heart maximum gratitude minimum pressure but if you come here many of you sitting here and many of you listening and watching wherever you are you're not members and yet you read watch listen you come you participate you benefit you're connected to what we stand for and what we value so please next year we'll go back to the small amounts we're not going to do this every year but for this one year become I got to get to 250 BRS Builder ambassadors Global ambassadors give $1800 or become an ambassador will'll make you a page we'll give you a link send it out all your friends and classmates and neighbors and clients and co-workers and all your family members who tell you they love what we do let's see nasma Trum let's see how much they love it help let them help you get towards the $1,800 and then you'll come to a dinner in New York Y in Florida with special free giveaways and writeups of our Torah qualifi to come to it give any amount give a dollar uh 180 360 a th000 but 1,800 if you give and even if you can't give every one of us can get if we turn to the people who claim to love and this one time one time only help us realize this dream BRS online.org Global BRS online.org Global BRS online.org Global theum only those who are in a div we're not forcing you we're not mandating no one's at the door and say you can only come to the par class only come to the munir only hear AA only hear the the the soldiers if you gate we're not doing that this is nadiv it's got to come from your heart it's only if you want it I hope you find it in your heart to want it I thank you in advance for it and may we hear yes