The following Divrei Torah were written and delivered in Years 8 and 9 and Years 10 and 11 Minyanim, respectively.

Rabbi Siegel, Head of Jewish Life

Liat Granot – Year 8

Raise your hand if you speak fluent Hebrew. Raise your hand if you have ever read (and I mean properly read) and understood the Birchot ha Shachar (The Morning Blessings).

Well if you have, you may have noticed a particularly strange thing about them. In fact, they are the opposite to most blessings we recite. In the usual blessings we praise HaShem for things that have already happened. In other words, after we have experienced them. For example, in the Birkat Hamazon, we are thanking HaShem for our meal. However, in the Birchot ha Shachar we are thanking God regardless of whether we have experienced the occurrence for ourselves in that moment.

We are grateful that we can and do take these things for granted. But how does this connect to the Parashah for this week, Parashat Terumah. In this Parashah, HaShem tells Moshe exactly how to construct the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. And it gives a ton of detail, like ‘soooo’ much detail. But why do we need to know what kind of measurements the Jewish people needed to use to build the Mishkan?

By building this splendid and extravagant hotel (as the Mishkan was for portable use) for God, the Jews had to contribute their time or possessions. I don’t know if you have ever volunteered or donated something, but if you have you’ll know that it really makes you feel so grateful for all the things that you have. Like in the Birchot ha Shachar, we may not have just experienced the things for which we are praising God, but we are still grateful for them. Much like building the Mishkan, the Jewish people were still building a communal house of God where everyone could come and everyone contributed regardless of how rich or poor they were.

I would like everyone to close their eyes. Think about one thing that you take for granted that you couldn’t live without whether that be your health, your family or the fact that you have food on the table every day or that you come to an amazing school that allows you to openly practise and embrace your religion or even your phone. Open your eyes. We open our eyes each day to a new opportunity to do good in this world, be kind, be grateful and have an incredible week.

Edan Amsalem – Year 11

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Terumah describes how the Jewish people were commanded to erect the Tabernacle or Mishkan, so that God may “dwell among them”. Described in great detail is how the Israelites fulfilled the commandment of contributing the necessary items of great value and beauty to construct the Sanctuary.

The word Terumah in Hebrew means ‘contribution’. This Parashah is all about this concept. Of course, there is reference to the contribution from God of the Aseret haDibrot and the Torah given to the Jewish people and that of the people themselves who contributed gold, silver, copper and turquoise amongst other valuables to build a vessel in which to contain the Luchot Ha Brit (the Tablets of the Covenant).

However, there are more meaningful connections, at least to our lives today. The Mishkan, the Ark, and its decorative cover as well as the sacrificial table and Menorah were designed to be a part of the Temple, and until today, the Temple would have been the only place that permitted sacrifices. In the Diaspora when praying, we face Israel, in Israel we face Jerusalem and in Jerusalem we face the Temple Mount in recognition of the holiness of this place, a place of ultimate contribution and sacrifice.

Interestingly however, the Beit Ha Mikdash (Temple) was never intended to be an isolated corner of holiness. Its windows were designed to spread light outwards. The intention was to illuminate the world, a place of revelation which would motivate all people to learn God’s ways. Interesting also is that the Ark itself was not designed to be a static piece, but instead was constructed with rings that allowed for easy transportation into the desert or elsewhere, similar to our new Emanuel Aron which we just dedicated.  

Unlike many other religions, Judaism does not recognise the building structure to be a holy place but rather, it is the presence of the Ark and what is contained within that makes the place holy. Synagogues are built upon this premise and are often located in the humblest of structures in almost any location on earth you can choose to think of, but the principle of revelation remains the same.

If we expand this idea, in the portion God says: “They shall make a sanctuary for me – so that I may dwell within”. The Hebrew word that is used for within is בתוכם (betocham), meaning not within it but within them (The Israelites). When God caused his presence to dwell within the Jewish people, as a whole, He also invested Himself within each individual person. Essentially, every person’s body becomes their temple and their heart becomes the Mishkan. Like the Sanctuary that accompanied the Jewish people into the desert, wherever they camped, God’s presence accompanied them. Similarly his presence travels within each individual as they move throughout their lives.

The Rabbis say that the light from the Menorah in the Temple should radiate outward and influence the world outside. This also applies to our own spiritual light from within. We should not keep this spiritual light hidden inside us but instead share our awareness with others, shine our light outwards and influence our environment in positive and meaningful ways.

Last week, the Years 11 and 12 students were privileged to hear the Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu speak. He spoke of our responsibilities and our importance as Jews living in the Diaspora. He said that we need to know our history and be proud of who we are. I thought this was fitting in light of this week’s Parashah, as this is a man who shines his light outward, often in the face of others who would extinguish that light. We too must have the courage, even in the face of adversity, to shine our lights in ways which positively influence others around us.

In the last couple of weeks, Emanuel School was privileged to receive a new Ark to contain the Torah scrolls. This is the place we have read from which God can choose to reveal Himself to each of us. This is His contribution to us, but we must each ask ourselves, what will our contribution as Jewish people be to God, to each other and to the wider community as a whole?