We Value Sacred Spaces To Gather Together
Our community is blessed with several beautiful synagogue buildings, each unique and special in its own right. In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, we are transported back to the construction site of the first Biblical Sanctuary: the portable Mishkan or Tabernacle. As the Israelites continue to wander through the Sinai desert, Moses instructs them each to bring a terumah or free will donation to build it. Specific gifts are suggested and then Gd says to Moses, “and let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8) After that, instructions for the architecture of the sanctuary are given including details of its size, the material to be used in its construction, and the blueprints on how to assemble it.
Of course, we value sacred spaces to gather together, to put ourselves in a prayerful state of mind and to show our gratitude to the Holy One. But we also know that Gd’s presence is not limited to any physical space, and we understand that Gd’s presence is best felt when we are connected to those around us. This, the 19th century Russian Torah scholar, the Malbim explains, is why the Hebrew text say v’sha-chanti b’tocham– (dwell among them) as opposed to b’tocho (dwell in it). The physical sanctuary of Gd is just a reminder of what Gd really wants- that each person builds a sanctuary within his or her heart for Gd to dwell therein. Gd has no need to dwell in buildings. What Gd desires more than anything is to dwell and to live in each of us.
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And so, the Malbim would explain, we each have the ability to build our own lives as a sanctuary to Gd. And we do that best when we turn to each other no matter what our social standing, our color, or our religion and see the sanctuary to Gd that our brothers and sisters in humankind have the potential to be, knowing that we are all created Betzelem Elohim- in the image of Gd, Gdself. Buildings need the light of holy human beings to fill them with Gd’s presence. This is why the donations to build the Mishkan needed to be terumah. Free will offerings from the heart.
Rabbi Mara Nathan
Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth-El