בס”ד
Parashat Terumah This week’s Torah reading is called Trumah. It talks about the construction of the Tabernacle, a mobile Temple for the travelling through the desert. One of the components of this building was Cedar wood. What is the meaning of this in the service to God? Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, p. 166
Introduction
This week’s Parasha is called Terumah, which means “donation.” The main topic of this reading is the construction of the Tabernacle, the Mishkan in Hebrew. This was a mobile temple that the Jewish people used during their journey through the desert and later for more than 360 years in the Land of Israel.
At first glance, the description of the Tabernacle’s construction may seem irrelevant today, as it took place over 3,000 years ago. The people who participated are no longer here, and the place itself has disappeared. Why, then, do we still read this text? The answer is that the words of the Torah are eternal. Even though we can no longer physically build the Tabernacle in the same way, there are still spiritual lessons to be learned.
The Specific Detail: The Use of Cedar Wood
One particular detail in the construction of the Tabernacle is the type of wood used. The Torah specifies that people had to donate cedar wood, a tall tree, and it had to be placed upright, just as it grows naturally. The walls of the Tabernacle were made of these vertical wooden beams, standing one next to the other, forming the structure.
A key question arises: where did the Jewish people find cedar trees in the desert? Trees do not naturally grow there. The answer is that when Jacob (Yaakov) traveled to Egypt, he knew that the Jewish people would eventually leave and need wood for the Tabernacle. Therefore, he planted these trees in Egypt. Over 210 years, while the Jewish people were in Egypt, the trees grew. When they left, they took the wood with them.
The Deeper Meaning of Cedar Wood (Shittim)
The Hebrew name for this tree is shittim, a type of cedar. This word carries multiple meanings in Hebrew. It is related to the word shetut, which means “foolishness” or “stupidity,” and to sata, which means “to deviate from the right path.”
How can this be understood spiritually? Maimonides (Rambam) teaches that true service to G-d follows the middle path. Extreme behavior, in any direction, is not ideal. When someone deviates from this middle path, they are, in a sense, a fool. However, there are two kinds of foolishness:
- Foolishness below intellect – when someone behaves irrationally and without reason, acting in a way that lowers them below human dignity.
- Foolishness above intellect – when someone transcends rational limitations and acts beyond their natural intellect, but in a positive, holy way.
How This Applies to Spiritual Growth
When the Torah commands the use of shittim wood for the Tabernacle, it symbolizes the need to adopt a certain kind of “foolishness” – but in a holy way. This means pushing oneself beyond intellectual and personal limitations in the service of G-d.
- If you normally give a certain amount to tzedakah (charity), push yourself to give more.
- If you are accustomed to studying Torah for a set amount of time, challenge yourself to study more.
- When you become comfortable with a certain spiritual practice, strive to elevate it further.
This is the meaning of being “foolish” in a positive way: going beyond your rational limits in holiness.
The Role of the Tabernacle’s Wooden Beams
The Tabernacle’s walls were built from upright wooden beams, standing tall and firm. A column or pillar connects the highest and lowest points – the ceiling and the floor. Similarly, our spiritual service should connect the highest, most divine levels with the lowest, material aspects of this world.
By pushing beyond our intellectual and spiritual comfort zones, we bring G-d’s presence into this world, fulfilling the ultimate purpose of creation: that G-d should have a dwelling place in the material world.
Talk from Rabbi Tuvia Serber
The above is a representation of the spoken text converted to written text.
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