Parashat Terumah

Picture to yourselves the scene: the people of Israel on an endless journey through the desert, scorching by day and freezing by night. What is most lacking of all on such an endless journey? Hope. The knowledge that there is somewhere to go, that there is a purpose to the journey itself. In this week's Torah portion an entire people, weary, lacking a permanent home and a clear future, is asked to pause for a moment from mere survival and to contribute to the building of the Tabernacle. Rav Kook explains that the force that enlivens the soul of Israel is the longing for the building of the Holy Temple, that is, the anticipation of a spiritual center of wholeness and meaning. The contribution to the Tabernacle is a living expression of this longing within fragile reality itself. The people of Israel chooses to invest in the Tabernacle, and in doing so holds within it a consciousness of a future purpose. This anticipation elevates the spirit of all the generations, connects them to the Land of Israel, and preserves an inner vitality even when they are still far from wholeness.

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