Terumah Exodus 25:1-16 - Gifts of the Heart

Exodus 25

1. The Eternal spoke to Moses saying:		א. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
2. "Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires to generosity, you shall take My offering.		ב. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי:
3. And this is the offering that you shall take from them: gold, silver, and copper;		ג. וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחשֶׁת:
4. blue, purple, and crimson wool; linen and goat hair;		ד. וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים:
5. ram skins dyed red, tachash skins, and acacia wood;		ה. וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים:
6. oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the incense;		ו. שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹר בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים:
7. shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen.		ז. אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹד וְלַחשֶׁן:
8. And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst		ח. וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם:
9. according to all that I show you, the pattern of the Mishkan and the pattern of all its vessels; and so shall you do.		ט. כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ אֵת תַּבְנִית הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֵת תַּבְנִית כָּל כֵּלָיו וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ:
10. They shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.		י. וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ:
11. And you shall overlay it with pure gold; from inside and from outside you shall overlay it, and you shall make upon it a golden crown all around.		יא. וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַפֶּנּוּ וְעָשִׂיתָ עָלָיו זֵר זָהָב סָבִיב:
12. And you shall cast four golden rings for it, and you shall place them upon its four corners, two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.		יב. וְיָצַקְתָּ לּוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וְנָתַתָּה עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הָאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִית:
13. And you shall make poles of acacia wood and you shall overlay them with gold.		יג. וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָב:
14. And you shall bring the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them.		יד. וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן בָּהֶם:
15. The poles of the ark shall be in the rings; they shall not be removed from it.		טו. בְּטַבְּעֹת הָאָרֹן יִהְיוּ הַבַּדִּים לֹא יָסֻרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ:
16. And you shall place into the ark the testimony, which I will give you.		טז. וְנָתַתָּ אֶל הָאָרֹן אֵת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶיךָ:

Guide Questions

1. According to Rashi on verse 3, of the gold, silver, and copper, what was given voluntarily and what was forced to be given on all of the people? Do you think charity should be purely voluntary, or do you think there is also a place to "tax" people in order to accomplish a goal? Why or why not?

2. According to the Stone Chumash (p. 444), this part of the Torah is written out of order, and the building of the Tabernacle is in response to something the Israelites did while at Sinai. What did they do? Why do you think building the Tabernacle was the solution?

3. In the Stone Chumash (p. 446), what does Sforno say on verses 8-9 about the purpose of the Ark? How is this reflected in synagogue sanctuaries today?

4. In the Stone Chumash (p. 447), Rabbi Chananel comments that the ark needed gold on the inside and on the outside, "from within and from without." How does he relate this to a person's life today?

5. In the Etz Hayyim chumash (p.486, lower commentary), from where does it say the gifts we take for God originally came? What does this say about giving and taking? What lesson does this teach for us today?

6. In the Etz Hayyim chumash, (p. 486, lower commentary), commenting on "I may dwell among them," where does it say God "dwells"? What does the midrash compare this to? Why? Compare this to a statement in Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple: “...have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me. And I think all the other folks did too. They come to church to share God, not find God.” Where do you think God dwells, in a physical place, in people, or a combination? Why?

7. According to the Etz Hayyim chumash (p. 487), what is the connection between the Hebrew word for "Ark" and the Hebrew word for "light"? What does this say about the symbolism of the Tabernacle? How many symbols of light can you think of in Judaism, and what do they each represent?

8. According to Plaut's Modern Commentary (p. 614), What is the symbolism of the Tabernacle according to Josephus, Philo, and the Midrash? Which do you like best? Why?

9. According to the Women's Torah Commentary (p. 467), what crafts did men specialize in, and what crafts did women specialize in? What does this say about who contributed to the Tabernacle? What lesson might we learn from this today?

10. According to Rebbe Nachman (vol. 2, p. 216), what is referred to by the word "testimony" in verse 16? What two things does Rabbi Nachman teach you need in order to testimony to be considered true? According to Rabbi Nachman, what are they, and how does this work?

Yitro - Exodus 19:1-11: Under the Mountain

Yitro - Exodus 19:1-11: "Under the Mountain" Chapter 19

1. In the third month of the children of Israel's departure from Egypt, on that very day they arrived in the desert of Sinai.		א. בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי:
2. They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, and they encamped in the desert, and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.		ב. וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים וַיָּבֹאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינַי וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר:
3. Moses ascended to God, and the Eternal called to him from the mountain, saying, "So shall you say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel,		ג. וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָֹה מִן הָהָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
4. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I bore you on eagles' wings, and I brought you to Me.		ד. אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים וָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי:
5. And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth.		ה. וְעַתָּה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים כִּי לִי כָּל הָאָרֶץ:
6. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of princes and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel."		ו. וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:

7. Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel and placed before them all these words that the Eternal had commanded him.		ז. וַיָּבֹא משֶׁה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי הָעָם וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ יְהוָֹה:
8. And all the people replied in unison and said, "All that the Eternal has spoken we shall do!" and Moses took the words of the people back to the Eternal.		ח. וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל הָעָם יַחְדָּו וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָֹה נַעֲשֶׂה וַיָּשֶׁב משֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל יְהוָֹה:
9. And the Eternal said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud, in order that the people hear when I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever." And Moses relayed the words of the people to the Eternal.		ט. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיַּגֵּד משֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל יְהוָֹה:
10. And the Eternal said to Moses, "Go to the people and prepare them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments.		י. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָֹה אֶל משֶׁה לֵךְ אֶל הָעָם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר וְכִבְּסוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם:
11. And they shall be prepared for the third day, for on the third day, the Eternal will descend before the eyes of all the people upon Mount Sinai.		יא. וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי | בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִשִׁי יֵרֵד יְהוָֹה לְעֵינֵי כָל הָעָם עַל הַר סִינָי:

Guide Questions

1. On verse 4, Rashi makes a comment on the phrase "on eagles' wings." According to the midrash Rashi cites, what is different about how an eagle carries its young, and what does this symbolize about God and the people Israel? Compare this comment to the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber's teaching, which says the eagle lifts up its shy young in order to teach them to fly. How does this add to Rashi's comment and the symbolism of the midrash?

2. According to Rashi, why does it say in verse 2 that the Israelites "encamped" וַיַּחֲנוּ (in the plural) in the desert and then Israel "encamped" וַיִּחַן (singular) opposite the mountain? What is the meaning of moving from the plural to the singular verb? What might this teach us today?

3. According to the Stone Edition Chumash (p. 403), what is the meaning of being "a holy nation"? Do you agree? Why or why not?

4. According to Etz Hayyim (p. 436) on the phrase in verse 1, "on that very day," what happens when we read or accept Torah today? Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

5. According to Etz Hayyim (p. 437), what does the Torah mean that "Indeed all the earth is Mine, but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation"? What do you think it means that Jews have traditionally considered themselves the Chosen People? Do you agree or disagree?

6. In The Commentators' Bible - The JPS Miqra'ot Gedolot - Exodus (p. 146), on the phrase "Moses went up to God," what do Nahmanides, Ibn Ezra, and Abarbanel (in the Additional Comments section on the bottom) say this phrase means? What do you think it means?

7. In Rebbe Nachman's Torah Exodus (bottom of p. 147 to 148), what word is equal in numerical value to "Sinai" and what does it mean? Also, how large was Sinai? What characteristic does this teach us to have? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Beshalach Exodus 14:15-25 Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God

Beshalach - Exodus 14:15-25: "Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God"

Chapter 14

15. The Eternal said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.		טו. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ:
16. And you raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the children of Israel shall come in the midst of the sea on dry land.		טז. וְאַתָּה הָרֵם אֶת מַטְּךָ וּנְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַיָּם וּבְקָעֵהוּ וְיָבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה:
17. And I, behold! I shall harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will come after you, and I will be glorified through Pharaoh, and through all his force, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.		יז. וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מְחַזֵּק אֶת לֵב מִצְרַיִם וְיָבֹאוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל חֵילוֹ בְּרִכְבּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו:
18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Eternal, when I will be glorified through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen		יח. וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה בְּהִכָּבְדִי בְּפַרְעֹה בְּרִכְבּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו:
19. Then the angel of God, who had been going in front of the Israelite camp, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them.		יט. וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִפְּנֵיהֶם וַיַּעֲמֹד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם:
20. And he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there were the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night, and one did not draw near the other all night long.		כ. וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ וַיָּאֶר אֶת הַלָּיְלָה וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה אֶל זֶה כָּל הַלָּיְלָה:
21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Eternal led the sea with the strong east wind all night and made the sea into dry land and the waters split.		כא. וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם וַיּוֹלֶךְ יְהֹוָה | אֶת הַיָּם בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַיָּם לֶחָרָבָה וַיִּבָּקְעוּ הַמָּיִם:
22. Then the children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry land, and the waters were to them as a wall from their right and from their left.		כב. וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חוֹמָה מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם:
23. The Egyptians pursued and came after them all Pharaoh s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea.		כג. וַיִּרְדְּפוּ מִצְרַיִם וַיָּבֹאוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם כֹּל סוּס פַּרְעֹה רִכְבּוֹ וּפָרָשָׁיו אֶל תּוֹךְ הַיָּם:
24. It came about in the morning watch that the Eternal looked down over the Egyptian camp through a pillar of fire and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into confusion.		כד. וַיְהִי בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר וַיַּשְׁקֵף יְהֹוָה אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם:
25. And [God] removed the wheels of their chariots, and He led them with heaviness, and the Egyptians said, Let me run away from the Israelites because the Eternal is fighting for them against the Egyptians		כה. וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי יְהֹוָה נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם:

Guide Questions

1. Rashi brings three explanations of verse 15. What is different about each one? How is the first one different from the second and third? What do you think of this?

2. On the beginning of verse 20, "וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל" to what situation does Rashi compare this to? How does this describe the relationship between God and the people Israel? What do you think of this?

3. What famous midrash is cited in The Stone Edition Chumash (p. 373) on בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה? What other midrash is added on to the idea that the water formed walls on the right hand and on the left? If you were to give a d'var torah on these two midrashim, what lesson could you teach?

4. In Rebbe Nachman's Torah (Exodus, bottom of p. 104), how does the splitting of the sea relate to the idea of your willpower overcoming obstacles? Do you think it is true that if you want something badly enough, you can make it happen? Why or why not? How does this compare with the first Zionist, Theodor Herzl, who said, "If you will it, it is no dream?"

5. The Great Seal of the United States is an image that is supposed to represent the values of the country. Two images were proposed. Look below: the one on the left was accepted: The eye of God above a pyramid with Latin words meaning "He approves of our deeds" and "a new order for the ages." (It is on the back of the one dollar bill.) Benjamin Franklin, however, wanted the image on the right, of the splitting of the sea, with the motto, "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." His idea was rejected. What values do each image represent? How are they both about the story of the American Revolution? Which would you have preferred, and why?

6. In the Torah: A Modern Commentary by W. Gunther Plaut under "Compassion," two things are explained: a midrash about the angels and a custom at the Passover seder. (See p. 486.) How do these things change the tone of the story? Do you like or dislike this approach? Why?

7. In Etz Hayim (p. 404), what does the commentary on verse 21 say about the rabbis' attitudes toward supernatural miracles? Do you agree or disagree? Why? Does a "natural" or "scientific" explanation of the splitting of the sea appeal to you? Why or why not?

8. Look at two paintings of the parting of the Red Sea (one image by Arnold Friberg, the other one by Yoram Raanan. What is the mood of each one? How do they compare to each other? Which do you prefer? Why?

Arnold Friberg:

Yoram Raanan:

9. The Jewish philosopher Martin Buber taught that the splitting of the sea is an example of a miracle, and a miracle is anything that produces "abiding astonishment." It becomes more amazing the more you explain it. Can you think of something else that could be called a "miracle" according to this definition? What? Why?