25 Feb PARSHAS TERUMAH: TURN YOUR HOME INTO A MISHKAN

This week’s parashah
discusses the building of
the Mishkan. We want
every Jewish home to
be a sanctuary where
Hashem resides.
The Gemara tells
(Bechoros 7) about
a debate between Reb Yehoshua ben
Chananya with apikorsim called Saba d’bei
Atuna, the wise men of Athens. The wise
men of Athens asked Reb Yehoshua ben
Chananya, “Where is the middle of the
world?”
Reb Yehoshua pointed to “here” and said,
“This is the middle of the world.”
They asked, “How do you know?”
He replied, “Bring ropes and measure.”
The Kotzker zt’l explains that they were
asking him, “The Beis HaMikdash used
to be in the middle of the world. Where
is the Beis HaMikdash today?” With this
question, they were teasing Reb Yehoshua
ben Chananya, implying to him that the
Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, and that

Hashem turned away from the Jewish
nation.
Reb Yehoshua told them, “The Beis
HaMikdash is here, in every Yid.”
It states (25:8) v’asu li mikdash veshachanti
besocham, “They shall make Me a sanctuary
and I will dwell in their midst.”
It doesn’t state veshachanti besocho, “I will
dwell in it.” It says veshachanti besocham,
“I will dwell in their midst.” The sefarim
explain this to mean that Hashem dwells
within every Yid. There is an aron in every
Yid. This is his heart. There are keruvim in
every Yid. They are his eyes. And all the
limbs of a human being correspond to the
utensils of the mishkan. Just as Hashem
dwelt in the Mishkan, Hashem dwells
within every Yid.
It states (Yeshayah 33:15-16) “He who
walks righteously and speaks honestly, who
scorns oppression, who shakes his hands
from taking hold of bribe, closes his ear
from hearing of blood, and closes his eyes
from seeing evil. He shall dwell on high;
rocky fortresses shall be his defense; his
bread shall be given [to him], his water
sure.”

The Metzudas Dovid explains, “If he does
all of the above, he will dwell in a safe
place, as if he is in a high place and the
enemy can’t get there.”
The Targum Yonason translates it as “He
will dwell in a high place, in the Beis
HaMikdash.” He is explaining that his own
home becomes a Beis HaMikdash.
The Divrei Yisrael zt’l said that the Gan
Eden of Bnei Yisrael is in Olam HaBa, and
the Gan Eden of Hakadosh Baruch Hu is to
be in a Yid, as it states (Vayikra 26:12) “I
will walk within you.”
The Midrash tells us that Hashem wants
to dwell among us. He doesn’t want to be
distant from us. The Midrash explains that
this is because Hashem loves the Torah, and
He wants to be near where there is Torah.
Hashem gave us the Torah, so He wants to
be near us.
The Midrash states, “Is there a sale that when
you buy an item, the seller comes along with
it? But Hakadosh Baruch Hu tells Yisrael, ‘I
sold the Torah to you, keviyachol, I am sold
together with it, as it states vi’kchu li, ‘Take
Me.’ It can be compared to a king who
had an only daughter. Another king came

and married the only daughter. This king
wanted to return to his land and take his
wife with him. His father-in-law told him,
‘This is my only daughter. I can’t be distant
from her. But I also can’t tell you that you
can’t take her with you because she is your
wife. Do me this favor. Wherever you go,
make a small room for me so I can dwell
there with you because I can’t be without
my daughter.’ Similarly, Hakadosh Baruch
Hu tells Yisrael, ‘I gave you the Torah. I
can’t leave it. I can’t tell you not to take it.
Rather, wherever you go, make me a room
so I can be there. This is the meaning of the
words (25:8) veshachanti besocham,’ I will
dwell in your midst.’”
The Beis Aharon zt’l would tell his chasidim
to learn this Midrash every year. Wherever
we are, and with everything we do, make a
place for Hashem to be there, too.