17 Feb TERUMAH: TURNING THE LIGHTS ON IN OUR LIVES

Parashat Terumah tells
of the construction of
the Mishkan, the place
where Beneh Yisrael
offered sacrifices to
Hashem in the desert and until the Bet
Ha’mikdash was built. The commentaries
explain that the Mishkan is symbolic of
the way we are to bring Hashem’s
presence into our lives. The Mishkan was
the place where Hashem resided among
the people, but it represents the work that
we need to do to have Hashem reside
with us each and every day of our lives.
Therefore, when we study the details of
the Mishkan, we should expect these
details to instruct us about the proper way
to live.
The parashah begins with Hashem listing
all the materials that Beneh Yisrael
needed to donate for this project. The list
includes things like precious metals –
gold, silver and copper – wood, and
fabrics. Surprisingly, this list also
mentions oil for the kindling of the
menorah. The reason why this is
surprising is that the oil was not needed

for the construction of the Mishkan – it
was needed only after the Mishkan was
built. The Torah did not include in this
list animals for the various sacrifices, or
flour for baking the bread that was placed
on the shulhan in the Mishkan. But for
some reason, it did include here the oil
for the menorah.
Apparently, as one of the commentaries
explains, the lighting of the menorah was
not just something done in the Mishkan
but was part of the building process.
Even after the entire structure and all its
furnishings were fully built, it was not
really finished until the menorah was lit.
Therefore, the oil for the lighting is
considered one of the building materials
– because without it, without the light of
the menorah, the Mishkan was not
actually completed.
The reason is that a house is not a house
without light. It can have plenty of
otherwise comfortable rooms, lots of
furniture, and all the usual appliances,
but without light, it’s not really a home.
The house is not considered “built” if

there are no lights.
The same is true about life. There are
many things that go into “building” a
happy, meaningful life. Most people
would say that a fulfilling life should
include marriage, children, a home,
income, Torah study and observance, and
perhaps some hobbies. However, even if
all these are present, a person’s life is not
complete without “light.” There is one
thing that we all need and that without
which, we are living “in the dark.”
What is this “light” that we’re referring
to?
The story is told of a woman named Leah
Teitelbaum, who lived in Hungary during
World War II. When the Nazis came, she
and thousands of other Jews were packed
onto cattle cars that made their way to the
concentration camps. Along the way, the
train made a few stops. During one stop,
after the people got off the train, a group
of men decided to make a minyan for
minchah, realizing that this might likely
be their last opportunity to pray. A group
of women, including Mrs. Teitelbaum,
gathered to the side to pray with them.
When the Nazi officers saw the Jews
praying, they became very angry, and
they shouted at them furiously. The
group quickly dispersed in a panic –
except Mrs. Teitelbaum. She continued
praying, her eyes closed, as though
nothing was happening around her. The
guards surrounded her, shouted, and
pointed their guns at her, but she just
continued praying.
When she finished praying, she opened
her eyes and saw guards pointing their
guns at her. She immediately fainted.
Later, someone who witnessed the
scene asked her about what happened.
Why did she continue praying instead
of running away?
Mrs. Teitelbaum explained that she
didn’t hear anything. “When we pray,”
she said, “we pray.” She was fully
present and focused on her tefillah. She
was oblivious to everything going on
around her.
Miraculously, she survived the war.
This is the “light” that so many of us
are missing. We have everything that
life is supposed to have – a family, a
home, a livelihood, a community,
friends, Torah and mitzvot, and so
much more. But we aren’t present. We
aren’t focused on what we’re doing.

We aren’t experiencing all the goodness,
we aren’t enjoying all that we have.
There are different reasons why. Some
are too busy, constantly running from
thing to the next. Some have one problem
that overwhelms them so they can’t think
of anything else. Some overthink things,
creating problems or turning small
problems into big problems. Some are
consumed by jealousy. Some are afflicted
with anxiety. Some have an addiction to
technology or to something else.
Whatever the cause, too many of us
aren’t present in our lives. We live in the
“dark,” without joy and without
fulfillment, because we’re either too
distracted or too busy to enjoy all that we
have.
I remember once meeting with a couple
about a problem they had with a certain
relative. After discussing the problem
with them and offering some advice, as
we were wrapping up, I turned to them
and I said, “I just want you to realize
what an amazing life you have.”
They had a beautiful marriage, wonderful
children, and a comfortable livelihood.
Without minimizing for a minute the
challenge that they were dealing with,
which was a real problem, I wanted to
make sure that they were still able to
enjoy the blessings in their lives.
We need to recognize that there is no
such thing as a perfect life. There is not
one person I have ever met whose life is
perfect, who does not struggle with some
problem, or with several problems. If we
cannot enjoy life until life is perfect, then
we will never enjoy life. We need to
embrace our life even with the challenges
we face, even with the struggles that we
have.
If we don’t, then we’ll be living in the
dark. So, let’s turn on the “light” by
always being present and enjoying life
the way it is at every moment.