Terumah — Contribution
Hebrew: תְּרוּמָה | Book: Shemot (Exodus)
Summary
Instructions for building the Tabernacle (Mishkan); the ark, table, menorah.
Chabad Chassidic Teachings
The Mishkan: A Portable Divine Dwelling
The Tabernacle (Mishkan) is the physical realization of “dirah betachtonim” — God’s desire for a dwelling in the lower world. Uniquely, God says: “They shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them” — not “in it” but “among them.” The dwelling is built not in stone but in the hearts of Israel.
Terumah: Elevating the Physical
The terumah (contribution) consists of the finest physical materials — gold, silver, fine linen, precious stones. The Mishkan is built from these elevated materials. This teaches that the highest Divine dwelling is made from physical substance that has been voluntarily offered — lifted up (terumah = elevation).
The Ark: Torah as the Inner Sanctum
The Holy Ark (aron) containing the Torah is the innermost element of the Mishkan. Spiritually, the Torah is what makes the inner sanctum holy — the pnimiyut (inner dimension) upon which all external holiness rests.
The Menorah: The Light of Wisdom
The seven-branched Menorah represents the seven branches of wisdom — the seven sciences, all of which ultimately reflect aspects of Divine wisdom. The Rebbe taught that all true knowledge, in every field, is ultimately a facet of Torah’s light.
Key Concepts
Sources Cited
Shemot 25:8; Zohar II:127a