The Relevance of the Mishkan

As we begin the reading of the portion Terumah we continue to find ourselves in the Torah's uncharted territory! Throughout the book of Genesis and much of Exodus our Torah readings have featured powerful narrative sections.  We have studied the creation of the world, the flood and the curious journey of the descendents of Abraham and Sarah.  With the experience of Sinai the Torah largely puts the narrative behind in favor of different issues.  Last week we read the portion of Mishpatim and focused on our most ancient law code.  This week, we begin a series of portions whose focus is building of the Tabernacle.  While the narrative sections are almost immediately accessible, the relevance of the seemingly endless lists of different pieces of the portable tabernacle would appear to be mind numbing.  Our Rabbis sought meaning in every aspect of Torah, including the parts of the Tabernacle. Permit me to offer two lessons from the tradition derived from the parts of the Mishkan. Our tradition teaches us that the Ark of the Covenant held the laws that Moses received on Mount Sinai. What is also taught is that the people gathered up the broken pieces of the Golden Calf.  The lesson that the Rabbis learn from this is that the broken tablets in the world today should not be cast away; namely, those people who are aged, or infirm, or those who have lost their way financially.  They too have a place in the ark that contains the admonition to remember the stranger.  In this way, we are reminded they have a place in our lives as well. The Torah commands that on the top of the ark, there were Cherubs of Gold. Why, we might well ask, were we commanded to place upon the Ark two cherubs (small winged angels, portrayed as children with chubby, rosy faces)?  Again, our Rabbis thought of a lesson that is surprising relevant. The ark symbolized Torah study. The cherubs remind us to consider ourselves as young children when it comes to studying Torah - to study with amazement, freshness, openness, appreciation. No matter how much you know, compared to what there is still to learn, you have just begun. For this reason a Torah scholar is always called a Talmid Chochom - a student of a wise man. The greater wisdom one has, the more one realizes that he is lacking wisdom. The greatness of Jewish life is that while the Mishkan gave way to the Temple in the year 1,000. The Temple itself has been destroyed for nearly 2,000 years; yet we continue to struggle for meaning in these ancient pages. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Michael S. Siegel