Terumah: Giving with Joy
Dear Friend,
This week marks the start of the Hebrew month of Adar.
My daughter came home from school singing a song I remember from my own kindergarten days: “Mishe mishe mishe . . . mishenichnas Adarrrrrrr!”—“When the month of Adar enters, we increase in joy.” I doubt that she can translate the words, but one look at her face proves she has internalized their meaning. She’s simply delighted.
If tears and tantrums come easily to small children, so too does happiness. These little people feel safe knowing that they are protected, nurtured and loved. Why not be happy?
Adar features the holiday of Purim, a central theme of which is complete reliance on and faith in G‑d. This is epitomized by Queen Esther, who as an orphan bereft of a parent’s care knew that in G‑d alone lay her security. And when her nation was threatened, she inspired them to turn entirely to Him. With this absolute trust came salvation, and then great joy.
In this month, let us be children, feeling secure in G‑d’s protection, treasured by His love and deeply joyful.
Malkie Janowski,
Ask the Rabbi @ Chabad.org
The Torah describes two acts of creation: G‑d’s creation of the universe, and the Israelites’ creation of the Mikdash or Mishkan, the sanctuary that traveled with them in the desert, the prototype of the Temple in Jerusalem. The connection between them is not incidental.
It was a portable sanctuary, a spiritual center in the desert. It was the place for sacrifices . . .
Don’t we all remember the precise location where we proposed, or the hospital ward where our first child was born? How could we forget? And yet, somehow, we’ve lost touch with the place more important to our people than any other . . .
The Jews are commanded to gather materials for the building of the Tabernacle. Moses is given specific directions for its construction; it must be easy to dismantle and reassemble. The ark, the showbread table and the menorah, the tapestries, beam structure, etc., are described in detail.
Since everybody knows that gossip is a highly contagious method of spreading hurt feelings, anger, jealousy, damaged reputations and fizzled relationships, why don’t we have warning labels on anyone transmitting the stuff?
It is not often that I am accused of being short on words. My problem is actually quite the opposite.
I said yes immediately, afraid that if I thought about it first, I would lose the courage. The idea of sharing an entire night with someone straddling two worlds seemed awesome to me.
The Torah tells us not to pay attention to astrological influences, but it also tells us that Adar is a month full of “mazal” (good fortune). How do we reconcile these concepts?
After the seventy-year exile in Babylon, many of the Jewish people return to their homeland under the leadership of Ezra.
He’s in the ethereal world of the philosopher, and He’s in the pragmatic world of the trucker speeding down Interstate 86. He’s even in the putrid world of the worker digging out the city sewers down the street. So, why can’t I see Him?
There’s a beast inside all of us. You’ve got to meet it eye to eye, in its own den.
How can a unit of time be defined as a day of rest, the very antithesis of time?
May a microphone be used for the reading of the Scroll of Esther?
“People travel here from great distances to see the Maggid, while I, who live here in Mezeritch, have never gone to see him even once. I really should do so, at least one time,” he thought.
Kreplach are traditionally eaten at the Purim meal. Try these delicious fried pockets filled with soft ground meat. Your family and friends will thank you!
. . . they met in the middle of the city, and it burned with the fire of their inspiration . . .
Debating Jewish texts is almost as old as Judaism itself, and the recording of scholarly opinions on the texts has proliferated since the arrival of the printing press.
“The camaraderie and fellowship of Jewish people involved in recovery lends itself to tremendous energy,” said Kessler.
Sometimes you feel like you’re going about life as just another grain of dust blown by the wind.
You get to your home and there’s a mezuzah on the door.
You are a Jew. You are the Jewish people.
You are Abraham. You are Sarah. You are every Jew who has ever lived.
You, your family, your home, every moment of y...
