Terumah
The Diversity of Torah
Dear Friend,
At this time of year, I’m always struck by the diversity of Torah. Through Genesis and most of Exodus, the weekly Torah portions followed a storyline narrative. Then we started learning various Torah laws. This week, we began learning the design, architecture and engineering of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) in minute detail.
The entire Jewish nation came together to donate their time, possessions and individual talents to build the Tabernacle . Every person counts, and we each have our own uniqueness that we bring to the table. It is only through a united effort that G‑d’s home is built to its full glory.
The same can be said of the Torah. Every portion adds a new perspective and teaching. It is only through going through the Torah slowly, week by week, that we appreciate its beauty and greatness.
This past Shabbat, we marked the first yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon. If you haven’t yet started learning the weekly Torah portion, then Rabbi Gordon’s lucid, engaging, yet concise class going through the daily Torah lesson is an excellent place to start.
If you already learn the daily Torah, then perhaps consider learning it with an additional commentary. By doing so, you will come to appreciate the beauty, richness and diversity of the Torah even more!
Yehuda Shurpin
on behalf of the Chabad.org
Editorial Team
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How could they use impure animals for the holiest of places?
I feel a little guilty about it and thought maybe I should give it up. On the other hand, am I doing anything wrong by just leaving it there?
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Foggy, rugged island on the North Atlantic has no Jewish school or kosher dairy—at least, not yet.
Students are coming in from all over the world, to then bring the spirit of the Shabbaton back home.
Sugihara and his wife stayed up all day and night writing visas for the desperate Jews.
My daughter is always complaining that “all the other mothers” always do their children’s projects and homework for them . . .
The thirty thousand men selected to go to Lebanon and chop the lumber for the construction had an interesting work schedule . . .
“As you know, I am an expert tailor,” said the man, whose eyes still glistened with tears. “I make high-quality clothing for princes, nobles and other fine folks.
I was ready to tell my wife that one of us was going to return to Cambodia to retrieve the medication. And then I stopped. I googled “Chabad Cambodia.”
I knew it wouldn’t be easy to give up my smartphone on Shabbat and the holidays.
I’m married to a man who is extremely easygoing and goes with the flow. I, on the other hand, like to make plans, keep to my schedule and expect other people to do so, too. Our children are half-and-half.
Everything about the Rebbe was pure kindness. Even his idea of “hell” was as kind and generous as could be:
People have a misconception of Hell. Let me tell you what Hell really is.
Hell is a spiritual place where everything that exists in our world exists, but in an infinite way. So, whatever you chased after in this...
