Torah Portion of the Week
Building Character through the Themes of the Weekly Torah Portion
דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ־לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִי׃
Da-ber el–B’nei Yis-ra-el v’yik-chu–li t’ru-mah me-et kol–ish a-sher yi-d’ve-nu li-bo tik-chu et–t’ru-ma-ti.
Speak unto the Children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man whose heart makes him willing you shall take My offering.
Exodus 25:2
Terumah means “gift” or “portion.” When it came to building the Tabernacle, the Jewish people were asked to bring contributions of all types of materials. This Torah portion describes how the gifts came from those whose hearts motivated them. They gave voluntary, heartfelt gifts. They brought their best. They gave willingly, out of the goodness of their hearts, in order to build the place of which God said, “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (JPS 1917, Exod. 25:8). It was built by willing hearts. And that is what made the Tabernacle so beautiful.
A Motivated Heart
Terumah teaches us the importance of giving. What are you building? A family, a community, a business, relationships? Whatever it is, you always have something to contribute towards it; you always have something to give, and you always gain more by giving. Whether it’s money, cherished possessions, your time, or a special talent—what you have is a gift. Whether big or small, never underestimate the importance and power of the gift that you have to offer. Your gift is a contribution to building a better world.
At the same time, it is just as important to recognize that every person around you has something to offer, too. No matter what relationships you are building in life—whether it’s with your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your employees, or your co-workers—never underestimate the importance of every single person in your life, because we all have something to give.
Using the gifts that God has given you to help others is the greatest beauty of all. When you use your gift to do something nice for someone, it not only lifts them up, it lifts you up, as well. You can never lose by giving—especially to those who are in need. So what do you have today that can produce tomorrow’s harvest? Even the smallest seeds are capable of multiplying. Even a smile can save a life. Bring your best and truly give of yourself. Let your heart motivate you.
Pronunciation Guide for Transliterated Hebrew Words
| a | [a] as in arm |
| ai | [ai] as in Thailand |
| e | [e] as in red |
| ei | [ei] as in eight |
| i | [i] as in ski |
| o | [o] as in score |
| oi | [oi] as in oil |
| u | [u] as in rule |
| ui | [ui] as in gluing |
| ch/kh | [ch] as in the Scottish loch |
| g | [g] as in good (not as in giant) |
| tz | [ts] as in hats |
| ‘ | short “eh” or “uh” sound |
The Hebrew Scriptures in this text have been derived from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC), and the English translation is based off of the JPS 1917 Tanakh.
Simchat Torah Beit Midrash®
