TORAH PORTION DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA invites everyone to attend THE 38th ANNUAL BROTHERHOOD NIGHT PROGRAM Wednesday, February 20, 1991 8:00 p.m. JWV MEMORIAL HOME 16990 W. Twelve Mile, Southfield RABBI IRWIN GRONER Special to The Jewish News T Guest Speakers, JOHN FREEMAN, Department Commander Catholic War Veterans ARTHUR L. JOHNSON, President, Detroit Branch NAACP RABBI MARTIN J. BERMAN, Congregation Beth Achim HON. DAVID M. GUBOW, Michigan State Representative Moderator: MILTON KLEIN Co-Chairmen: ELY J. 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Maple Road • West Bloomfield 38 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1991 How The Tabernacle Shaped Israel's Soul 29107 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield Mon.-Fri. 10-4, Sat. 10-3 358-4085 CLASSIFIED GET RESULTS! Call The Jewish News 354.5959 he Book of Exodus is divided into three major sections: the story of Israel's liberation from Egypt, the account of the Divine Revelation at Sinai and the description of the construction of the Mishkan, tabernacle, Israel's first sanctuary. Our Sedra, Terumah (which means offer- ing), commences the third section. The Mishkan was a remarkable structure. Although its size was not im- pressive by modern stan- dards, it occupied a unique place in the life of the Hebrew people. The Sanctuary proper measured approximately 45 feet by 15 feet and was divid- ed by the parokhet, veil, into two chambers: the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. The former contained the sacred furnishings; the latter held only the ark enshrining the Tablets Moses received on Mt. Sinai. There was also an outer court about 150 feet long and 75 feet wide, which contained the bronze altar of the sacrifices and the laver used by the priests. Essential- ly, the Mishkan was a large tent reinforced by a wooden framework made of acacia boards to give it greater stability. Particularly note- worthy is the fact that Israel's first sanctuary was portable. It was the shrine of a wander- ing people. As the tabernacle journeyed with Israel, even so it shaped and nurtured its soul. The Torah describes the means by which the building fund was to be supplied. An obligatory tax of a half-shekel was secured from each male. Offerings of gold, silver and copper were brought, as well as contributions of blue, pur- ple and scarlet wool, linen, hides, wood and other materials. The women gave their mirrors; the princes their jewels. The question arises, why should God, Ruler of the world, Creator of the uni- verse, Guardian of the des- tinies of humanity, need or re- quire such a limited place of habitation? Why should the Divine Spirit be housed in such narrow confines? This problem disturbed later generations of rabbis Irwin Groner is senior rabbi , of Congregation Shaarey Zedek. who recorded in the Talmud a conversation between Moses and God in which the great Prophet of Israel exclaims in awe: "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee. How much less this sanctuary that we are to build?" And then, God quiets him with these words: "I do not ask what is due Me, but only what the people can fulfill — 20 boards to the north and south and eight in the west, and I shall then so draw My shekinah together so that it may find room therein." The import of the statement of the sages was conveyed by the Kotzker Rebbe of the 18th century, who was once asked: "Where does God dwell?" And he answered: "Wherever we let Him in." When the children of Israel built the tent of meeting in Teruma: Exodus 25:1-27:19, Kings I 5:26-6:13. the wilderness, they set aside a place dedicated and devoted to the Divine Presence that had led them out of Egyptian bondage and brought them to Sinai. Symbolically, they had taken part of their wealth and energies and talents and of- fered these as a humble gift to the King of kings. This gift, in the form of a sanctuary, then became a worthy house for the spirit of the Lord. The significance and in- fluence of this Mishkan was vast. It was the direct precur- sor of the Temple, for in later generations Solomon built a permanent and more impos- ing sanctuary based on the tabernacle of the wilderness. History was not kind to the Jewish people, for neither the sanctuary nor the Temple re- main as testimony to the glory and splendor of their worship. Driven from one land to the next, Jews built another form of sanctuary we call the synagogue. To this day, the synagogue preserves analogues of the tabernacle or Temple: the Aron Hakodesh, the sacred ark, corresponds to the Holy of Holies; the bimah represents the altar, where prayer and the reading of scripture replace the ancient sacrifices; while the Ner Tamid, the perpetual lamp, still testifies like the menorah of old, to the unquenchable light of the Divine Spirit. 111