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TeRuMah: Holding UP our Gifts

28/02/2017 08:21:35 PM

Feb28

Those of us who have siblings, and those of us who parent more than one offspring, have a particular challenge in our lives. It plays out through circumstances that may appear mundane, yet illuminate an issue that is both profoundly human and deeply sacred.

When my two children were young, there was a fair bit of checking out the dimensions of the cookie, or the serving of pasta, or the amount of time spent schmoozing at bedtime. The relative size of my offerings to them, both in goodies and attention, was a Big Deal.

My children are wonderful (ken ayin hara) and did not go wanting either for homemade cookies and mac and cheese, nor, I believe, for the best loving, caring and attention I could offer them. But there were times when I gave them distinct gifts that may or may not have appeared equivalent to them.

A teaching gleaned from his week’s Torah portion supports my choice to ensure that the attention I brought to each child - the activities I take them to, the ways I listen – and now to each young adult, truly help them grow fully into themselves. Further, it guides me to sustain close attention to what I do best, so that I may nurture my own capacity to offer my gifts in the world, and also so that I may recognize the God-given gifts in all whom I encounter.

A Hasidic commentary, Meor Hashemesh, cites the parshah’s opening verse, and poses a question:

‘“The Eternal spoke to Moses saying: Tell the Israelites that they should bring me an offering, from every person whose heart is willing, bring for me a gift” (Exodus 25:1-2). Grammatically, we must ask why it says “gift,” which connotes raising up?’

The question drew my eye back to the Hebrew word for offering or gift, terumah, and in it I saw the root letters R-M, resh and mem. These two letters can form words that mean to lift up, raise up, or make higher, and so on.

Parshat Terumah heralds a sequence of Torah portions that detail – really detail! – the building of the mishkan. From colors and fabric to wood and finishings, it provides very specific blueprints for us to follow.

So to begin the sequence with this sense of openness and invitation to “hold up” gifts from each person invests the blueprint of God’s sacred space with additional scope beyond the material. Gifts from the heart shall be held up. And after the heartfelt gifts are offered, then a sanctuary will be made “exactly as I show you” (25:9).

The opening of Parshat Terumah suggests to me two things: that we are called to be our best selves by giving of ourselves from the heart, and that recognizing the specificity of each person’s gifts is a sacred task. That we learn through the building of our people’s ancient sacred space may seem surprising, but if through paying attention to details, we are reminded to pay attention to and hold up the Divine spark in each child, in each sister and brother, and in each one of us, our capacity to give of ourselves will surely be held up in return.

-Rabbi Liz

Mon, 18 March 2024