Shabbat Message from Cantor Loomer

Terumah

Parashat Terumah teaches us about the construction of the holy Tabernacle and its vessels.

They shall make a Sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them.  Like everything that I show you, the form of the Tabernacle and the form of all its vessels; and so, shall you do. (Shemot 25:9)

Nachmanides known as Ramban and one of our most beloved and influential commentaries on the Torah suggest that these words are used to encourage cheerful readiness while building and constructing all the vessels of the Tabernacle.  

First you might ask what exactly is a Tabernacle and what is it used for?

The Tabernacle was constructed to serve as a place of worship while B'nei Yisrael were wanderers and traveling.  It needed to be portable so that they can move it wherever they travelled to across the desert.  God instructed Moshe to build it.  God stated that He would leave his presence with the children of Israel in the Tabernacle during the wandering period before the Temple was built.

Ramban (Nachmanides) is saying that there has to be zest, cheerfulness, great joy, exuberance and the want to build the Tabernacle.  

The Jewish People were working on the most important project in history, and this was going to serve as G-d's home on earth!!  The Tabernacle was a place for asking for forgiveness and having a spiritual connection with Hashem.  So, the question is, why does Ramban have to tell us how we should feel while building the Tabernacle?  Wouldn't the craftsman and builders want to give it their best efforts?

Ramban is teaching us the art of motivation here.  We may be eagerly wanting to accomplish this great task but sometimes we all hit the wall so to speak.  Day after day, working tirelessly, it is after all possible that any of us who work long hours every day will eventually burn out, get tired, perhaps be at a breaking point leading us to thinking about quitting.  So, G-d instructed Moshe to use the tool of getting others motivated to tap into our inner strengths to produce a "second wind" reaching a level never thought possible.  

All of us try to utilize our own talents given to us by G-d in order to accomplish great things. That thought alone is often enough to drive to do that little bit extra, especially when we think our gas tanks are about to run out.  We say words like "That's the best I can do".  But often we realize that it simply isn't true.  We all need a break and that's what Shabbat, a weekly gift from G-d is all about.   But, with excitement and energy and that second wind and inspiration knowing that we are utilizing talents as a gift given to us by G-d we can make just about anything become possible.

Shabbat Shalom

Marshall Loomer
cantor@bethdavid.com

We remember with reverence and love those for whom Yahrzeit will be observed this week.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17 | 8 ADAR

Fanny Zweig, Grandmother of Faye Major and Howard Zweig

Morris Fox, Grandfather of Edward Fox

Thelma Greenblatt, Mother of Irwin Greenblatt

Stanley Lazar, Father of Jennifer Lazar

Chana Stricker, Sister of Ted Stricker

Esther Strom, Mother-in-law of Doreen Strom

Blima Waxberg, Mother of Annette Waxberg

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 | 9 ADAR

Aaron Borman, Father of Alex Borman and Libby Kraft

Harold Zacks, Husband of Beverley Zacks and Father of Jeffrey Zacks

Maxwell Goody, Friend of Beth  David

Murray Grossman, Brother of Bernard Grossman

Mina Tucker, Mother of Sidney Tucker

Benjamin Wosnick, Father-In-Law of Ettie Wosnick

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19 | 10 ADAR

Carolyn Freedman, Daughter of Gloria and Philip Freedman

Louis Agulnik, Uncle of Arnold Agulnik

Howard Klein, Father of Michelle Weinberg

Fred Major, Father-In-Law of Faye Major

Lois Newman, Sister of Eleanor Epstein 

Marcia Miller-Brassel, Mother of Frank Miller

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 | 11 ADAR

Aly Larson, Father of Theodore Larson

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 | 12 ADAR

Bernie Altshuller, Brother of Ann Shour and Uncle of April Laufer

Ben Mincer, Father of Mark Mincer and Sherry Lieberman

Barnet Berman, Father of Sybil Bendeth

Leon de Castro, Father of Al de Castro

Isaac Sacks, Father of Daniel Sacks

Isadore Weisz, Father of Marc Weisz

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 | 13 ADAR 

Charlotte Belz, Wife of Gerald Belz

George Elharrar, Brother of Berthe Morris

Hana Guterman, Mother of John Guterman

Lionel Miller, Husband of Roslyn Lewis

Abraham Yaakov Shoub, Father of Bernard Shoub

Samuel Slobod, Father of Annette Gosewitz

Joseph Sonshine, Father-in-law of Paula Sonshine

George Weiss, Uncle of Rochelle Pollock

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 | 14 ADAR

Joseph Klein, Father of Barbara Klein and Ronald Klein

Sarah Berelovitch, Great Grandmother of Mark Bernick

Helen Katz, Mother of David Katz

Alexander Lifshitz, Father of Joseph Lifshitz

Sol Rumanek, Father of Elaine Rumanek

Sima Spring, Great Grandmother of Georgi Bagelman

Minha-Seudah-Havdallah Saturday, February 17

 5:00 to 6:15pm

Weekday Breakfast Sponsors

Thursday, February 22   

John & Tammy Guterman in memory of John's mother Hana Guterman

Your Time!  Your Way!  Learning for You!!