Terumah “Heave offering” Exodus 25:1–27:19 1 Kings 5:26–6:13 Mark 10–11 The Lessons of a Tent This Torah portion brings us to the heart of God's will concerning mankind. This week we read of the pattern for the Tabernacle. We read of hooks and rings, gold and silver, altars and tables. We read of a Menorah that in today's terms and prices would cost almost a million dollars just for the gold. It is far too easy to become wrapped up in the various measurements, symbols and typology and miss the purpose of the Tabernacle though, which is to provide a place for Him to dwell with us. The children of Israel were asked to build a special "tent," the Tabernacle, "so that I may live among them." A better translation is "so that I may live with them." God, living with man! Now there is a novel idea! Have you ever had a call from a friend or relative telling you they would be leaving on vacation in a day or two and would be coming by to visit for a couple of days? “Sure, come on,” you say. But after you hang up the phone and realize what you have committed to, you panic. “They are going to live in our house, eat our food, and see how we live!” Well, now you are committed, and like it or not, they will be knocking on your front door in two days. Frantically, you begin to clean and throw things you do not want the guests to see into closets and drawers, just hoping that Aunt Susie will not rummage through the house like she did the last time she visited. Knowing that she and her family are into healthy living, you pack up boxes of Twinkies, Pop Tarts and Frosted Flakes. You make a mad run to the store to buy food that will make it at least look like you are eating healthy. "Now where is that health food store?" A quick call back to the house tells the kids to dust off the exercise equipment, and make sure that movie you watched last night is put deep into a drawer. All this and more just for dear Aunt Susie. But what about the Torah this week? Does it not say that HaShem, the Creator of All, desires to live with us? In fact, does not Paul in the Renewed Covenant tell us He desires not only to live WITH us, but IN us? Now if Aunt Susie demands changes in our lives, our home, our health and every other aspect of life, how much more should the God who created us deserve? Our respect for the Giver of life can best be judged by the way we respect what He has given us. Is the natural house you have been given to live in a junk pile? It is a reflection of our attitude toward the One who gave that house to us. Is our automobile overflowing with bags and wrappers from the local fast food chain? That is a reflection of our respect for the Giver of that automobile. And since we are on the subject, what about the way we treat the body God gave to each of us? Is it being filled with garbage and toxins on a daily basis? And then we wonder why we are not healed when we go to Him in prayer? What about the way we treat the people He has given us to walk out our journey with? How is our respect toward them? Our attitudes are also a reflection of our respect toward Him. Human nature is to slack off, to take the easy way out, to slip in our commitments, to forego self discipline, to view our lives from the natural aspect only. “Every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually.” So He gave us His Torah of instructions on how to live, on how to thrive, on how to maintain our lives so that He may inspect them at any time. As part of the New Covenant, He promised to change our hearts by writing His Torah on them. But then our responsibility becomes to read, study and adopt it, carte blanche. The true teaching of the Tabernacle can get lost in the counting of boards and sockets if we are not careful. We can focus on these areas as an excuse to not focus on its true meaning, both spiritual and natural. Let us use the teaching this week as an opportunity to examine the Tabernacle He has given each of us. Let us use it as an opportunity to examine our respect for all the gifts he has given and our attitudes toward them. Let us renew and refresh our commitment to Torah.