Parashat Trumah introduces several new terms and concepts that we have not encountered until now. "Truma", translated “contribution”, is derived from the root r.o.m (resh, vav, mem) – meaning "high up, to lift up, to exalt". Having warranted such a term, the Almighty obviously held this type of contribution in high esteem. Furthermore, it also speaks of its Originator and His exalted position. The description of the potential “contributor” as a person whose "heart generously impels him" (25:2), reinforces the significance of this offering. "Yidvenu" is the verb used here, meaning to “cause one to be generous", stemming from the root n.d.v. (noon, dalet, bet/vet), which is also: "willing, noble, volunteer, freewill offering". Copious rain, for example, is "geshem n'davot" (Ps. 68:9). Other examples of the usage of this word are found in Hoshe’a (Hosea) 14:4 where YHVH declares: "I will love them [Yisrael] freely" (italics added). In Shoftim (Judges) 5:9 D'vorah describes the lawgivers of Yisrael, as those who "freely offered themselves among the people" (italics added). This contribution was to be given freely and was expected to include gold and silver (undoubtedly the gifts the Egyptians gave to the Hebrew people). The articles of “trumah” were intended for the building of the “holy sanctuary - mikdash - for YHVH” (v. 8), so that He will "dwell among them" (v. 8; cf. Ezekiel 37:26-28; 43:9b) – although the Hebrew – b’to’cham - may be read “in them”.
The sanctuary in the desert is more often called "mishkan"
(v. 9), meaning "a dwelling place". However, being its
first mention, it may have been necessary to clarify that this place was to
be set apart and dedicated to the presence of
YHVH, hence "mikdash". “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I
may dwell among them” - “ve’sha’chanti” - hence “mishkan” –
dwelling place. “The text does not say 'that I may dwell in its midst,' but
'among them,' to teach you that the Divine Presence does not rest on the
sanctuary by virtue of the sanctuary, but by virtue of Israel, 'for they are
the temple of the Lord.’” To these words by the Zedah La-derekh Commentary, we
add another. In referring to the same text, Malbim comments: "He commanded
that each individual should build him a sanctuary in the recesses of his heart,
that he should prepare himself to be a dwelling place for the Lord and a
stronghold for the excellence of His Presence, as well as an altar on which to
offer up every portion of his soul to the Lord until he gives himself for His
glory at all times".[1]
The
Almighty says of Himself in Yishayahu (Isaiah) 66:1: “The heaven is My throne
and the earth My footstool - where is the house that you may build for
me?" (cf. I Kings 8:27). This sanctuary, therefore, is a place where the
“creature” could have a measure of access to its Creator and experience His
love, justice, and forgiveness. The sanctuary is a tangible place of meeting (ref.
Ex. 25:22) for human beings confined to time and space.
The
first article to be built is the "aron" (25:10). We have
already encountered this term (which means a “chest”, or an “ark”,
and a sarcophagus – i.e., a stone coffin, in B’resheet 50:26, where reference
was made to Yoseph's embalming and burial). This wooden case, overlaid with
gold, was to be the Ark of the Testimony (25:16), bearing witness to YHVH's
word, covenant, atonement, and forgiveness with and to the Israelites. Shlomo
Ostrovski is of the opinion that in this unique and important article, two very
distinct and different characteristics come together, as the acacia wood from
which the ark was made originated from the plant world, while the precious
metal of overlaid gold was derived from an altogether different source. The
latter’s use was intended to magnify this special article, and thereby “elevate
its status”.[2] Thus, the
‘lesser’ is transformed by virtue of the ‘covering’ by the ‘greater’.
Interestingly, in the book of Hitgalut (Revelation) 11:19, there is also
a reference to the ark, though in a different location: “And the temple of
Elohim was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of his
testament…”
"You
are to make a cover for the ark out of pure gold" (25:17).
This "cover", translated in English as “mercy seat”, is the
familiar "kaporet" of the root k.f.r (from which stems
"kippur" - "propitiation" and literally means “cover”). On
this cover, two gold k'ruvim (cherubs) were to be
placed. In the Assyrian language, "kruv" (singular) is “to be
gracious or to bless", with its adjective meaning "great or
mighty". In Shmuel Bet (2nd Samuel) 22:11, we read that
YHVH "rode on a k'ruv, and did fly, and was seen on the wings of the
wind". Likewise, the k'ruvim were also placed as guards preventing entry
to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24). Here, on the other hand, their presence
signifies accessibility to the Most High. It will be “from
between the two cherubim” that YHVH will “meet” and “speak… about everything
which [He] will give… in commandment…” (25:22). The k'ruvim were to be situated
in such a way that their faces – panim - would be turned
toward each other (v. 20). In verse 30 we read about "the table of
showbread" being the table of "lechem hapanim", literally
"bread of the face".
"Panim" stems from the root "pana" (p.n.h - pey,
noon, hey), meaning "to turn". There are several other words (usually
with an added preposition) connected to the same root, such as "in front
of, before, toward, corner, attend to, undertake, take away, and clear".
"Panim", as are several other Hebrew words, always occurs in the
plural form. Thus, its very meaning and usage take into account the presence of another person whom one may face (by turning one’s
head). This is evident here in the description of the k'ruvim's position: “…and
their faces [are turned] each toward its brother" (v. 20 literal
translation). The "bread of the face" (v. 30) is a
seemingly obscure term that requires an explanation. There are numerous
instances where YHVH speaks of His Presence in terms of
"panim" (although it may not be borne out by the English
translations), as we saw for example in last week's Parasha, “…they shall not
appear before Me [literally - My Face] empty-handed" (Ex. 23:15). The
"bread of the face" therefore refers to YHVH's Presence which is
turned toward His creatures, an image that clearly foreshadows the "Bread of
Life" as epitomized in and by Yeshua.3
How
YHVH was to meet and speak between the cherubim remains the million and one
dollar/euro (choose your currency) question. Our only clue is the meaning,
respectively, of the terms “kaporert” and “panim”, which point not to the
physical dimension, but rather to the qualitative and spiritual aspect of this
awesome “meeting”.
Following
the descriptions of the Ark and the “Table of the Bread of the Presence",
we now move on to the “lampstand - Menorah"
(stemming from "nur - fire, light, shine".
Root: noon, vav, resh. 25:23-30). The Menorah’s components, quite curiously,
are not merely functional. At least five of its elements seem to be directly
connected to the botanical sphere: "calyxes, knobs, blossoms (or flowers),
branches, and almonds". These features are all part of the almond tree.
Let us bear in mind that in the desert, where these instructions were given and
where the Mishkan was to be set up, there was not an almond tree in sight! In
other words, here, for the first time, we encounter elements characterizing the
Land of Promise (the ultimate destination of these desert wanderers) as they
are included in the most important of edifices - YHVH's sanctuary. The Menorah
is not the only article that points to the Land and its characteristics. The
latter (i.e., the land's characteristics) are built right into the worship
system and the whole framework of the Israelites' relationship with YHVH (as we
shall see in future Parashot/Parashas).
“The
beautiful almond tree, whose white and pink blossoms are the first to emerge
from winter dormancy, dominating the landscape of Israel at the end of the
rainy season, passes very rapidly through several stages of growth.”.4 What
then is the connection of the Menorah to this plant? "Almond"
in Hebrew is "sha'ked", related to the root sh.k.d (shin, kof,
dalet), meaning "to watch, be diligent and insistent".
In Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 1:11-12 we encounter the imagery of the almond tree as
related to the above terms: "And the word of YHVH to me was, saying,
Jeremiah, 'what do you see?' And I said, 'I see an almond rod. Then YHVH said
to me, 'You have seen well; for I will watch over My word to perform it'”. We
learn from Mishley (Proverbs) 8:34 that, "happy" is the person who is
"watching – “lishkod” - daily at My threshold". Hareuveni points out
that it is likely that "the knobs and the flowers of the Menorah were
patterned after the cups of the almond flower or after the embryonic almond
fruit still crowned with the calyx of the flower". Thus, the Menorah was
to be a reminder of YHVH's faithfulness and steadfastness, as demonstrated by
the natural phenomena of the Land of Yisrael.
There
is yet another tree connected to the Menorah, one whose oil was to feed it: the olive tree. In Yisrael the sight of the newly blossoming almonds in
spring, strewn in the olive groves, is a reminder that YHVH "watches over
His word to perform it", especially to the proverbial ‘olive tree’ -
Yisrael (see Jer. 11:16; Rom. 11:17, 24).
As
was already mentioned, the two k’ruvim above the kaporet (so-called mercy
seat), and also those woven on the veil and the curtains of the Mishkan (Ex.
26:31, 1) recall the ones mentioned in B’resheet (Genesis) 3:24, whose function
(with the flaming sword) was to guard the way to the Tree of Life in the Garden
of Eden. But in addition to this feature, several others also recall the Garden.
The entrance to the Garden as well as to the Mishkan was on the east side (Gen.
3:24; Ex. 26:22 - the far end of the Mishkan was to the west, thus the entrance
would have been from the eastern side). We also saw above the Menorah’s
similarity to a tree. Placed at the center of the Mishkan it may be linked to
the Tree of Life “in the midst of the Garden” (Gen.
2:9). Man was put in the Garden to “work (la’avod) and keep (lishmor)” it (Gen.
2:15), while the Ko’hanim (priests) were also said to have to “keep” (tend) –
lishmor – the Mishkan and its articles, and “to do the work of the Mishkan”
(Num. 3:7-8). Lastly, Moshe was to make tunics for A’haron and his sons and
then to clothe them (Ex. 28:40), with the same word for “tunics” -
ku’tanot - being used for the skin garments that YHVH made for man and woman,
and with which He dressed them (Gen. 3:21). These associations point to
the fact that in some way the Mishkan was a gate leading to a path that was to
restore humanity ultimately back to the Garden.
The
edifice of the sanctuary was a tent, "ohel", with a primary
meaning (in some of the ancient languages of the Middle East) of “to settle
down and be inhabited, settlement, and city". This temporary and
collapsible structure, essentially made of cloth, skins, and wooden poles,
housing several articles that were made of a variety of materials for diverse
purposes, illustrates a very central scriptural principle. Twice amid
instructions relating to the tent's several components, we read, “and it shall
be one - echad" (26:6,11). Thus it is a variety of components
that make up the "whole", or the "one", as
well as "oneness" and "unity”.
Most times “echad” is used to denote simply a singular “one” (e.g. Gen. 42:13), but undoubtedly the most well-known occurrence of this word is found in the “Sh’ma”: “Hear Oh Israel, YHVH our Elohim is one Elohim” (Deut. 6:4). This eternal injunction and tenet of faith actually points to a union of plurality, since the word “Elohim” is the plural form of “el”. Thus, “echad” is not just a singular “one”, as is verified by other expressions such as: “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24); “one people” (Gen. 11:6); “So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united together as one man” (Judges 20:11), and of course by our present example. However, “echad” also has a plural form: “achadim” found, for example, in Y’chezkel (Ezekiel) 37:17: “that they may become one (literally, “plural of one”, emphasis and italics added) in your hand”, speaking of the sticks of Yoseph and Yehudah. “Echad” also lends itself to “oneness”, as we see in Y’chezkel 21:16 (although, again, it may not show up in the English translation). However, the command there (addressing a sword): “hitachadi” – “unite yourself” - can also be read: “sharpen yourself”. This makes for a union between “one” (“echad”) and “sharpness” - “chad” - which is also a shortened form of “echad” (see Ez. 33:30) and indeed is the word for “one” in Aramaic. Finally, in the creation process, the first day was pronounced not as “first day” but “one day” – yom echad (Gen. 1:5). In conclusion, true oneness is a pressed together, and compacted union of many in one, portraying a sword-like sharpness (e.g. Zechariah 9:13). In the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) the ‘one who is made up of many’ is exemplified by the many-membered Body of Messiah. The concept of Echad well represents integration and inclusion (into oneness and wholeness; remember "shalem"?) typical of the Hebrew language and Hebraic thought.
Adding
to the oneness of the Mishkan is the description of joining the curtains and
the loops (26:3,5,6). The word for “curtain” here is “y’ree’a”,
and for “loop” - “loo’la’a”, both being in the feminine gender.
In joining them “one to another” the
Hebrew employs anthropomorphism (personification)
and reads: “a befriending (“joining” being of the root
ch.v.r meaning to bind together and “friend”)
of one woman (one curtain/one loop) to her sister (i.e. to another identical
curtain/loop)”. In this way, even the technical instructions for the Mishkan's
construction exemplify oneness and relationship.
The
boards that were to make up the structure of the Mishkan had to be held
together with “tenons” (26:17): “binding one to the other…” Here again
in Hebrew, it is: “one woman to her sister…” while the (silver) sockets (v.
19), being a masculine noun, are called “adanim”, stemming from the
root a.d.n (alef, dalet, noon) which means “sustaining, providing a base”. It
is from this root that the word “adon” – master – is derived, and hence Adonai
– the Sustainer and the One who has set up the foundations and who upholds
everything. In verse 31, we encounter the veil that was to enclose the Kodesh
Kodashim (“Holy of Holies”), called “parochet” – a divider, separator.
Ironically, the Egyptians were described as “making the children of Yisrael
serve with rigor” (Ex. 1:13 italics added), which is the
translation for “perech” – labor that signified separation, that
is, the discrimination that was inflicted upon them. Now they
are told to make the “parochet” - an element in an edifice where they are once
again to labor, but not as slaves but as those who have been separated as
a unique people for a special relationship with the
Adon/Master of the universe, with whom they were to meet in this
structure.
Four
times in this Parasha, we read that Moshe is told to make the articles and the
Mishkan “according to that which you were shown on the mountain" (25:9,40;
26:30; 27:8). When and where was he shown "the pattern"? If we refer
to the end of last week's Parasha we may find the answer: "And the glory
of YHVH dwelt on the mountain of Sinai. And the cloud covered it for six days.
And He called to Moses on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud… And
Moses came into the midst of the cloud" (24:16, 18). Thus, the 'where' and
'when' are answered, but what was Moshe actually shown? “In six days the Lord
made heaven and earth. The actual making of the Tabernacle and its furnishings,
He entrusted to man. Elohim similarly made its design or pattern in six days.
On the seventh day, He called to Moses, and Moses was shown the design of the
Tabernacle and its furnishings on the mount”. The commentator further
demonstrates this point by comparing B’resheet (Genesis) 2:1,2 to Sh’mot
(Exodus) 39:32 - 40:33, revealing a similarity of the terminology used in both
accounts. Martin Buber, for example, discovered seven corresponding elements in
keywords used in both accounts.5 Thus, we may ask, does the pattern of the
"Mishkan" in some microcosmic way reflect YHVH's creation, and if so,
how?
This
question will be answered partly in Parashat P’kudey, but also in our
present Parasha; there are some notable parallels:
Above
were mentioned examples of the usage of “echad”, while in B’resheet 1:5
it says: “Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So,
the evening and the morning were the (literally) one [echad]
day.”
B’resheet 1:7 - “Elohim made
(va’ya’as) the firmament…”
Sh’mot 25:8 - “And let them make (ve’a’su) Me a
sanctuary”.
B’resheet 1:16 - “Then Elohim made
(va’ya’s) two great lights…”
Sh’mot 25:10 - “And they shall make
(ve’a’su) an ark”.
B’resheet 1:25 -
“And Elohim made (va’ya’s) the beast of the earth…”
Sh’mot 25:23 - “You shall also make
(ve’a’sita) a table”.
Again, at the end of last week’s Parasha
(Mishpatim), we read: “Now the glory of YHVH rested on Mount Sinai, and the
cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He
called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud” (Ex. 24:16 italics added). In
parallel, it says in Sh’mot 20:11: “For in six days, YHVH made the
heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested
the seventh day” (italics added). Additionally, above, reference
was made to the Ark of the Testimony mentioned in Hitgalut (Revelation), while
there, in 15:5, for example, the "temple in heaven" is cited.
1 New Studies in Shmot Part 2, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman.
Eliner Library, Department for Torah Education and Culture in the
Diaspora.
Hemed Books Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.
2 Moses on the Witness Stand, Shlomo Ostrovski, Keren Ahava
Meshichit, Jerusalem, 1976,
1999
3 See blogspots for 2 related articles
http://israeliteletters.blogspot.co.il/2014/02/bread-of-presenceface.htm
http://israeliteletters.blogspot.co.il/2014/02/bread-of-life.html
4
Nature in Our Biblical Heritage, Nogah Hareuveni, trans. Helen Frenkley,
Neot Kdumim Ltd. Lod, Israel,
1996
5 New
Studies in Shmot Part 2, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman. Eliner
Library, Department for Torah Education and
Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed Books
Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Most
of the word definitions were extracted from: The New Brown, Driver, Briggs,
Gesenius Lexicon, Francis Brown Hendrickson.
Publishers, Peabody, Mass. 1979.
No comments:
Post a Comment