Study Guide to Parasha Terumah
Parasha Terumah -
Exodus 25:1-27:17
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1 Kings 5:12-6:13
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2 Corinthians 9:1-15
The Torah Portion at a Glance The people of Israel are called upon to contribute fifteen materials -- gold, silver and brass; blue, purple and red-dyed wool; flax, goat hair, animal skins, wood, olive oil, spices and gems -- out of which, YHWH says to Moses, "They shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I shall dwell amidst them."
On the summit of Mount Sinai, Moses is given detailed instructions on how to construct this dwelling for YHWH so that it could be readily dismantled, transported and reassembled as the people journeyed in the desert.
In the Sanctuary's inner chamber, behind an artistically woven curtain, was the Ark containing the Tablets of Testimony engraved with the Ten Commandments; on the Ark's cover stood two winged cherubim hammered out of pure gold. In the outer chamber stood the seven-branched Menorah and the Table upon which the "showbread" was arranged.
The Sanctuary's three walls were fitted together from 48 upright wooden boards, each of which was overlaid with gold and held up by a pair of silver foundation sockets. The roof was formed of three layers of coverings: (a) tapestries of multi-colored wool and linen; (b) a covering made of goat-hair; (c) a covering of ram and tachash skins. Across the front of the Sanctuary was an embroidered screen held up by five posts.
Surrounding the Sanctuary and the brass-plated Altar which fronted it was an enclosure of linen hangings, supported by 60 wooden posts with silver hooks and trimmings and reinforced by brass stakes. (adapted from chabad.org) The Messiah in the Torah Portion The name of this week's Torah portion is "Terumah." This Hebrew phrase describes a special type of offering that can be given to any work of YHWH. The Israelite people gave a "terumah" offering to help build the tabernacle. The Bible does not prescribe a given quantity of terumah. This type of offering is a type of "free will" offering, though no term in the English language accurately describes this Hebrew term. It is often called a "heave offering" as these types of gifts were lifted or heaved on to the altar. Terumah offerings were often times voluntary gifts that brought about closeness with the Creator. The sacrifice of the first born and gift of the first fruits is considered in the Bible as a Terumah. Plus, general tithes were often called terumah as well. The challah, slaughter offerings, and Levite tithes were all spoken of as terumah. (The Hebrew word usually used for tithes is "ma'aser." Other types of terumah include the materials for the building of the Tabernacle, the census silver, the dedicated spoils of the Midianite War, as well as any other gift set apart as sanctified to the Temple. The Terumah offering is a type and picture of Messiah Y'shua. The Savior willingly gave his existence as an offering to YHWH for all mankind. The Romans didn't take his life. The Jewish leaders didn't really kill him. Sadly, for many years anti-Semitism has been taught in the church by suggesting that the Jewish people killed the savior. This idea breeds dislike and disgust of the Hebrew people. The Jews did not kill Y'shua. Nor did the Romans. No one took Y'shua's life from Him. He gave up His life freely for all mankind. "I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again," John 10:17-18. By offering Himself as a terumah gift to mankind, Y'shua gave up His life. No one person is responsible for killing him because each and every person who has ever lived is guilty of murdered the Man of Sorrows. Without us, He would have not died. By this, YHWH showed His great love for us as while we were sinners, Messiah died for us. Our response to his gift should be to offer our lives back to Him. We must give terumah to YHWH once we accept His terumah for us! "Present yourselves to YHWH as a living sacrifice (terumah) and be not conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds," says Romans 12. One translation says, "in view of YHWH's mercies, offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for YHWH. This will please him; it is the logical 'Temple worship' for you." Release all of who you are and everything you have to YHWH and you will be blessed. Allow your mind to be renewed by His eternal word. Worship Y'shua for His sacrifice. "YHWH said unto me, Son of man, know and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of YHWH, and all the laws thereof; and know well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary," Ezekiel 44:5 Applying the Portion to Life Today Did you know that even the most difficult areas of mathematics could be mastered by simply learning and applying specific formulas?
Algebra, trigonometry, and higher math are worked through using basic arithmetic skills in a designated order. The formulas used in these more-involved math areas simply mandate the order in which certain actions should be taken to solve the problem. For example:
(1 + z) x 2 + 12 ÷ 3 - z when z = 4
Here's another formula to consider: man's desire + exact obedience = YHWH's dwelling place
You can't solve any extreme equations through using the above expression, but it may help you to understand this week's Torah portion better.
Our Torah reading is called "Terumah" and recounts the instructions for building the mishkan (tabernacle.) "Terumah" is the Hebrew word that is often translated "offering" in Shemot 25:2. "YHWH said to Moshe, "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering (terumah). You are to receive the terumah for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give." Terumah literally means "offering, donation, best part, a present sacrifice, tribute and heave offering."
This terumah (the first building fund?) was to be used to put together the mishkan of YHWH. Through voluntary gifts and human hands, the dwelling place of YHWH was to be fashioned. It was to be made exactly as specified by the Almighty. There was not to be even a slight deviation from the original pattern shown to Moshe. "Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you," said YHWH Adonai in Shemot (Exodus) 25:8-9. The following verses, indeed the rest of sefer Shemot (book of Exodus) details the building of and the work in the portable dwelling of YHWH.
In years past Yisra'el was forced to build the store cities of the Egyptians, but now they were to freely and lovingly construct the house of YHWH. This beit (house) was to be a labor of love not a building of slave labor. The construction of the mishkan was done by adding two key variables that would combine to equal the place of YHWH's habitation. Remember our equation:
man's desire + exact obedience = YHWH's dwelling place
As stated above in Shemot 25:1-2, the mishkan was constructed totally of free-will offerings. Most English Bibles state that this terumah was "given" but the Hebrew literally reads that the offering was "taken." This fact of mistranslation illustrates the difference between the Hebraic mindset of charitable donations and the Western or Greek mindset of giving. Just read the Jewish Stone's Tanakh translation, "YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying, "Speak to the children of Yisra'el and let them take for Me a terumah, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My terumah," Shemot 25:1 & 2. The word that is often mistranslated "as give" is the Hebrew term "laqach" which literally means to "take, accept, bring, carry away, fetch, seize, and take away." What's the difference between giving and taking?
Our well-learned sage, Rashi, has taught that the obvious implication of this verse is that Yisra'el was to "take" some of their possessions and "give" them to the collection. Yet a person can only give what is truly theirs in the first place. To the Hebrew, it should be understood that man actually has nothing. Whatever we do have - money, talents, children, belongings - is actually YHWH's. "The earth is YHWH's and everything in it," Tehillim (Psalm) 24:1. You can't give to a ministry or to the poor because nothing is really yours to give in the first place. YHWH graciously gives man stewardship and dominion over the earth. In reality we are just custodians, all we do is shuffle His world around.
To make this point, just read the items that Yisraelite ex-slaves were to give for the building of the mishkan: "These are the terumah you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast piece," Shemot 25:3-7. How many ex-slaves do you know of that have these kind of possessions? Well, the grand resources used for the mishkan were the plunder Yisrael received as they left Mitzrayim! "And the children of Yisra'el did according to the word of Moshe; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment," Shemot 12:35. The Israelites "borrowed" from the Egyptians the majestic possessions that YHWH "lent" Egypt.
Notice that YHWH did not make Yisra'el give the terumah. No, YHWH commanded that each person should give generously as their heart led them. Desire was to lead Yisra'el into establishing the mishkan. True terumah is taken from a grateful heart, responding to the need. Terumah starts with a heartfelt and sincere desire to take back to YHWH what He has given man. The Hebrews brought so much material to Moshe for the mishkan that Moshe had to order the terumah to be stopped. "They received from Moshe all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning...Then Moshe gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work," Shemot 36:1-6.
As great as desire is, it is not enough to bring about YHWH's dwelling place. Suppose for a moment that Yisra'el brought the terumah, laid it at Moshe's feet and that's all that happened. Just having or giving the supplies or the elements to make the mishkan were just not enough. Those raw materials, in and of themselves, did not constitute the mishkan. But, when they were fashioned exactly as Yah commanded then the blessing of His presence came. Our desire to please YHWH might be heartfelt and sincere. Yet desire must be accompanied with corresponding actions.
Just any old building would not please YHWH. The Almighty showed Moshe exactly how the tabernacle was to be made. Very specific materials were to be used. Generics wouldn't do, shortcuts wouldn't suffice, and alterations to YHWH's plan wouldn't be allowed. Four times in this week's Parasha YHWH told Moshe to build the mishkan exactly as he was commanded. Certain items were to be fashioned of pure gold while colored fabrics and linens were also used. Exact measurements required exact measuring by skilled workers. The mishkan was to be made "according to the pattern"
Math teachers will tell you that equations located on opposite sides of the equal sign must be equal. They cannot be different.
man's desire + exact obedience = YHWH's dwelling place
It takes both man's heartfelt devotion AND his obedience to create the sanctuary of YHWH. The emotional sincere desire of a believer should be coupled with deliberate and exact submission to YHWH's will. Faith must be paired with works to do some holy math! Obedience is just not enough, nor is belief. If you have one without the other then you will always come up short. But, put the two together, add desire plus obedience, and you'll experience a visitation of the divine every time. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead," Ya'acov 2:26.
Portion Points to Ponder 1. The Hebrew name for this portion is "Terumah." What does this mean? 2. Read 1 Kings 5:12-6:13. How does this relate to the story of Exodus this week? 3. Consider the words found in 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. What did you learn from studying this passage? 4. How does this Torah portion speak of the Messiah Y'shua? 5. Describe two ways that you can apply this week's Torah portion to your life. 6. Who did Yitro worship? 7. YHWH instructs Moses how to make a sanctuary for YHWH's presence. Can you describe different kinds of sanctuaries that are filled with YHWH's presence? 8. The Torah does not describe what transpired on the mountain. How and why were these instructions given there? What's the difference between given on the mountain as compared to given at the foot of the mountain? What thoughts come to mind when you think of the mountain of YHWH? 9. What is the Hebrew word for "tabernacle as used in this week's Torah portion? 10.Why is YHWH so precise on the details of constructing the sanctuary and ark and tabernacle? What difference does it make what these look like and how they are made? 11.What offering was to be given willing? Was there an obligation to give to the tabernacle? 12.The donation of silver for the Mishkan differed from the donation of the other items. How? 13."They shall make an Ark two and a half cubits in length, one and a half cubits in width, and one and a half cubits in height," Exodus 25:10. Why did all the measurements of the Ark include fractions? 14.The Ark of the Covenant was at the heart of the Tabernacle. How does it correspond to the heart of man? 15.Why do you think the Ark is the first vessel described? Why must the Ark be overlay with gold on the inside and outside? 16.Why is the Torah referred to as "testimony"? 17.Why is YHWH so precise on the details of constructing the sanctuary and ark and tabernacle? What difference does it make what these look like and how they are made? 18.What is expected to happen in between the two cherubim? 19.Why would YHWH want goat's hair to be donated? 20.What would acacia wood be used for? 21.What was the purpose of the tabernacle to be built? Who would dwell among the Hebrews? 22.Where did Moses see the original pattern of the tabernacle? Did Moses build the actual tabernacle by hand? 23.Is acacia wood smooth or thorny? 24.What was to be placed in the ark? 25.Explain the top of the ark. Why is this called the "mercy seat?" 26.How did Moses know what the angels/cheruvim looked like in order to copy? 27.Why would YHWH meet at the ark and not at the altar of sacrifice? 28.What type of table was made of acacia wood? 29."You shall make a table of acacia wood two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one cubit and a half in height," Exodus 25:23. Why was the width of the table less than the height? 30.What is the significance of the golden crown around the Table? 31.What is the Hebrew word for "table?" 32.Why is it important to study the tabernacle? 33.What is the "shew bread?" Who baked this bread? Who ate the bread? 34.Draw a picture of the temple menorah as described in this week's Torah portion. How many branches did it have? What direction did they face? Did the menorah hold candles or oil? 35.Why would the menorah be decorated with almond buds? What is the almond symbolic of? 36.Where did the Hebrew slaves get the gold and jewels that would be donated for the Temple fund? 37.What were the colors of the curtains? What is the significance of these colors? 38.How were angles woven "into" the curtains? 39.How wide were the curtains that were used in the tabernacle? 40.Why type of roof did the tabernacle have? Why? 41.What type of metal was used in the holy of holies? What type of metal was used in the holy place? What type of metal was used in the outer court? Explain the quality of metals and the positioning surrounding the Ark of the Covenant. 42.Describe two uses of oil, spices, and jewels. 43.The tabernacle was a type of four cornered garment with blue used throughout. What garment does this remind you of that is also spoken of in the Torah? 44.Explain the three compartments of the tabernacle. Where was the mercy seat placed? How about the table of sacrifice and the menorah? 45.How long and how wide was the altar of sacrifice? Why would it have "horns?" 46.Why did the ark and the altar have poles and not handles? What does this teach you about the moves of YHWH? 47.Why does the Torah, which is a book of laws, teachings, and history, suddenly spend a great amount of emphasis on giving the details of designing and building the mishkan? 48.What did you learn from this Open Bible study? The Open Bible is a teaching series written by Daniel Rendelman of Emet Ministries. Find more teachings, audio messages, videos, and music at www.emetministries.com. Daniel Rendelman is the found and leader of Emet Ministries and the author of the book "Finding the Truth." He, his wife, and five children live in Newberry, South Carolina. He can be reached at emetministries@gmail.com. | 
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