Terumah: The Indispensable Rasha
Liluei Nishmas Ita bas Chanoch Aharon Bistritzky
This week's Parsha elucidates the Torah's directive to construct the Mishkan, God's dwelling place, alongside detailing the diverse donations offered by the Jewish people. Among these contributions are the precious gold, silver, and copper metals, each playing a crucial role in the Mishkan's construction. These three metals served as building blocks of Mishkan, and kabbalists have noted the parallel of these metals to three archetypal types of Jews.
Gold, symbolizing the epitome of holiness and perfection, embodies the Tzadik, the righteous individual. The Hebrew word for gold, "zahav" (made up of the letters ז ה ב), can be seen as an acronym for "the healthy giver" (זה הנותן בריא). This exemplifies the purity and unwavering devotion of the Tzaddik, serving G-d with abundant love and complete spiritual harmony, having extricated himself entirely from the impulses of his evil inclination.
Silver, in contrast, signifies the intermediary Jew, termed the Benoni, who grapples with worldly desires yet maintains control over his actions. The term for silver, "kesef" (made up of the letters כ ס ף), stands for one who gives but with a degree of fear (כשיש סכנת פחד). This encapsulates the Divine service of the Benoni, who, despite facing spiritual challenges and constant struggle against temptation, is able to maintain self-control to constantly align his actions with the divine will.
Lastly, copper, or "nechoshet" ( נ ח ש ת) in Hebrew, symbolizes the flawed and imperfect individual, the one who falls and fails at times, characterized by sinful inclinations akin to the snake (נחש). While this archetype may sometimes falter in adherence to divine commandments, they also possess a role within the community, albeit distinct from the righteous and intermediary.
One might assume that the Mishkan's construction should be left to only those who walk a near-perfect spiritual path, yet the Parsha illustrates that each archetype, including the imperfect "Rasha," contributes uniquely to the building G-d's home.
To illustrate, The Mishna in Avot asserts that "one should always view oneself as wicked" and always question one's own motivations and path. However, if one lives in perpetual self-doubt, one may fall into despair and cynical view all their activities as failure; conversely, denying one's faults can put one out of touch and irreverent.
This week's parsha highlights a middle path. The Torah's directive to include even the imperfect, even the mundane copper, in the construction of the Mishkan underscored the true nature of the mandate of the Mishkan. While spiritual perfection is a commendable goal, building a home for the divine in a treacherous desert is not the mandate for the spiritual elite alone. In this mission, the contributions of all, including those with imperfections, symbolized by the copper that was used in everything from the hand washing basin to the foundations of the courtyard, highlight the enduring role of every individual regardless of the level of observance, spiritual standing, or background. Embracing copper, the metal of lesser value that represents our mistakes and imperfections, was and is an essential cherished component in building a home for the Divine in our personal lives and our collective future.
Adapted from “Life Talks on the Parsha”