Am I Really Open? – Parshat Terumah

I really like when Torah and psychological precepts parallel each other. It's kind of cool. The Torah, after all, is not just a set of general laws but rather more than that – much more than that.

I also happen to like that the Torah precept comes about from a grammatical anomaly. The verse in Parshat Terumah reads: "And they will make for me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them."1 If we are to build a sanctuary for God, then it should read, "I will dwell in it." The Torah changes its perspective from a singular, 'sanctuary', to a plural, 'them'.  It reminds me of the riddle, "Time flies. You can't. They fly too fast." (Solution below.)2 Because  it obviously needs to be read differently, Rabbeinu Bachya along with other sages offers this reading: "And they will make for me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst." God will dwell not in the sanctuary but rather amongst the people. The Kotzker Rebbe relates this idea in a fascinating way. "Where is God to be found?, he asks. "In the place where He is given entry." he answers.3 God is where you let him in. We make that determination.

This concept is very similar to what happens to us when we need to make a decision. We may have a dilemma. Knowing the right path is not always the issue. Our conscience knows which decision is the one that will lead us towards meaning.4 Are we open to listen? Can we hear that voice of meaning calling out to us? If we are open to that voice, we will be able to hear it. Meaning in our lives is always there. Will we let it in? Like letting in God, that is up to us.

Click here for another logoParsha article on Parshat Terumah (On the Way to the Top )

Notes

  1. Shemot 25:8
  2. Time flies (try to time the speed of those buzzy insects). You can't. They (those pesky flies) fly too fast.
  3. The Sayings of Menahem Mendel of Kotsk (1995) by Simcha Raz and Edward Levin, p. 10
  4. Viktor Frankl in his book 'The Doctor and the Soul: From Psychotherapy to Logotherap'y (p. 62). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

     

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

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