Terumah

Building Through Non-Attachment

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan

God spoke to Moshe saying: Take My offering from everyone whose heart impels them to give: gold, silver, sky-blue wool, dark red wool, dolphin skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, incense, precious stones . . . (Shemot/Exodus 25:1-7)

In Parshat Terumah Israelites donate the raw materials for the building of the Mishkan, the portable tabernacle in the wilderness, the dwelling-place among the people that God has requested.

Here the Israelites practice non-attachment. On a more literal level, they practice a material and social kind of non-attachment: they forego public recognition of their donations, giving only because they want to give, sharing things most people would only sell. On a metaphorical level, we could say they practice a personal and spiritual kind of non-attachment. In order to channel divine energy while wandering through uncharted territories of life, and in order to make it possible for God to dwell within them, the Israelites search their hearts for things that are precious to them but are better if put aside in order to make space for God.

If we are living creative lives, engaged with other lives, there is no time when we will reach the pure, detached self. The spiritual practice of non-attachment will be lifelong. We should always be asking ourselves what we need to give up in order to allow divinity to shine through us. Sometimes we will need to give up material things, other times emotional and intellectual attachments. We may give up things as flashy as gold or as rare as dolphin skins - whatever an informed search of the heart impels us to give.

Return to Reb Laura's "Taste of Torah" list.

Return to "Teachings from Our Rabbis and Friends" list.

---

[ Home ]	[ Asiyah ]	[ Yetzirah ]	[ Briyah ]	[ Atzilut ]	[ Calendar ]
	( Doing )	( Feeling )	( Knowing )	( Being )