Rabbi’s Message

Rabbi Natan Halevy

Parashat Terumah 5786, BSD

Internalized faith transforms behavior.

Shalom U’vracha,

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Terumah, introduces one of the most foundational themes of Jewish life: creating a dwelling place for Hashem in this world. The parashah details the mitzvot that guided the construction of the Mishkan, the sanctuary that accompanied our people through the wilderness.

The Mishkan was more than a structure. It was the tangible expression of a profound truth—that Hashem desires to dwell among us. After the revelation at Sinai, when the heavens touched the earth, the Mishkan became the vehicle through which that Divine light continued to rest within the physical world. Later, this presence would find permanence in the Beit HaMikdash in Jerusalem, but the message began here: holiness is not meant to remain in heaven. It is meant to enter our lives.

When we perform mitzvot, we do not merely follow commandments; we elevate the material world. Physical actions—giving charity, lighting Shabbat candles, speaking words of kindness—become vessels for Divine light. Through mitzvot, we invite Hashem’s presence into our homes, our work, our relationships, and our inner lives. We do not escape the physical; we sanctify it.

The Torah describes the Mishkan contributions as gifts brought “from every person whose heart inspired him.” The emphasis was not on the size of the donation but on the sincerity behind it. Hashem does not need gold or silver. He seeks the heart.

The Talmud offers a striking image: a thief digging a tunnel to steal prays to Hashem for success. How can someone believe in Hashem and still steal? The answer is that belief alone is not enough. Faith must penetrate the heart. When trust in Hashem remains superficial, insecurity and fear drive behavior. People try to fill inner emptiness with money, possessions, attention, or control. Sometimes that “theft” is literal; often it is emotional or spiritual.

But when faith is internalized—when a person truly trusts that Hashem provides exactly what is needed—something changes. The anxiety quiets. The grasping stops. What we have becomes enough. We no longer need to take what is not ours, because we know that our portion is divinely assigned.

This is the deeper message of Terumah. The Mishkan was not only a sanctuary of wood and gold; it was a blueprint for the human heart. Just as the nation built a dwelling place for Hashem in the desert, each of us is called to build a sanctuary within ourselves.

When faith moves from the mind into the heart, our behavior aligns with our beliefs. Our actions reflect our trust. Our lives become a dwelling place for the Divine Presence.

May we merit to build that sanctuary within and bring holiness into every aspect of our lives.

Shabbat Shalom U’Mevorach.