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Dvar Torah—Terumah

(Delivered by Daniel Rotto on the Occasion of his 2nd bar mitzvah at age 83, on March 4, 2006)

This week’s sedra which we have just read,  is called Terumah – we are introduced to a philosophical discussion of  Terumah and tszdeka – and then the balance of the parsha deals with the building of the Tabernacle, the symbolic sign of God’s dwelling among the Israelites in which the ark becomes the home for the Ten commandments. The word Terumah comes from the opening sentences of the sedra, namely,  "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts" or as it has also been further translated--  “Tell the Israelite people to take me a terumah" – an offering.

The expression, “Take me a terumah – an offering” has raised the question among various commentaries, as to shouldn’t it say “give me a terumah?” After all, isn’t gift giving about sharing something we have -- that either someone else needs or we desire to bestow upon someone?  Rabbi Howard Cohen of congregation Beth El in Bennington, Vermont, points out that our sages say that the use of the word “take” instead of “give” teaches us that when we give of our possessions we are actually taking something of much greater value in return.  What we “take” is the knowledge that we are engaged in sacred work, thereby bringing holiness into our lives.

Another commentary on this part of the parsha is that it is interesting that the people are not commanded to bring gifts for the building of the sanctuary, but again rather “You shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved to make such an offering.” 

The various commentaries go on to point out the difference between terumah -  a charitable gift given spontaneously, because of an immediate need or cause, and tzedakah  - a commanded giving.  The rabbis say tzedakah is a responsibility, an act of righteousness, a way of doing what is just, while terumah was a freewill offering. One must give tzedakah, but terumah is a gift of the heart.

Moses is then given very detailed instructions on the construction of the Tabernacle. One commentary tells us that the entire structure was to be portable, with a wooden framework and walls of richly colored fabric that was to accompany the Israelites on their journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land. An ark was also to be built which would house the tablets with the Ten Commandments, and was to be kept in the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle, called the Holy of Holies.

A question that has been raised is as to why there is a need for a Mishkan or Tabernacle for God to dwell in.

A Midrash - which in general terms  is an interpretation of Scripture by ancient rabbis— is referred to In the Legends of the Jews by Ginsburg, wherein he recalls one in  which it is explained that after God had forgiven the Israelites for their sin in worshipping the Golden Calf,  Moses asked God for a visible sign which would indicate this forgiveness.  God is then to have said to Moses: “As truly as thou livest, I will let my Schechinah or Presence dwell among the Israelites, so that all may know that I have forgiven the people.  My sanctuary in their midst will be a testimony of  My forgiveness for their sins.”  It has also been pointed out that in Exodus  line 8 it indicates the objective of the construction:  “Make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.”

 This verse also describes the result of the building;  The Shechinah or Presence  will  dwell among the Israelites 

I will dwell among them” rather than the more obvious result of God residing in the Sanctuary.  It has been said that clearly, the objective of the Mishkan was not to provide God with shelter, but to provide an avenue for man to let God into his life.  The instructions to Moses about constructing the Tabernacle were very detailed not only about the structure itself, but even the furnishings from the curtains that were to adorn the ark -  to the altar itself and the candlesticks and the so-called table of bread. It has been said that these details were part of the vision that Moses had on the mountain.

Rabbi Aron Tendler of  Shaarey Zedek congregation in North Holly wood, California raises an interesting point about the Mishkan, namely— the current whereabouts of the Mishkan.  It is a matter of great historical controversy-some he claims state that it was destroyed and others claim that it was hidden within the Temple Mount in a great cavern directly beneath the Bait Hamikdash that King Solomon built. He goes on to state that a major archeological dig is underway to uncover the Mishkan-what an interesting find that would be

The  Haftorah which we will read shortly, links to today’s sedra to the building of the Temple by King Solomon- representing a move from a mobile sanctuary to a permanent one, from wood to stone.

Rabbi Tendler  goes on to tell us that in the year 2,928, four hundred and eighty years after leaving Egypt  the construction of the first Bait Hamikdash, or The 1st Temple as it is referred to, was undertaken by King Solomon-and as contrasted to the rather simple building of the Mishkan under Moses’s guidance, as discussed in today’s Sedra.  The Temple built by King Solomon was a monumental task – Rabbi David Siegel, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Torah Chaim of  Kiryat Sefer, Israel. tells us that King Solomon engaged some 200,000 workers in hewing and transporting scarce heavy stones for the Bais Hamikdash’s foundation.

The Bait Hamikdash built by King Solomon replaced the Mishkan as the one place upon earth where God’s presence was said to be OVERTLY manifest. It was during the 1st Temple when actual “miracles” are said to have occurred in the normal functioning of the Bais Hamikdash-and as I noted earlier it was under the Temple that some believe the original Mishkan was hidden.

Rabbi Siegel believes that  if the construction of our Mishkans or Synagogues of today  were performed by devout, pious individuals, who were devoted towards housing God’s Divine presence, the sanctity within its walls would be so intense that it would be virtually impossible to engage therein in idle chatter and it would be a house of true sanctity. And our humble synagogues could facilitate this goal when shown its proper respect.- that if we pause before entering this sacred edifice and contemplate who rests within its walls we would merit to sense, in some way His Divine presence.

An interesting thought…………….but my thoughts turn to Reconstructionist Judaism where God is not a supernatural being but as Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan so aptly saw God as a Force or Power within us that not only encourages human beings to strive for righteous behavior but also guarantees that it can be realized not in the after-life, but here on earth.

At the age of 13, I became a bar mitzvah in an Orthodox synagogue, namely the Young Israel of Flatbush in Brooklyn. For the next 45 years however, I was on a quest for an uplifting,  satisfying spiritual home. Over those years I was an active member in Orthodox, Conservative and Reform congregations, but none really satisfied my yearning for my non-orthodox feelings. 

It was in 1981 while living in El Paso Texas, that I had a major heart attack and a long recovery period. It was  during that time, that I somehow had the good fortune to hear about Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan and Reconstructionist Judaism and started to read his seminal work, “ Judaism as a Civilization” written in 1934, wherein he talks about a Judaism for the modern-day American – a non-elitist, democratic, pragmatic, down-to-earth way of being Jewish- that Kaplan felt would best fit the ideas and social reality of the new world of an educated American society.   Reconstructionist Judaism, was a School of Thought and Kaplan never wanted it to become a 4th  movement, however over time and upon the establishment of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia in 1968 the movement emerged as a distinct separate entity and  became a recognized  4th  branch of Judaism

In reading Kaplan’s voluminous 554 page book, "Judaism as a Civilization," I knew he was talking to me, an American Jew, who after tasting the various branches of  Judaism, namely the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements, had finally found a home.  As it is said “I was a Reconstructionist Jew and Didn’t Know It”.

And then  in 1982 soon after we moved to San Diego Rabbi Ron (Herstik( ran an ad in the Jewish Heritage saying that “Reconstructionist Judaism Is Coming to San Diego.”  What more could I ask for.. My wife Helene and I and Andrea and Elliot and several other families became the founding members of Congregation Dor Hadash.

But to return to Reconstructionist Judaism.

Rabbi David Teutsch, director of the Program in Jewish Ethics and the Center for Jewish Ethics at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and the former President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, has written that, and  quote “It has been said that Jews can be divided into two groups – those who believe that the world is unlikely to change very much (non-messianists) and those who believe that the world can move toward perfection (messianists).” Unquote.  And he counts himself among the messianists even though he certainly does not believe in a personal messiah.  A key part to his abiding faith is that we human beings are capable of improving ourselves and our world.  Jewish tradition’s demand, that we improve ourselves and our world speaks powerfully to him, as do the opportunities Jewish living provides to celebrate our highest values and the full meaning of life.  The Torah presents the record of the earliest efforts of the Jewish people to discover the divine in human history, and shape our shared life in light of the divine.  Thus the Torah reflects both its historical context and profound insights into moral and spiritual truth. The shared communal life that has developed out of Jewish interpretations of Torah embodies the moral and spiritual tasks that long have been central to the Jewish people’s commitments.

Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan stated that Jewish life has to be built primarily  on the foundation of strong historical and cultural ties among Jews and only secondarily on ideology.  Cultural unity is possible among Jews today despite ideological diversity-- that continuity is possible despite new growth and development.

Kaplan was a pragmatic American to whom learning was a tool to be used for the enhancement of life.  Ancestors did not make up a corporate totem to be worshipped, they were a “usable past, ” to be rethought and adjusted to make our lives  richer and more viable and thus we have the famous quote: "THE PAST HAS A VOTE; NOT A VETO.”

Reconstructionists from the very beginning took a strong interest in Israel and as quoted in "Jewish History in 100 Nutshells," by Naomi Pasachoff & Robert Littman, they sum up Kaplan’s view on the state of  Israel  as follows: “Since for Kaplan Judaism represented an entire civilization, the land of Israel played a significant role in his blueprint for reconstruction.  But unlike the Zionists of his day, who denied the value of Jewish life anywhere besides the ancient homeland, Kaplan promoted ‘Diaspora Zionism’ in which Zion is a spiritual center for Jews around the world.  Zionism, however, should not be allowed to supplant the Jewish religion:  Diaspora Jews and Jews in Israel alike must practice Judaism.  Without the support of Jewish ethical teachings which helps to bring about a just social order, a Jewish government would run the risk of being nothing more than another country.

Kaplan as we know,  rejected all forms of supernaturalism in Jewish thought and liturgy.  This included such ideas as divine revelation, Jewish chosenness, and what is called  “theurgi”, namely, the technique of trying to compel or persuade a god or supernatural power to do or refrain from doing something.  Kaplan could not accept none of these.

  Kaplan’s approach to Judaism was that he believed that each generation of Jews have the RIGHT and OBLIGATION to reconstruct Judaism for its own time   The revolution in Kaplan’s thinking was that he conceived of Judaism in terms of  PEOPLEHOOD – namely an EVOLVING RELIGIOUS CIVILIZATION that is a product of its unique history, and encompasses the social, cultural, economic and political dimensions of life as well as the religious. In addition to his  rejection of the idea of a Supernatural God  He:            

·        rejected the concept of chosenness  There was no place in Judaism  for the supernatural concept of  “the chosen people,” not only because such a concept implies that God makes choices like a person,  but also because it smacked of  ETHNOCENTRISM.-that is the attitude that one’s own group was superior to others-and this was Unrealistic and Chauvinistic

·        denied the belief in miracles

·        the personal messiah, and

·        resurrection

 

·        In rejecting the supernatural concept of divine revelation., Kaplan  believed that  A BELIEF in God rather than a specific CONCEPTION of God was necessary-- and thus conceiving of God as less a person, who controls the world from above and more as a FORCE or POWER within the universe that makes for salvation, or human fulfillment NOW, not in the AFTER-LIFE.  God as a Power within us that not only encourages human beings to strive for righteous behavior but also guarantees that it can be realized on earth.

God is the natural forces that enable us to achieve our ideals, or the sum of everything that makes life worthwhile. The FORCE in the universe making for goodness, justice, mercy and truth  not a  God, being  an all  knowing demanding God who sets out what He wants of us, but rather a  Power within us -- process in the universe that makes for “health, goodness, order, reason, beauty and meaning in the world”  Salvation does not imply a reward in another world but rather salvation means those things for which people search; to find holiness, meaning and peace in life; to bring about the betterment of the world; striving for self-fulfillment in this world not  in the afterlife.

He  believed that the divine works through nature and human beings.  He neither identified God with things in the world –natural- nor did he consider God to be beyond or detached from the world as being supernatural-. Therefore, Kaplan’s theology came to be called ‘Transnatural”

Kaplan put forward the idea that the traditional three pillars on which the world stands,   Torah, Service to God & Deeds of Loving Kindness needed rethinking.  Not God but the Jewish People needed to be at the center of Reconstructed Judaism and Rabbi Ira Eisenstein, Kaplan’s son-in-law and founder of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, did not wish to supplant the three aforementioned pillars upon which the world stands, but he felt more comfortable with the expression that in Reconstructionism we have first Belonging, followed by Behaving and then Believing..  

Kaplan  called for reconstructing the concept of Torah.  However, importantly, Kaplan did not believe that a contemporary Jew is absolutely free to attribute new meanings to traditional concepts and rituals and thus throw out the baby with the water.  Rather, he argued that it is our task to understand and empathize with the components of our traditions, so that we can determine how beliefs functioned for our ancestors in their own terms  And thus his famous phrase once again “The past shall have a vote but not a veto” became a hallmark of Reconstructionist Judaism

In rejecting the supernatural concept of divine revelation, Kaplan’s view of the God concept included many different aspects, but they all focus on individual self-fulfillment. 

Kaplan’s main goal was to foster Judaism as the vehicle through which Jewish people work to achieve the goal of salvation.  Salvation once again does not imply a reward in another world, but rather salvation means those things for which we search ultimately; to find holiness, meaning and peace in life; to bring about the betterment of the world; striving for self-fulfillment In this world not in the afterlife

 Kaplan called for a larger role for the American Jewish Woman.  The first bat mitzvah in the United States was celebrated in 1922, when Kaplan’s daughter Judith read the blessings of the Torah and chanted the Haphtarah, just as her male counterparts had been doing for centuries.  The bat mitzvah as we know was subsequently adopted by the American Conservative and Reform movements.

Women, of course from the outset of the movement have had full participation and rights.  And in 1949, Kaplan’s congregation was the first to count women in a minyan  and to give them aliyot, that is the honor of being called to the Torah.

As to mitzvoth, Kaplan rejected the supernatural implication of the term’s root meaning “of commandment,” and insisted that Jews should not observe mitzvoth out of fear of heavenly punishment or anticipation of heavenly reward; instead, Kaplan urged Jews to observe Jewish rituals in order to strengthen their ties to the Jewish people..  He also insisted that since Jewish people-not God - devised the laws of Judaism, Jews of every period of history have not a right but a responsibility to make sure that Jewish law responds to the needs of the moment

Reconstructionism also stands for a democratic, participatory community.  No longer accepting the divinely revealed authority of the halachic system – which is the traditional or Orthodox system of Jewish law – In Reconstructionist Judaism each individual and each community must wrestle with tradition and come to their own unique conclusion.  It therefore demands that each one assume responsibility for greater Jewish learning so that we can make choices from knowledge.  It holds forth the ideal of a mature Jew who can reject the passive dependence upon rabbinic authority.  The rabbi is no longer the authoritarian, but becomes the resource and not just gives sermons, but  teaches and leads discussions; and most important is available when person problems arise: illness, bereavement  or conflict within the family., Reconstructionism  promotes creativity and experimentation in Jewish worship and the arts.,

 Reconstructionist Judaism, as the Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation has put it, “it  is a progressive, contemporary approach to Jewish life which integrates a deep respect for traditional Judaism with the insights and ideas of contemporary social, intellectual and spiritual life.”  And in our congregation our mission statement reads: Inspire Exploration of Jewish Spirituality and Create a Caring Jewish Community.

As Rabbi Hirsch, the unofficial historian of the Reconstructionist movement has put it, the most “differentiating insight” of Reconstructionism is that “Judaism doesn’t come from God, it comes from the Jews—the rest is commentary.”  He also calls to our attention that today there are new nuances being floated in Reconstructionist Judaism, namely, “Judaism as an evolving religious civilization and Judaism as a spiritual path.”  However, I am a Classical Traditional Kaplanian Reconstructionist and in my view it is this concept that continues to enable many Jews to practice Judaism without feeling intellectually dishonest and on this my 83rd birthday,  and 2nd Bar Mitzvah I felt that I could take this opportunity, here before all of you, to reaffirm as  to what I personally believe as a traditionalist Kaplanian, and why I  AM A TRADITIONAL KAPLANIAN RECONSTRUCTIONIST JEW.

AMEN