Parashat Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19)
Exodus 25
25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Comment: “that I may dwell” (vshachanti in Hebrew): this is the goal of building a sanctuary. The Hebrew word “dwell” is related to shechinah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah, which can denote the presence of Gd.
Gd’s present is everywhere (Isaiah 6:3 says that the whole earth is full of his glory), but we cannot always perceive or recognize His presence. However, in the sanctuary, His presence can be perceived and recognized much better by the human beings.
In the general sense, we as Gd’s people are commanded to “build a sanctuary”, in the sense that we collectively are commanded to recondition the physical world to make Gd’s presence more obvious to all mankind. So we can participate in “building a sanctuary”, by planting churches and Bible studies, making faith related websites or journals, composing hymns or writing faith related books, etc, for spreading the gospel, and teaching Gd’s words.
After Gd saved the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt, they became very heartily willing to build a sanctuary for regular meetings with Gd. This kind of feeling we can also understand to some extent nowadays. Thank Gd that my situation in work has become much less stressful nowadays. My wife’s health also has become much better. Gd relieves our worries, and we are very heartily willing to serve our Gd, our Savior.
Exodus 26
26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
Comment: These colorful curtains will be put on top of the standing boards, draping down on the right (south), left (north), and the back (west) sides, to form a tent which opens to the front (east). Therefore, standing inside the tent and looking above, you will see the white (linen), blue, purple, and red colors, and designs of cherubim. The walls on the right, left and back are the wooden boards (v.15) covered with gold (v.29). Therefore we would see on these three sides the shining good color. The bottoms of the boards are trimmed and inserted into by the 96 silver sockets (v.19,21,25)[1]. So the bottom of the walls are in shining silver color. From these colors one can imagine the majesty of the tent of meeting that combines both beauty and glory. On the other hand, it is also so modest. The size of the tent is only about 10 elbow lengths on the back side, and 30 elbow lengths each on the right side and on the left side (v.16,v.18,v.20). This is an area of 10×30 square elbow lengths, or about 5×15=75 square meters. The tent is only split into two rooms with a vail. Just one level, no basement. This is the dwelling place asked for by the Creator of the heavens and the earth, a place that is smaller than many modern houses.
[1]There are in fact a total of 100 silver sockets when we include 4 more in the front below the 4 pillars (v.32). This total count is not revealed until Exodus 38:27.
Exodus 27
27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
Comment: This altar is made of copper (v.3), where animal sacrifices are offered (v.29:38). The altar is located inside the court (v.40:33), in front of the tabernacle (or tent of meeting) [1]. The tabernacle only has one entrance from the east (see my notes for v.26:1). Therefore, in order to advance from the court to enter the tabernacle to meet Gd, must first go past this animal sacrifice altar. This geographic arrangement may have a symbolic meaning, that we have to “kill” the egocentric “old self” first, before being able to get closer to Gd.
[1] See Exodus 29:42 “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the L-RD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.”