Skip to main content

TERUMAH-GOD’S REJOICING

It is written, “These are the histories of the heaven and the earth when they were created – be-HiBaRaM (Genesis 2:4).” Our sages comment, “Do not read ‘ when they were created – be-HiBaRaM – but, ‘ for Abraham – be-ABRaHaM -the world was created for the sake of Abraham (Bereishit Rabbah 12:7).” 

The universe was only created because God knew that a righteous man would arise, would publicize the odds existence to the world, declaring that He is the Authority in His universe, the one absolute Unity, doing great wonders by Himself; that He is the Creator of all, and that besides Him there is no good. Out of this individual would, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes, and the Children of Israel. 

God would bring about great miracles for the sake of Israel, and as a result, His existence would become known in the world. He would then give them the Torah, and His being would be revealed to all Israel on Mount Sinai. It is thus written, “Face to face, God spoke to you (Deuteronomy 5:4).” All creation trembled before God at that time.


Israel would then build the Tabernacle in the desert and the Sanctuary in Jerusalem. This would cause God to rejoice in His universe. It is thus written, “The day of His wedding, the day His heart rejoiced (Song of Songs 3:11).” 


Our sages interpret this saying: “the day of His wedding,” is the giving of the Torah, and, “the day His heart rejoiced,” is the building of the Holy Temple (Taanit 26b). [Kedushat Levi, Lech Lecha]

“May the glory of God endure forever, let God rejoice in His works (Psalms 104:31).”


God rejoices when we successfully build synagogues and places of Torah study which reflect the teachings of Abraham; the purpose of Creation. 


When we recite this verse we are praying that our efforts to create an environment of holiness will so powerfully reflect Abraham that God will rejoice in our efforts as He did with the building of the Holy Temple.


By:  Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hoda'ah

  “Were the existence of gratitude and recognition of the good lacking from existence, the human spirit would be left without sparkle or shine.” Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook For the Perplexed of the Generation 4:9     I recently was honored to receive the following email:   Dear Rabbi Weinberg;   I am grateful that both my parents survived Covid in the ICU.   I am grateful that my husband is home, although with oxygen, but no longer on a ventilator.   I am grateful for the Jewish community, of which I am not connected, for food, drivers, shopping, and all sorts of help too much to list.   Someone printed a page from Partners In Prayer and scribbled your email on the bottom. Can you teach me how to pray? Is there a way I can use prayer to express my gratitude? Can I pray without becoming religious?   My husband and I and our children are willing to celebrate Hanukah this year. Is that okay?   My ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Creation

 All was destroyed during the month of Av. Creation began on Elul, and, so it will again. We recite this prayer for the New Month focusing on Creation. “God created the world in order to do good to an other (Derech Hashem 1:2:1).” Creation was an expression of absolute love, the “other” had done nothing to earn it. This is why Elul, the month of Creation is also the month of intense love between God and Israel. I recite this prayer imaging myself participating in the final Heavenly planning meetings before Creation. I am not praying as one who has already existed and experienced success and failure, but as one who has the opportunity to see the world before Creation, and request in this moment of intense love all that I could possibly need and want. I use this prayer to prepare for all my Elul prayers until the 25th of the month when Creation began. For what shall I ask? What will I need to succeed? How will I define success? What do I hope to achieve? Rabbi Simcha Weinberg
Post a Comment
Read more

Birchat Hamazon

By: Machberes Avodas Hashem The Chafetz Chaim taught: "At the conclusion of the main portion of Grace after Meals we add a series of,' May the All Merciful.' We add numerous such petitions, indicating that a request to God after the performance of a mitzvah is especially acceptable before Him (Michtevei haRav Chafetz Chaim, page 45)." One of the primary issues of the Exile is, "You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that no prayer can pierce (Lamentations 3:44)." It is more difficult to pray during the Three Weeks than other times during the year because we experience this "cloud." With COVID unfortunately around, this year proves to be even more difficult because our time in shul has changed drastically, and we have never experienced the pain of the three weeks while in a situation similar to the present state of the world. We can use this strategy of the Chafetz Chaim, that of praying immediately after the performance of a mitzvah, so that we may feel t...
Post a Comment
Read more