Drash Cards for Truman (5760)

by Marc Mangel

• This parish begins (Ch 25, v1, 2) with the first ever fund-raising campaign with the principle that everyone gives towards the building of the mishkan.

• The Rabbi’s tell us that we should learn a moral lesson from every detail of building the mishkan.

• For example, in Ch 25, v 37 we read “light shines towards them” from the front side (‘al ever paneha’)  but the direction does the light of the Menorah radiate?

• Rashbam thinks that the lamps shine towards the Menorah’s front but Sifrei concludes that the lamps must shine towards the center.

• This is consistent with two approaches to Judaism.

• One is that all light should be projected outwardly — the role of religion is to illuminate the world.

• Or the light should shine inwardly — the role of religion is to illuminate the soul.

• We should aim for a middle road.