5786/2026
Parashat Terumah is about building the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary the Jewish people carried through the desert. But when you really think about it, it’s not just a story about construction. It’s about people.
In Sefer Shemot, Hashem tells Moshe to collect donations like gold, silver, wood, and fabrics from every person whose heart moves him. That line just feels so personal to me. Hashem doesn’t demand a tax. He doesn’t set an amount. He asks for something that comes from the heart.
And that’s what makes this Parashah so meaningful. The word Terumah means a donation, but it also means something that’s lifted up. When you give, you’re not just handing something over, you’re elevating it. And perhaps you are elevating yourself too. A piece of gold is just metal. But when it becomes part of the Mishkan, it becomes holy. In the same way, when we give a part of ourselves, our time, our energy, our kindness, we turn ordinary moments into something meaningful.
However, what really stands out is that everyone got to be part of it. Not just the wealthy. Not just the leaders. Anyone whose heart moved them. That means no one was too small, too young, or too unimportant to contribute.
I think that’s a message we really need. It’s easy to feel like what we have to offer isn’t enough. Maybe someone else is smarter, more talented, or more confident. But Parashat Terumah reminds us that it’s not about being the best. It’s about caring enough to show up and give what you can.
The Mishkan wasn’t built by one person doing something huge. It was built by a whole community doing small things with big hearts. And maybe that’s the real lesson. Holiness doesn’t come from perfection, it comes from people coming together and giving sincerely.
Maybe today our “Terumah” isn’t gold or silver. Maybe it’s helping someone who’s struggling, including someone who feels left out, or putting effort into something even when it’s hard. When we give with a full heart, we’re building something bigger than ourselves.
And that’s something all of us can do.