“When the Shechinah is in exile, the verse states of it, “The dove found no place on which to rest.” Praiseworthy is he who prepares for it a pleasant dwelling in his heart.”
Tikkunei Zohar 22b, Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 142). (Function). Kindle Edition.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃
“And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying,
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they take for me an offering: of every man that gives it willingly with his heart you shall take my offering.”�Exodus 25:1-2
“God is omnipotent. It is difficult to understand why He desires anything from us. The sages teach us that His purpose in creating us was “To make a dwelling place for Him in the lower worlds.” This is why He commanded us to construct the Tabernacle. From our limited human perspective, we can sympathize with the idea that God wants a “home.”
Ginsburgh, Rabbi Yitzchak. The Inner Dimension: Insight into the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 135). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“The letters of the word TeRUMaH (תרומה, contribution) may be rearranged to spell TORaH Mem(תורה מ), in which the mem (מ) is understood by its numerical value to mean “40.” This alludes to the Torah, which was given after forty days (Zohar III, 179a).”
REBBE NACHMAN'S TORAH: EXODUS-LEVITICUS - Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading . Breslov Research Institute. Kindle Edition.
“When one wants to “take Me,” he must do so through a TeRuMaH—i.e., through the ToRaH which was given to Moses over a period of Mem (40) days. For the Torah teaches us how to draw spirituality into the physical realms (Likutey Halakhot VIII, p. 82a).”
REBBE NACHMAN'S TORAH: EXODUS-LEVITICUS - Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading . Breslov Research Institute. Kindle Edition.
“The collection was to be made from donors whose “hearts so uplift them.” This seems to imply that if donations were taken from those whose hearts were not uplifted, the donation would be invalid and the entire Mishkan would be unfit to serve its purpose.”
Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 141). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“The donations for the construction of the Mishkan had to be given from uplifted hearts and sincere desire, to demonstrate our joy to have Hashem dwell among us.”
Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 143). (Function). Kindle Edition.
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for G-d loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7, ESV
ἱλαρός
ἱλαρός hilarós, hil-ar-os'; from the same as G2436; propitious or merry ("hilarious"), i.e. prompt or willing:—cheerful.
“The foundation of the Mishkan, and the basis for each Jew’s relationship with Hashem, is generosity. This is the key to all traits that are worthy and noble, since it proves that a person’s interests are not focused on his own personal benefit alone. When he is caring and giving towards others, he shows that he has the attribute of generosity that makes him worthy of having the Shechinah rest in his heart.”
Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 146). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“For this same reason, the expression, “Take for Me terumah,” was used, rather than, “Give Me terumah.” If Bnei Yisrael felt that they were losing something, and had to give of their own precious wealth for something that they did not truly desire, then the whole point of the Mishkan would be lost. They had to be so enthusiastic about having the Shechinah dwell among them, that they felt they were taking for themselves the greatest and most desirable privilege.”
Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 145). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“Therefore, it was so important that the donations for the Mishkan came from the “uplifted hearts” of Bnei Yisrael, since the point of the Mishkan was not its physical structure, but the opportunity it created for the Shechinah to rest in the hearts of Bnei Yisrael. Hashem certainly has no need for our gold and silver. Rather, He needed Bnei Yisrael to show their desire to have Him dwell among them, and their willingness to sacrifice to this end. Thereby, He would see that His love for us is reciprocated, and that just as He desires to dwell among us, so too do we desire His Presence. This is no different from any mortal guest, who feels most comfortable in a place where he is wanted. He is happy when he sees that his hosts are eager to have him, but when he senses that they would much rather do without the inconvenience, yet are compelled to take him in nonetheless, his stay will certainly be unpleasant.”
Rebbe, Biala. Mevaser Tov on the Weekly Torah Portion (p. 143). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“Take My contribution from every man whose heart motivates him to give In order to be charitable, a person must open his heart. Once his heart is open to give to others, it can also receive blessings and bounty from the Supernal Heart of the Noam HaElyon (Divine Pleasantness) (Likutey Moharan II, 71). Rebbe Nachman explains that when one opens his heart to charity and kindness, he enables his "open" heart to receive ever greater blessings from on high, from the Supernal Heart.”
REBBE NACHMAN'S TORAH: EXODUS-LEVITICUS - Breslov Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading . Breslov Research Institute. Kindle Edition.
“(At Sinai) G-d descended in His glory and majesty, accompanied by breathtaking sounds and sights of thunder and lightning, while the Jewish people observed. Due to the non-participatory nature, the impression wasn’t permanent. After the Divine Presence departed from the mountain, it reverted to its former non-holy status. Similarly, the spiritually inspired nation stooped to serve a golden calf soon after witnessing such open miracles. The Sanctuary, on the other hand, was built with the people’s own materials, with their own hands and sweat. Everyone took part in the undertaking—men and women, rich and poor—each contributing his or her talents, resources, and expertise. . .”
“…As a result of this human participation, the material objects themselves became permeated with enduring holiness. By devoting so many chapters to it, the Torah teaches us that when a person contributes his own resources and creativity, it is real and lasting. Though the end product might not be as earth-shattering or as “polished” as G-d’s revelation, in many ways, it is more valuable, precisely because it is our own. We also grow through the process by fine-tuning our skills and stretching our talents in ways that being a passive recipient does not.”
Weisberg, Chana. Shabbat deLights: Enlightening Insights on the Weekly Torah portion (pp. 189-190). (Function). Kindle Edition.
“I sleep, but my heart is awake. A voice of my beloved is knocking! “Open to me, my sister, my companion, my dove, my perfect one, as my head is filled with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”
Song of Songs 5:2
אֲנִ֥י יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר קוֹל ׀ דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק פִּתְחִי־לִי אֲחֹתִ֤י רַעְיָתִי יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי שֶׁרֹּאשִׁי נִמְלָא־טָ֔ל קְוֻצּוֹתַי רְסִיסֵי לָיְלָה׃
"And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Yeshua said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Matthew 8:19-20, ESV
“And it came to pass when the Lord was come up out of the water, the whole fountain of the Holy Spirit descended upon him and rested on him and said to him: “My Son, in all the prophets was I waiting for you that you should come and I might rest in you. For you are my rest; you are my First-begotten Son that reigns forever.”�Gospel of the Hebrews, cited in Origen, Commentary on John 2.12.87, cited at EarlyChristiansWritings.com
“This is what man is all about; this is the purpose of his creation and of the creation of all the worlds, higher and lower – that there be made for G-d a dwelling in the lower realms.”�Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi cited at Chabad.org [12]
“You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!”
Ephesians 2:20-22, Complete Jewish Bible
“Prepare the feast of perfect faith, the joy of the Holy King. Prepare the feast of the King. This is the feast of the Field of Sacred Apples. And the Miniature Presence and the Holy Ancient One come to feast with it...”
Artscroll Siddur, Nusach Sefard
Mesorah Publishing, ltd. pg. 391
אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. שְׁלֵימָתָא חֶדְוָתָא דְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא: אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא דְמַלְכָּא. דָּא הִיא סְעוּדָתָא דְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא. וַחֲקַל תַּפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין וּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין. אַתְיָן לְסַעֲדָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ:
“I sleep,” but forever “my heart is awake,” yearning for the Messiah. Through this yearning of heart, I will merit hearing, “the sound of my Beloved knocking!” Then God will do His part; He will “open for me” the gates of redemption, and bring the Messiah.”�Ben Ish Hai, Even Sheleimah, cited in Days of Peace, Ben Ish Hai Anthology, Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom Publications, pg. 15
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.”�Revelation 3:20
“Yeshua answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”�John 14:23