Parshas Terumah

In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Terumah, B’nei Yisroel are commanded to contribute to the building of the Mishkan. The word “Terumah” means donation, and there were different types of donations given by B’nei Yisroel. One type of donation was specifically for the Adanim, the silver sockets that supported the wooden walls of the Mishkan. The donation for the Adanim was a fixed amount — exactly half a Shekel — no more and no less. However, for the rest of the Mishkan, each person brought as much as they wanted, according to their heart’s desire.

This raises an important question: Why was the fixed donation used specifically for the Adanim?

The Adanim formed the base of the entire Mishkan, serving as its foundation. Every Yid carries within them a Mikdash M’at — a small sanctuary. In our personal Mikdash M’at, the Adanim represent Bitul – humility and Kabalas Ol — accepting Hashem’s will. This foundation is essential for our Avodah, our service to Hashem. That is why we start each day with Modeh Ani, a simple yet powerful reminder that Hashem rules over everything.

When it comes to Kabalas Ol, everyone is equal. Every Yid’s Avodah must be built on the same base — the willingness to follow Hashem’s will, even when we don’t fully understand it. That’s why the donation for the Adanim was exactly the same for everyone — half a Shekel — because the foundation of serving Hashem is the same for every single person.

On the other hand, the rest of the Mishkan represents the many different ways we serve Hashem — through learning Torah, performing Mitzvos, and using our unique talents and strengths. These contributions were not fixed amounts, because each person serves Hashem in their own special way, giving the best of what they can.

The lesson we learn from this is that while everyone serves Hashem differently, the foundation must always be the same — Kabalas Ol. Doing the right thing even when it’s hard, even when we don’t understand, and even when we don’t feel like it. With this strong foundation, we can each use our unique abilities to serve Hashem in the best way possible.

May we always remember to build our lives with Kabalas Ol as our base, and use our special talents to bring light and holiness into the world.

Good Shabbos!