Parshas Terumah: God Doesn’t Need Your Mishkan (But YOU Do!)

A single pasuk sparks a revolution: “Build Me a sanctuary so I may dwell among them.” We take that line seriously and ask sharper questions. What does it mean to build a house for the unhousable? Why did the Torah devote so much space to the Mishkan, the Beis HaMikdash, and the avodah? And most importantly, what does the mitzvah do to us?

We explore the bigger picture with clear steps. First, the mandate and its scope: an unexpected portion of the 613 mitzvos revolves around the Temple, from offerings to purity laws to vessels. Then, the two main purposes highlighted by the Sefer HaChinuch: centralizing korbanos and uniting the nation through Aliyah L’Regel. We trace the story from Betzalel’s portable Mishkan to Solomon’s grandeur and the rebuilt Second Temple, anchoring it all in Jerusalem’s permanent location. We also examine the classic debate on the future: Rambam’s human-led construction under Mashiach versus Rashi and Tosafot’s vision of a heavenly structure descending in fire.

But the core of our discussion is the why. Using the Sefer HaChinuch and Ramban, we consider the Temple as a training ground where action shapes the soul. Pilgrimage becomes a form of education: long journeys, guarded gates, rising smoke, and hands on the offering—all designed to transform regret into renewal. We challenge a countercultural idea: mitzvos are the workout of the spirit, a precise regimen you can’t outsource. Replace, don’t repair, in a house of dignity; do, don’t just study, when growth needs effort; and embrace the friction that shapes you—yes, even in the humble choice to hand-wrap mishloach manos rather than swipe a card.

If you’ve ever wondered when we can rebuild, who must be present in the Land, what counts as “building,” or how the Ark fits into it all, this episode guides you through sources, history, and lived practice in one clear path. Listen, reflect, and then choose one mitzvah to “lift” with intention this week. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review—what part of the Temple’s purpose most surprised you?

Transcript

The Command To Build A Sanctuary

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Mitzvah number ninety-five is unlike any other mitzvah in the Torah. It's a commandment that the Jewish people are to band together to build a house for Hashem, to build a residence for the Almighty. It's an open pasuk. The Pasuk says, Build for me a mikdash so that I may dwell among them. And much of this one Pasuk, this commandment, makes up Sefer Shamos and all of Sefer Vyikra. From here until the end of Seifer Shamos will be much about the construction and erection of this holy domicile. And in the forthcoming Partios and Sever Vayikra, we'll learn all about the avoda of how we're supposed to interact or refrain from interacting with this Mishgan or base Hamikdash. So clearly, this mitzvah, this idea, and this goal to build a base habigira for Hashem is of utmost importance. If the Torah should spill so much ink to explain it. Besides for the fact that it seems like a rather unattainable goal to house the unhousable, eternal, benevolent, all-encompassing Hakadesh Barakho. I'm gonna focus today about some of the Pratim and the exact halachic parameters. A bit of detail about how we can fulfill practically the mitzvah of building the Mishgan in 2026, as it is no longer 2025. Don't write that on your real estate contracts. But also to feel out what bubbles beneath this mitzvah and extract a powerful Yesoit that should be known to all. But sometimes we forget it. To begin, let's talk about how many mitzvahs actually are a part of this mitzvah of building the bash habahira. It's amazing. There's only 613 mitzvahs that God gave to us. A hundred of these mitzvos have to deal and do with Carbonos in the Bes Hamiddush, in the Mishgun. Out of the priesthood, the Kohanim, the Leviim, the Avoda, 70 mitzvos out of the 613. Out of the laws of Tumah and Tyra, purity and impurity that very much are based upon the Besha Mygdash and the Mishgan, that's another 30. Building of the Bes Hamidush and its vessels, another 10. Literally, almost half. Are we there? Not half. But a significant portion of the 613 commandments have to do with this holy house and its preservation. What is the goal of the Bas Hamiddash? The Sefra Achinoch is a book that literally means the book of education. And authored by a mysterious man, we don't know who he is, except for that he lived during the 13th century. And that he authored a book that systematically peels apart all of the halachos and philosophical and musir-like underpinnings of each mitzvah, put it into a book, ordered it by the Partios of the Week, and sent it off with the goal of it inspiring his son and his peers to serve Hashem with a heart on fire to inspire them. And the safe Rahinochin telling us about the mitzvah of Binyan Baisa Makira, mitzvah number 95. He tells us that the mitzvah is twofold. The first reason we build a Mishkan is so that you can have a place to bring carbonos, to do the avoda, whether it be the sacrifices of the community or of the individual. And the second point of having a base on Megdash is so that you can have one location, a home base, your home court, an epicenter of the Jewish world, a Mecca, that three times a year, all of the Jewish people will come together to coalesce during Pesach, Shavuas, and Sukkis. And that is one of the two main points of the Baiss Habakir, of the Mishkah and the Bes Amikdash. Sometimes we forget just how important, how significant was this Aliyah Luregal, this traveling up to the stadium of Hashem. We don't have it anymore. And it must be amazing just to daydream about how special it once was and how exciting it will be one day. Imagine hundreds of thousands, millions of Jews, all the parties, the singers, the all-nighters. That's all part of the mitzvah of going up to see the Baysat Megdash, which is one of the two main parts of this mitzvah. Who's actually ever done this mitzvah? If we take a minute here just to dissect in our history, it's not a mitzvah that's never been done. It's been done according to my calculation. Well, let's count. The first time it was done by Bitzalel and Ahaliyov, they did it, right? When they were guiding the Jewish people in the wilderness, in the building, along with Moshura Banu, of the Mishgun. They put together the modular pieces, made it demountable and mountable. We assembled it multiple times, this Mishgun. So that was a time that we were Va'asuli Mikdash Fishokhanti Besokim. Yahushua later guided this Mishgun into some places, crossing it over the Jordan. Before eventually, this Vaasuli Mikdash structure is archived, and we open up a permanent base Hamikdash that's not openly identifiable as to where it will be until Dovada Melech buys Yerushalayim, purchased it, specifically the site that would become the Har Hamoyria or the Temple Mount. He bought it from the Yevusim. Kind of like a Louisiana purchase type home run score deal, better than a 12-cap rate. We learn about the negotiations and how much David paid to buy the spot that would be the Baysan Mi'kdash. The purchase of the site and the confirmation of where it would be. And forever, now that we know where the site of the Mishgan was, where the Baysan Mi'kdash was, it now can only ever be there again. You want to try to build the Besan Migdash in Tel Aviv now? Because it's easier to fly into Ben Gurion and find some open space in Tel Aviv or somewhere there's cheap real estate out in Kidumim or Kfar Ako or all the way up in Safas, even though that real estate probably isn't too cheap anymore. It can't be done. Only there. That's the permanent spot that we will be able to do Asulit Mikdas Vijachanti Basokim. And it has been built at this permanent site twice. The first time. Makes it the most stunning and magnificent building you've ever seen, but eventually that was destroyed by the Romans. And since then, after those three sacred houses, the Mishgan, the first base at Megdash, and the second base of Megdash, no more do we get to live in a world of the Asulli Mikdash Vishakhanti Besocha. Now we pray multiple times a day to rebuild this house. We pray for the flowering of the Davidic dynasty to be restored. If you should daydream. Get really serious about what the building of the third Besan Migdash will actually be. I did some research by listening to one of Rabbi Volbe from Houston, Texas's reports on the matter. Very interesting how the new Besha Migdash will also leave Mikdash with Jahati Besocha will be done. What will the third Besha Megdash actually look like? See the Rambom says it's open halakha. It's gonna look exactly like the first two Besha Migdashes. We'll have to build it with our own hands. We'll have to ask wealthy philanthropists to donate. We'll need craftsmen. We'll need gold, silver, and tahash skins. And who will be the lead contractor? Well, that will be King Mashiach. That's one of Mashiach's jobs is to build the Besam'dush. How do you know if you are a Mashiach? Well, if you built the Besam'dush, that's a dead giveaway that you're a Mashiach. But some of the other Rishonim don't agree with Rambam. Rashi and Toswith notably say that it will be miraculously constructed. It will be built in heaven and descend with fire. Boom, smashing down onto Harhamairiya. A beautiful stadium of the eternal and permanent base habichira. A structure representing Va'asuli Mikdash Fishakhanti Besokim. The mitzvah encompasses more than just the actual building. It also encompasses building the Kidash Akadashim, the Kodesh, the locations for storage. There's no repairs, interestingly enough, if a vessel should go broken in the Mishkan or the Besat Amigdash. You don't do some sort of fix and flip. You just chuck it over your shoulder, get rid of it, and buy a new one. Because in a place of wealth, there's no signs of poverty. In the Besat Amigdash, we're not going to have any repaired old spoons. You just replace it. The ramp, the kior, the vessels are all included in this mitzvah. But kind of in a strange turn of events, if you're looking for a next topic to research, the Rambom furiously omits the building of the Aron, that holy ark that holds the Torah scroll, the Luthos. Somehow that's not part of our building of it in the third base Hamigdash. Search out that topic to see where the Rambam sees that we will maybe find this RNK. But let's do it. Huh? What do you say? What do you say? We give it a run for our money and build the base Hamigdash right now. Let's do it for the fourth time.

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Right?

What The Third Temple Might Look Like

What Counts As Building The Temple

Can We Build It Now

The Deeper Why Behind The Mitzvah

Pilgrimage As Designed Inspiration

SPEAKER_00 12:24

We did the Mishkan, we did the base on Migdash twice. Let's do it finally. The lucky number three. Well, we can't, the safe Rachenoch says. Sorry. Because the rules are that until Rove of Klalius Strael, Bismansha Rove Strahl Alad Basan, until most of the Jewish people are on their holy land, can't build it. And also, even if you want to try as an individual singular person, you can't build the Basamegdash. Kim Alhatsibarkulam, it's upon a community. It's a group gathering together to build something for Hashem. So I made a calculation as to what does it mean most of the Jews are in the land of Israel. According to the most recent calculation, we're not that far off. There are 7.2 million Jews living in Eritz Yisrael. And there are six and a half million Jews in America. But then there's around 500,000, they say, in France, maybe another half a million in Canada, another half a million in the United Kingdom, spread out through parts of Spain. I wonder if there's any in Antarctica. Probably not. Any Chabad houses down there? In Portugal. But either way, we don't have Rove Bene Yestral on the Holy Land. So it's not time to build the Bes Hamygdush yet. But all this is just the run-up, the pregame, the warm-up for what I really want to see together is the point of the base amygdala and the lesson that it has for us. What's the reason behind why God wants us to build a mouse? We've talked about the different details of the building of the house and the blueprint and how it's going to be done. But now let's ask not how or what, but let's ask why. And why is almost always the most powerful question that you can have on a topic. What's the show resh? That's what the Seifer Achinach wants to know. What lesson bubbles under the surface of these laws and guidelines of mitzvah number 95? Says the Seifer Achinacha, Yesoid Yagada. He tells us, Da. Da, no, beni, no, my son. Clearly see, he's writing it to his son. All of the mitzvos that Hashem set up for the Jewish people. It's only because God wants to give good to us. Ubiyos ha adam mukshar um muchan basis osam ha mitzvah, so that a person should be prepared, readied in the doing of a mitzvah in order to accept the goodness that will then flow into him from Hashem. But al Cainan, therefore, God gives usam tovim good things to do so that it should be good for you. If you fulfill the mitzvah, you are finding the secret sauce that God is giving to you as the potion that will fill your soul and bring you to the eternal completion. You become this elevated like superhero. But if you don't do these mitzvos, you miss out on the whole point of why God put you in this world and the path to then bring you to your completion and make it to the next world. There's a whole parsha about this, says a Saver Achinah, that's just preaching this idea about Torah, that it's all a book of mitzvos for your benefit. And therefore, continues the safe rachinoch, barach. Therefore, it's incumbent upon us to understand that the mitzvah here is not for God. It's to prepare the Jewish people's hearts. To raise them up, to ready them in the right mindset. God doesn't need the shade. God doesn't need to hang out with the people. And even if you should build it, he had a bit of humor. You think we should build it of something so beautiful that it could possibly househamaimushamayim loyuchao? It should house the unhousable God upon who the puzzle says that even the heavens can't contain him. All the mitzvahs are to prepare us. And the actions and the mitzvah, and with the actions and the mitzvos, that brings the goodness, and the more that you accustom yourself to doing them, the more that you'll purify your heart. The more you'll connect yourself to Hashem. And you'll create here a place that is the kpoa moqim shiya tahur vinaki batach anikos. You should have a perfect house that should be for you, so that you can have a place to feel inspired, that you can be focused. The Achsevra Achinach elaborates everything in the Besan Mikdash was not for God. It's just so that you can learn the lessons that you need. He brings from the Ramban. So clearly the Sevra Akhinach is living after the Ramban, if he quotes from the Ramban, that we know. But he quotes from the Ramban. The whole traveling up to the Besan Mikdash to bring a carbon? You could travel a week if you lived up in Tavaria. This is before airplanes, cars and trucks and buses. You could travel a week because you said Lash and Hara, you did in Aveira. So you now you travel and you don't really have that much connection to the Kohaniman Levium where you live. And all of a sudden, your kids are in the backseat saying, Tati, where are we going? And you say we're driving up to go see the base Hashem because I'm bringing this animal because I did something wrong. And as you get closer and closer, it's like Super Bowl week for you, where you go in and you see the police guards, the Levium guarding the doors, and you see the miraculous fire. And it becomes this big sermon and getaway and gathering, a communal gathering of inspiration. And everything is custom-made to inspire. Each carbon, the Ramban goes into it. With you send in words, so we connected to that source. And you served in with your hands, so you put your hands on the carbon, the way you walk with it. Each thing is a deep-rooted way for you to see how could you still be living? You don't deserve life if you've done something that God didn't want you to do. He's who gave you life, and if you used it for your own purposes, you don't deserve life. So therefore, you see the animal go up and smoke and not you to teach you a lesson. The Basan Mignish is there to teach you a lesson, like all the other mitzvos. That's why Hashem commanded us to build him a Mishgan, so that we could benefit from this whole fundraiser. Learn from the actions that we're doing to bring wholesomeness and merit to our soul. I want to explain this clearly because sometimes when we think about this concept of God doesn't need us and gave us mitzvos, it becomes very bland and meh for us. We've heard it a bunch of times. So it becomes some sort of like line we've heard in the past, and we just groan to not want to hear it again. It's kind of old and worn out. But let me bring to your attention how much time people spend working out. Going to the gym exercising, it's a healthy thing to do. And what you do when you exercise is you put on your sneakers, your sweats, you go over to the gym, use the machines, work up a sweat to try to burn calories. But it's more. People that work out, it's not just about the calories. They push themselves, they want to get their Heart rate up. They even want the muscle strain. And they want to push to do one more set. And they want to build upon this workout. Until at the end of the workout, they feel really good about themselves. Meet somebody leaving the downtown JCC and ask them as they have their towel around their neck and their Gatorade squirt bottle of water hanging out of their mouth. Ask them, how do you feel? Chances are they'll probably say, Oh, I love my workout. I leave with from the steam room after I work out, I put on my flip-flops, a bathrobe, I just had a haircut, I'm ready to roll, my body feels good. You see? That's how you should look at it. And the ultimate goal of having that feeling of done and completed with the towel around your neck, the bathrobe on, and the flip-flops walking out of the gym, that all happens after you die. You get that eternally. But the effort needed to get to that feeling is the workout. But you don't hate the workout. People love the workout. The actual pushing of the weight, ask them, hey, hey, I'll let you go ahead. Tell the person, I'll let you just feel a good workout, but you don't actually have to run. You know what? Just sit on the side. I'll do the running. You don't have to do the running. You'll just have the feeling, they'll they'll laugh at you. I love my workout. I love the feeling of pursuing, and I love the feeling of overcoming and doing another set. That's what builds eternal feel goodness. And Hashem gave us our mitzvahs, are these workouts. And they're precise. I want to say quickly and directly the takeaways from the mitzvos and this mitzvah, they're precise. You don't need to make up how you can get to that perfect feeling in Ulamhaba. You don't need to make up how you can get to the good feeling during the workout. You don't need to guess. They're all there, 613 mitzvahs. Just do those. It's like the personal trainer told you 10 arm curls, no more. You can't keep Shabbos on Friday. You can't keep Shabbos on Monday. Do the curl the right way. 20 lunges. That's like your Lulav or your Esg or your matzah. Do them properly. Use the step machine, the leg press, Davin like a mensch. Do the ab crunch like a mensch. Hit the row machine. There's precise actions. Don't make up the workout. Do what works because the trainer who organized and made the gym told you how you're going to get that good feeling. And how you're going to love the workout. You're going to love it. Not just because you know it's going to feel good at the end, because that sense of accomplishment, that sense of self-discipline and the job well done feeling is unbeatable. Another takeaway is that you don't gain your completion by thinking or learning. You gain your completion by the workout, by the mitzvos, by doing is how a Jew learns. It can't be overstated and it can't be forgotten. The mitzvah is not to study about the Besam Middash, although that's what we can do now. But the goal is to be able to do the avoda, to put your hands on the karban, to hope and pray we so badly want the chance to put the two by four into the crushim with the tahhashkins. We want to do it. A Jew learns by doing. That's what also comes clear from this mitzvah of Binyan Bais Habakhira in all of these mitzvos. And it's because of this, precisely because of this, that I hope you'll join me. And this will be the final takeaway before we wrap up. And not purchasing handmade, machine-made, institutionally made Mishlo Ahmanos. But I wanna sit in traffic, working out hard, hand wrapping, bisely pudding, fruit row fruit roll-up pudding, popcorn pudding, waffle pudding, hand wrapping bow tie, Mishlo Ahmanos, because if it's a workout, if the mitzvos are the workout, I don't want somebody else to do the workout for me. I don't want my credit card to do the workout for me. If there's a lesson that I want to learn, there's a lesson that I need to learn, and there's a feeling that I want to earn, well then I want to earn that. And I want to feel that. I want to actually break a sweat and lift the weights. How Jewish learning is done. The whole essay from Saifrachanik, you should see for yourself. It's eye-opening. It's a reminder that when God tells us to do things, like build a base amygdala, that's God's kindness. Every mitzvah kindness and direct instructions given by the head personal trainer of this JCC. I guess YMCA is not a good example here, but of a place that we call the world. You don't need to make it up. Don't ask for somebody else to do it. And learn by acting. That's how we do it. All of this is what bubbles beneath the surface of this lucky number, mitzvah number 95. Go ahead. Take this job. Lift the weights. Build a sanctuary so that I can dwell among you. And this is the way to earn that incredible feeling of pleasure and to love the effort and to love the sweat of just doing one more set.