PARASHAT TERUMAH & THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE!
This week we are reading the Torah portion of Terumah, (Exodus 25:1 - 27:19), which begins with HaShem's historic disclosure to Moshe that He desires to dwell amongst His people Israel:
"HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
'Speak to the children of Israel and let them take for Me a portion; you shall take a portion for Me from every person whose heart is so moved by a spirit of generosity. And this is the portion that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper; blue, purple, and crimson wool, fine linen, goats’ hair; tanned ram skins, tachash skins, and acacia wood; oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; shoham stones and stones for setting, for the Ephod and for the Breastplate.'
And they shall make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:1-8)
The continuation of parashat Terumah and much of the rest of the book of Exodus will focus on HaShem's instructions how to build for Him a Sanctuary, the many details of the construction of the Tabernacle, the sacred vessels of service to be used by the kohanim, and the fashioning of the priestly garments, focusing on the eight garments to be worn by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest).
For the Temple Institute these verses are nothing less than the breath of life that informs everything we do, from research and writing, to reproducing the sacred vessels and the priestly garments, to creating an unparalleled archive of paintings depicting life in the Holy Temple, all of which can be experienced in person at our Jerusalem exhibition; from seasonal reenactments of the pilgrimage holiday Temple offerings, to intensive work to produce the longed for ashes of the red heifer, and to the recreation of the Levitical Choir which is already engaged in special holiday performances.
Just as HaShem called upon Israel to open its heart to make possible His dream of dwelling amongst His children, we at the Temple Institute call upon all who long for G-d's nearness and to live in a world worthy of His presence, to give generously to help us to continue our sacred work.
HELP US MAKE G-D’S DREAM COME TRUE!
THE SCROLL OF ESTHER AND THE PURIM-HOLY TEMPLE CONNECTION!
Megillat Esther, (the scroll of Esther), the story behind the Purim festival, has all the trappings of a fairy tale: a powerful king, a sumptuous feast, a girl's rise from orphan to queen, betrayal, entrapment, and deliverance! But just beneath the surface is the historical account of the struggle to rebuild the Holy Temple amidst a storm of international intrigue!
Shlomo Deutsch is a former guide at the Temple Institute's Jerusalem exhibition. He is currently studying at Aish HaTorah.
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THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE LEVITICAL CHOIR PERFORMS ACHEINU KOL BEIT YISRAEL
On Passover, (2024/5784) the Temple Institute's Levitical Choir performed an outdoor concert in Jerusalem's Old City Jewish Quarter Central Plaza. Among the songs they performed was Acheinu Kol Beit Yisrael, (Our brothers, the whole house of Israel), an ancient prayer for the safe delivery of Jews in distress, wherever they may be. In light of today's global assault on Jews by jihadists, woke leftists and assorted hate camp followers, the words of Acheinu Kol Yisrael seem more urgent than ever.
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THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE: BUILDING THE HOLY TEMPLE!
The three weeks of mourning which stretch from the fast of the 17th of Tammuz to the fast of the 9th of Av may be a time for some people to look backward and dream about the Holy Temple that was. Not so for the people that make up the Temple Institute. The Temple Institute is forever looking forward and working tirelessly to educate Israel and the world about the importance of the Holy Temple in our future, while always training and preparing in every way possible for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the renewal of the Divine service, soon, and in our days!
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LEVITICAL CHOIR PERFORMS AT THE SOUTHERN WALL OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT!
Last week, during the intermediate days of Sukkot, the Temple Institute's Levitical Choir joined dozens of other musical Levites in a festive performance of Psalm 27. The Temple Institute's Levitical Choir performers can be recognized by their Levitical uniforms, and, of course, the silver trumpets are those reproduced by the Temple Institute. The concert was a joint production of The Temple Institute, the East Jerusalem Development Company, the Municipality of Jerusalem, and others.
The performance took place on the steps leading up to the ancient Hulda Gates on the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount, the gates through which thousands of pilgrims once ascended from the City of David to the Holy Temple.
"One thing I ask of HaShem, that I seek - that I may dwell in the house of HaShem all the days of my life, to see the pleasantness of HaShem and to visit His Temple all the days of my life."
TEMPLE TALK: ISRAEL GIVES ITS ALL TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR HASHEM!
THE PURIFYING POWER OF THE PARAH ADUMAH - RED HEIFER!
THE UPLIFTING OFFERING OF THE HALF-SHEKEL!
In parashat Vayak'hel Moshe delivers HaShem's message to the people: "Build for Me a Sanctuary!" and the people respond with all their hearts and all their souls and all their means! Isn't it time that our generation also responds in kind! Behind the scenes preparations continue for acquiring the long sought after ashes of the red heifer!
Remember: Helping to make HaShem's dream of a Sanctuary in which His Presence can dwell amongst us, is the work of the Temple Institute! Join us in our efforts!
WEEKLY TORAH STUDY:VAYAK'HEL/ויקהל
The divine is in the details. Whether the Torah is discussing G-d's detailed instructions for the desert Tabernacle, or His precise recipe for producing the ashes of the red heifer, we are tasked with fulfilling G-d's word with exactitude, cutting no corners. But ultimately the details are just the conduit for connecting with the sublimely and impossibly simple reality we call G-d.
Vayak'hel (Exodus 30:11 - 34:35), Para (Numbers 19:1-22)
Parashat Vayak'hel is read on Shabbat:
Adar 22, 5785/March 22, 2025
TISH'A B'AV: BUILD A HOUSE FOR HASHEM!
"Be strong and have courage! Build a House for HaShem!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, the prophet Samuel charges King David with the task of building the Holy Temple!
TISH'A B'AV: THE GLORY OF THIS LAST HOUSE SHALL BE GREATER THAN THE FIRST!
"The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, Zerubavel from the house of David and Kohen Gadol (High Priest) Yehoshua consult with the prophet Haggai who instructs them to waste no time in rebuilding the Holy Temple!
THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE: BRINGING THE HOLY TEMPLE TO LIFE!
"Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering..." (Ex. 25:2)
Thus begins Terumah, this week's Torah reading, in which HaShem reveals His desire that Israel "make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst." (Ex. 25:8)
The Temple Institute is dedicated to making the Holy Temple a reality in our day, and toward this end, the Temple Institute has, for 36 years, been building and planning and researching and teaching and sharing with you our reconstructed sacred vessels and priestly garments, our books and paintings, our red heifer candidates, our teachings and insights and our love for HaShem and the Holy Temple!
It is only through the generosity of your hearts that we are able to continue our important work. Only together can we build for HaShem a sanctuary and "a house of prayer for all nations!"
THE RED HEIFER!
The ashes of the red heifer, essential for the renewal of the Divine service in the Holy Temple, is one of the Torah's most fascinating and mysterious commandments. In our brand new in-depth entry, learn what constitutes "a perfectly red unblemished cow," how the ashes are made and how they are applied, the history and the mystery of the red heifer, and current efforts to raise a red heifer. Beautifully illustrated and extensively footnoted!
On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality.
We invite you to join us in our worldwide effort to produce the longed-for ashes of the red heifer!
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