Dear Friends,
I hope you will join us for services this Friday evening as we celebrate volunteers in all spheres of life. Come to hear about the various places and ways in which our congregational friends voluntarily give of their time, resources and talents for the good of others!
Coincidentally, this week we read the Torah portion of Terumah [contribution]. Our parsha speaks of creativity, of generosity and of love. All of this, in service of the completion of the Sanctuary in the desert and of the creation of holiness in a physical space.
But, alongside the concept of holiness in physical space, our parsha also highlights an element of holiness in time. How so? The time we dedicate to individually and collectively creating holy physical space for ourselves and for others is not just precious. The time we dedicate to such a project is also holy.
Holiness in time and holiness in space are two equally important paths to holiness. But they are not the only paths to holiness.
Social justice and ritual observance are two additional paths to holiness.
The importance of social justice was highlighted in many of the mitzvoth outlines in last week’s parsha of Mishpatim.
The significance of ritual observance is highlighted in this week’s Torah portion of Terumah which outlines rituals that were instituted upon completion of the Sanctuary.
Clearly, the Torah is suggesting to us that just as there are multiple ways of volunteering, there are also multiple paths to holiness.
May we find our paths and share the joy of reaching for holiness in the everyday journeys of life.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gilah Dror
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