Parshat Hashavua

Parashat Tetzaveh foreshadows the connection the Children of Israel will have with God after the death of Moses.

The incense reminds us to unite our bodies and souls in our service of God and to imbue our lives with holiness, purity, compassion and hope.

In order to help build sacred space, the act of giving must be accompanied by a heart that reaches out to others.

The fundraising campaign to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) teaches us that in true Tzedakah, the giver benefits as much as the taker.

The construction and sacrificial activities of the Sanctuary, which are now expressed in prayer, give us the opportunity to encounter the divine.

How do we reconcile our desire to see God with God's statement that no one can see God and live?

Moses was sensitive to the needs of the people, changing his appearance in order to enhance their ability to communicate with him.

The Israelites bring so many materials for the construction of the Tabernacle that Moses tells them to stop; Bezalel and Oholiab, gifted craftspeople, construct the elements of the Tabernacle.

Our tables, symbolic altars, become tools in our quest for sacredness when we share them with the poor and marginalized.

The connections between building the Tabernacle and Yom Kippur reminds us that all aspects of our spirituality are connected.