The Fireplace of Our Souls
Parshat Terumah / Zachor
Extreme heat exhausts a person. The heat overwhelms the person, making it difficult to breath and think clearly. The result is, being overheated with is life threatening.
Extreme cold is just as dangerous but a different animal. It slowly penetrates your bones, and as time goes on, it sets in deeper and deeper till it overtakes you. After experiencing the frigid temperatures in Texas this week, we have all felt the deep and bone chilling cold and how it touches the depths of our being. It leaves you feeling cold, empty and without energy.
And then... thank G-d for fireplaces. It warms, comforts and gives us hope and solace.
This week we read the Torah portion of Terumah which speaks of the building of the first House of G-d, also known as the Tabernacle or Mishkan. The Maftir reading (additional reading) will be about the special Mitzvah to remember the evil nation of Amalek and how they attacked the Jewish people. The reason we read this additional reading is, that as this is the Shabbat before the festive holiday of Purim, we recount the origins of anti-Semitism in its truest form, the anti-Israel/anti Jewish hatred that began with the Amalekites thousands of years ago. Haman, the villain of the Purim story was an Amalekite.
We are taught in the writings of the Kabbalah, that Amalek is an extremely powerful and dangerous Kelipah (unholy power or energy). It represents the indifference to G-d and holiness. It is represented by the apathy, cold and frigid response to anything holy and G-dly. Judaism and our connection to G-d, is supposed to be full of life, fire and enthusiasm, and Amalek represents the exact opposite. The verse states (Devarim 25:17-18) "Remember what Amalek did on the way when you were leaving Egypt. That he happened upon you on the way, and he struck those of you who hindmost". The Torah uses the words Asher Karcha Baderech - that he happened upon you, as the word Kar also means ice or cold.
Indifference and apathy is Amalek. It seeps into your bones and being, and leaves you feeling cold, empty and void.
There is a beautiful story of the Bal Shem Tov (Russia 1698-1760) about this idea. The Bal Shem Tov taught that everything in life, and for that matter, everything we see or hear is Hashgacha Pratis-Divine providence. As such, he taught, that everything one sees or hears must be a lesson in how we conduct our lives. One day the students of the Bal Shem Tov were traveling through the country side when they saw a river that had frozen over. They observed that someone had carved out an image of an idol in the ice. They were extremely disturbed.
When they returned home they asked their teacher "what lesson should we learn from what we just saw carved out in the ice?" The Rebbe responded "Water is the source of life and blessing. But when water turns to ice, even this source of life and blessing can turn into idolatry". In other words, when we become apathetic and indifferent, the ice begins to set in.
What is the antidote to this? The answer is to build a Mishkan- a dwelling place for Hashem. This sanctuary exists in each and every one of us. It exists in our souls and our hearts. When we dedicate ourselves to building bridges, helping others, doing Mitzvot, we are throwing logs onto our very own fireplace of our souls. This is why the Mitzvah of building the Mishkan in our portion begins with the idea of Terumah - each individual getting involved in their own way; offering gifts, donations and volunteering to help in whatever way possible. Because, when we get involved, contribute, and ignite our souls, we will have averted the freezing temperatures of Amalek.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Y. Marrus
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