Rabbi Jon’s Reflection on This Week’s Torah Portion
2.16.2024
Terumah 2024: Which angel do you emulate?
A short reflection on Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19)
When I think of a cherub, my imagination conjures up images of a slightly pudgy and very jolly angel the size of a three year old. With a bow and arrow in his hand, he is ready to use his weapon to create love between two people. It’s an image many of us have seen this past week on Valentine Day cards and holiday themed gifts. But, in our Torah, a cherub isn’t the jolly young fellow we’ve come to know. In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, cherubs are present and their physique and their role are quite different from what has been presented to us by advertising companies.
We met our first cherub back in Genesis. After Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden, God stationed a cherub at its entrance, along with a fiery sword, to stop them from returning. Yes, this is Torah and not Greek mythology. As we read in Genesis, “And God drove the man out, and God stationed at the east of Gan Eden the Cherubim.” Our rabbis considered this cherub a warrior angel. As the famous commentator Rashi wrote, these are “angels of destruction.” If you google cherub Garden of Eden, you’ll find artistic interpretations of this angel and you’ll see a very warrior-like figure.
The next mention of cherubs doesn’t come until Terumah. God is describing to Moses the details of the construction of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary. Included in this description are the designs for two Cherubim – two angelic figures – that are to be placed over the ark. “Make two cherubim of gold…. at the two ends of the cover…. The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They shall confront each other….” (Ex 25:17-20). No where does God say, “make them pudgy little fellows focused on love.”
It was believed that the cherubim of this selection had the bodies of large birds. The role of the cherubim, according to the Talmud (Yoma 54a) was to visually describe the relationship between the Israelites and Adonai. When the Israelites were doing what was holy, then the cherubim faced each other and their wings touched. When they moved away from holiness, the cherubs turned away from each other.
When we do what is holy, then we are like those angels that sat atop the ark facing one another and allowing our wings to touch. When we walk an unholy path and when we turn our backs to our brethren, we are emulating the actions of the cherubs during times when the Israelites were not walking hand-in-hand with holiness. Sometimes, we can even become like the cherubs in Genesis – “angels of destruction” – keeping people away from their personal Eden.
May we take actions that keep the cherubs facing one another, never forcing them to turn their backs to one another or act as security guards to a better world.
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TERUMAH SUMMARY FROM THE URJ
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God asks the Children of Israel to donate gifts (t'rumah) for the building of the Tabernacle so that God may "dwell among them." (25:1-9)
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Instructions for the construction of the Ark, table, and menorah are provided. (25:10-40)
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Detailed directions are given on how to build the Tabernacle. (26:1-27:19)
For more on this Torah portion from the URJ go to:
