Torah Portion of the Week

Terumah תרומה

Exodus 25:1–27:19

Parshat Terumah marks the transition from law to architecture as God instructs Moses to build a portable sanctuary — the Mishkan — so that the Divine Presence may dwell among the people. Every detail is specified: the Ark of the Covenant overlaid in gold, the golden Table of Showbread, the seven-branched Menorah hammered from a single piece of gold, the layered curtains and coverings, the acacia-wood wall boards set in silver sockets, and the copper Altar of Burnt Offerings in the courtyard. The parsha conveys a profound idea: holiness requires a physical dwelling, and each offering of material transforms the mundane into the sacred.

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Parsha Outline

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The Call for Offerings

תרומת המשכן

Exodus 25:1–25:9

God tells Moses to accept voluntary contributions from every person whose heart moves them: gold, silver, copper, dyed wools, fine linen, goat hair, ram skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, and precious stones. These materials will be used to build a Sanctuary so that God may dwell among the Israelites. God shows Moses a pattern of the Tabernacle and all its vessels.

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The Ark of the Covenant

ארון הברית

Exodus 25:10–25:22

The first vessel described is the Ark — a chest of acacia wood overlaid inside and out with pure gold, topped by a solid-gold cover (the kapporet) with two cherubim whose wings stretch over the cover. The Ark will house the stone tablets. God promises to speak to Moses from between the two cherubim.

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The Table of Showbread

שולחן לחם הפנים

Exodus 25:23–25:30

A table of gold-plated acacia wood with a golden crown around its rim is to stand in the Holy Chamber. Twelve loaves of showbread are to be placed on it continually before God, along with golden dishes, ladles, supports, and covering tubes.

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The Golden Menorah

מנורת הזהב

Exodus 25:31–25:40

The Menorah is to be beaten from a single block of pure gold — a central shaft with six branches, three on each side, decorated with cups shaped like almond blossoms, knobs, and flowers. Its seven lamps face the center. Moses struggles to visualize its intricate design until God shows him a model.

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The Tabernacle Coverings

יריעות המשכן

Exodus 26:1–26:14

Four layers of covering protect the Tabernacle. The innermost layer consists of ten fine-linen curtains woven with blue, purple, and scarlet wool in a cherub pattern, joined by golden clasps. Over them lies a layer of goat-hair curtains joined by copper clasps. The outermost layers are ram skins dyed red and tachash hides.

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The Wall Boards and Bars

קרשי המשכן

Exodus 26:15–26:30

The walls of the Tabernacle are formed by upright boards of gold-plated acacia wood, each ten cubits high and one-and-a-half cubits wide, set into paired silver sockets. Twenty boards form the south wall, twenty the north, and six (plus two corner boards) the west. Five horizontal bars on each side hold the structure together.

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The Curtains and Entrance Screen

הפרוכת ומסך הפתח

Exodus 26:31–26:37

A woven curtain (parochet) of blue, purple, and scarlet wool with cherub designs separates the Holy of Holies — which houses the Ark — from the outer Holy Chamber where the Table and Menorah stand. A second embroidered screen covers the entrance to the Tabernacle, hung on five gold-plated pillars set in copper sockets.

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The Copper Altar and Courtyard

מזבח הנחושת וחצר המשכן

Exodus 27:1–27:19

The Altar of Burnt Offerings is made of copper-plated acacia wood, five cubits square and three cubits high, with four horns at its corners and a copper grating. The Tabernacle courtyard is enclosed by linen hangings: one hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, supported by pillars set in copper sockets with silver hooks and bands. The entrance on the east side has an embroidered screen twenty cubits wide.

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

I Kings 5:26–6:13

מלכים א

Solomon builds the Temple in Jerusalem, the permanent successor to the Tabernacle whose construction is commanded in the parsha. Both are built with precious materials as a dwelling for God's presence.

Full Text

Parshat Terumah

Exodus 25:1–27:19 · 96 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןExodus 25:1–25:16

Chapter 25

פרק 25

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1 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

2 דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כׇּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִֽי

3 וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת

4 וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּֽים

5 וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאׇדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּֽים

6 שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹר בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּֽים

7 אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן

8 וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָֽם

9 כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ אֵת תַּבְנִית הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֵת תַּבְנִית כׇּל כֵּלָיו וְכֵן תַּעֲשֽׂוּ

10 וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אׇרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רׇחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתֽוֹ

11 וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַפֶּנּוּ וְעָשִׂיתָ עָלָיו זֵר זָהָב סָבִֽיב

12 וְיָצַקְתָּ לּוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וְנָתַתָּה עַל אַרְבַּע פַּעֲמֹתָיו וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הָֽאֶחָת וּשְׁתֵּי טַבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעוֹ הַשֵּׁנִֽית

13 וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָֽב

14 וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן בָּהֶֽם

15 בְּטַבְּעֹת הָאָרֹן יִהְיוּ הַבַּדִּים לֹא יָסֻרוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ

16 וְנָתַתָּ אֶל הָאָרֹן אֵת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶֽיךָ

1 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

2 Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.

3 And these are the gifts that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper;

4 Blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair;

5 Tanned ram skins, dolphin uncertain. skins, and acacia wood;

6 Oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense;

7 Lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

8 And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

9 Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it.

10 They shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

11 Overlay it with pure gold—overlay it inside and out—and make upon it a gold molding round about.

12 Cast four gold rings for it, to be attached to its four feet, two rings on one of its side walls and two on the other.

13 Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold;

14 Then insert the poles into the rings on the side walls of the ark, for carrying the ark.

15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark: they shall not be removed from it.

16 And deposit in the Ark [the tablets of] the Pact that I will give you.

1 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר

1 GOD spoke to Moses, saying:

2 Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.

3 וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת

3 And these are the gifts that you shall accept from them: gold, silver, and copper;

4 וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּֽים

4 Blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair;

5 וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאׇדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּֽים

5 Tanned ram skins, dolphin uncertain. skins, and acacia wood;

6 שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹר בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּֽים

6 Oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense;

7 אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן

7 Lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

8 וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָֽם

8 And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

9 Exactly as I show you—the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings—so shall you make it.

10 They shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

11 וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַפֶּנּוּ וְעָשִׂיתָ עָלָיו זֵר זָהָב סָבִֽיב

11 Overlay it with pure gold—overlay it inside and out—and make upon it a gold molding round about.

12 Cast four gold rings for it, to be attached to its four feet, two rings on one of its side walls and two on the other.

13 וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָֽב

13 Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold;

14 וְהֵבֵאתָ אֶת הַבַּדִּים בַּטַּבָּעֹת עַל צַלְעֹת הָאָרֹן לָשֵׂאת אֶת הָאָרֹן בָּהֶֽם

14 Then insert the poles into the rings on the side walls of the ark, for carrying the ark.

15 בְּטַבְּעֹת הָאָרֹן יִהְיוּ הַבַּדִּים לֹא יָסֻרוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ

15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark: they shall not be removed from it.

16 וְנָתַתָּ אֶל הָאָרֹן אֵת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶֽיךָ

16 And deposit in the Ark [the tablets of] the Pact that I will give you.

Second Aliyah

שניExodus 25:17–25:30

Chapter 25

פרק 25

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17 וְעָשִׂיתָ כַפֹּרֶת זָהָב טָהוֹר אַמָּתַיִם וָחֵצִי אׇרְכָּהּ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי רׇחְבָּֽהּ

18 וְעָשִׂיתָ שְׁנַיִם כְּרֻבִים זָהָב מִקְשָׁה תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם מִשְּׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת

19 וַעֲשֵׂה כְּרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה וּכְרוּב אֶחָד מִקָּצָה מִזֶּה מִן הַכַּפֹּרֶת תַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַכְּרֻבִים עַל שְׁנֵי קְצוֹתָֽיו

20 וְהָיוּ הַכְּרֻבִים פֹּרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֶל הַכַּפֹּרֶת יִהְיוּ פְּנֵי הַכְּרֻבִֽים

21 וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַכַּפֹּרֶת עַל הָאָרֹן מִלְמָעְלָה וְאֶל הָאָרֹן תִּתֵּן אֶת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶֽיךָ

22 וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים אֲשֶׁר עַל אֲרוֹן הָעֵדֻת אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

23 וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אׇרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רׇחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתֽוֹ

24 וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ זָהָב טָהוֹר וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ זֵר זָהָב סָבִֽיב

25 וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וְעָשִׂיתָ זֵר זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִֽיב

26 וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת זָהָב וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַטַּבָּעֹת עַל אַרְבַּע הַפֵּאֹת אֲשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָֽיו

27 לְעֻמַּת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת תִּהְיֶיןָ הַטַּבָּעֹת לְבָתִּים לְבַדִּים לָשֵׂאת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָֽן

28 וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַבַּדִּים עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם זָהָב וְנִשָּׂא בָם אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָֽן

29 וְעָשִׂיתָ קְּעָרֹתָיו וְכַפֹּתָיו וּקְשׂוֹתָיו וּמְנַקִּיֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר יֻסַּךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָֽם

30 וְנָתַתָּ עַֽל הַשֻּׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים לְפָנַי תָּמִֽיד

17 You shall make a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

18 Make two cherubim of gold—make them of hammered work—at the two ends of the cover.

19 Make one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; of one piece with the cover shall you make the cherubim at its two ends.

20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They shall confront each other, the faces of the cherubim being turned toward the cover.

21 Place the cover on top of the Ark, after depositing inside the Ark the Pact that I will give you.

22 There I will meet with you, and I will impart to you—from above the cover, from between the two cherubim that are on top of the Ark of the Pact—all that I will command you concerning the Israelite people.

23 You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.

24 Overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.

25 Make a rim of a hand’s breadth around it, and make a gold molding for its rim round about.

26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners at its four legs.

27 The rings shall be next to the rim, as holders for poles to carry the table.

28 Make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold; by these the table shall be carried.

29 Make its bowls, ladles, jars and jugs with which to offer libations; make them of pure gold.

30 And on the table you shall set the bread of display, to be before Me always.