Parsha Q&A - Parshat Terumah

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Parsha Q&A

Parshat Terumah

For the week ending 8 Adar 5761 / March 2 & 3, 2001
Contents:
  • Parsha Questions
  • Kasha
  • I Did Not Know That!
  • Recommended Reading List
  • Answers to Parsha Questions
  • Back issues of Parsha Q&A
  • Subscription Information
  • Ohr Somayach Home Page
    • This publication is also available in the following formats: [Text] Explanation of these symbols

    Parsha Questions

    Answers | Contents
    1. How many types of items were the Jews to donate?
    2. The donation of silver for the Mishkan differed from the donation of the other items. How?
    3. What property do techelet and argaman share that orot eilim m'adamim do not share?
    4. What property do the above three share that shesh and orot techashim do not share?
    5. Onkelos translates "tachash" as "sasgona." Why?
    6. What kind of trees did Yaakov plant in Egypt?
    7. Describe two uses of:
      1. oil
      2. spices
      3. jewels
    8. The aron was made with three boxes, one inside the other. Exactly how tall was the outer box?
    9. Why is the Torah referred to as "testimony"?
    10. What did the faces of the keruvim resemble?
    11. On what day of the week was the lechem hapanim baked?
    12. What does miksha mean?
    13. What was the purpose of the menorah's gevi'im (cups)?
    14. How did Moshe know the shape of the menorah?
    15. What designs were embroidered into the tapestries of the Mishkan?
    16. What is meant by "standing wood"?
    17. How long was the Mishkan?
    18. How wide was the interior of the mishkan?
    19. Why was the altar coated with nechoshet?
    20. Which function did the copper yeteidot serve?

    Kasha
    (kasha means "question")

    How would you answer this question on the Parsha?

    "Two sockets underneath each beam" (26:19)

    I can understand the purpose of everything in the Mishkan except for the silver sockets. The wooden beams were carved out on the bottom with just two wooden prongs left sticking down, and the empty space was filled with the silver sockets. What purpose did this serve? It couldn't have been just decorative, because a silver coating would have sufficed. For the same reason it couldn't have been to keep out moisture; plus, the silver didn't cover the bottom of the wood where moisture from the ground would be the worst. And it didn't connect the beams to each other in any way. So, what purpose did it serve?

    Submitted by an Ohrnet reader

    ANSWER: It added weight to the beams, as silver is denser than sheetim-wood. This added stability.

    Moznaim L'Torah

    Do you have a KASHA? Write to kasha@ohr.edu with your questions on any Parsha!

    I Did Not Know That!

    "They shall make Me a Mishkan and I will dwell (v'shachanti) among them." (Exodus 25:8)

    The word v'shachanti (I will dwell) hints at the number of years that both the First and Second Temples stood, as follows: Read as two words, v'shachan ti means "He dwelt 410." This hints that Hashem's Presence dwelt in the First Temple for 410 years, until its destruction. Rearranged, v'shachanti spells v'sheni kaf tav, which means "and the Second, 420." This hints that the Second Temple stood for 420 years.

    Ba'al Haturim

    Recommended Reading List

    Ramban
    25:1
    The Mishkan, a "Portable Sinai"
    25:10
    Universal Torah Involvement
    26:33
    Making and Placing

    Ibn Ezra
    25:3
    The Need for Silver
    Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh
    25:8
    The Shechina Within Jewry

    Sefer Hachinuch
    95
    Our Need for a Mishkan Utility and Form
    97
    Blessings and Benefit

    Answers to this Week's Questions

    Questions | Contents

    All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

    1. How many types of items were the Jews to donate?
      25:2 - 13.

    2. The donation of silver for the Mishkan differed from the donation of the other items. How?
      25:3 - No fixed amount of the other items was required. The silver was given as a fixed amount: A half shekel.

    3. What property do techelet and argaman share that orot eilim m'adamim do not share?
      25:4,5 - They are wool, orot eilim are not.

    4. What property do the above three share that shesh and orot techashim do not share?
      25:4,5 - They are dyed; shesh and orot techashim are not.

    5. Onkelos translates "tachash" as "sasgona." Why?
      25:5 - The tachash delights (sas) in its multi-colors (g'vanim).

    6. What kind of trees did Yaakov plant in Egypt?
      25:5 - Arazim -- cedars.

    7. Describe two uses of:
      1. oil
      2. spices
      3. jewels
       25:6-7 -
      1. The oil was lit in the menorah and used for anointing.
      2. The spices were used in the anointing oil and for the incense.
      3. The precious stones were for the ephod and the choshen.

    8. The aron was made with three boxes, one inside the other. Exactly how tall was the outer box?
      25:11 - The outer box was one and a half amot plus a tefach plus a little bit, because it rose a little bit above the kaporet. (The kaporet was a tefach thick -- see 25:17).

    9. Why is the Torah referred to as "testimony"?
      25:16 - It testifies that Hashem commanded us to keep the mitzvot.

    10. What did the faces of the keruvim resemble?
      25:18 - The faces of children.

    11. On what day of the week was the lechem hapanim baked?
      25:29 - Friday.

    12. What does miksha mean?
      25:31 - Hammered.

    13. What was the purpose of the menorah's gevi'im (cups)?
      25:31 - Purely ornamental.

    14. How did Moshe know the shape of the menorah?
      25:40 - Hashem showed Moshe a menorah of fire.

    15. What designs were embroidered into the tapestries of the Mishkan?
      26:1 - On one side a lion; on the other side an eagle.

    16. What is meant by "standing wood"?
      26:15 - The wooden beams were to be upright and not stacked one upon the other.

    17. How long was the Mishkan?
      26:16 - 30 amot.

    18. How wide was the interior of the mishkan?
      26:23 - 10 amot.

    19. Why was the altar coated with nechoshet?
      27:2 - To atone for brazenness.

    20. Which function did the copper yeteidot serve?
      27:19 - They secured the curtains against the wind.
    Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
    General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
    Production Design: Michael Treblow
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