Build the Sanctuary. Choose Joy.

Parshas Terumah: Building Something Holy

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Terumah, opens with a request:

“וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה - They shall take for Me an offering…”
(Shemos 25:2)

G-d instructs the Jewish people to build the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary in the desert.

But notice something striking.

It does not say “Give to Me.”
It says, “Take for Me.”

The classic commentators explain: when you give for something holy, you’re not losing; you’re receiving. You are taking part in something eternal.

The Mishkan was not just a structure of gold, wood, and linen. It was a statement:

Holiness can exist in the middle of the desert.
The Divine can dwell in physical space.
Light can be built intentionally.

The Torah says:

“וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ - And they shall make for Me a sanctuary,
וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם - and I will dwell within them.”
(Shemos 25:8)

Not “within it.”
Within them.

The sanctuary was never just a building. It was about transforming people into vessels of light.

The Month of Adar: Increase Joy

This week, we also enter Adar, the month our sages describe with one instruction:

“מִשֶּׁנִּכְנָס אֲדָר מַרְבִּין בְּשִׂמְחָה”
When Adar enters, we increase in joy.
(Talmud, Ta’anit 29a)

Not “feel joy.”
Increase joy.

Joy, in Judaism, is not the denial of pain.
It is a conscious spiritual strategy.

Adar leads us toward Purim, a story in which darkness seemed overwhelming, yet hidden Divine providence was guiding events beneath the surface.

The message is clear:
Even when G-d’s presence feels concealed, He is building something behind the scenes.

Terumah + Adar: The Formula

This week teaches a powerful formula:

Build the sanctuary. Increase joy.

The Mishkan was built through voluntary contributions; every individual gave what they could: gold, silver, copper, wool, effort, and skill.

Holiness was built through collective generosity.

Adar reminds us that joy itself is an offering.

When we build spaces of safety, meaning, and resilience in our homes, communities, and agencies, we are constructing a Mishkan.

When we strengthen morale, uplift others, and choose hope over despair, we increase Adar.

A Message for Those Who Serve

Those in the military, law enforcement, emergency services, and public safety often operate in environments that feel more like a desert than a sanctuary.

But Parshas Terumah tells us:

You don’t wait for ideal conditions to build holiness.
You build it in the desert.

Adar tells us:

Joy is not a luxury. It is a strength.

In SoulLinks’ work with those who serve, we see this every day. Resilience is built intentionally. Morale is built intentionally. Spiritual strength is built intentionally.

The Mishkan wasn’t assembled overnight. It required structure, design, detail, leadership, and willing hearts.

So is a healthy unit.
So is a healthy family.
So is a healthy soul.

A Practical Reflection for This Week

As we begin Adar, ask:

• What am I building right now?

• What offering am I bringing?

• Where can I intentionally increase joy?

Even one act of encouragement.
One Shabbat candle.
One supportive conversation.
One moment of gratitude.

That is gold for the sanctuary.

This week, may we build spaces where the Divine can dwell, and may our joy itself become the structure that carries us forward.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov.

As we reflect on building spiritual strength in uncertain environments, I was reminded of conversations at the recent Aleph Military Symposium — where chaplains and leaders gathered to discuss faith, ethics, and resilience on today’s frontlines.

You can read that reflection here:
At the Frontlines of Faith and Ethics
Reflections from the 19th Annual Aleph Military Symposium in Surfside, Florida