Parsha Terumah
By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel
This week’s parsha, Terumah, opens with one of the Torah’s most profound invitations: “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). The Hebrew phrase v’shakanti b’tocham—“that I may dwell among them”—is striking. God does not say “in it,” referring to the structure, but “in them,” pointing to the people themselves. The true dwelling place is within the human heart and community.
Yet the portion devotes extensive detail to constructing a physical Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle. This raises a timeless question: If God is infinite and present everywhere, why create a dedicated building at all?
King Solomon echoed this very tension at the dedication of the First Temple: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how much less this house that I have built!” (I Kings 8:27). The paradox is clear: no edifice can truly contain the Divine. So what purpose does a synagogue—or any sacred space—serve?
The Kotzker Rebbe addressed a similar question directly: “Where does God dwell?” Some replied, “Everywhere—there is no place devoid of His presence.” Others pointed to the heavens. The Rebbe responded that such answers suit angels, but for human beings, God dwells wherever we open the door to welcome Him. The act of invitation is what matters.
Dr. Avraham Twerski offered a poignant insight drawn from recovery work. He described an individual who, after giving up alcohol, felt a profound emptiness. Through reflection, the person recognized that this inner void was precisely the space meant for God. We each carry such a space within us—a place reserved for the Divine. Too often, we attempt to fill it with material pursuits, status, or fleeting pleasures. As Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Przysucha taught, that space belongs to God; our task is simply to allow it to be occupied by what truly belongs there.
Several enduring reasons emerge for maintaining physical places of worship:
–A focal point for the intangible: An invisible, infinite God can feel distant in daily life. A synagogue provides a tangible space where people can gather, pray, and experience closeness to the Divine more readily than in ordinary settings.
–Community and connection: When individuals come together regularly for a sacred purpose, bonds form—between one another, with the tradition, and, ideally, with God. Shared rituals and study strengthen communal life.
–Portability of presence: Like the Mishkan, synagogues remind us that God accompanies us through change, exile, and rebuilding. The Divine is not bound by architecture or geography.
–Elevation through giving: The word terumah derives from a root meaning “to lift up” or “exalt.” Contributing to the building and upkeep of a synagogue—often selflessly—ennobles the giver, fostering generosity and spiritual growth.
Above all, a synagogue is not a museum preserving ancient customs, nor merely a venue for lifecycle events. It is a living space dedicated to creating room for reflection, for community, for welcoming the Divine into our lives. Shabbat, in particular, offers a weekly opportunity to step away from distractions and cultivate that inner openness.
Victor Hugo captured something similar when he wrote: “There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.”
The buildings we construct are secondary. The essential sanctuary is the one we build within ourselves and together as a community. God has already indicated readiness to dwell among us. The invitation remains ours to accept. Shabbat shalom. May we each find a little more space this week for what truly fills the soul.
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Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.