Terumah (Hebrew: תְּרוּמָה, "Contribution/Offering") is the seventh Torah portion of Exodus, covering Exodus 25:1–27:19. It contains God's instructions for building the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and its furnishings.
The Offering
God tells Moses: "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering; of every man that gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering" (Exodus 25:2). The materials: gold, silver, brass, blue/purple/scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, rams' skins dyed red, badgers' skins, shittim wood, oil, spices, onyx stones, and stones for setting. God says: "And let them make Me a sanctuary (מִקְדָּשׁ), that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). "According to all that I show you, after the pattern of the tabernacle... even so shall you make it" (Exodus 25:9).
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark (אֲרוֹן הָבְרִית) is made of shittim wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and out, with a gold crown (זֵר). It has four gold rings and two staves of shittim wood overlaid with gold. The mercy seat (כַּפֹּרֶת) is pure gold, with two cherubim (כְּרוּבִים) of gold at its two ends. The cherubim face each other, their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat. "And there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony" (Exodus 25:22).
The Table and Menorah
The Table of Showbread (שֻׁלְחַן) is shittim wood overlaid with gold, with a gold crown, rings, and staves. Showbread (לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, "bread of the Presence") is placed on it continually. The Menorah (מְנוֹרָה) is of pure beaten gold: a central shaft with six branches (three on each side), seven lamps, with almond-blossom cups, knobs, and flowers. "And you shall make the seven lamps thereof; and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it" (Exodus 25:37).
The Tabernacle Structure
The Tabernacle (מִשְׁכָּן) is made of ten curtains of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim work. Each curtain is 28 cubits long and 4 cubits wide. Five curtains are coupled together, and the other five coupled; they are joined by 50 gold clasps. Eleven curtains of goats' hair cover the tabernacle. The structure is supported by boards of shittim wood, each 10 cubits high and 1.5 cubits wide, overlaid with gold, with silver sockets. The veil (פָּרֹכֶת) of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen with cherubim separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The screen for the door is of the same materials.
The Altar and Courtyard
The Altar of Burnt Offering (מִזְבֵּחַ) is shittim wood overlaid with brass, 5 cubits square and 3 cubits high, with horns at its four corners. It has rings and staves for carrying. The courtyard is 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide, enclosed by hangings of fine twined linen on pillars of brass with silver hooks and bands.
Major themes
- Divine dwelling: "Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them."
- Willing offering: "Of every man that gives it willingly with his heart."
- Pattern: The Tabernacle is built according to the heavenly pattern shown to Moses.
- Holiness: The gradation of holiness: courtyard, Holy Place, Holy of Holies.
- Symbolism: The furnishings symbolize aspects of God's presence and Israel's worship.
Rashi
Rashi explains that the Tabernacle was a portable Sinai — a place for God's presence to dwell among Israel. On the cherubim, Rashi says they had the faces of children. On the menorah, Rashi notes it was beaten from a single piece of gold.
Ramban
Ramban explains that the Tabernacle is a microcosm of creation, with its materials and structure paralleling the cosmos. The Ark represents the throne of God; the table represents sustenance; the menorah represents light and wisdom.
Midrashic interpretations
- Shemot Rabbah 33:1: The Tabernacle was created in heaven before it was made on earth.
- Shemot Rabbah 34:1: The cherubim faced each other when Israel did God's will, and turned away when they sinned.
- Tanhuma, Terumah 8: The Tabernacle corresponds to the six days of creation.
Haftarah
The haftarah (1 Kings 5:26 – 6:13) describes Solomon's building of the Temple. Solomon sends to Hiram of Tyre for cedar and cypress wood. The Temple is built over seven years. God says to Solomon: "Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes... then I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel" (1 Kings 6:12–13).
References
- Exodus 25:1 – 27:19 (Masoretic Text)
- Rashi, Commentary on the Torah
- Ramban, Commentary on the Torah
- Ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah
- Shemot Rabbah (Midrash)
- Tanhuma, Terumah
- The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus (Nahum M. Sarna, 1991)
- Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary (JPS, 2001)
- Sefaria.org, "Terumah" (parasha)
Scholars and rabbis have long debated the nuances of this text. The medieval commentators Rashi, Ramban, Ibn Ezra, and Sforno each offer distinct perspectives, ranging from grammatical analysis to theological reflection. Modern academic scholarship adds historical and literary context, comparing the text with ancient Near Eastern parallels.
In contemporary study, this material is explored through the lenses of halakha, aggadah, and Jewish thought. Synagogues and study groups worldwide engage with these texts weekly, finding new relevance in ancient words. The enduring vitality of this parasha lies in its ability to speak to every generation.
For a full Hebrew text and parallel translations, consult Sefaria.org. The JPS Torah Commentary series provides scholarly annotation. Contributions to expand this article are welcome.