What does Hashem require of us?
After all,
He’s given us so much!
A beautiful world
That renews each day,
Luminaries to light our way,
Over all, mastery and control
By virtue of
Our G-dly soul.
Hashem asked Moshe to take
T’rumah, “a gift, for Me,
For My sake”:
A sanctuary upon which
His glory could dwell
Among His beloved
Israel.
T’rumah’s root means to “uplift”;
The Most High
Is giving us a gift!
Moshe wondered
How an entity ethereal
Could be built with
Physical materials;
Israel achieved its part,
Whereupon,
Hashem completed the Mishkan.
Moshe was shown the Menorah
To fabricate,
Impossible
For human hands to create.
Does Hashem need its light?
He created the sun!
It is for our elevation.
In turn, we were given
A pillar of fire,
For the nations
To see and aspire;
He Who gives the world light
Takes light from His nation –
An impressive inspiration!
At first we were given
Everything from G-d’s Hand;
Then, our participation
By His command
Turned us into a people
Of creative endeavor,
Builders of G-d’s House,
And Israel forever
No longer only able
To take and complain,
But entrusted producers
To design and attain:
Small state,
Big society,
What we do for each other
The priority.
King Solomon,
Wisest among men,
Built the first Beis HaMikdash,
Then asked Hashem,
“The heavens and earth
Cannot contain you;
How can this house contain you?”
What can anyone
Give HaKadosh Baruch Hu?
There is one dynamic thing
We all can do:
Take our world,
Inherently inanimate,
Spiritualize and sanctify it,
Make our free choice
A selfless one,
Make Hashem’s will
Our chosen option.
May HaKadosh Baruch Hu
Build His House
On Moriah supernal;
His Beis HaMikdash
And our redemption
Will then, be eternal.
By Sharon Marcus