Exodus 25:1-27:19
“Adonai said to Moshe, ‘Tell the people of Isra’el to take up a collection for me — accept a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give’” (Exodus 25:1-2).
Excerpt:
Moshe meets with Adonai and receives His instructions for making the Tabernacle. Adonai tells Moshe to take up a free-will offering from those who ‘wholeheartedly’ desire to give. The people contribute gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goat’s hair, tanned ram skins, and fine leather, acacia wood, oil for the lamp, spices for the incense, onyx stones and other precious stones.
While the Complete Jewish Bible uses ‘wholeheartedly,’ the New International Version says, “whose heart prompts them to give,” and the Orthodox Jewish Bible says, ”give it willingly with his heart.” Sha’ul describes the free-will offering: “Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
The Greek word hilaro used in Corinthians means ‘hilarious, laughing, and merry.’ Elohim desired His people to be filled with joy and laughter when they gave. They had been blessed abundantly with huge plunder from the Egyptians that could be used to build His dwelling among them.
“Our mouths were full of laughter, and our tongues shouted for joy. Among the nations it was said, “Adonai has done great things for them!” (Psalm 126:2).
Contributions came from those with ‘willing hearts’ suggesting not everyone would give. The Greek gogguzo for ‘grudgingly’ means ‘with murmuring.’ The Greek lupé for ‘compulsion’ means with ‘pain, grief or sorrow.’ An unwilling person sorrowfully parts with whatever they are giving and murmurs about it.
The Amplified Bible translates 2 Corinthians 9:7 as ”Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].”
Menorah
“I’ve been looking at a menorah; it’s all of gold, with a bowl at its top, seven lamps on it, and seven tubes leading to the lamps at its top. Next to it are two olive trees, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left” (Zechariah 4:2-3).
The Menorah, the seven-branched oil lamp, was made of pure hammered gold –– one piece. Its base, shaft, cups, ring of outer leaves and petals were all part of the one piece. It had six branches –– three branches extended on one side of the central shaft and three on the other.
Each branch had three cups shaped like almond blossoms with a ring of outer leaves and petals. The central shaft had four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals. Each pair of branches joined the central shaft had a ring of outer leaves with the pair of branches. All of the Menorah’s tongs and trays were made of pure gold. The seven lamps for the Menorah were mounted to light the space in front of it.
The Hebrew word menorah has the root or which means ‘light.’ The Hebrew word Torah also has the root of or. The menorah and the Torah of Adonai light our paths and guide our steps (Psalm 119:105).
Hebrew Word Pictures
or (Light) – אור – alef, vav, resh
– first strength binding to the highest authority
Menorah (Lampstand) – מנורה – mem, nun, vav, resh, hey
– mighty life bound to the highest authority protected
Torah (Instruction) – תורה – tav, vav, resh, hey
– the covenant bound to the highest authority revealed
Selah
The total amount of gold for the Menorah and its utensils was 60 pounds. At today’s value of gold, the cost for the Menorah would be $1,343,520.
“Yeshua spoke to them again: ‘I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life’” (John 8:12).
“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).
For a complete copy of this Torah portion, the readings from the Prophets, gospels, letters, and study questions, please purchase Open My Eyes: Wonders of Torah.
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