This morning we read parashat Terumah, a section of the Torah that talks about the materials the Israelites were instructed to gather in order to build the mishkan, the portable sanctuary that would house G-d’s presence in their midst. The materials that were to be gathered included: gold, silver, brass, fine linen, skins of rams, skins of seals, goats’ hair, blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and acacia wood.
Rashi comments specifically about the acacia wood that the Israelites were commanded to use. He asks, “From where did they have acacia wood/ shittim wood in the wilderness?” His response is a quote from Rabbi Tanchuma, who wrote a body of midrashim in the 4th century. “Rabbi Tanchuma explained: our forefather Jacob foresaw through Divine inspiration that Israel was destined to build a Mishkan in the wilderness. He brought Shittim trees to Egypt and planted them there and he commanded his sons to take them with them when they would depart from Egypt.”
Jacob had the foresight to anticipate the needs of a future generation. He knew what his descendants would need and he provided it for them. When you think about life, we are all dependent upon the foresight of those who precede us in life. We do not choose the world into which we are born, but we also know how the previous generation’s decisions will ultimately affect us.
As I prepare to observe the first yahrzheit of my father’s death this week, I am keenly aware that just as Jacob had the foresight of planning for future generations, so did my father. He bore the nickname Mr. Compost, because he understood that we could not pollute our water sources with solid wastes nor our air with their emissions. He worked to help municipalities, farmers, and businesses learn how to compost their solid waste products. He testified before Congress about water pollution and helped the EPA establish guidelines for the disposal of solid wastes. He was indeed very wise because he was able to foresee the consequences to our environment if nothing were done.
The word in Hebrew for Acacia is Shittim. I can hear my dad laughing at the sound of that word and how it related to his work! Actually, the word is also related to the word Sh’tut which means folly. The very Israelites who were involved with the construction of the Mishkan, had once been involved with the foolish construction of the Golden Calf when Moshe left the camp to receive the Tablets of Law from G-d. The Rabbis emphasized that it was no accident that those who had pursued such folly were then given an opportunity to rectify their lack of faith using a wood whose very name is reminiscent of the word “folly”.
My father also wanted others to know that they could not ignore the consequences of their actions. He knew that ignoring the problem of solid waste pollution would be sheer folly. He hoped to create a system for reusing our “natural resources” that would help our environment sustain itself. Like Jacob, dad understood the interconnectedness of the generations and wanted to provide a better world for those who would live after him. Perhaps in his own way, dad chose to serve G-d by trying to teach others how to preserve the beautiful world that he believed G-d created for us to enjoy.
It brings me great joy to think about my father on Shabbat Terumah. Somehow it seems quite appropriate that it is this very Shabbat that reminds us how dependent we are on the foresight of those who preceded us. It is an honor to be able to think about my father who managed to serve as a link to the past as he carried a message about a promise for the future. It is also comforting to be part of a heritage that recognizes we can rectify our foolish actions in order to create an atmosphere in which the presence of G-d will be welcome within our midst.
Shabbat Shalom.
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