Parshas Terumah for Kids
פרשת תרומה
Bring gold, silver, wool dyed blue and purple, acacia wood - whatever your heart moves you to give. From those gifts comes the Mishkan, the Aron, the Shulchan and the Menorah, so that Hashem's presence can rest among them.
In a Torah Tale book, your own child is the hero of this story - drawn from their photo, on every page, in their own name. Written under rabbinical guidance with strict tznius, printed and shipped to your door in English, Hebrew or Yiddish.
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What happens in Parshas Terumah
Hashem asks Bnei Yisrael to bring gifts, each person giving whatever his heart moves him to give: gold, silver, copper, colored wool, and acacia wood. Rashi explains that Yaakov Avinu had planted these trees in Mitzrayim long before, so his children would have wood for the Mishkan. Hashem says, make for Me a Mishkan and I will dwell among them.
The parsha describes the Aron, covered with gold inside and outside; Chazal learn that a person should be the same inside as outside. On its cover stand two keruvim, which Rashi says had faces like children. There is the Shulchan for the lechem hapanim, and the Menorah hammered from one single piece of gold. Rashi tells us that the Menorah was so hard to picture that Hashem showed Moshe a Menorah of fire. Around it all stand the beams and the beautiful woven curtains of the Mishkan.
Lessons and middos for children
Giving with a full heart
Hashem wanted gifts from people whose hearts wanted to give. When we share, we can do it with a smile and not because we have to.Tocho k'baro
The Aron was gold inside and out. We try to be the same good person inside as we look outside.Making a home for Hashem
Hashem dwells among us when we make room for Him. Our home becomes a small Mishkan when we do mitzvos in it.
Questions for the Shabbos table
- If you lived in the midbar, what would you have brought for the Mishkan?
- Why do you think the keruvim had the faces of children?
- What does it mean to be the same on the inside and the outside?
- How can we make our home a place where Hashem feels welcome?
How your child steps into the story
Your child joins the line of people bringing gifts for the Mishkan and watches the gold Aron and the Menorah begin to take shape. The story ends with the plans complete and the bigdei kehunah of Tetzaveh still to be made.