In this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, we learn of how G-d
instructed Moses to collect materials from the Israelites, with which they
would then build a sanctuary, and “He would dwell in their midst”.
Being in the desert, where would they get the wood they needed?
Rashi quotes Rabbi Tanchuma, who explains that our patriarch
Jacob foresaw with his holy spirit that the Israelites were destined to build a
Sanctuary in the desert, so he brought cedars to Egypt and planted them there,
and commanded his sons to take them with them when they left Egypt.
The Rebbe points out that during the 210 years of the Egyptian
exile, these trees served as a source of comfort for the Israelites. Throughout
the slavery, the Israelites not only knew of the promise of redemption,
rather, they had a physical reminder of their true origins, and a tangible
source of inspiration and hope for their future redemption.
Rabbi Yehoshua Binyomin Gordon was a “cedar” that the Rebbe
“planted” in the Valley. He stood tall and proud, serving as a beacon of
inspiration to his “own” community in Encino, as well as to all the communities
being served by their own Chabad rabbis under his auspices, in addition to
countless other Chabad rabbis whom he mentored, and his thousands of devoted students
around the world.
***
The Talmud tells the story of a man who was planting a tree that
would take many years to fully bear fruit. When asked if he hoped to live long
enough to enjoy the fruit of his labor, he responded that he himself was born
to find similar trees ready for him. “As my forefathers planted these for me,
so, too, I plant these for my children”.
Rabbi Gordon was a unique, gifted and talented man. He gave of
himself. His love and devotion to his own family was boundless. His dedication
to his community, his students, and every Jew who came his way was immense.
Ultimately, however, his motivation to serve others was rooted
in his own commitment to those who came before him. He was dedicated to the Rebbe,
his teachings, and his mission. He drew on the influence of his parents and
predecessors.
Rabbi Gordon gave of himself to others, invested so much in the
future of the Jewish people, because he, himself, appreciated, was connected
to, and was deeply rooted in the past. When one has a genuine appreciation of
the past, he is concerned with, and invests the effort for the future.
***
As we read the Torah portion
of Terumah, may we internalize its eternal messages, and create inner, personal
“sanctuaries” that radiate holiness, positively impacting those around us. May
we draw strength from our ancestral roots, and renew our commitment to the next
generation, in the hope that our efforts will soon bear fruit, and G-d will
wipe the tears off every face.
May G-d grant the Gordon
family comfort and consolation, and may the merit of Rabbi Gordon’s Torah and
good deeds stand them all in good stead.
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