Terumah

The Mishkan had many miracles occur with its building and throughout the forty years in the desert. I’d like to mention a few of them.

One cover of the Mishkan was made of עורות תחשים, which Onkelos translates as ססגונא. The Gemara explains this means it was a multi-colored animal who rejoiced about its splendid colors. The Midrash Tanchuma adds it had six different colors. This cover was made of one hide thirty amos long. Hashem performed a miracle to create this gigantic and beautiful animal to be used for the Mishkan. Another cover of the Mishkan was made of עורות אילים מאדמים, the hides of rams which were dyed red. HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a brings b’shem the Malbim that this cover was made of one hide thirty amos long, from a giant ram, and it too was a miracle.

The Aron had upon it the Keruvim which were made from one mass of gold in the form of two young children. The Gemara says that if Yisrael fulfilled the will of Hashem the Keruvim faced each other, like the expression of affection of a male with a female. If not, they faced towards the entrance of the Mishkan, as though looking to depart from each other. Rashi explains that although the Keruvim are inanimate, they moved through a miracle to reflect the relationship of Hashem with Bnei Yisrael.

The Menorah needed to be made with one mass of gold, including its 7 branches, 7 neiros, 22 cups, 11 buttons, 9 flowers, and base, which was difficult for Moshe to make. Hashem said to throw it into the fire, and it was created with a miracle.

The Lechem HaPanim were baked before Shabbos, since they cannot be baked on Shabbos. They stayed on the Shulchan from one Shabbos to the next, and then removed and eaten. Tosfos explains they were soft as though just baked and Rashi says they were hot as though just baked! The Ritva adds that it was so hot that steam rose up from the breads as though they had just came out of an oven.

The Mizbeiyach of Copper and the Mizbeiyach of Gold had a thin sheet of metal separating between the fire and its cedar-wood. Although the fire was never extinguished, Rashi says it did not melt even a bit of the metal! Tosfos brings from the Midrash Tanchuma that the fire did not burn the cedar-wood!

The  בריח התיכוןwas an inner bolt which was placed inside the kerashim and went from one end to other. The Gemara says that it stood with a miracle. Rashi there explains that after the kerashim were placed in their sockets in the north, west, and south sides of the Mishkan, this inner bolt was put inside. This one bolt went through all three directions by bending and turning at the corners. There is no craftsman who can do this. The Targum Yonason Ben Uziel adds: when it was put inside it curved as a snake curls, and when Bnei Yisrael needed to travel they would dismantle the Mishkan and it straightened as a staff.

May Hashem build the Beis HaMikdash and bring back His nissim and Shechina!