Teruma: The Role of Physical Beauty in Judaism

From Parshat Teruma onwards, the focus of Sefer Shemot shifts from Egypt to Sinai to the construction of the Mishkan and its accompanying avoda. Throughout these parshiot, the language of the Torah focuses heavily on the measurements and materials used to build the Mishkan and its keilim as well as the clothing for the High Priest and priests. The Mishkan and the avoda surrounding it is entirely spiritual and its sole purpose is to provide the Jewish people with a receptacle to house the Shechina. 

Yet, the Torah dedicates dozens of pesukim to describing the aesthetic beauty of the structure and its vessels. We read about golden petals adorning a Menorah of pure gold and multicoloured threads woven into embroidered curtains and we may feel confused. We ask ourselves, what role is physical beauty meant to play in the life of a spiritual Jew? Is it even appropriate to engage so much in the world of aesthetics? This article will explore the role of material beauty in Torah through the descriptions of the Mishkan and discuss the value and place for a Jewish woman’s physical beauty. 

Can Physical Beauty be Spiritually Ugly?

‘These are the gifts which you shall accept from them: gold, silver and copper

Blue, purple and crimson yarn, fine linen and goats’ hair

Tanned ram skins, tachash skin and acacia wood

Oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense 

Shoham stones, stones for setting…’ (Shemot 25: 3-7)

If we take a brief look at the opening verses of Teruma, we are immediately faced with a rich abundance of colours, materials and even pleasing scents as part of the construction of the Mishkan. 

The Mishkan acted as a microcosm for the stunning Beit Hamikdash which was to come. Indeed, in his Sefer Tehillim, King David described the Temple as Yefe Nof (48:3) which means beautiful view. The Gemara (Bava Batra 4a) records how Herod designed the first Beit Hamikdash with white and green marble stones which resembled the waves of the sea and tells us that ‘Anyone who has not seen Herod’s building has never seen a beautiful building in his life.’ It seems that architectural excellence and exquisite interior design are given center stage in Torah life. The same follows in Parshat Tetzave where every stitch and seam of the Priestly garments is given prominence by listing its design features in intricate detail with abounding commentary. 

On the other hand, we are faced with a conflict when we read the famous words of King Shlomo which instruct us ‘Charm is false, and beauty is empty, a woman who is G-d fearing shall be praised.’ This seems to align more with our expectations of a spiritual lifestyle, to move away from the physical as alluring and tantalising as it seems. In particular, these words of King Shlomo can be seen as directed to the Jewish woman, the Eshet Chayil. She is exhorted to look beyond pretty clothing, perfumes and makeup and to instead bedeck herself in spiritual finery which is truly beautiful. 

So, the question remains, is beauty given pride of place in Torah or is it seen as spiritually ugly? 

Purim and Physical Indulgence

We have just entered the month of Adar and are leading into the festival of Purim. The Megilla has some echoes of Parshat Teruma in its rich description of Achashevrosh’s opulence. 

‘Hangings of white cotton and blue wool, caught up by cords of fine linen and purple wool to silver rods and alabaster columns; and there were couches of gold and silver on a pavement of marble, alabaster, mother-of-pearl and mosaics.’ (Esther 1:7)

The Hebrew word for white cotton ‘Chur’ is written with the chet in bold. The Alkabetz writes that the gematria of the letter chet (8) alludes to the fact that Achashverosh adorned himself in the 8 priestly garments, viewing himself as a pseudo High Priest. Additionally, the Gemara tells us that Achashverosh used the looted keilim of the Mikdash (Megilla 12a) as serving vessels at his feast.

The Torah is not ashamed of beauty, it does not look down on it nor seeks to escape it. In fact, the Torah tells us that Sara, the first matriarch of the nation, was physically beautiful. So attractive, in fact, that Avraham felt it necessary to hide her on their journey down to Egypt. But her beauty was only praiseworthy because it matched her inside. 

Although Achashverosh attempts to replicate the majesty of the Mishkan, he fails miserably. While the materials and vessels are the same, Achashverosh in fact corrupted the physical beauty and instead of being uplifted, we are left appalled. In contrast to the purity of the Mishkan, Achashverosh’s palace seems to be drowning in its material beauty.

What did Achashverosh lack which made the feast so spiritually vacuous? 

Inside Out

All this can be resolved with two words from this week’s parsha: ‘tocho k’baro’ which means its inside was aligned with its outside. In describing the Aron of the Mishkan, the Torah tells us that the Aron was lined with gold both on its inner layer and its outer. To showcase an Aron which was only externally overlaid with gold would be physically dazzling but spiritually meaningless. To create one only overlaid with gold on the inside would deny the Aron the physical brilliance to echo its spiritual refinement. Both parts are necessary, tocho k’baro. 

The Torah is not ashamed of beauty, it does not look down on it nor seeks to escape it. In fact, the Torah tells us that Sara, the first matriarch of the nation, was physically beautiful. So attractive, in fact, that Avraham felt it necessary to hide her on their journey down to Egypt. But her beauty was only praiseworthy because it matched her inside. 

Scientifically, the logical algorithm which leads to objective beauty is symmetry. Symmetry of the human body and symmetry of its features leads to an undeniable beauty. The Greeks knew this, yet the Torah takes it a step further. If beauty truly boils down to a symmetry, a harmonious bond between features, then there is nothing more beautiful than the symmetrical alignment of the physical and the spiritual. In middot, this is called tiferet, the seamless integration of chessed and gevura. In features, this is called yofi. 

The Mishkan was indeed physically beautiful, as were the clothes of the Kohein and certainly the structure of the Beit Hamikdash. Yet the material aesthetics were only the container. They shone only because they aligned with the beauty of their contents. The packaging of an item should never be prettier than its product. Yes, the Torah takes great care in listing the physical intricacies of the Mishkan. But all this physical beauty was only a mirror for the spiritual splendor. In the words of King Shlomo ‘tocho ratzuf ahava’ ‘its lining was filled with love.’ We sing about the ethereal beauty of the Kohein, because his majestic appearance reflected his inner spiritual glory. We record every stitch of each of the Mishkan’s curtains, because each one hosted G-dliness. 

This is what Achashverosh was missing. His feast was indeed physically striking, composed of the finest that the aesthetic world has to offer; scents, tastes, fabrics. But not one of his golden goblets contained any spiritual meaning. Not one of his marble stones had room to capture G-dliness. His feast and indeed his entire palace and kingship epitomised ‘Grace is false and beauty is empty,’ for it was lacking an interior. He invested his entire malchut into the packaging, but never created a product. He wore the garments of the Kohein Gadol but personified none of his spiritual greatness. Thus, for all his wealth and splendor, Achashevorosh’s use of physical beauty is indeed abhorrent. 

As Jewish women, we find ourselves straddling this conflict, adorning our souls with spiritual beauty while simultaneously adorning our bodies with physical beauty. There is value in engaging with the material world, with refining our appearance and upgrading the look of our clothing and homes. But, only when it acts as a mirror for the beautiful internals. When it is “tocho ratzuf ahava” lined with spiritual depth, meaning and love. When our inside and outside are aligned, we achieve that rare blend of pure beauty which allows us to radiate the spiritual brilliance of the Mikdash and reflect the otherwordly glow of the Kohein Gadol.