Early Nonrabbinic Interpretation
The parashah has parallels or is discussed in these early nonrabbinic sources:
Josephus interpreted the Tabernacle and its furnishings to represent the universe. He saw the Tabernacle’s two parts accessible to the priests (the Holy and the Courtyard) to denote the land and the sea, the third division set aside for God (the Holy of Holies) to represent heaven, inaccessible to people. He saw the 12 loaves to denote the year divided into months. He saw the Menorah divided into 70 parts, representing the 70 divisions of the planets, and the seven lamps on the Menorah to refer to the course of the seven planets (then known). He saw the veils, composed of four things, to declare the four elements: the fine linen signified the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth; the purple signified the sea, because purple was dyed by the blood of shellfish from the sea; the blue signified the air; and the scarlet signified fire.
Read more about this topic: Terumah (parsha)
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