Parshas Terumah

In this week's parsha, the Torah tells us all about the construction of the Mishkan and its various keilim. The Mechilta tells us that although the keilim were made out of gold, at a time when there is no gold available, the keilim may be made - b'dieved - out of other metals. Except for one: the Keruvim on the Aron. The Keruvim must always be made out of pure gold, no matter what. But why? What is so special about the Keruvim?

The Lubliner Rav, Harav Meir Shapiro zatzal, says that the answer to this question lies in the construction of the Keruvim. The Keruvim were designed with the faces of children (which we derive from the root word "keruvia", which means "like a child"). The placement of the Keruvim on top of the Aron - which contained the Luchos - symbolizes chinuch habonim, teaching us that we must educate our children in Torah.

In all matters of life - even spiritual matters - it is occasionally necessary to make certain compromises, to make things out of "other metals", as it were. But the Keruvim must always be made out of gold to show us that chinuch habonim is of the utmost importance - it must never be compromised on, no matter what. Our children's education is of such critical importance because our children are our future, the future of Klal Yisroel. Something so crucial cannot be done in an inferior fashion. We cannot cut corners and use other means instead. Because we must treat our children like what they are: they are our most precious assets.