Have you ever heard the saying: "When they made you - they broke the mould!" This is meant as a compliment that the person is unique and that there is no one who can do what he/she does! Guess what? G-d gives each and every one of us this compliment in this week's Sedra.

When the Israelites built the Mishkan, the Torah says:

"Take from yourselves a portion for Hashem, everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it, as the gift for Hashem, gold, silver, copper; turquoise, purple and scarlet wool; linen; goat hair; red-dyed ram skins; acacea wood; oil for illumination, spices for the annointment oil and the aromatic incense; Shoham stones for the settings, for the Ephod and the Breastplate."

The Nesivos Shalom says that each person made a gift for the sanctuary in accordance with his unique personality. Everything they gave in the physical world was a manifestation of their spiritual qualities. That is why there were so many different types of gifts - because there are so many different kinds of people. Each person brought his unique spiritual quality and talent to the community. That is why the Torah says: "Kchu me'itchem" - take from yourselves", since they took their own inner selves and gave of themselves to the Mishkan.

Each person's heart "motivates him" differently and so the gifts were all unique. Each gift reflected the root essence of the giver's soul. Each person gave his/her own measure of love and spirituality - and this was the basis of the spirituality of the Mishkan.

When Kayin made his sacrifice to G-d, he gave the worst of his crop - he gave a low level of himself to G-d. When Hevel made his sacrifice, he gave the finest of his flock - a wholehearted contribution. This means that when each of us daven to Hashem, and when we volunteer to help in the community, it must be done like Hevel's contribution - with a full heart - with our own unique talents and abilities. Don't hold back. Give all you've got. Then part of you will become part of the Mishkan. And you will, in turn, feel Hashem's presence amongst us.

Now let's go around the Shabbat table and have each person describe the special unique talents and abilities of the person on your left. In this way, we can hear from our friends and family how others perceive our unique G-d given talents. This will boost our self esteem and make us even more motivated to make our unique contribution to the Jewish people.