Parshas Terumah
וְ יִ קְ חוּ לִ י תְּ רוּמָ ה מֵ אֵ ת כָּל אִ ישׁ אֲ שֶׁ ר יִ דְּ בֶ נּוּ לִ בּוֹ תִּ קְ חוּ אֶ ת תְּ רוּמָ תִ י (כה:ב)
And have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering. (25:2)
Ki Lekach Tov Nasati Lachem:
The Medrash Rabbah says: “Vayikchu li terumah. This is as stated (Mishlei 4:2): ‘Ki lekach tov nasati lachem... For a good deal I have given to you. My Torah, you shall not abandon it.’ Do not abandon the deal I have given you. When a person makes a purchase, it may be gold but not silver or silver but not gold, but the product I am giving you contains silver, as is stated (Tehillim 12:7): ‘The words of Hashem are pure, like silver refined’, and also contain gold, as is stated (ibid:19): ‘They are desired more than gold.’ Some people purchase fields but not orchards or orchards but not fields, but this product contains both fields and orchards, as is stated: ‘Your arid fields are like a pomegranate orchard.’
“Some people make a purchase and people don’t know what he bought, but from the amount he pays it becomes known what he paid for. So too, we only know what the Torah is from the reward that Moshe received, as is stated (Shemos 34:29): ‘And Moshe did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while He had spoken with him.’ And there are some purchases in which the one who sells is sold with the product. So too, Hashem told Klal Yisroel, ‘I sold you My Torah, and, so to speak, I am selling Myself to you along with it’, as is stated: ‘Vayikchu li terumah.’ (Which can be translated to mean: And you shall take Me as a present)”
Hashem Can’t Separate From Klal Yisroel:
The Medrash continues to say that this can be explained with a parable of a king who had an only daughter. When she came of age, another king married her. After the wedding, he said that wanted to take the princess to his kingdom. The king told him, “This is my only child. I cannot separate myself from her but I also can’t tell you not to take her with you to your kingdom, since she is your wife. I would just like to ask one favor from you. Please, wherever you go, set aside a small room for me so that I can live there and be near my daughter.”
So too, Hashem tells Klal Yisroel: I gave you My Torah. I can’t separate Myself from it but I also can’t tell you not to take it with you. Therefore, I ask that wherever you go, you designate a space for Me to live with you.
The First One in the Bais Medrash Connects to the Shechinah:
The Zohar Hakadosh on this week’s Parshah greatly extolls one who is the first to arrive in the bais medrash. It states that the first one in the bais medrash “connects to the Shechinah with one bond.”
The Zohar explains with a parable of a king who sends a message to the residents of a certain city, ordering everyone to attend a meeting with him in a specific place at a specific time. One man came early, arriving before anyone else. The king then showed up, and found only this man in the premises. He was happy to see the man who was so excited to come that he got their first, and he sat down and spoke with him privately. This man thus became a close friend of the king.
When the rest of the people arrived, the king delivered a nice speech to them and blessed them, but the man who arrived first was the only one who got to speak to him privately and developed a personal connection with him. So too, the first person to arrive in the bais medrash gets to be alone with Hashem and to connect with the Shechinah. He becomes a “friend” to Hashem, so to speak, and he is able to develop a personal bond with Him.
Rising After a Fall:
Sefer Ohalei Torah quotes the Kotzker Rebbe zy”a as explaining the Medrash that says: “Vayikchu li terumah. This is as stated (Mishlei 4:2): ‘For a good deal I have given to you. My Torah, you shall not abandon it.’” The Kotzker Rebbe zy”a explains that one must always seek to strengthen his avodas Hashem. Even if he stumbles and falls at times, he should not become disheartened. Rather, he should strengthen himself again and continue to try to serve Him correctly, and Hashem will have mercy on him and help him fulfill his desire to serve Him.
The Medrash compares Torah to a business deal and says not to abandon this deal. If a businessman does a deal that is unsuccessful, would he abandon his business completely? He certainly would not. He would get up and try another deal, and daven to Hashem for success. This is how we are meant to serve Hashem. Even if we fall, we must not give up. We must get up and try again, as is stated (Mishlei 23:16): “A tzadik falls seven times and gets up.”
It is said that a wealthy man was once asked how he merited success in business. He answered, “I failed 100 times. Each failure was a step in the ladder to success. I tried my luck over and over again, and never gave up. If I failed, I tried again, and I learned important lessons from each failure, until I finally succeeded.”
Learning How to Serve Hashem From Taivos:
Sefer Zera Kodesh states that the word “terumah” connotes “l’romem” – to raise up. Thus, the pasuk is saying that one should raise up the “li”, which is a reference to Hashem. How can one do this? “Mei’eis kol is hasher yidvenu libo.” One should pay attention to how people pursue the desires of their heart, and see how they would do anything to obtain their desire. From seeing that, they should learn how much effort one must put into serving Hashem.
Tzedakah Transforms Middas Hadin to Rachamim:
The Chida zt”l (Sefer Ruach Chaim, Drush 8) learns from this pasuk that tzedakah has the power to transform Hashem’s middas hadin into middas harachamim. The name of Havaya, which is used in this pasuk, symbolizes the middah of rachamim. The pasuk is saying that if one takes a terumah, which is a reference to tzedakah, he will arouse the Divine trait of rachamim.
One Who Wants to Give Tzedakah is Assisted by Hashem:
The Sar Shalom of Belz zy”a (Sefer Midbar Kodesh) says that this pasuk is a guarantee from Hashem that He will help anyone whose heart desires to give tzedakah, in order to ensure that he will not lack anything and he will be able to give as much as he wants. The pasuk says that if a person has a heart that inspires him to give, “it will be taken from him his donation”, meaning that Hashem will ensure that he has the ability to fulfill his desire to give.
The daughter of the Tzemach Tzadik zy”a – the wife of Rav Shmuel of Skohl zy”a, who was a son of Rav Yehoshua of Belz zy”a – excelled in her performance of good deeds, specifically in the middah of tzedakah. She personally supported many of the “yoshvim” in Belz, and provided them with all of their needs. All she asked of them was to bless her that she should have the ability and the desire to continue to give tzedakah.
When her son reached the age of bar mitzvah, a beautiful new hat was purchased from him. However, his righteous mother took the new hat off his head and said, “If the son of the Rov wears an old hat, it won’t hurt him at all and he won’t be embarrassed. But there is a poor bochur who will be very embarrassed to walk around in an old hat, so you should give him your hat.”
Tefilos Accepted in the Merit of Tzedakah:
Sefer Imrei Noam explains this pasuk by citing the Gemara (Bava Basra 10A) that says that Rav Elazar would first give a coin to a poor man and then daven. He explains that through the power of tzedakah, all Heavenly gates were opened for him, and his prayers were able to ascend directly to Hashem and provide much goodness for Klal Yisroel. The pasuk (Eichah 3:44) says that there is a cloud that stands in the way of our tefillos. Only tzedakah can remove this cloud. This idea is hinted to in the words “vayikchu li terumah”, as the gematriah of “vayikchu li” is the same as the word “anan” (cloud), while the gematriah of the word “terumah” is “kol tefillah” (the voice of prayer). This indicates that there is a cloud that blocks our tefillos, and the way to remove it is to have a giving heart and to give money to tzedakah.
Doing a Favor With Force:
When Someone would approach Rav Hirsch of Rimanov zy”a for a bracha or to ask him to daven for them, he would ask for a large donation. Even when poor people would come to him, he would ask for some amount. At times, the amount he requested would be beyond the poor man’s means, and he would have to sell his pillows and blankets to obtain the money.
On one occasion, he asked a villager for a large amount of money. His son-in-law, was present at the time and he knew that the poor villager’s entire life’s savings probably did not equal that amount. It bothered him that his father-in-law could ask a poor person for such a large amount and he stepped in and asked why he was demanding so much and not just blessing him without asking for anything.
Just a few days later, a fire broke out in this villager’s home, burning up everything he owned. He returned to Rav Hirsch and cried to him about the tragedy that had befallen him.
Rav Hirsch sent for his son-in-law and told him, “We cannot fully understand Hashem’s intentions when He told Moshe Rabenu to ‘take for Me a donation’, rather than saying to ‘give for Me.’ However, you should know that in order to bring goodness to Jewish people and to annul difficult decrees, it is necessary to take a ‘kofer nefesh’ with authority and power. This is what is meant by ‘take for Me a donation.’”
Tzedakah and Chesed are a Person’s Actions in This World:
A student of the Brisker Rov zt”l once came to visit him many years after he had learned by him. The Rov asked him, “Vos machst du?” (This is a standard Yiddish greeting that literally means: “What do you do?)
The man answered that he was involved in a certain business and he was very successful.
A few minutes later, Rav Chaim asked again, “Vos machst du?”
The man thought that perhaps Rav Chaim had not heard him the first time, so he repeated his answer.
Rav Chaim then asked the same question a third time, and the wealthy man said in wonderment, “I already said that I do such-and-such business!”
Rav Chaim then said, “I didn’t ask you what Hashem does. Hashem takes care of your business and provides your parnassah. I was asking what you do. Chazal say that everything is in the hands of Hashem except for yiras shomayim. I was asking what you do for yiras shomayim. Do you learn and serve Hashem? Do you do chesed and give tzedakah?”
וְ ז ֹאת הַ תְּ רוּמָ ה אֲ שֶׁ ר תִּ קְ חוּ וגו' זָהָ ב וָכֶסֶ ף וּנְ חשֶׁ ת (כה:ג)
And this is the offering that you should take... gold, silver and copper. (25:3)
וְ עָ שׂוּ לִ י מִ קְ דָּ שׁ וְ שָׁ כַנְ תִּ י וגו' (כה:ח)
And they shall make Me a Mikdash and I will dwell... (25:8)
A “Fair” in Heaven:
Rav Itzikel of Pshevorsk zy”a said in the name of the Apta Rov zy”a that during the week of Parshas Terumah there is a “fair” in Heaven from which one can “purchase” gold, silver and copper (the items mentioned in this Parshah).
Hashem Comes Down to Us:
Sefer Ohr Lashamayim explains the pasuk to be teaching us that if someone wants to uplift himself and connect to Hashem, Hashem will come down Himself, so to speak, to raise up the person and bring him close. Accordingly, the verse is saying: “And they shall make Me a Mikdash” – meaning that one should sanctify himself and do all he can to uplift himself. One he does so: “And I will dwell in your midst” – Hashem will come to you and allow you to connect with Him.
וְ עָ שִ ׂיתָ בַ דֵ ּי עֲצֵ י שִ ׁטִ ּים וְ צִ פִ ּיתָ וגו' זָהָ ב (כה:יג)
And you shall make poles of acacia wood and you shall coat them with gold. (25:13)
Stories That Uplift:
For many years, maggidim traveled from Jewish community to Jewish community, inspiring the residents with stories, parables and easily understandable lessons about Torah, avodah and yiras shomayim. Sefer Shevet Mussar writes that this concept is hinted to in this pasuk.
Hashem commanded Moshe Rabenu to make poles for the Aron, in which the Luchos would be placed. This is a hint that we must make “poles” to hold up the Torah, meaning that we must use stories and light lessons to teach simple people how to uphold the Torah.
This idea is also seen from the verse in Koheles (12:9): “And more, Koheles (Shlomo Hamelech) was wise, he also taught knowledge to the people; he listened and sought out, he established many parables.” Rav Eliezer explains that “the Torah first was like a box without handles until Shlomo came and made handles for it.” In other words, he used stories and parables to make the Torah easy to understand.
The pasuk continues to say that the poles should be coated with gold, which hints that the stories and parables should beautiful and pleasant so that people should be eager to hear them. This can be compared to a doctor who coats a bitter medicine with sugar to make it easier to swallow. So too, if the lessons of the Torah are coated in a pleasant exterior, they will be easier to take.
However, it is important for the listener to think about the nimshol of the story and not just to look at as a nice story. Dovid Hamelech states (Tehillim 49:13): “But man does not repose in his glory; he is compared to the silenced animals (nimshol kebeheima nidmu).” This can be translated to mean that one who does not take the nimshol from a story is like an animal which fails to understand.
In this vein, the pasuk states (Tehillim 141:6-7): “And they heard my words, which are pleasant. As one who chops and splits wood on the ground.” The Kobriner Rebbe zy”a explains that if one listens to the words of a tzadik and likes his stories only because “it is pleasant”, without internalizing the message and making it a part of his life in a practical way, he is like someone who chops wood on the ground and there is no real benefit.
וְ צִ פִ ּיתָ אֹ תוֹ זָהָ ב טָ הוֹר וְ עָ שִ ׂיתָ לּוֹ זֵר זָהָ ב סָ בִ יב (כה:כד)
And you shall coat it with pure gold, and you shall make for it a golden crown all around. (25:24)
Tzadikim Provide Klal Yisroel With Wealth:
Rashi states that the golden crown is “symbolic of the crown of kingship, for the table represents wealth and greatness, as they say, ‘the royal table.’” The Bais Aharon zy”a explains this pasuk by citing the explanation of Rav Shlomo of Karlin zy”a on the verse (Tehillim 45:13): “The richest of the nation shall seek Your face.” He explains this to mean that those who seek to be near Hashem will be granted wealth. So too, this pasuk is saying that the table represents those who seek to be near Hashem and how they will be given gold and riches.
The Merit of Bitachon:
We also find another way to merit wealth, and this through the middah of bitachon. Rabenu Bechaya (Sefer Kad Hakemach) quotes Rabenu Yona as saying as defining bitachon as knowing that everything is orchestrated by Hashem, and that He can change nature or alter any situation at will. It further means recognizing that Hashem’s salvation can come in the blink of an eye, even if a sword is already upon a person’s neck.
Rabenu Bechaya cites the Gemara that relates how Yeshaya Hanavi told Chizkiyahu Hamelech that he was destined to die in this world and not live in the World to Come because he had neglected to marry and have children. Chizkiyahu responded that the reason he hadn’t married was because he had seen with ruach hakodesh that he would bear unworthy children, but Yeshaya told him that he was obligated to marry and he was not permitted to make such reckonings. Chizkiyahu then said that he would now get married but Yeshaya told him that it was too late, as the decree had already been sealed.
Chizkiyahu then told him, “Stop your prophesizing. I have a tradition that even if a sharp sword is upon one’s throat, he should not despair from Hashem’s mercy.” He then prayed to Hashem and was granted more years of life.
Becha Hashem Chasisi:
In this vein, it is related that Rav Moshe Midner zy”a was once standing outside the door of the Yesod Ha’avodah of Slonim zy”a’s room, when a message arrived informing the Rebbe that a relative of his was very ill. He saw how the Rebbe sat down in his chair, took hold of a Sefer Tehillim, opened it to Perek Ayin Aleph, and began to recite: “Becha Hashem chasisis.” (In You, Hashem, I took refuge.) He heard him say to himself, “Ayin Aleph. Even if one only has one eye (ayin) still open, even then one should refuge in Hashem.”
Tefillah Can Revive the Dead:
Tefillah is so powerful that it can even revive the dead. The Gemara in Kesuvos relates that on the day Rebbi died, the Rabbanan declared a fast day and said, “Anyone who says that Rebbi is dead will be stabbed with a sword.”
The Meforshim ask why they tried to hide Rebbi’s death from the public. The Shita Mekubetzes answers that they knew that as long as his death was not public knowledge, the public would continue to pray, and they knew that the could be revived through the power of their tefillos. We see that prayer can even resurrect the dead!
The Middah of Emes:
In Tefillas Shacharis, we recite the words: “Emes v’emunah chok v’lo ya’avor.” (It is true and faithful, a law that will never be canceled.) The Kobriner Rebbe zy”a explains that every middah has its time and place. There are times when a middah should be used to serve Hashem and times when other middos should be used. The exception to this rule is the middah of “emes v’emunah”, which is “a law that will never be canceled”, meaning that it is a middah that must be used at all times.
Creating Parnassah With Words:
The following story depicts the great benefits of the middos of emunah and bitachon: Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov zy”a had a distinguished chasid named R’ Levi Yitzchok. R’ Levi Yitzchok was so poor that he couldn’t even afford to buy bread for his family. Whenever he would travel to be with his Rebbe, his wife would beg him to ask for a bracha for parnassah, but he would always push her off and say, “I go to the Rebbe for ruchnius – to be uplifted in Torah and yiras shomayim – not for gashmius!”
However, when the situation in his home deteriorated to such an extent that it was no longer tolerable, his wife told him that he must ask the Rebbe for a bracha for parnassah. She told him that he could not return home until he received the Rebbe’s blessing, and he was forced to agree.
He arrived in Rimanov and sat with the chasidim, speaking with them about ruchinus matters and completely forgetting about his promise to his wife. When it came time to leave, however, he remembered that he hadn’t asked the Rebbe for a bracha for parnassah. He was about to approach the Rebbe for the blessing when he thought to himself: How could I be so audacious to speak to the Rebbe about matters of gashmius?
He couldn’t bring himself to do it, but he also couldn’t return home without the bracha. So he paced back and forth in the bais medrash, unsure of what to do. Several days passed and he was still unable to bring himself to speak to the Rebbe about mundane matters. Finally, the Rebbe called him over and asked, “How is parnassah?” He replied, “Boruch Hashem, He takes care of me and gives me everything I need.” The Rebbe liked the answer very much and said, “You might think I don’t know about the poverty in your home but I know all about it. But since you...