Terumah – Give and Take/ Channa Coggan
Give and Take– Channa Coggan
Parshat Terumah
Parshat Terumah begins with Hashem’s instruction to the Jewish nation to contribute gold, silver, and a variety of other materials to the great cause of erecting and furnishing a Mishkan (Tabernacle). Yet the appeal’s wording is very strange: “Speak to the children of Israel and let them take a portion for me” (Exodus 25:2), begging the obvious question: Why does the Torah tell the people to take a portion when in essence they are giving one?
To answer, let’s flashback to the day the Israelites left Egypt. While Hashem through Moshe Rabbenu told them to “ask of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Ex 12:35) the Israelites preferred to forego these treasures. “A person prefers his own measure to nine measures that belong to someone else” (Bava Metzia 38a), they argued. Besides, we don’t want to visit the homes of our former masters and risk provocation when the Egyptians are in mourning for their dead. Don’t worry, Hashem assured them, I will give you “favor in the sight of the Egyptians” (Ex: 12:36). And so He did. Whereupon each Israelite became so rich that he or she had the wherewithal to erect the Tent of Meeting, with all its vessels, all of its golden hooks, boards, wooden bars, columns, and pedestals ( Mekhilta of Rabbi Simeon on Exodus 25:2). Life lesson learned: It’s all from Hashem. There is purpose.
Fast forward to the Israelites’ sojourn through the desert. The accompanying clouds of glory, well of Miriam and manna taught Bnei Yisrael another important life lesson: Trust Hashem.
At Mt. Sinai they learned there is no one but Hashem (ein od milvado). Now they received a request to take (to Hashem) a portion for the construction of a mishkan.
Years ago, at the cornerstone laying ceremony for Ma’ale Adumim’s library building, the president of the Bnei Zion philanthropic organization had said, “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help you.” I remember being stunned by his words: His organization gave us the necessary funding yet he’s thanking us?!?
No question about it: In the matter of the mishkan, the Israelites received the greater gift. They gave Hashem contributions of gold, silver, and other valuables – money they had taken possession of only recently – while Hashem gave them deep spiritual satisfaction. This was the life lesson the Israelites learned in Parshat Terumah.