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In this week’s parshah, the Torah tells us:

“…This is the word that Hashem (God) has commanded, saying: ‘Take from yourselves a portion (תרומה) for Hashem, everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring the portion of Hashem…’ ” [Exodus: 35: 4 – 5]

This verse, which depicts a command transmitted from Moshe to the Jewish people, is actually the repetition of a command that was originally issued forth from Hashem to Moshe. This very command appears first at the beginning of parshat Terumah (the Torah reading 3 weeks ago), as the Torah says:

“Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel and they shall take for me a portion (תרומה), from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take my portion.’ ” [Exodus: 25: 1 – 2]

An obvious distinction between these two verses is the verb that is used to describe how the Jews were to give the portion to Hashem. In the first quoted verse, where Moshe is speaking to the Jewish people, he uses the verb “bring”, but when Hashem is speaking to Moshe He uses the verb “take”.  Our first question is: what is the meaning behind this discrepancy? But an even greater question lies in the actual verb that God uses! If God is commanding the Jewish people to give a portion, why would He use the verb “take”? It’s the exact opposite of giving!

The idea here is very profound: There are times when one is giving, while at the same time he is taking. An immoral approach to this statement would be that even when you give, the recipient owes you a favor, so in some sense you’re taking! But on a moral and deeper level, the idea is far more meaningful, and is a fundamental principle of our everyday lives.

I have heard the question asked before: who is getting the better end of the deal, the one who receives charity or the one who gives it? Monetarily, there is no question; the receiver is walking out with more cash in his pocket. But on a spiritual level, the donor is fulfilling the commandment of charity, and will therefore leave this world with more good deeds in his pocket. Therefore, we have a case of one who is giving (money), while at the same time taking (heavenly reward). Of course, this applies not only to giving money, but to all acts of kindness as well. However, this explanation is a very simple and superficial understanding of the idea.

On a deeper level, it is the act itself of giving that will have an everlasting influence on the donor. The act of giving to another, of helping someone in a time of need, is an overwhelming experience. Often times one may obtain this feeling when the recipient approaches him and expresses his heartfelt appreciation and gratefulness for the donor’s contribution or act of kindness. To have someone tell you how much you’ve done for them, how much of an impact you have had on their life! There are fewer things that can be more self-fulfilling and uplifting than that! But truthfully, it is not the “thank you” that should spark these emotions, but the recognition that you have somehow made a difference in someone’s life. Therefore, we can understand, in another fashion, how giving can in itself be an act of taking.

This concept can be brought even deeper. Everything in this world, everything we possess — our clothes, our houses, our money, our souls… — in actuality, they all belong to God. He created the world and everything that is in it, therefore everything is His! For this reason we praise Him daily and express our gratitude for everything He has given us. And it is only through this recognition, that nothing is ours, that we may use the items in this world. Therefore, before eating anything, before smelling any sweet fragrances, even when we buy new clothing, we recite a blessing expressing our realization that everything has been given to us by God, the true owner. Therefore, we “give” to God by recognizing His supernal providence and ownership over everything in creation, and only then may we “take” what he has given us. (*See footnote*)

By all these explanations, we become uplifted in our act of giving. This is why the word that the Torah uses when speaking of the “portion” we give to God is “תרומה”, which literally means “a raising up”. May we merit to perform acts of kindness always, and become uplifted through those actions on a continual basis.

Good Shabbos,

NZL

*I once heard an idea, however I forget from where, that the only way to own something is to give the item away to someone else. By holding onto an object, we can never really say that is truly ours, for who knows what can happen? A burglary? A flood? God has a myriad of ways of taking our possessions away from us. It is only through giving that we can actually say that the item was ours and demonstrate a true act of ownership over an item. Additionally, man is made in “the image of God” [Genesis: 1: 27] and we are meant to emulate His ways. Just as God is the ultimate giver Who at the same time owns everything, so too when we give we become, like God, owners of that which we have given away to others.