Chasidut · Izhbitz
Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Exodus, Terumah/מי השלוח·
אוַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר דַּבֵּר כוּ' וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה. זש"ה (ישעיה מ"ה, י"ח) "כֹּה אָמַר ה' יוֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ" כוּ', "לֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ". לֶהֱיוֹת כִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הָיָה נָקֵל בְּעֵינֵיהֶם לְקַיְּימָם מֵאַחַר שֶׁהַמִּצְוֹת הַלָּלוּ תְּלוּיוֹת בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם, אַךְ אַחַר כָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר לָהֶם פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים הַיְינוּ שֶׁרְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט קְדוּשָּׁתוֹ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בְּלִבּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט גַּם עַל קִנְיָנִים הַשַּׁיָּיכִים לְהָאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא כַּדָּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּפָרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים [דיבור המתחיל ואלה], וְעַל יְדֵי כֵן הָיָה צְעָקָה בְּלֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לְהִזְדַּכֵּךְ לֵב אָדָם כָּךְ. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נָתַן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עֵצָה לָהֶם בְּזוֹ הַסִּדְרָה "וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת" וְאִיתָא בַּזוה"ק (שמות קמ"ח.) שֶׁהוּא נֶגֶד הַיְּסוֹדוֹת הַנִּמְצָאִים בָּאָדָם, וְהוּא שֶׁיִּמְסֹר הָאָדָם כָּל יְסוֹדוֹתָיו וְכֹחוֹתָיו לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁהוּא יִשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם כִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּמִמֵּילָא יִהְיוּ כָּל קִנְיָנָיו טוֹבִים וְלֹא יַגִּיעַ מֵהֶם שׁוּם הֶזֵּק. וְכָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה נִתְפָּרֵשׁ בַּזוה"ק (במדבר קכ"א:) הַפָּסוּק "אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחְשֹׁב ה' לוֹ עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה", וְהוּא כְּשֶׁאֵין הָרוּחַ חַיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ נוֹטָה לְשׁוּם צַד רַק לִרְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאִם יֹאמַר הָאָדָם אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לְזַכֵּךְ לִבּוֹ כָּל כָּךְ, עַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "לֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ" הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵין הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ חָפֵץ שֶׁלִּבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם יִפְחַד. וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן פֵּירוּשׁ (ישעיה מ"ה,י"ח) "לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְזֶרַע יַעֲקֹב תֹּהוּ בַקְּשׁוּנִי", וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ" שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָאָדָם יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת, "אֲנִי ה' דֹּבֵר צֶדֶק מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים", הַיְינוּ אַף שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ חָפֵץ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם צַדִּיק וְנָקִי בְּכָל הָעִנְיָנִים וִיקַיֵּים כָּל הַתַּרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת, עִם כָּל זֶה נִקְרָא מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים, הַיְינוּ בְּיַשְׁרוּת וּבְנִדְבוּת לֵב אֶל הָאָדָם וְנוֹתֵן עֵצוֹת לָאָדָם שֶׁיָּבֹא לְכָל הַדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בְּנָקֵל.
1“And God spoke to Moshe saying, take for Me an offering [truma] ….” (Shemot, 25:2)This is as it is written (Yesahya, 45:1), “Thus spoke God … who formed the land … He did not create a desolation for his creations to dwell in…” In Parshat Yitro, when Israel heard the Ten Mitzvot, it was easy for them to fulfill them since these mitzvot depend on the actions of man. Then after, the Parsha of Mishpatim (Judgments) was said to them, and taught that it was God’s will that His Kedusha (holiness) and service (of Him) would spread forth to such an extent that even a man’s possessions could not do anything against the Torah as explained above in Parshat Mishpatim (cf. “and these are the judgments”). From this, a great crying out burst from the hearts of Israel asking how it could be possible to reach such a level of refinement. Therefore God gave them the advice in this Parsha, “take for me an offering [truma], gold, and silver, and copper.”On this it says in the holy Zohar (Shemot, 148a), that these elements correspond to the basic elements found in man, meaning that he should deliver all his elements and potentialities over to God, so that He may manage them according to His blessed will. Then of itself his possessions will also contain goodness and will not suffer or cause any damage. On this it is explained in the Zohar (Bamidbar, 125), “The verse, ‘Fortunate is the man who God does not ascribe to him sin, and has not the spirit of deception,’ (Tehilim, 32:2) means that the spirit of his life does not turn to any side,” but is directed only to God’s will. If a man asks how it is possible to refine his heart to such an extent, on this it is said, “He did not create a desolation for His creations to dwell in,” meaning that God does not want man’s heart to be distraught.This is also the meaning of (Yesahya, 45:19), “I did not say to the seed of Yaakov, seek Me in vain,” so therefore the verse says, “for his creations to dwell in,” meaning that a man should have a settled mind.53) shares a root with settled mind (yishuv hadaat). His mind will be settled in knowing that God would never have given him obligations that are impossible to fulfill, that the world around man is also a product of God’s will and inherent in it is the desire to be used by man in a state of Kedusha. [And the verse in Yesahya continues], “I am God, speaking righteousness, proclaiming fairness [meisharim, also even, right], meaning that even though God desires that man be righteous and clean in all matters, upholding 613 mitzvot, still He is “proclaiming fairness,” meaning with honesty and a willingness of heart towards man. Thus He gives man advice as to how to fulfill all the mitzvot with ease.
בוְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה.אִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא [תרומה א'] כֹּהֵן עַם הָאָרֶץ מֻתָּר לֶאֱכֹל עַל קִבְרוֹ תְּרוּמָה. הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה כִּי כָּל קְדֻשַּׁת הַתְּרוּמָה נִמְשָׁךְ בַּעֲבוּר הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ אוֹתָהּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְאִם לֹא הָיוּ כֹּהֲנִים בָּעוֹלָם לֹא הָיָה בְּהַתְּרוּמָה שׁוּם קְדֻשָּׁה, וְלָכֵן מִצַּד הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁהוּא עַם הָאָרֶץ לֹא נִמְצָא בְּהַתְּרוּמָה שׁוּם קְדֻשָּׁה מִצִּדּוֹ. וְזֶה פֵּירוּשׁ הַמִּדְרָשׁ [שם] "וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה" לִי לִשְׁמִי, הַיְינוּ גֹּדֶל קְדֻשַּׁת הַתְּרוּמָה הִיא לְפִי שֶׁנִּפְרֶשֶׁת לְשֵׁם ה'.
2“…. take for Me an offering [teruma] ….” (Shemot, 25:2)It is written in the Midrash Tanchuma (Teruma, 1), “Rabbi Yannai said, it is permitted to eat the teruma offering on the grave of an unlearned Cohen.”54 from the produce. Eyts Yosef. All the Kedusha (sanctity) of the teruma offering is drawn into the world by way of the Cohanim who eat it in a state of Kedusha. If there were no Cohanim in the world, then the teruma would not possess any Kedusha. Therefore, with regard to an unlearned Cohen55 in a state of Kedusha. the teruma never had any Kedusha as far as he was concerned. This is the explanation of the Midrash (Ibid.), “take for Me an offering—means take to Me, to My name.” That is, the entire greatness of the Kedusha of teruma is if it is separated for the sake of Heaven.
גוְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה. הוּא עַל פִּי מַה שֶּׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בַּפָּסוּק (משלי ט"ו, כ"ד) "אֹרַח חַיִּים לְמַעְלָה לְמַשְׂכִּיל" [לעיל פ' וירא ד"ה וירא א']. הַיְינוּ שֶׁזֶּה הָעִיקָּר וְהָרֵאשִׁית בְּכָל דָּבָר לִיתֵּן עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁאֹרַח חַיִּים לְמַעְלָה, הַיְינוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן חַיִּים וּרְכוּשׁ לְכָל אָדָם הוּא לְמַעְלָה כְּמוֹ דָּבָר הַמּוּנָח לְמַעְלָה, וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן "וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה" הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל יִקְחוּ אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מְרוֹמָם וְרֵאשִׁית בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְזֶה דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא דְּסַנְהֶדְרִין [ק"ב:] מֵהֵיכָן בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי הַמּוֹצִיא מֵהֵיכָן דְּקָדִים בִּישּׁוּלוֹ, הָעִנְיָן הוּא כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּרָכוֹת [ל"ה.] כְּתִיב "לַה' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ" וכו', וּכְתִיב "וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם", כָּאן קוֹדֶם בְּרָכָה כָּאן לְאַחַר בְּרָכָה, כִּי עִנְיַן בְּרָכָה מוֹרֶה שֶׁמַּכִּיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אָדוֹן וּמֵאִתּוֹ בָּא לוֹ הַהַשְׁפָּעָה, וְאִם אַתָּה מַכִּיר זֹאת אָז תּוּכַל לוֹמַר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה לְנוֹכַח הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם". וְזֶה גַּם כֵּן הַשְּׁאֵלָה מֵהֵיכָן בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי הַמּוֹצִיא, הַיְינוּ הֵיכָן הוּא הַהַכָּרָה בְּזֶה הַכִּכָּר שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן וְתוּכַל לוֹמַר עָלָיו בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, מֵהֵיכָן דְּקָדִים בִּישּׁוּלוֹ, הַיְינוּ כִּי כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַכִּכָּר, הָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה בְּיָדָיו הַלִּישָׁה וְהָעֲרִיכָה וְהֶיסֵּק הַתַּנּוּר וְנוֹתֵן כָּל הַכִּכָּר בְּשָׁוֶה אֶל הַתַּנּוּר וְזֶה הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁקָּדַם לְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל זֶה אֵינוֹ מִכֹּחַ הָאָדָם, וּמַתְחִיל לִיתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי מָה זֶה הַמָּקוֹם דַּוְוקָא קָדִים לְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל אֵין זֶה רַק רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל כֵּן שַׁיָּיךְ מִזֶּה הַמָּקוֹם דַּוְוקָא לְבָרֵךְ הַמּוֹצִיא.
3“… take for Me an offering [teruma]….” (Shemot, 25:1)We can understand this through the verse (Mishlei, 16:24), “The way of life for the intelligent is above.” This means that principle and foremost is for one to place his heart on the way of life above. That is to say, the life and sustenance that God gives to all men is above, like something placed on high.56 So it is with “take for Me an offering,” meaning that Israel should “take” God exalted57. The meaning is clear, that when the first thing to do with any received sustenance is to give the first portion to God; this is exulting God. and first in all matters. This is as it is written in the Gemara of Sanhedrin (102b), “What part of the bread is taken when the blessing hamotsi is recited? From the part that was first baked [the outer crust].”Relate this to the Gemara in Berachot (35a). “One verse says, ‘the earth is Hashem’s and the fullness thereof,’ and another verse says, ‘the land was given to mankind.’ The first verse is before the blessing is recited, and the second verse is after the blessing was recited.” The whole matter of a blessing is for one to be conscious that he has a Master and from Him he receives all effusion of sustenance. If you have such a consciousness then you can say “Blessed art Thou,” in the real presence of God. On this it is said, “and the land was given to mankind.” This is also the question, “on which part of the bread do you say the blessing hamotsi,” meaning, where is the deep recognition in this loaf of bread that God is giving it so you can truly say on it, “Blessed art Thou?” And the answer is, “from the part that was baked first.” There are so many stages in the work of our human hands that goes into making the bread; the kneading, arranging, heating the oven, putting it equally in the oven. But the very place where it starts baking is not a result of the power of mankind. Then when one takes this into his heart, asking why it started baking at this particular place, he sees that it has only come about from God’s will. Thus over this particular part of the bread is it proper to recite the blessing.