“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.

footnotes: ⁵³ To dwell (lashevet

“…. 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.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Perhaps because he never knew how to separate the teruma ⁵⁵ Who never ate truma

“… 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.

footnotes: ⁵⁶ This is like a precious object placed on a high shelf, either for protection or to sanctify or honor it. ⁵⁷ The word for exulted shares the same root as the word for an offering, truma