by Rabbi Russ Resnik

 

 

Most of us encounter more appeals for financial contributions of various sorts than we can possibly deal with. At the same time, most of us do contribute to at least a few causes, so that giving is part of our lives.  Still, it can be a battle to remain inspired about giving in the midst of all the financial pressures around us. In this week's parasha, the Torah introduces a new word that will help us remain enthusiastic in our giving.

 

The word is T'RUMAH, from which we derive the name of the parasha itself. It appears in the instructions that the Lord gives Moses for building the MISHKAN or tabernacle, his dwelling-place in the midst of Israel.

As with many of the words of Torah, it is difficult to find a one-word English equivalent. Accordingly, when T'RUMAH makes its first appearance, here in Exodus 25:2, translators handle it in different ways: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering . . ." (NKJV), or "Speak to the Israelites, that they take Me a donation . . ." (Robert Alter). Rashi translates the word here as portion, "something set aside."The root of T'RUMAH is RUM, meaning "to be high, elevated; to rise up." It signifies the portion that we raise up as a donation or offering to God. At the same time, the T'RUMAH also raises up the one who offers it. God can supply his own needs without us, but he allows us to elevate ourselves spiritually by contributing to him.

The wording of the Hebrew text underlines this lesson. We might expect it to say that the children of Israel are to bring an offering (which is how the NKJV translates it); especially since the next verse says that the offering is to be strictly voluntary. But the Hebrew phrase is better translated,

"and they shall _take_" the offering. Jewish commentators over the centuries have noted "that by contributing to God's causes, a Jew truly _takes_ for himself, for personal benefit of generosity is far greater than its cost"
(Stone Chumash).

Here is the lesson: The first recipient of giving is . . . the giver. Giving has the potential to elevate us spiritually.

This verse reveals another recipient: "And they shall take _to me_ the offering," says the Lord. In the next verse, he calls the offering "my T'RUMAH."  God receives our gifts, even though he doesn't really need them, so that giving becomes an expression of our devotion to him.

Some gifts that are given to God, like the OLAH, or whole burnt offering, of Leviticus One, totally disappear from our sight. They are consumed upon the altar of sacrifice and enter another realm altogether. But the T'RUMAH of Exodus 25, even though it belongs to God, stays with Israel. It will be used to build the tabernacle and to clothe the priests, who are constantly present in the midst of the camp. Thus, we see that giving has a third recipient besides the giver and the Lord-those who benefit materially from it.

Thus, in our day we don't give to God by assembling a pile of money or material goods and burning them up upon the altar. Rather we can give to God, and he will receive it as a gift, when we contribute to worthy causes that are completely visible and present. Rav Shaul says of such giving, "For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God" (2 Cor.  9:12). Giving is an expression of worship, at the same time as it supplies the needs of God's people here and now.

Giving as worship is not automatic, however, but depends on the attitude of the giver. Our verse instructs us that the gift must be voluntary, a response of the heart: "Speak to the Israelites, that they take Me a donation from every man, as his heart may urge him you shall take My donation" (Alter).

Once again, the Hebrew text has much to teach us. The root of the verb translated as "urged" is NADAV, which also is the root for the noun noble" or "prince." A nobleman is one who is free to act according to the urging of his heart, not as he might be forced to act by others. When we act upon the God-inspired urging of our hearts, it ennobles us. Just as giving elevates us, it ennobles us as well, lifting us above the smallness of the daily grind.

In a few weeks, we will launch our annual UMJC Prayer Campaign through the days of counting the omer (April 13 through June 1 this year), as described in Leviticus 23.

And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering-the day after the sabbath-you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: you must count until the day after the seventh week-fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering (vv. 15-17, NJPS).

The "elevation offering" mentioned twice in this passage is not T'RUMAH, but a word with similar meaning, T'NUFAH, from the root nuf, meaning lift, wave, or shake. Rashi comments that the offering here is the bread of raising which is raised up for the sake of the One on high." And, of course, it is raised up for the sake of the giver as well, for it too is n offering that elevates.

The UMJC Prayer Campaign this year will make this T'NUFAH offering especially elevating because it will lead up to it with seven weeks of prayer for the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and worldwide. This emphasis is captured in the theme: "Two Loaves - One Lineage."

As with every offering, there will be three recipients: first, the giver; second, the Lord himself; third, in this case, the united Messianic Jewish community. Of the two loaves to be offered on the fiftieth day, Shavuot (June 1 this year), one will go to help the UMJC establish congregations for Yeshua within the House of Israel, and the other to Israeli Messianic believers for feeding and assisting the poor, defending rights of believers, and strengthening congregations there. Together they express the unity of the Messianic Jewish community: "Two Loaves - One Lineage."

I encourage all of you to participate in this prayer campaign and offering. More information will be coming to www.umjc.org. Even more important, in our lives as worshippers we all need to remember the offering that elevates, the gifts we give to the Lord with a noble and willing heart.


Shabbat Shalom!

Russ Resnik