Speak to Bnei Yisrael and have them take Trumah for Me (Shemos 25:2)

Why does the verse in this week’s parsha tell us to take Trumah? The verse is discussing “giving” Trumah, not taking.

Years ago in my younger years, I enjoyed going to rock concerts. I had one band which I particularly enjoyed listening to and saw them in concert eight times. The last time I saw them, I was right up next to the stage and at the end of the concert, the band members were throwing things into the crowd. I noticed the guitarist was right in front of me and was getting ready to throw a drum stick into the crowd. I thought quickly and had something with me that I made which had the band’s emblem on it. I took it and threw it to the guitarist. The guitarist smiled as he grabbed it and threw the drum stick towards me. Unfortunately, someone on each side of me put out their hands right before I caught it and both of them started fighting over it. I just walked away but had a huge smile on my face. I gave something to the guitarist and he smiled when he received it. Over the next few days, I told everyone that the guitarist had something of mine. Even though I was the one who gave something, I actually received something – I received the pleasure of giving.

If this is the pleasure I felt when I gave something small to a guitarist in a band, imagine if you give something to someone important. Imagine if you gave the President something and he accepted it. How much pleasure would you have to have given something to the “most powerful person in the world” Now imagine if you gave Hashem something and He accepted it! The amount of pleasure the person would have is unimaginable.

This week’s parsha states that when you give Trumah, you should take. Really, you are giving, but it states you should take because you should have so much pleasure giving that it is like you are taking from the other person. You should have such tremendous pleasure.

How does a person reach this level? A person should remember that every person is created in the Image of Hashem. Therefore, when a person gives to another person, he is really giving to Hashem. As we stated earlier, if a person gave something to Hashem, he would feel tremendous pleasure. This is how a person should feel every time he gives tzedakah to another person.

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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