Speak to the Children of Israel and have them Take for Me a portion (Shemos 25:2)

This week’s parsha begins by mentioning that the Jews should “take” a donation to Hashem. The commentators ask, “Why is the word ‘take’ used? Shouldn’t the word be ‘give’?” There are numerous answers to this question, but one of the answers is that when we give donations, we are really taking. The reason is because everything we have is from Hashem. Since all of our money is from Hashem, we are really taking from Hashem.

Many people go to work each day and think they are receive a paycheck from their boss or from customers. This is not true though. Although it looks that way, everyone’s paycheck comes from Hashem. Hashem controls exactly how much we make every day.

Rav Dessler notes it is very interesting that the day Haman was hanged was on the 16th of Nissan. The reason this is interesting is because on the 16th of Nissan, we brought the Omer. When crops were harvested, they were not allowed to be enjoyed until the Omer offering was brought on the 16th of Nissan. After the Omer was brought, the new crops could be used. Rav Dessler points out the reason: a person plants a seed, works the field, and harvests the grain. He might think that he made the grain appear, but this thinking is incorrect. He must realize that it is Hashem who made the grain appear. Therefore, we are not allowed to enjoy the crop until the Omer is brought. This is a reminder that Hashem is the One who made the crop successfully grow.

Haman died on this day because a person can read the Purim story and not see Hashem’s hand in it. There was not a single extraordinary miracle that happened. Each event by itself did not appear to be a miracle. When a person looks at the whole story together, though, he sees that there is something more going on. He sees that even though each event by itself looked normal, the Almighty was orchestrating these events together to make a miracle – even though it did not look like one.

The lesson of Purim, the Omer, and the “taking” of Trumah is all the same — Hashem is constantly doing great things for us, but if we are not focused on it, we will miss it. If a person looks at everything going on around him or her, s/he will realize Hashem is making miracles all around us. We just need to remember that Hashem is running our lives.

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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