Rabbi’s Corner – Parshat Terumah- “Lifting up our lives”
One of the greatest challenges in life is to live consistently with higher meaning and purpose.
We are caught up today in consumerism where it would seem that our “very wellbeing and happiness depend fundamentally on obtaining consumer goods and material possessions” (https://www.investopedia.com/
The ever sophisticated marketing and promotions we are exposed to are clearly underpinned by this consumerist belief. I can not think of any marketing campaign today that does not link material goods to a higher meaning. Tag lines such as “this is where life happens”, “passion for life” and of course I can’t miss out the Disneyland tag line “The happiest place on earth”.
We all know that life’s higher purpose (for those who believe there is one) is not truly captured by physical things. We understand that it is the quality of our relationships and connections that make life truly meaningful. We also know that happiness can not be bought as taught in Ethics of the Father “Who is rich? One who is happy with his lot”. Yet we still can’t get away from these powerful adverts that tap into a deep part of our brain. And our brain becomes cross wired as we are seduced by the latest gadget, holiday or whatever takes our fancy. And when we are in that moment we palpably feel that without that “thing” we are missing something in life.
This dichotomy between our beliefs and our feelings is rooted in the dichotomy between our bodies and souls. Our bodies are drawn by selfish urges and looks for short term pleasure whereas our souls are more cerebral and are looking for long term pleasure even self transcendence.
As we have free will the choice is ours. We can choose to live our lives on the mundane and superficial level or to dedicate our lives for a higher goal and purpose.
Yet so often we seem to fail and get caught up in pettiness, distracted by our visceral instincts that seek to protect our ego at any cost.
This weeks Parshah Terumah contains a piece of wisdom that I believe has the power to help us elevate our lives to a higher plane.
The Parsha deals with the contributions the Israelites gave to the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) – a home for the Divine presence.
The opening of the parshah begins with the verse
דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כָּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃
Speak to the children of Israel that they take for me a contribution from every person whose heart is generous you shall take my contribution
The question asked by the commentators is why the verse employs the verb “to take”. Surely it is more appropriate to use the verb “to give” as after all that is the essence of the contribution – what each person gives to the Tabernacle project.
Rashi (1040-1105 France) our classic commentator addresses the question by explaining that the verse refers to the idea “that they separate for Me from their possessions a gift”. In other words the verse is emphasising the mechanism of how a gift is first taken from amongst ones possessions prior to being given. The Israelites were not after all giving every one of their possessions to God.
The Sefas Emes (Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter second Gerrer Rebbe Polan 1847-1905) takes this idea further with a profound and spectacular insight which he develops:
He explains that the act of designating something as a gift for the sake of Hashem is an act of taking and elevating it to God. He is hinting to the idea that the taking and designating of something is in a sense higher than the act of giving which is the mere result. In the case of the Tabernacle what can a person really give to Hashem? After all the verse teaches “Mine is the silver, Mine is the gold”.
The contribution to the Tabernacle is not called a “gift” (in Hebrew Mattana). It is termed Terumah which is derived from the root “Leharim” – to lift up. The people did not just make a contribution or donation on PayPal! They were spiritually elevating their possessions to Hashem.
Terumah – Holy Kohanic food
The word Terumah is also the name of one of the special tithes given to the Kohen from grain, fruit and vegetables harvested by the Israelite farmer. Prior to the Terumah being taken the food remains un-kosher (the special term used is Tevel) and remains forbidden to eat. Terumah is considered holy food that can only be consumed by Kohanim (and their families) and must be eaten in a state of spiritual purity. (Today in Israel Terumah is still taken from food. Unfortunately as we can not be absolutely certain as to the identity of a Kohen the Terumah portion is destroyed). Technically any amount however minute can be designated as Terumah but the sages in ancient times instituted the following measures: 1/40th is given by a generous person, 1/50th is the middle path and 1/60th is the minimum amount that can be given to the Kohen.
So for example 1000 apples 1/40 = 25 apples; 1/50 =0 apples and 1/60th = 17 apples (rounded to whole number!)
There is an interesting Halacha that states that even if a farmer were to designate the Terumah in his mind to the Kohen, then this is considered already taken and he can already start eating from the remaining food. The Sefas Emes explains that on a spiritual level this halacha is teaching us a profound idea that a person can elevate something by his mere thoughts and consciousness.
The Sefas Emes goes on to extend the the concept of Terumah to our everyday mundane lives. Every thing we do and experience in the mundane world contains within it a portion of “Terumah”. This is the part of the experience that we can choose to lift up and elevate to Hashem. Ultimately there is no area of life where Godliness is devoid. Hashem is in every place, every moment and desire. It is the job of human beings through their free will to consciousnesses “take Terumah” which means to lift our thoughts back to Hashem. When we do this then the entire experience or object is rasied to a higher plane.
He sees this reflected in the verse read on the level of allusion (Remez*) The verse Speak to the children of Israel that they take for me a contribution from every person whose heart is generous you shall take my contribution
can also be read as “The Terumah contribution shall be taken from every type of desire and feeling of generosity”
Of course Hashem wants us to enjoy the everyday pleasures of life. Judaism in general never gravitated towards asceticism or self denial. The challenge is can we also make space for God in our everyday lives too?
Hashem does not want us to compartmentalize our lives where God is relegated to shul or some other rituals whilst the rest of our loves is divorced from godliness.
The Sefas Emes concludes with a beautiful concept that shows the true unity of the Torah and how every halacha exists not just in the practical world but teaches us profound spiritual truths
We mentioned that the minimum measure of Terumah an Israelite must give the Kohen is 1/60th. This ratio has another application in the laws of Kashrut. If say a glass of milk split into a meat stew then if the meat is 60 times more than the milk the resultant mixture is 100% kosher (assuming there is no visible milk which would have to be removed). This rule is know as “Battel Beshishim” – nullification of 60 parts in 1 and has broad application in Kashrut.
Now we can understand the deeper reason the sages set the minimum measure of Terumah to be gifted to the Kohen as 1/60. At this level there are 1 part Terumah to 59 parts mundane (Chullin – none-sacred) food which means the Terumah is not nullified. It only becomes nullified when there are 1 part to 60.
In other words in our lives no matter where it takes us we must always maintain a vestige of “Terumah” where we can elevate our consciousness to Hashem whilst going through the journey of life.
When we choose this way of living then we break free from being passive consumers of stuff, enslaved by a corporate visions that sees us a a customer (see here for fascinating article https://www.theguardian.com/
On the contrary when we choose to lift every detail of our lives to to reveal its Godly source then we become reveal the true infinite dignity etched on our core identity. We live up to our true selves – divine sparks with power to bring heaven down to earth.
When we live on this level – and we can choose to at any moment- then we transform the entire world to become a sanctuary for God as the verse teaches
“Make for me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them”.
Shabbat Shalom
* Remez means allusion and refers to a none literal reading of a verse. In general there are 4 levels of interpretation to any scriptural text according to our spiritual tradition. they are: Peshat (the plain meaning of the text), Remez (alluded level), Derash (Midrashic level that teaches further concepts- ethics or spiritual truths derived from the text) and Sod (literally the secret layer of meaning referring to the mystical)