Terumah
Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann
Long-Term Payout
Speak to the children of Israel; have them take for Me a
terumah (portion). [25:2]
When we donate our resources to a worthy cause, mefarshim
(commentators) explain, we take far more than we give. Suppose
someone purchases shares in worthwhile stock. To the uninformed
observer, it seems he has been swindled big time. He has spent
thousands of dollars, and all he got in return was some fancy
certificate. Those who know realize that owning stock in a thriving
enterprise can be a very gratifying experience - and it has nothing to
do with the certificate. Through that initial investment, he has
become a partner in a corporation. As the corporation grows, its
share value rises. It may, periodically, pay dividends. What to the
untrained eye may at first have seemed like a hoax, now reveals itself
as a very wise and well thought out investment.
When we donate, we give what we can - sometimes we give money,
and sometimes we give in other ways. To the uninformed - giving may
come difficultly. At best, we may receive a "certificate" - a tax-
deductible receipt - for our efforts. It is hard to willingly give away what
one has earned. But when we give, we become part of the process -
we become "partners" in the cause to which we give. We are now
"shareholders;" any "dividends" from that cause - such as the merit of
Torah study (when we support yeshivos), the prayer of the battei
k'neisios we help build, or even the zechus (merit) of raising a family
when we give to the poor - accrue to us.
Some companies pay dividends up front - and sometimes we begin
to reap the benefits of our charity immediately. Other companies pay
nothing out, letting the profits accumulate, and share values rise.
Sometimes, too, the merit of our charity is put away for us, either for
a time when we really need it, or, even better, it is saved for us for a
time when the "payback" is far more substantial. One thing is for
sure; well chosen "stocks" are a very lucrative investment. Oh, and the
more we give, the greater our share, and the more valuable our
investment becomes!
Sometimes when we give, we can't help but feel magnanimous,
especially if gracious thanks and blessings are heaped upon us by the
recipient. At times, we resent the seemingly endless needs of others
less fortunate. This is why the Torah stresses "Let them *take* for
Me a portion," for by giving we take far more than we give.
Ba'al HaTurim writes that the word "terumah" is made up of the
letters "Torah mem", an allusion to the Torah which was given (to
Moshe) over a period of 40 days (the numerical value of the letter
"mem" is 40). What is the connection of terumah to Torah?
Just like by giving we acquire "shares" in the mitzvos done through
our largesse, when we study Torah, we are acquiring our share in the
Torah. Every day we pray, "Grant us our share in the Torah." There
are 600,000 letters in the Torah (Talmud), and there are 600,000
neshamos (souls) in the Jewish nation. Our task in life is to "find" our
place in the Torah - to connect to Hashem and our souls through the
Torah. This can only be accomplished through diligent Torah study.
Now when donating, it is obvious that the more we donate, the
greater our share in the mitzvah. Everyone realizes that the person
who builds a yeshiva has a far greater part of the mitzvah than the
one who only gives a chair or a table. (Which is not, G-d forbid, to
belittle any donation! After all, dividends are paid out both to the
major shareholders and to the minor ones - and nobody sends their
cheque back.) Yet with regard to Torah study, says the Beis Yisrael,
such differences are far less apparent. Two people attend a shiur;
they come at the same time, and leave at the same time. They both
listened, neither fell asleep, so, more or less, they each have an equal
share in the Torah - even if one put a little more effort into
understanding than the other - no?
Not necessarily. Just like one's share in a charitable cause is
according to what he gives, the Torah too makes its mark on our
neshamos according to what we put into its study. Although this isn't
always obvious, the level of dedication and diligence with which we
approach our studies has a tremendous impact on the degree to
which the Torah can subsequently change our lives. While the two
may have studied the same Gemara, and may even understand it
equally well, the "investments" they have made may be very different.
One who truly expends all his energies in his Torah study has planted
seeds which will one day bear plentiful fruits - the dividends of his
investment. One who takes it easy, while he may "know his stuff," will
not reap the benefits of Torah study, such as character refinement
and closeness to Hashem, to the same degree.
Of course nowadays, people no longer "invest" in stocks; they day-
trade, hoping to make away with quick profits using only a minimal
investment. While I don't profess to be market savvy, this much I can
say: Investing in Torah is strictly long-term, and there are no windfalls
and no get-rich-quick schemes. But the market never crashes, and
the Torah doesn't go bankrupt. Every hour invested will pay its
dividends.
We all know the 40 days to which the Ba'al HaTurim refers; they
were spent completely immersed in Torah study, "I did not eat bread,
nor did I drink water. (Devarim 9:9)" It is in this respect - that the
Torah benefits us to the extent that we dedicate ourselves to it - that
Torah and terumah are related. Profitable investing!
Have a good Shabbos.
