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    Taking God’s T’rumah – T’rumah

    wrapped box present giftThe portion tells us, yik’chu li t’rumah. It could be read, “They shall take a gift for Me”.

    The Midrash has another view. It suggests a translation, “They shall take Me as a gift”. The idea is that when Israel acquires the Torah they acquire God too.

    The implication may be this: when we see the majesty and meaning of the Torah, we recognise the greatness of the One who is its Source. It reminds us of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God”.

    From the beginning of history people have wanted proof that there is a God and have asked where, if He exists, He may be found.

    Answer: look at His works and you discover their Maker. Look at the human mind and see behind it the Divine mind that made it. Look at earthly love, compassion and forgiveness and see behind them the loving, compassionate, forgiving Creator.

    When the discussion takes this turn, we know there is a God and where He is. It reminds us of the verse we will read in a couple of weeks, V’ra’ita et achorai – “you can see My back but not My face” (Ex. 33:23); you cannot see Me, but you can see the effects of My deeds and through them you can perceive Me too.

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