יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנּוּ, מוֹתַר תְּרוּמָה מֶה הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בָּהּ? כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: מוֹתַר תְּרוּמָה רִקּוּעֵי זָהָב הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין מֵהֶן צִפּוּי לְבֵית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים (שופטים ד, ב). אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שְׁתֵּי תְּרוּמוֹת בָּחַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַחַת לַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאַחַת לַכֹּהֲנִים. תְּרוּמַת כֹּהֲנִים, עַל מְנָת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּנֵי תּוֹרָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי: כָּל כֹּהֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ בֶּן תּוֹרָה, מֻתָּר לֶאֱכֹל עַל קִבְרוֹ תְּרוּמָה.
That they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). May it please our masters to teach us: What did they do with the surplus offering? Thus did our masters teach us: They fashioned with it the hammered gold overlay for the Holy of Holies. You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose two offerings (terumot): the offering (set aside) for the building of the Tabernacle and the priestly offering. The priestly offering (was given to them) in order that they become students of the law. R. Yannai said: Any priest who is not a student of the law, it is permitted to eat the offering on his grave.
וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: שְׁמַע בְּנִי וְקַח אֲמָרָי (משלי ד, י), וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן (שם ב, א). שְׁמַע בְּנִי וְקַח, הַרְבֵּה לְקִיחוֹת צִוִּיתִי לָכֶם בִּשְׁבִיל לְזַכּוֹת אֶתְכֶם. אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם, וְיִקְּחוּ אֵלֶיךָ פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה (במדבר יט, ב). שֶׁמָּא בִּשְׁבִילִי. לֹא עָשִׂיתִי אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל טָהֳרַתְכֶם. לֹא כָּךְ כְּתִיב: וְהִזָּה הַטָּהוֹר עַל הַטָּמֵא (שם פסוק יט). אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם, וְיִקְּחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה (שמות כה, ב). לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאָדוּר בֵּינֵיכֶם. דִּכְתִיב: וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ (שם פסוק ח). דָּבָר קָשֶׁה כִּבְיָכוֹל אָמַר לָהֶם: קְחוּ אוֹתִי שֶׁאָדוּר בֵּינֵיכֶם. וְיִקְּחוּ תְּרוּמָה אֵין כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא וְיִקְּחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, אוֹתִי אַתֶּם לוֹקְחִים. אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם, וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ (שם כז, כא). לָמָּה, לְהַעֲלוֹת נֵר תָּמִיד (שם). וְכִי אוֹר מִשֶּׁלָּכֶם אֲנִי צָרִיךְ. אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לִשְׁמֹר אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם. שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּנֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: נֵר ה' נִשְׁמַת אָדָם (משלי כ, כז). וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם, וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לְזַכּוֹת אֶתְכֶם. פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר, כַּפּוֹת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבוֹת וְעַרְבֵי נַחַל. מַה טִּיבָן שֶׁל אַרְבַּעַת הַמִּינִים הַלָּלוּ. מֵהֶן שֶׁעוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת, וּמֵהֶן שֶׁאֵינָן עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת. פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפּוֹת תְּמָרִים, אֵלּוּ צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבוֹת וְעַרְבֵי נַחַל, אֵלּוּ בֵּינוֹנִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כֻּלְּכֶם כְּאֶחָד תַּעֲשׂוּ אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּבָנַי פְּסֹלֶת. אִם עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן, אֲנִי מִתְעַלֶּה עֲלֵיכֶם. וְכֵן הַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר, הַבּוֹנֶה בַּשָּׁמַיִם מַעֲלוֹתָיו וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ. וְאֵימָתַי הוּא מִתְעַלֶּה, כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין אֲגֻדָּה אֶחָת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ.
(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days].” This text is related (to Prov. 4:10), “Heed, my child, and take in (rt.: lqh) my words,” and (in Prov. 2:1), “treasure my commandments.” I have charged you with many takings (rt.: lqh) in order to benefit you. I told you (in Numb. 19:2), “’And let them bring (rt.: lqh) you a red cow.’ Was it possibly for My sake? No. I only did it in order to cleanse you. Is it not so written (in vs. 19), ‘And the clean person shall sprinkle it [upon the unclean person]?’ I told you (in Exod. 25:2), ‘And let them take (rt.: lqh) for Me a priestly share,’ so that I might dwell among you.” It is so stated (in vs. 8), “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.’” He, as it were, spoke a difficult thing to them, “Take Me that I may dwell among you.” “And take a priestly share” is not written here, but “And let them take (for) Me a priestly share.” [It is] I, [whom] you are taking.” “I said to you (in Exod. 27:20), ‘And let them bring unto you pure olive oil.’ Do I need your light? It is simply to preserve your souls, since the soul is likened to a lamp, where it is stated (in Prov. 20:27), ‘A person's soul is a lamp of the Lord.’ And now when it says (in Lev. 23:40), ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day,’ it is not because it is necessary for Me, but in order to benefit you.” (Lev. 23:40:) “A beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook.” What is the nature of these four species? Some of them produce fruit and some of them do not produce fruit. “A beautiful tree fruit, the branches of the palm trees.” These are the righteous, [because they have good works, which are like these plants that have fruit]. “Boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook.” These are the average Israelites. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “All of you join together to become a single group, so that there not be leftovers among my children. If you have done so, I will be exalted upon you.” And so the prophet says (in Amos 9:6), “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds His celestial vault upon earth.” Now when is He exalted? When they become a single group (agudah), as stated (ibid., cont.), “and founds His celestial vault (agudah) upon earth.”
וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי ד, ב): כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ, אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ אֶת הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם, יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח, יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב אֵין בּוֹ כֶסֶף, יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף אֵין בּוֹ זָהָב, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֶסֶף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יב, ז): אִמְרוֹת ה' אֲמָרוֹת טְהֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף צָרוּף. יֵשׁ בּוֹ זָהָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב. יֵשׁ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ שָׂדוֹת אֲבָל לֹא כְרָמִים, כְּרָמִים וְלֹא שָׂדוֹת, אֲבָל הַמִּקָּח הַזֶּה יֵשׁ בּוֹ שָׂדוֹת וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּרָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, יג): שְׁלָחַיִךְ פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם לוֹקֵחַ מִקָּח וּבְנֵי אָדָם אֵינָן יוֹדְעִין מַהוּ, אֲבָל מִשְֹּׂכַר הַסַּרְסוּר נִתְוַדַּע מַה לָּקַח. כָּךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ מַה הִיא, אֶלָּא מִשָֹּׂכָר שֶׁלָּקַח משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ מִקָּח שֶׁמִּי שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ נִמְכָּר עִמּוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מָכַרְתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי, כִּבְיָכוֹל נִמְכַּרְתִּי עִמָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בַּת יְחִידָה, בָּא אֶחָד מִן הַמְּלָכִים וּנְטָלָהּ, בִּקֵּשׁ לֵילֵךְ לוֹ לְאַרְצוֹ וְלִטֹּל לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: בִּתִּי שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ יְחִידִית הִיא, לִפְרשׁ מִמֶּנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לְךָ אַל תִּטְלָהּ אֵינִי יָכוֹל לְפִי שֶׁהִיא אִשְׁתֶּךָ, אֶלָּא, זוֹ טוֹבָה עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ קִיטוֹן אֶחָד עֲשֵׂה לִי, שֶׁאָדוּר אֶצְלְכֶם, שֶׁאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת בִּתִּי. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, לִפְרשׁ הֵימֶנָּה אֵינִי יָכוֹל, לוֹמַר לָכֶם אַל תִּטְלוּהָ אֵינִי יָכוֹל, אֶלָּא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים בַּיִת אֶחָד עֲשׂוּ לִי שֶׁאָדוּר בְּתוֹכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה, ח): וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ.
"And they shall bring Me gifts" (Exodus 25:2) - here it is written, "for I have given you a good portion, do not forsake My teaching" (Proverbs 4:2); do not forsake the purchase that I gave to you. When people buy things, their purchase has gold but no silver, or silver but no gold, but the purchase that I have to you has silver, as it is said "The sayings of God are sayings pure like smelted silver" (Psalms 12:7). It has gold, as it is said "More lovely than gold and than much fine gold" (Psalms 19:11). People buy fields but not vineyards, vineyards and not fields, but this purchase has in it both vineyards and fields, as it is said "Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates" (Song of Songs 4:13). Someone makes a purchase and others do not know what it is, but the inebriation [or: reward] of the brewer [or: middleman] makes clear what he bought. So it is with the Torah -- a person doesn't know what it is except from the inebriation that Moshe took, as it is said (Exodus 34:29) "Moshe did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with Him." And there are purchases that the one who sells them is sold along with them -- the Holy Blessed One said to Israel, 'I sell to you My Torah, and (as if such a thing could be) I am sold along with it,' as it is said "And they shall bring me gifts" (Exodus 25:2). This is similar to a King who had an only daughter. One of the kings came and took her and sought to go back to his land to marry her. He said to him, "My daughter who I have given to you is my only one. I cannot bear to separate from her, but to tell you that you cannot take her is also impossible since she is your wife. Rather, do me this favour, that everywhere you go make me a small room [kiton], so that I can live with you, for I cannot leave my daughter." So said God to the Israel: 'I have given you the Torah. I cannot bear to separate from her, and to tell you not to take her is also impossible. Rather, everywhere you go make me one house so that I can live within it' as it is said "And make me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8)
תרומה. הַפְרָשָׁה, יַפְרִישׁוּ לִי מִמָּמוֹנָם נְדָבָה:
תרומה is something set apart (cf. Onkelos); the meaning is: let them set apart from their possessions a voluntary gift in My honour.
ידבנו לבו. לְשׁוֹן נְדָבָה וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן טוֹב, פיישנ"ט בְּלַעַז:
ידבנו לבו — The word ידבנו is of the same root as נדבה (the נ in the latter being replaced by the Dagesh in the ד); it is a term denoting “good-will”, apaisement in old French (cf. Rashi on Genesis 33:10 and Leviticus 19:5).
ויקחו לי תרומה. לִי – לִשְׁמִי:
ויקחו לי תרומה THAT THEY TAKE ME A HEAVE OFFERING — “Me” means to the glory of My Name (Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah 1).
מלת ויקחו לי. כגזרת סור' אלי. שיסור הנקרא ממקומו ויקרב אליו. וככה שיקח מאתו ויתן לי. וככ' קחי נא לי מעט מים:
[THAT THEY TAKE FOR ME.] The words ve-yikchu li (that they take for Me) is similar to the form surah elai (turn in to me) (Jud. 4:18). Surah elai means turn from your place and come to me. Ve-yikchu li has a similar connotation. It means let him take from what he owns and give it to me. The same is true of Fetch me (kechi li), I pray thee, a little water (I Kings 17:10).
וכן תעשו. לְדוֹרוֹת (סנהדרין ט"ז), אִם יֹאבַד אֶחָד מִן הַכֵּלִים, אוֹ כְּשֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ לִי כְּלֵי בֵית עוֹלָמִים, כְּגוֹן שֻׁלְחָנוֹת וּמְנוֹרוֹת וְכִיּוֹרוֹת וּמְכוֹנוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה, כְּתַבְנִית אֵלּוּ תַּעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם; וְאִם לֹא הָיָה הַמִּקְרָא מְחֻבָּר לְמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ אֶלָּא כֵּן תַּעֲשׂוּ, וְהָיָה מְדַבֵּר עַל עֲשִׂיַּת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְכֵלָיו:
וכן תעשו AND SO SHALL YE MAKE IT also in future generations (cf. Sanhedrin 16b); if one of the vessels is lost, or when you make for Me the vessels for the “House of Eternity” (another name for the Temple in Jerusalem), — as e. g., the tables, candlesticks, lavers and stands which Solomon had made — you shall make them after the pattern of these (the vessels of the Tabernacle), If, however, the verse were not to be connected with the preceding one but formed a new statement, Scripture ought not to have written: וכן תעשו “and so shall ye make them” but כן תעשו “so shall ye make them” and then it would be speaking of the making of the tent of meeting and its vessels and not of the vessels of the Temple, and the translation would be: according to all that I am showing you the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its vessels, even so shall you make them.