And HASHEM spoke to Moshe saying; “Speak to the Children of Israel and let them take for (Li) Me (TERUMA) a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him, shall you take My portion. (Shemos 25:1-2)
Take for Me…: For Me (Li), for My sake. (Rashi)
Can it be a mere coincidence or a quirk that the word TERUMA which refers to a gifted portion that will be used to build a Mishkan, a place for HASHEM to dwell in our very midst, that that word is made up of the same letters that spell TORAH with a MEM in the mix?! After all what is Torah but a guide book on how to relate everything in the universe back to HASHEM. What does the letter MEM add to the equation? The letter MEM reminds us that everything comes from HASHEM. How so?!
On both Rosh HaShana and Purim HaMelech is the operative word. Rav Hirsch ztl. pointed out that the word Melech -King is comprised of three letters each of which can be used as a prefix. Together they give a portrait of The King. The letter MEM means “from” because everything comes from HASHEM. The letter LAMED means “to” or “for” because everything is ultimately for and goes back to HASHEM. The letter CHOF means “like” because everything reflects and bears a likeness to the Creator. The Zohar states, “Koach HaPoel B’Nifal” – “The power of the actor is in his actions. The signature of the artist can be found throughout his artwork. Then we can tag the letter HEY at the beginning,” the HEY HaYedia” – “The HEY of Knowledge” because we are meant to know that HASHEM is not just a king but “The only King”!
Maybe now we can appreciate that after Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur and Sukkos we are left with one tiny souvenir that we carry until Pesach, and that is the phrase, the insert in our prayers, “Mashiv HaRuach v Morid HaGeshem – He makes the wind blow and He makes the rain descend”. HASHEM is credited with guiding the winds that deliver rain clouds to thirsty populations of people, animal, and plant life. That is the simple meaning. There is another deeper hint here as well.
Mashiv means to return and HaRuach refers to Ruchnios – spirituality. Morid is to bring down and Geshem refers to Gashmios – physical matter. HASHEM made and constantly makes the world Yesh M’Ayin, something from nothing. Before HASHEM willed a world into being there were no laws of physics. There was only HASHEM! From a material perspective HASHEM takes the ultimate spirituality and makes it into matter. From a spiritual vantage point HASHEM made the world Ayin M’Yesh –nothing from something, because HASHEM is eternal and all in this world is temporal.
Our task in this world is defined by Mashiv HaRuach v’ Morid HaGeshem. We take the material stuff of this world which is really dense Ruchnios/spirituality and though eating and drinking and learning Torah and Davening and serving HASHEM we convert this physicality back into Ruchnios – Mashiv HaRuach. We return to material back to HASHEM by revealing the ultimate spirituality within. Since we are making the best use of the goodness of this world, HASHEM then brings down and delivers to us more Gashmius, material stuff to work with, – U’Morid HaGeshem.
The Magdanus Eliezer explains the verse from Chagai (2:8); “The silver is mine (Li) and the gold is mine (Li) says HASHEM of the Hosts.” We usually take this to mean that HASHEM is the supernal banker and the keeper of all money. Every cent that flows in our direction is from HASHEM. HASHEM is in charge of all money and it’s true. However, another explanation emerges based on the first verse mentioned above and the Rashi that accompanies it.
The Navi is expressing in the persona of HASHEM, “What is the best use of money that is already in your possession? How is it best spent? The is “Li” – for ME, for MY sake, to create a place for HASHEM to dwell in our midst. That is the ultimate purpose and the optimal way to invest your silver and gold”. So, it is written in Pirke Avos, “Give to HIM what is HIS because you and what’s yours are HIS.” Shakespeare tells us what the Pharaoh’s futilely tried to do, “You can’t take it with you!” Maybe we can, via Teruma, Torah with a MEM in the mix!