The Gift is More Than Giving

Parashat Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19

Mary Haller, Tikvat Israel Synagogue, Richmond VA

Our portion begins with a request from Adonai to his beloved servant Moses.

Adonai spoke to Moses saying, “Tell Bnei-Yisrael to take up an offering for Me. From anyone whose heart compels him you are to take My offering.” Exodus 25:1-2 TLV

Let’s not forget, at the time of this request Moses was in the presence of Adonai on Mount Sinai. Following the request was a detailed list of specific items (verses 3-7) the people could offer. The items were to be used to construct a Sanctuary, a travel-worthy dwelling place for Adonai among his people. Keep in mind the people were traveling in the desert. All their belongings were precious and limited to what they had at the time. Since they were traveling to a new land yet unknown to them, replacing anything they would contribute to this project would not be easy, in some cases even impossible. The Israelites responded positively to the request that came from Adonai. We can read in Exodus 36:6–7 the amount of building items brought in was so abundant that Moses had to tell them to stop donating. What a dynamic life lesson for all of us today!  

It is my understanding that the story we are being told points to a deeper offering. The items to be contributed would be precious, perhaps even holding more value than what might normally be attributed to them. Together with the phrase “anyone whose heart compels him,” this put their giving in a noteworthy category. To me it speaks of surrendering things we value, precious and perhaps even irreplaceable items. 

The gift they were being asked to contribute would require each individual to elevate something/someone far above their own selves. It is important for us today remember that the people Israel were in the process of experiencing freedom from the bondage they suffered for a very long season.   

Like the people in Moses’ time, we to are in the process of experiencing our own new freedom. As humans we are often held captive to physical desires and expectations of success. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, our human bodies are the temple for the Ruach of God to dwell. So how do we proceed to make the space, so to speak, for Adonai’s Ruach to be present within our human bodies?  

In Moses’ day the heartfelt donations were used to construct a special place for Adonai to dwell with his people as they continued on their journey. Unlike in Moses’ time our individual building project is more spiritual and emotional than physical. Instead of giving precious materials to construct a physical dwelling we are in process of learning to live less for our own worldly successes and physical desires and more to become one with the Ruach of God. Today our freedom comes as we desire to become the person we were designed to be for him within our human community. 

In opening our hearts and life with giving to, rather than taking from others, we cultivate the practice referred to as Terumah in Exodus 25:2—generous giving out of piety with a deep regard for ethics. This selfless giving is what Adonai wanted his dwelling place with his people to be fashioned from. It is not just giving of what we have to others. It is not just serving in our communities, is giving beyond what we have, it is giving beyond what we know can be replaced.  

An example of totally heartfelt selfless giving is donating a kidney while we are still alive. The act of giving has to come from a deep place of our surrendered self. The part of us that is no longer our own, the part of our being that belongs to Adonai. 

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me. And the life I now live in the body, I live by trusting in Ben-Elohim—who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God—for if righteousness comes through Torah, then Messiah died for no reason. Galatians 2:20-21 TLV 

Practicing a life of giving without expecting to receive anything in return is a journey, one that begins when we first honestly seek to know the Creator of the Universe, when we begin to learn there is more to life than what we see and hear in the physical realm.  

The more we desire to know Adonai the more we begin to distinguish his voice from our human thoughts. In following the inner voice we become more like Moses who heard the voice in the cloud. We too can touch the lives of those around us as we respond in heartfelt obedience to love others.

I have come to know this life is a life of freedom from the expectations of the world around us. We are no longer tethered to human nature and human ego. It is no longer what I want, but rather, “Lord what would you have me do today to bless your creation, what can you do through your Ruach that you have placed with in me to touch the lives of those around me?”

Galatians 2:20–21 describes this way of living as the exchanged life. A life dwelling in the space with the Ruach of our God. Not as slaves to our flesh but as created beings who choose to surrender to the life we have been given, to serve as a dwelling place for the Ruach’s holiness. A life that is willing to have the Ruach’s love, peace, mercy, grace and goodness flow freely from us to touch others.

Our individual lives become like the traveling dwelling-place of Moses’ day. Individually we give our lives as pieces of the building for all people to benefit from the Holy Presence.

This concept may not be easy to understand. I do believe this life of heartfelt giving has the potential to be the greatest journey of all time. As we give to live, our hope is that others will begin to recognize the goodness of Adonai through us. They too will want to draw near to the Cloud of Glory Moses experienced.