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Orchard of Delights 9 Terumah
golden boxes surrounding an inner wooden box created a ratio of 2:1, statement that the poor man who receives charity does more for the
a whole and a half. Two angel-like cherubim rested upon the ark’s rich man than the rich man does for him (Vayikra Rabbah 34).
cover, another instance of a 2:1 ratio, a whole to a half.
Many Chassidic rebbes in a play on words (a derash) read the term
This portion provides us with another beautiful instance of “the “take for Me” as “take Me.” By giving to others, we take, as it were,
medium is the message” (a concept discussed above in “The Medium God into ourselves. By imitating God whose essence is identified with
is the Message”). The Tabernacle’s blueprints convey deep concepts love and giving, we experience the Divine attribute of sustaining the
with their every detail. Bezalel, as we mentioned in the first section world with goodness. In fact, one of the Torah’s 613 mitzvot is to
of this portion, was able to construct the Tabernacle because of his imitate God. The Sages explain that to imitate God means to imitate
insight into the Hebrew letters and the Divine process of creation. In His attributes: just as God is merciful, so should we be merciful; just
the portion of Bereishit, we discussed the most fundamental principle as God is gracious, so should we be gracious (Sifrei, Parashat Eikev).
guiding the creation of the world and humanity: “One becomes two The concept of God telling man to “take Me” is actually embodied
in order to become one.” This spiritual equation is, in and of itself, in the obligation to do mitzvot. A mitzvah is a reflection of God’s will
perhaps the most primordial and archetypal example of a whole and and goodness, for all the mitzvot were given with humanity’s good
a half. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that this equation in mind. The last two letters of the word mitzvah, vav-heh (הו) are
appears repeatedly in the Tabernacle which was meant to house the identical to the last two letters of God’s essential four-letter name.
Divine Presence and serve as a microcosm of the Divine process of In one of the Kabbalistic alphabets (called atbash) wherein letters
creation itself.
are exchanged for each other according to a set pattern, the first
Upon further contemplation, we must recognize a great paradox two Hebrew letters of God’s name, yud-heh (ה-י) are exchanged for
underlying the concept of a whole and a half. People, in a sense, the first two Hebrew letters of the word mitzvah, mem-tzaddi (צמ).
never feel more whole than when they feel close to God. Yet precisely This exchange teaches that by performing a mitzvah we grasp an
at such moments, human beings simultaneously become aware of opportunity to connect and unite with God.
their great distance from God’s Infinite Being. In other words, we One of God’s name’s – Alef-Heh-Vav-Heh (ה-ו-ה-א) – is embedded in
feel most whole when we feel we are a half. This is true between soul the Torah’s opening verse: “In the beginning God created the heavens
mates as well, each one feeling whole and completed by the other, and the earth,” as an acronym composed of the initial letters of the
yet merely a half of a greater whole. This is also true in the context Hebrew words “the heavens and the earth” (ץראה תאו םימשה תא). The
of the individual Jew and the nation of Israel. On the one hand, each numerical value of this Divine name is 17, the same as the numerical
person feels like merely one link in a great chain extending through value of the Hebrew word for “good” (tov). God’s goodness is woven
the generations, but, on the other hand, each person also feels whole into the very fabric of creation and is manifest in the heavens and
by virtue of being part of such a noble and unique nation.
the earth.
The Maggid of Mezerich, the Ba’al Shem Tov’s successor,
interpreted the words recited in the Morning Service, “the world
is full of your possessions,” as “the world is full of ways to possess
God.” By giving we not only help others but we acquire goodness for
ourselves. Even more, by imitating God and His constant attribute
of sustaining the heavens and the earth we “take” God, and as a
result activate the spark of God within us.

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