Parashat Terumah — Giving is Elevating
Speakers of modern Hebrew know that litrom means “to donate.” “Donors” are known as tormim, and terumah is a donation. The root is a simple one—tav, resh, mem. The word would seem to trace back to this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Terumah.
But look a little deeper, and all is not so simple! The verb litrom never appears in the Torah; it didn’t develop until the Rabbinic period, many hundreds of years later. In the Torah, the verb used is le-harim, which means “to raise up.” It turns out that there was no specialized word for “donation” in the Torah; instead, the way you expressed the idea of donating was to say the word “elevating.” You were taking something material and making it sacred. (We have a similar idiom in English — “fundraising” — but we generally say the word without thinking about its true meaning.)
There is a beautiful lesson in this etymology. We might view our donations to Schechter, our synagogues, Federation, et cetera as mere transfers of funds; we are helping important causes, but the money itself just goes from this account to that account. In Hebrew, though, something else is happening: we are elevating the spiritual level of our possessions by dedicating them to a higher purpose.
On Sunday, March 19th, our community will gather to support Schechter at the annual Ner Tamid Gala. It will be a fun event, providing a chance to connect with each other, offer tribute to our honorees, and strengthen our school. Whatever you are able to give, it is a true opportunity for terumah. May we be inspired by the Torah portion to give all we can, for the good of our community!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Jonathan Berger
Head of School
Questions for the Shabbat table:
1. The precious items that were collected in this parashah went to construct the mishkan, or desert sanctuary. What are some reasons that sanctuaries and synagogues are supposed to be beautiful?
2. Donating can feel like a chore or a special act. What can you do to make it feel more special? Could we at Schechter do anything different to make the process feel sacred?