L'ILUY NISHMAS IMI MOROSI CHAVOH BAS ZVI NIF'T'ROH 6 ADOR 5723 TNTZB"H

SEDRAH SELECTIONS PARSHAS TRUMOH 5770 BS"D

1) When one gives a donation to a person, even though it is vastly preferable to give it with the proper intentions, nevertheless, even without proper intentions the recipient benefits. When one donates to Hashem it is of absolutely no value when the donation is given without proper intent, as Hashem is not in need of anything. It is only when the donation is "li lishmi" that it has value. (K'hilas Yitzchok)

2) The gemara Sotoh 38a says that in the Beis Hamikdosh Hashem's Holy Name is pronounced as it is written, while outside the Beis Hamikdosh compound it is pronounced not as it is written, rather, A-D-N-Y. By donating materials to build a Mishkon the donours enable Hashem's Holy Name to be pronounced as it is written. This is "li lishmi." (Chanukas haTorah)

The gemara Brochos 63a says that the parsha of Sotoh is juxtaposed to the parsha of tithing trumos and maasros to teach us that he who refrains from giving the Kohein his due will end up bringing his wife as a "sotoh" to the Kohein. Included in the "sotoh" procedure is the erasure of Hashem's Holy Name from the "parshas sotoh" that is written for this procedure. This is the intention of "li lishmi." Donate for the Mishkon and you will in turn not bring your wives as a "sotoh," and there will be no need to erase My Holy Name. (Chanukas haTorah)

3) The gemara R.H. 5a and P'sochim 8a says that if one gives charity with the intention that the merit of the mitzvoh should stand in his good stead so that his son would live, the donour is considered very righteous. Tosfos there asks that this seems contrary to the words of the mishnoh in Pirkei Ovos that one should not perform a mitzvoh to receive a reward. The Lisker Rov in Ach Pri T'vuoh answers this with the gemara Chulin 44. Rabbi Zeira would not accept gifts (based on the verse that says one who abhors presents will live). When he would give to another he would clothe the donation in an explanation that it is for his own benefit. The Lisker Rov explains that he did this so that the recipient should not refuse to accept the charity, just as he refused to accept gifts.

This is the intention of the gemara R.H. One who gives charity and verbalizes that he is doing it to derive a benefit from the merit of donating is totally righteous, meaning that he is saying this so that the recipient accept the donation. The donour has no intention of actually receiving a benefit, thus complying with the mishnoh in Pirkei Ovos.

When donating to Hashem there is no concern of His not accepting it because of "sonei matonos yichyeh." Therefore donating to Hashem is to be done totally "lishmi." (B'eir Shlomo)

4) The Holy Alshich asks that our verse should have said, "v'yitnu li," and they shall GIVE Me, rather than "v'yikchu li," and they shall take for Me. He answers that the gemara Kidushin 7a says that although marriage takes place when a man GIVES a woman an object of a certain value, nevertheless, if he is considered a person of great stature to the point that if he were to be willing to accept a gift it would be considered a great honour for the giver, if the woman were to give him am object and he were to accept it, it would be considered as if HE GAVE her the benefit of her receiving an object of value from him. The Ra"n in his commentary on this gemara says that this ruling is limited to a case where the present is one that is given permanently to the recipient. If however, the object was given just for a period of time and then would revert back to the giver, we do not consider the acceptance by the prestigious person as a thing of value to the giver (see K'tzos Hachoshen 190:4). As mentioned earlier, the gemara R.H. 5a and P'sochim 8a says that if one gives charity with the intention that the merit of the mitzvoh should stand in his good stead so that his son would live, the donour is considered very righteous. This would be considered giving (charity) with the intention of receiving it back (in the form of a benefit, i.e. that his son may live). Although it is surely giving, it is not considered RECEIVING only because of the intended receiving back a benefit. To be able to give to Hashem and consider it as if it were RECEIVING, "v'yikchu," it requires totally giving without expecting any benefit in return. This is "v'yikchu li, lishmi," as otherwise it is "v'yitnu li." (Shev Shmatoso in his preface d.h. "Yaasoke")

Ch. 25, v. 2: "V'yikchu li trumoh mei'eis kol ish asher yidvenu libo tikchu es trumosi" - And they shall take for Me a tithe from each man whose heart will be generous to donate shall you take My tithe - A number of questions:

1) There seems to be a repetition, "v'yikchi li trumoh" and "tikchu es trumosi."

2) "Asher tikchu mei'itom" of the next verse seems to connote that there is a donation that is to be taken from another source.

3) Rashi says that there are 13 types of material to be donated. The first eleven, when listed, have a connecting Vov, while the final two items, "shemen lamo'ore" and "b'somim l'shemen hamish'choh" do not have a connecting Vov.

Although there are answers for these questions, based on the words of the Targum Yonoson ben Uziel an answer emerges for all three points raised. He says that clouds went to Gan Eden and brought numerous items for the Mishkon including the oil for illumination and the spices needed for mixing into the anointing oil.

The words "vv'yikchu li trumoh" refer to the items that the people would donate, while "tikchu es trumosi" literally means "you shall take My (Hashem's) donation. "Asher tikchu mei'itom" is besides the items Hashem will send. There is no connecting Vov for the last two items so as to divide between the items given by people and those given by Hashem. (Beis Aharon - Rabbi S.Z. Horowitz)

Ch. 25, v. 8: "V'ossu li mikdosh v'shochanti b'sochom" - And they shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them - The Rambam rules that the mitzvoh to build a Mikdosh is incumbent upon men and women. At weddings and "sheva brochos" we often hear that the new couple should/will build their personal mikdosh, sanctuary. A newly married groom told his new wife that he is committed to their building a mikdosh, i.e. their home. All was good until a bit after they merited having their first child. Naturally, the child was a nocturnal alarm clock, waking the parents up frequently and at inconvenient hours throughout the night. The mother's having to nurse the child obviously had her enlisted in night service for their newborn. However, the new mother felt that since the child was not being fed every time that it woke, her husband should have his "turn." When she brought this up to him he responded that he desperately needed his sleep. She then asked him about his commitment to build a Mikdosh WITH his wife, not she on her own. He responded that the same Rambam who says that this mitzvoh is incumbent both upon men and women, clearly states that it does not apply at night. (Heard from a relative who said this at his own sheva brochos)

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See also Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha, Chasidic Insights and Chamisha Mi Yodei'a