Take Me With the Torah and the Five Who Cannot Give Terumah

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Terumah 2:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

[(Exodus 25:2:) AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE (terumah).] The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: The Torah was Mine, and you took it. Take Me along with it. AND LET THEM TAKE ME AS A PRIESTLY SHARE. Resh Laqish said: Thus our masters taught (in Mishnah Terumot 1:1): Five may not separate the priestly share, and if they did separate it, their priestly share is no priestly share: the deaf-mute, the imbecile, the minor, one who separates a priestly share from what is not his own, and a non-Jew who separates a priestly share from what belongs to an Israelite [even with permission], his priestly share is no priestly share. And all of them are derived from this verse: SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, this excludes the deaf-mute, who does not hear. WHOSE HEART PROMPTS HIM, this excludes the imbecile, who does not give willingly in his heart. FROM EVERY MAN, this excludes the minor, who is not a man; and one who separates what is not his, as it is said, FROM EVERY MAN, that is, from what is theirs. And a non-Jew who separates that which belongs to an Israelite, even with permission, as it is said, SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, this excludes the non-Jew, who is not of Israel.

Themes

HumorWitTorahSacrificeHeresy

Biblical References

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