This passage, specifically from Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar 62, plays with the concept of terumah (תרומה), the offering given to the priests. It suggests that the portion of this offering—two parts out of one hundred, as mentioned in Mishnah Terumot 4:3—corresponds to something profound: the two tablets of the Torah. : two tablets, containing the essence of God's law. But why connect them specifically to the terumah?
The Tikkunei Zohar goes on to explain that these two tablets represent the Torah that was given over forty days. And here’s where it gets really interesting. The text performs a bit of gematria, a method of interpreting Hebrew words based on the numerical value of their letters.
It points out that the word "Torah" (תורה) itself, when combined with the letter Mem (מ), which has a numerical value of 40, becomes an anagram of "Terumah"! Isn't that wild? The letters of TORaH and Mem—מ△40—can be rearranged to spell TeRuMaH.
What does it mean?
Well, the text is suggesting that there's a deep, intrinsic connection between the Torah, the number forty (representing the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai), and the offering of terumah. The terumah, in a way, becomes a physical manifestation of the Torah's teachings and the divine revelation that occurred on Sinai.
This kind of textual play might seem strange at first. But within the mystical tradition, it's a way of revealing hidden connections and illuminating deeper truths. The text isn't just making a clever observation; it's suggesting that the very fabric of reality is woven together with these kinds of symbolic links. Everything is interconnected.
So, the next time you encounter the word terumah, remember this passage. Remember the two tablets, the forty days, and the hidden message within the letters. It's a reminder that there's always more than meets the eye, and that the Torah is a source of endless wisdom and mystery. It makes you wonder, what other secrets are hidden in plain sight, waiting to be discovered?