Parshas Terumah 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Feb 21
- 2 min read
דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה ... (כה-ב)
MASHAL: In his late twenties, Yosef Yozel Horowitz was anything but a learned scholar. He was a powerhouse of industry, a “hardware tycoon” who owned a massive chain of eighty retail stores. Wealthy, influential, and deeply rooted in the business world, Yosef seemed destined for a life of commercial success. However, that all changed when he met the legendary Mussar master, R’ Yisroel Salanter zt”l.
R’ Yisroel Salanter was famous for his soul-stirring lectures, and the young businessman found himself drawn to them. A deep bond formed between the merchant and the scholar, but one specific lecture hit home so hard that it completely reshaped Yosef’s world. In a move that stunned his peers, he walked away from his empire, closed all eighty shops, and left his life of luxury behind.
To find true clarity, he retreated into the forest. For five years, he lived in a small, secluded cabin, surviving on simple meals brought to him by locals. When he emerged, he wasn’t a businessman anymore; he had become a scholar of great prowess. He spent the rest of his life focused on the youth of Russia, eventually building eighty yeshivos and becoming the legendary Alter of Novhardok zt”l. He traded his eighty hardware stores for a legacy of spirit and Torah.
NIMSHAL: In the opening words of Parshas Terumah, Hashem commands Bnei Yisroel: “Take for Me an offering.” Strictly speaking, you don’t “take” an offering; you give one. So why the word “take?” The answer is a beautiful truth about life: In the spiritual world, the only things we truly “take” with us are the things we have the courage to give away for a higher purpose. The only assets that become eternally ours are the spiritual ones performed with deep effection.