Teruma
In Parashat Teruma the Torah writes about the Ark that was inside the Mishkan (the Tabernacle.) Inside this Ark was the Luchot, and the original broken Luchot, and a Sefer Torah. The Torah gives instruction on how to construct the Aron. The Torah tells us to build rings onto the outside of both long sides of the rectangular Aron, in order to provide support for 2 poles that would be inserted through the rings and then used to carry the Aron when traveling. Our Parasha then writes in Perek 25, Pasuk 15, ‘BiTabiot HaAron Yihiyu HaBadim Lo Yasuru Mimenu’, which translated means, ‘In the rings of the Ark must the poles remain, They must not be removed from them.’ The Torah tells us that we should never remove the poles from the rings. Why is the Torah telling us this? Seemingly, we would remove the poles once the Aron is placed down. Why does the Torah tell us here to leave the poles inserted through the rings all the time?
Our Rabbis learn a great lesson from this concept. The poles which support the Ark that are never removed are likened to the supporters of Torah. Those who finance Yeshivot, and those who give charity to Torah institutions, are equivalent to the poles that supported the Ark. The donators, the generous benefactor, are attached eternally to what they are supporting. The donators and benefactors therefore are on par with the Talmide Chachamim who learn in the supported institutions. And thus, the donators and benefactors will enjoy the same position as the Torah scholars in Olam Haba. A person should realize that he is attached forever when he supports a Yeshiva. The Pasuk says ‘Lo Yasuru Mimenu’, meaning that the supporters of Torah of forever and eternally bonded together.
This should be a very comforting message to those people who give money, to demonstrate how far their money is going. Their money is actually buying them a front row seat in the after life, and they will bask in such a high level equal to that of the Chachamim. The Torah tells us to leave the poles in, and not to separate the Torah from its supporters. The Torah keeps the poles inserted through the rings in order to remind the supporters of Torah of their great benefit that they are going to have not only in this world but in the world to come as well.
