Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov
At the beginning of Parashat Terumah it says: “ve'yikchu li terumah”—“and (let them) take an offering for Me.”
The verse says “let them take,” though “let them give” would seem more appropriate.
Rambam, in his commentary on Shir HaShirim, says that whenever a person feels love for the Almighty or fear of Him, he should do something with that feeling, create a kind of “vessel” that holds his fear of and love for the Creator.
A feeling that lacks such a “vessel,” that is not clothed in action, will pass and disappear without a trace.
Torah, mitzvot, and especially tzedakah can serve as such a means of expressing the heart's yearning. By giving to someone in need, a person most closely resembles the Creator, who in His mercy gives life to all His creations.
And although outwardly a person who donates to another is giving, in reality he is receiving.
Through this, he becomes able to make the fear of and love for the Creator that he has experienced his own.
This is also what is said here. “From every person whose heart is willing”—this is a person whose heart has been illuminated by the light of love for and fear of the Almighty, a light that knows no bounds.
It is written in Shir HaShirim: “I sleep, but my heart is awake.”
The Midrash says: “I sleep”—because of the sin of the Golden Calf, “but my heart is awake”—the Almighty, blessed be He, awakens me with the words “And take My offering!”
The Midrash explains why the Torah says “take” rather than “give”: A person gives something to another after thinking about it and carrying out his intention. By contrast, he can take something from another without giving him advance notice.
Having committed the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jewish people had seemingly severed their connection with the Almighty completely and were unable to awaken the Creator's love and blessing toward them. Yet this break with the Almighty was only outward.
The soul of each individual Jew and the soul of the entire people never lose their connection with Him.
And this unbreakable connection is reflected in the replacement of the word “give” with the word “take,” which indicates an action that requires no advance notice, as happens between people who are close.
Translation – Rabbi M. Gaft