תרומה ושליחות

Parshat Korach lists some of the special gifts given to the Kohanim and Leviim. One of the Kohein’s gifts is תרומה. This is given directly to one’s favorite Kohein, and it usually represents two per cent of one’s crops. We also learn from the laws of תרומה, that there are certain Mitzvot where one can appoint a שליח, messenger, to act on one’s behalf. This is learned from the words, כן תרימו גם אתם, so shall you and also you, take off Teruma. This awkward, repetitive, wording teaches us about the שליח. The extra word, ״גם״, teaches that שליחות only applies between Jew and Jew. It also means that a Jew cannot be a שליח for a non-Jew, either. Once a non-Jew asked a Jew to buy him חמץ on Pesach. The Jew assumed he could make the purchase because he would not own the חמץ. However, since a Jew cannot be a שליח for a non-Jew, he did, in fact, violate the prohibition of possessing Chametz on Pesach. All of these laws of שליחות, are learned from תרומה.