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Does each Jew own a pro-rata share in communal offerings, or does Korban Tzibbur represent an entirely new form of ownership? Using a Rashi (רש"י) in Parshas Korach about Dasan and Aviram's share in the Korban Tamid, Rabbi Zweig argues that communal offerings function more like shutfin (partnerships) than abstract communal property. The Baal HaTurim's "appeasement" language in Terumah reflects this—Jews aren't giving away money but acquiring ownership.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a fascinating Baal HaTurim on the beginning of Parshas Terumah. The Baal HaTurim comments that Moshe Rabbeinu needed to speak in an appeasing manner when asking Bnei Yisrael to contribute money for the Mishkan. But what requires appeasement? The Baal HaTurim's insight is that the very language of the pasuk—"Daber el Bnei Yisrael v'yikchu li terumah"—implies a special form of communication. The word "daber" is not merely a quotation instruction (as Rashi (רש"י) typically understands it) but a directive to "tell them" in a convincing, appeasing way. The question remains: what exactly is the appeasement addressing? Rabbi Zweig suggests that the answer lies in understanding the nature of ownership in Korban Tzibbur (communal offerings). He brings a critical Rashi from Parshas Korach to support this thesis. When Dasan and Aviram rebelled against Moshe, Moshe became angry and said to Hashem (ה׳): "Do not accept their offering"—specifically, do not consume their share in the Korban Tamid. Rashi explains, based on a Midrash, that every single Jew has a pro-rata share in the daily communal offerings. This is a revolutionary concept. Normally, one would assume that Korban Tzibbur represents a new type of ownership—communal ownership that doesn't belong to any individual, with no divisible shares. But Rashi's statement that Moshe asked Hashem not to "eat up their share" proves otherwise: each Jew actually owns a proportionate share of the Korban Tamid.
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Parshas Terumah, Parshas Korach
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