1. "And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Yisrael that they bring Me an offering, of every man whose heart prompts him... '" (Shemot 25:1-2). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion saying, "For Yah has chosen Jacob to Himself, Yisrael for His peculiar possession" (Tehilim 135:4). How beloved are the children of Yisrael before the Holy One, blessed be He, who desires them, and wants to be attached to them and connect Himself with them to make them a single nation in the world, as it is written, "And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Yisrael?" (II Shmuel 7:23). They wanted Him and were attached to Him, as it says, "For Yah has chosen Jacob to Himself" and, "For Hashem's portion is His people" (Devarim 32:9). He gave ministers and officers to the other nations and took Yisrael to His part.
1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ וְגוֹ'. רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח, כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִסְגוּלָתוֹ, כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ, וּבָעָא לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהוּ, וּלְאִתְקְשְּׁרָא עִמְּהוֹן. וְעָבֵד לְהוֹן עַמָּא יְחִידָאִי בְּעָלְמָא, דִּכְתִּיב וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ, וְאִינּוּן אִתְרְעוּ בֵּיהּ, וְאִתְקַשְּׁרָן בֵּיהּ. הה"ד, כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ. וּכְתִיב כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ' עַמּוֹ. וְיָהַב לִשְׁאַר עַמִּין שׁוּלְטָנִין רַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן עָלַיְיהוּ, וְהוּא נָטִיל לְחוּלָקֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל.