Trumah in Thought

Rashi tells us that Ya'akov planted Acacia trees more then two hundred years before the Exodus of Egypt in order to strengthen the faith of the Jewish people.
No matter how distressing the exile in Egypt became a physical reminder -connecting them with their homeland, Israel, was constantly present.
In our generation as well have a tree, a connection to our past, a source of strength for the present, and a leader towards the future.

Nasi -a Jewish leader- stands for Nitzutz Shel Ya'akov Avinu, a spark of Ya'akov our father . . .
The Ba'al Shem Tov once gave a letter to a certain wealthy business man, telling him to give it to the Parness (the councilman) of a certain town. The wealthy man forgot to give the letter; the years went by, his fortunes took a turn for the worst. Finally, at his most desperate hour, the once wealthy man found the long forgotten letter, years after the passing of the Ba'al Shem Tov -let alone the Ba'al Shem's request to deliver the letter- and delivered it to the Parness, who only that day had been elected to his post.
The greatness of the Ba'al Shem was not that he was able to see the future, but that he looked ahead in order to care for an individual -to help him and to comfort him in a time of need.

Ya'akov looked ahead to help his children . . .
He took care of all, we need only look to the trees to understand.

Adapted from the writings of the Rebbe