Take a Contribution or Give a Contribution?
In the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, the Almighty gives the order to initiate a fundraising campaign to finance the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Mishkan served as the center of worship where sacrifices were brought until the building of the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) in Jerusalem.
The verse states as follows (Shemot 25:2): “Speak to the sons of Israel, and they shall take for me a contribution, from every person whose heart desires to give, you shall take my contribution.”
Upon examination of the language used in this commandment, there seems to be a mistake in the wording. Since this is an order from God to donate to the building of the Mishkan, one would expect the Torah to write “and they shall give for me a contribution” rather than “and they shall take for me a contribution.”
What We Give is What’s Really Ours
The Beit Halevi offers the following insight: We tend to consider the sum of money or net worth of the assets that we actually have, by adding it all up and then deducting our financial liabilities. When we get the total, we say, “This is how much I have.” In truth, says the Beis Halevi, from a deeper perspective we can ascertain that many times it is actually the money we give away that we really have, rather than what we tallied up.
If we have a pile of money in the bank, big or small, there really isn’t anything we have from the actual money, other than perhaps a sense of financial security. Aside from that, in many cases, the money just ends up going to inheritors, or sometimes worse, if it gets lost or wasted. And even money we actually spend on ourselves on what we feel is worthwhile, in many cases we only derive temporary benefit or pleasure, and in any case, we certainly do not get anything from it beyond the point at which one leaves this world.
By contrast, when we use money for a mitzvah (the will of God), such as a donation to fund the building of a house of worship of God, helping out the needy or contributing to any kind of good charity campaign, this will result in an investment from which we will benefit and enjoy reward from God eternally. And so, this is what the verse is alluding to us by wording the commandment to “take” a contribution rather than to “give” a contribution. Although the actual cash may not be in our bank account anymore, in truth, we are taking for ourselves that money, as we acquire that merit from it for ourselves forever.
I Don’t Need Your Money, I Already Got
A number of years ago I set out on Purim night to collect some money for a certain cause. As is prevalent in Lakewood, NJ and other Orthodox communities, on Purim, the doors of the wealthy people are open, and people stand in lines soliciting funds for various causes. It so happened that the two people whom I approached declined my request for the reason that they already contributed to that cause a few times, giving donations to others who approached them prior.
Naturally, I felt dejected and tried to comfort myself by thinking that I too would not be so excited by giving repeatedly to the same fund. But then I remembered the above insight and I exclaimed to myself, “That’s foolishness!” When you give a donation to a worthy cause, that’s when you are really getting the money. Would anyone say “I already got a lot of money from this place, I don’t want to get any more”?!
Make the Most of Your Money
Furthermore, we could apply this attitude not just towards charity, but to any money spent on a mitzvah, such as buying a gift for a friend or family to increase unity and bring them happiness or performing other mitzvot which require a monetary expense. The money we spend on a mitzvah is not a loss but a real, eternal gain of that money. Who doesn’t want an opportunity to get more from their money?
By Rabbi Yitzchok Aryeh Strimber torah4every1@gmail.com
