Parshat Va'Yakhel
In 35:21, it says, "כל איש אשר נשאו לבו וכל אשר נדבה רוחו אותו הביאו"
There seems to be two different types of people donation to the Mishkan. There are those who are donating from their heart, and those from their spirit.
Those donating from their heart, the passuk says, "whose heart leads him" - it is an emotional donation. He is being overly generous, giving more than he otherwise would.
Those donating from their spirit are giving more in control - he wants to give but has to limit it.
The passuk equates these two types of people - It is not important how much one gives, but how one gives. The person who can allow himself to donate with no limit, just because he wants to is great. If a person gives wholeheartedly, even if he can only give less, but he gives what he can and he really wants to, he and his donation are just as important as the guy who gives millions, and even better than the guy who gives begrudgingly.
ובלבד שיכוון לבו לשמיים
NOTE: After I thought of this, I found the first part, describing the two different types of people donating explained on the Ohr HaChaim, much more eloquently than I could explain it.
Showing posts with label vayakhel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vayakhel. Show all posts
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, March 12, 2007
women of valor
Parshat Va'Yakhel
In 35:22 it says, " And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every man that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD."
This statement of the Torah is juxtaposed with a statement we read last week in Ki Tisa.
There, Aharon suggested the men bring the jewelery of their wives. We are told he was hoping the women would refuse to part with their jewelry, effecting a delay in their plans. Aharon was wrong in his assumption because the men did not wait for the agreement of the women, rather they simply took the jewelry.
The righteous women refused to be part of the Golden Calf fiasco and refused to give up their jewelry to the point that it had to be forcefully taken from them. Here, the women along with the men happily participated in donating from their personal items and jewelry on behalf of the construction of the mikdash.
the women in the Torah constantly show their dedication to Hashem's path, even when the men constantly fail.
In 35:22 it says, " And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every man that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD."
This statement of the Torah is juxtaposed with a statement we read last week in Ki Tisa.
There, Aharon suggested the men bring the jewelery of their wives. We are told he was hoping the women would refuse to part with their jewelry, effecting a delay in their plans. Aharon was wrong in his assumption because the men did not wait for the agreement of the women, rather they simply took the jewelry.
The righteous women refused to be part of the Golden Calf fiasco and refused to give up their jewelry to the point that it had to be forcefully taken from them. Here, the women along with the men happily participated in donating from their personal items and jewelry on behalf of the construction of the mikdash.
the women in the Torah constantly show their dedication to Hashem's path, even when the men constantly fail.
donating your time and energy
Parshat Va'Yakhel
The parsha starts off with Moshe describing the need for people to donate the various items for the mikdash construction. He goes through the whole list of items; gold, silver, copper , various cloths and hides, various expensive dyes, oils, spices, stones and gems. Then in 35:10 the passuk says, "וכל חכם לב בכם יבאו ויעשו את כל אשר צוה ה" - and all wise people among you should come and make that which Hashem has commanded. Then it continues listing more items.
Why is this handiwork donated by the wise-hearted person in the middle of the list of items to be donated?
Not everybody can donate. Sometimes it is beyond a persons means to donate an expensive item to a shul, or in this case to the mikdash. He just cannot do it. He might feel bad that everybody else is donating while he is not, but he still cannot.
But maybe he has a skill. Maybe he can help out in a way other than by giving his money. Maybe he can donate his time, roll up his sleeves and physically do things for the shul/mikdash..
The passuk is telling us, I believe, that this type of a donation is equal to the donations of the gold, silver, spices, and boards of wood for the beams of the mikdash. A person who cannot donate the money, or prefers to donate of his unique skills, is on equal footing with other donors.
The parsha starts off with Moshe describing the need for people to donate the various items for the mikdash construction. He goes through the whole list of items; gold, silver, copper , various cloths and hides, various expensive dyes, oils, spices, stones and gems. Then in 35:10 the passuk says, "וכל חכם לב בכם יבאו ויעשו את כל אשר צוה ה" - and all wise people among you should come and make that which Hashem has commanded. Then it continues listing more items.
Why is this handiwork donated by the wise-hearted person in the middle of the list of items to be donated?
Not everybody can donate. Sometimes it is beyond a persons means to donate an expensive item to a shul, or in this case to the mikdash. He just cannot do it. He might feel bad that everybody else is donating while he is not, but he still cannot.
But maybe he has a skill. Maybe he can help out in a way other than by giving his money. Maybe he can donate his time, roll up his sleeves and physically do things for the shul/mikdash..
The passuk is telling us, I believe, that this type of a donation is equal to the donations of the gold, silver, spices, and boards of wood for the beams of the mikdash. A person who cannot donate the money, or prefers to donate of his unique skills, is on equal footing with other donors.
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