“Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.”
This second verse of the Torah reading for this week, TERUMAH, which is found in Exodus Chapter 25, suggests the initial criteria for what would become the “building campaign” for the Israelite Tabernacle.
I have always found the language curious, because the first part of this verse seems to contradict the second part.
The first phrase asked ALL the Israelites to “bring gifts” for the Tabernacle. The next phrase stated that the gifts should be accepted from people “whose hearts were so moved” to donate.
One reason for the inconsistency might be the translation of the word “VAYIK’CHU.” It is rendered “bring” when it really means “take.”
So, let’s re-translate: Tell the Israelite people to take for Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.”
That makes more sense. All of the people were directed to accept and collect the donations for the tabernacle, so that they would feel a part of the campaign. They didn’t have to feel guilty if their hearts didn’t move them to give. Bringing some of the contributions to a central location gave them an opportunity for valuable participation.
I appreciate the fact that, according to this passage, giving was voluntary and not mandatory, but collecting and taking was required. Everyone had to do something significant to make the Tabernacle a reality.
Perhaps the reason that there no requirement to donate was the nature of the gift. TERUMAH comes from the Hebrew root that means to “RAISE UP” or “ELEVATE.” If someone didn’t feel “raised up” at the moment of giving, then it was better that they didn’t just go through the motions and contribute. Donating with an “elevated” motivation and spirit demands that we be sincere. That honesty of purpose was crucial for the Holy Tabernacle to possess an aura of sanctity once it was complete.
The Torah seemed to suggest here that collecting and bringing contributions were tasks STILL infused with sacred purpose. It would be like a person from Temple taking our food donations which we collect in the hallway up front to the local food pantry, Casa de Peregrinos, even if he or she didn’t give. The delivery of the food is, in and of itself, an act that accomplishes our congregational goal of Tzedakah, righteous giving.
One of the newer opportunities for people in the United States and across the world to donate to cherished causes and organizations is Giving Tuesday. This day of contributing, just after Thanksgiving, is driven by social media, with most gifts directed to recipients online.
In light of the concept of people giving “if their hearts so moved them” in the Torah reading this week, I decided to explore the origins of Giving Tuesday. Yes, there is a website called GivingTuesday.org. Here is how it explains the origin of this effort:
“Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since 2012, people from all over the world have given over $1 Billion to causes on #GivingTuesday. #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources.”
I had assumed that Giving Tuesday was intended as a follow up, and even a counterbalance, to Black Friday and CyberMonday. When I looked at the note under “ABOUT” on the website, I was treated to a surprise regarding the creation of this day of giving:
“Created by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at the 92nd Street Y—a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around the values of service and giving back—#GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving. A team of influencers and founding partners joined forces, collaborating across sectors, offering expertise and working tirelessly, to launch #GivingTuesday and have continued to shape, grow and strengthen the movement.”
I am sure that most of you have heard of the 92nd Street Y, which is a long-running center of Jewish life in New York City. Rhonda and I actually walked by the 92nd Street Y during one of our visits to New York City last year. It is impressive!
Are you surprised that GivingTuesday is likely rooted in the Jewish value of TZEDAKAH? I’m not.
After reading that statement, I had to see what the Belfer Center is about. Here is how that organization at the 92nd Street Y defines itself:
“The Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact brings the mission of the 92nd Street Y to the world.
We believe that when voices are heard, communities are connected and ideas are nurtured from the ground up, movements can grow and real change can begin. Through grassroots global initiatives, leadership programs and civic movements, the Belfer Center has created a vibrant worldwide community built around big ideas and doing good.”
GivingTuesday is one of the Belfer Center’s BIG IDEAS. The Giving Tuesday website describes its foundational big idea with this declaration: #GivingTuesday harnesses the potential of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities; it provides a platform for them to encourage the donation of time, resources and talents to address local challenges. It also brings together the collective power of a unique blend of partners— nonprofits, civic organizations, businesses and corporations, as well as families and individuals—to encourage and amplify small acts of kindness. As a global movement, #GivingTuesday unites countries around the world by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another.”
Caring is a function of ones’ heart being moved to act in a helpful way to someone in need of assistance. Empowering others is a selfless act, because it means that we are willing to share what power and influence we may have, at whatever level, with people who can use our help. This also requires our hearts to be moved, because it takes a generosity of spirit to share and collaborate with sincerity.
Even more important is the statement that one of the BIG IDEAS of Giving Tuesday is to “encourage and amplify small acts of kindness.” Some might think of philanthropy and charitable giving in large terms, where gifts are significant only if they exceed a certain monetary amount. The GIVING TUESDAY philosophy is in keeping with the Jewish view of tzedakah: that we should give at a level at which we are comfortable, knowing that our gift will be added to others. That is why small gifts are encouraged, because they are amplified when many people, out of the goodness and kindness of their hearts, contribute whatever amount they can muster at a given moment.
I annually receive emails prior to giving Tuesday from over 30 organizations seeking my support. I choose the ones that resonate with me at that time. It might be Women of Reform Judaism because my Mom was active in Sisterhood. It might be a group that combats cancer, because of family members, friends and congregants who have dealt with cancer. It might be organizations that enrich Jewish life on a local, national and global level. No matter what amount I choose, I know that I am giving because of the deep-seated feeling that led me to donate to that particular cause.
So may we all take part in Tzedakah campaigns of many types, knowing that, if our heart moves us to give, we are engaging in an act of TERUMAH, contributing in a way that lifts our hearts and souls to a higher place. May the ancient effort to create a space for holy encounter remind us that our giving today is a sacred act through which we can generate holiness, kindness, and hope. And let us say Amen.
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