This week’s Torah portion is Vayakel, which means, and assembled. Moses assembles the people to begin work on the Tabernacle. He asks them to bring free-will contributions of gold, silver, copper, fabric, wood, and animal skins. They return and bring so much, day after day, that there is extra, and Moses tells them that there is enough. The portion ends with the actual construction of the shining furniture and the sacred enclosures.
In verse 36:4 the Torah says, “All the wise people came.” This phrase refers to those who were skilled, who knew how to use their talents to construct the Sanctuary, the lace curtains, the embroidered tapestries, and the holy furniture. But in a broader sense, “all the wise people came,” can also refer to those who made any contribution: money, materials, knowledge, or labor: from the wealthiest people, the princes, who contributed the precious stones for the High Priest’s breastplate, to the children who probably brought water and food to the workers. Since we are all One, giving in any form means that we are giving to God, to others, and also to ourselves. We can’t give just to one without giving to all three. The Universe is structured that way.
Knowing how the Universe works, knowing about being One with God and each other is wisdom, and when this wisdom is translated into conscious choice and conscious action it is a powerful engine leading to spiritual growth and the expansion of a person’s compassion and goodness, the ability to be a mensch in the world. The Torah also tells us, in Deuteronomy, Verse 15:10: “You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because for this thing the Eternal your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand to.” This means that the blessing we give somehow returns to us.
This D'var Torah is only half of the sermon I gave last week. I read a story from the book, Lamed Vav, the favorite stories of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. In short, a poor man whose children and wife went about in rags, somehow saved enough to buy a farm. But a widow in the town discovered that when her husband died they were destitute, and her daughter's wedding into a wealthy family was in peril. The poor man gave his life savings to the widow so that her daughter could marry the man she loved. The poor man and his family was greatly blessed with unimaginable wealth. During WWII, all his descendants were taken to Auschwitz and every one survived. They came penniless to this country, but within a month, the family was wealthy again. Shabbat Shalom!
Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Power of the Gift
This week’s Torah portion is Nasso, which means take. Moses continues to take a census of the Levites; and the Levites are assigned tasks for dismantling and carrying the Tabernacle. Instructions for purifying the camp are given, there is a process to atone for sins, and laws that have been abandoned, such as the trial by ordeal, when a husband is suspicious of a wife; and the rules for temporary nuns and monks, the Nazarites, are outlined. This portion famously includes the Priestly Benediction; and concludes with the description of identical offerings of the tribal families for the dedication of the altar.
Sometimes when I read the Torah, something catches my attention. I make a note of it, and it’s only later that I realize that most of the portion actually addresses this one concept. Here are some verses to consider: “God spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the Children of Israel: a man or woman who commits any human sins, by committing treachery toward God and that person shall become guilty – they shall confess their sin that they committed; he shall make restitution for his guilt in its principal amount and add it’s fifth to it, and give it to the one to whom he is indebted. If the man has not kinsman to whom the debt can be returned, the returned debt is for God, for the Kohen, aside from the ram of atonement with which he shall provide him atonement.” (Num. 5:5-8)
This verse speaks about atonement, but also about giving. The entire sacrificial system is predicated on giving. Giving, in the Torah, is the mechanism for drawing closer to God, for atonement, and for celebrating. Also, in this Torah portion specifically, the Levites give their labor to God, the Tabernacle, and to the community of the Israelites. The Nazarites give their time and good intentions. The priests give their blessings, as well as their time, labor, and attention. The Tribal families give gifts. Giving, then, is very important for a number of reasons. We might ask, why is it that giving effects atonement and why is giving so important? We might think that confession effects atonement, or perhaps confession and personal change, and that certainly is true. But personal transformation is also a form of giving, one in which we dedicate ourselves and give ourselves over to acting in consonance with what we know is right, which is almost always what the Source of Life has asked us to do.
The verses from Nasso also teach us that in order to repair whatever we have done or have taken, we need to give more than we might expect; just the way one who has stolen something must return the stolen goods and also pay a fine. It’s the giving that reestablishes our harmonious relationships with each other and with the Divine Presence; and it doesn’t matter what we give, as long as our intentions in giving are good and pure. In a sense, all we have to give is ourselves. All of life, including giving, works the way love works. By giving love we set in motion the conditions for receiving it. By giving to each other, we set in motion the forces that allow us to receive and to grow, to feel good about ourselves and be able to share with each other.
The converse is also true. In the Talmud: R. Yochanan said, If someone keeps for himself the gifts he is required to turn over to the priests, God will punish him by depriving him of his prosperity and leaving him with nothing more than the small amount that he should have given away to God’s servants. R. Nachman b. Yitzchak affirms that giving causes us to receive: “Whoever has priestly gifts and gives them to the Kohen will be come wealthy, as it says, figuratively, whatever a person gives to the Kohen will belong to the giver.” (The Torah Revealed, R. A.Y. Finkel). As always, in spiritual life, our participation is required, and we are the impetus for our own growth, well-being, and prosperity. Not that we have total control, but that without our giving of ourselves, we make no progress. We can give time, Money, kindness, and teaching. We can give love, we can give help. The more we give the happier we become, as long as we are giving with open hearts and balanced judgment.
In the Midrash it says, (Midrash Rabba Numb. 8:7): “ by virtue of his own merit he will enjoy the fruit of his actions both in this world and in the next. Hence it is written, When thou eat the labor of your hands, meaning, the good deeds which he has painstakingly performed in this world; as you read, And there the weary are at rest (Job III, 17), and also, Whatsoever your hand attains to do by your strength, that do… (Eccl. IX, 10). What is his reward? Happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you.” Giving is the way the world works. One metaphor is seeing the world as a giant pocketwatch, whose many gears and springs work harmoniously together, each part contributing to the whole. In human interactions, withholding causes relationships to break down, but giving builds them up, gives us joy, and allows us to feel connected to God and each other. When we are sad, when we need to atone, when we want to reconnect, giving is the mechanism by which we can make a change. The Source of Life provides us with countless opportunities to give. All we have to do is to open ourselves to the awareness that opportunities are constantly being sent to us, and then seize them by giving generously to ourselves and the universe. May we be givers to each other, of whatever we are, and whatever we have to give, and by so doing, be among those who enrich life and live in great joy.
Sometimes when I read the Torah, something catches my attention. I make a note of it, and it’s only later that I realize that most of the portion actually addresses this one concept. Here are some verses to consider: “God spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the Children of Israel: a man or woman who commits any human sins, by committing treachery toward God and that person shall become guilty – they shall confess their sin that they committed; he shall make restitution for his guilt in its principal amount and add it’s fifth to it, and give it to the one to whom he is indebted. If the man has not kinsman to whom the debt can be returned, the returned debt is for God, for the Kohen, aside from the ram of atonement with which he shall provide him atonement.” (Num. 5:5-8)
This verse speaks about atonement, but also about giving. The entire sacrificial system is predicated on giving. Giving, in the Torah, is the mechanism for drawing closer to God, for atonement, and for celebrating. Also, in this Torah portion specifically, the Levites give their labor to God, the Tabernacle, and to the community of the Israelites. The Nazarites give their time and good intentions. The priests give their blessings, as well as their time, labor, and attention. The Tribal families give gifts. Giving, then, is very important for a number of reasons. We might ask, why is it that giving effects atonement and why is giving so important? We might think that confession effects atonement, or perhaps confession and personal change, and that certainly is true. But personal transformation is also a form of giving, one in which we dedicate ourselves and give ourselves over to acting in consonance with what we know is right, which is almost always what the Source of Life has asked us to do.
The verses from Nasso also teach us that in order to repair whatever we have done or have taken, we need to give more than we might expect; just the way one who has stolen something must return the stolen goods and also pay a fine. It’s the giving that reestablishes our harmonious relationships with each other and with the Divine Presence; and it doesn’t matter what we give, as long as our intentions in giving are good and pure. In a sense, all we have to give is ourselves. All of life, including giving, works the way love works. By giving love we set in motion the conditions for receiving it. By giving to each other, we set in motion the forces that allow us to receive and to grow, to feel good about ourselves and be able to share with each other.
The converse is also true. In the Talmud: R. Yochanan said, If someone keeps for himself the gifts he is required to turn over to the priests, God will punish him by depriving him of his prosperity and leaving him with nothing more than the small amount that he should have given away to God’s servants. R. Nachman b. Yitzchak affirms that giving causes us to receive: “Whoever has priestly gifts and gives them to the Kohen will be come wealthy, as it says, figuratively, whatever a person gives to the Kohen will belong to the giver.” (The Torah Revealed, R. A.Y. Finkel). As always, in spiritual life, our participation is required, and we are the impetus for our own growth, well-being, and prosperity. Not that we have total control, but that without our giving of ourselves, we make no progress. We can give time, Money, kindness, and teaching. We can give love, we can give help. The more we give the happier we become, as long as we are giving with open hearts and balanced judgment.
In the Midrash it says, (Midrash Rabba Numb. 8:7): “ by virtue of his own merit he will enjoy the fruit of his actions both in this world and in the next. Hence it is written, When thou eat the labor of your hands, meaning, the good deeds which he has painstakingly performed in this world; as you read, And there the weary are at rest (Job III, 17), and also, Whatsoever your hand attains to do by your strength, that do… (Eccl. IX, 10). What is his reward? Happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you.” Giving is the way the world works. One metaphor is seeing the world as a giant pocketwatch, whose many gears and springs work harmoniously together, each part contributing to the whole. In human interactions, withholding causes relationships to break down, but giving builds them up, gives us joy, and allows us to feel connected to God and each other. When we are sad, when we need to atone, when we want to reconnect, giving is the mechanism by which we can make a change. The Source of Life provides us with countless opportunities to give. All we have to do is to open ourselves to the awareness that opportunities are constantly being sent to us, and then seize them by giving generously to ourselves and the universe. May we be givers to each other, of whatever we are, and whatever we have to give, and by so doing, be among those who enrich life and live in great joy.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Taking and Giving
This week’s Torah portion is Korach, the name of a cousin of Moses, who sought to wrest power away from Moses and Aaron with three of his neighbors from the tribe of Reuben and 250 other leaders. Korach and two of those neighbors, die in an earthquake; and the 250 other rebels also perish. Moses and Aaron, with God’s help and support, survive the insurrection. The portion (Num. 16:1) begins, “Now Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohat, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, son of Pelet, sons of Reuben, took.”
The Zohar (III 176a) asks, “What did he take? “ And the answer given is: “He took an evil counsel for himself.” The Zohar goes on to explain, “If one runs after that which is not his, it flies from him, and what is more, he loses his own as well. So Korah pursued that which was not his, and he lost his own without obtaining the other. Korach quarreled with peace, and the one who quarrels with peace quarrels with the Holy Name, because the Holy Name is called peace. Korah tried to upset peace on high and below. The words, “Korach took,” are telling in this portion, because they say it all. When we were young many of us thought we were given life to become the best we could be in order to be able to learn how to take all that might be available to us. Korach too, misunderstood his mission on earth. He thought he was placed here, at that location and time, to make a name for himself, to win respect and power, to take what he could, and to enjoy all the fruits of life.
It is somewhat fitting that this week’s Torah portion is about leadership.
It is a great blessing for me to be here with all of you. I want to express to you my profound gratitude and thanks that you have allowed me to be here for the last five years to give and not to take. I have enjoyed many, many fruits of life at The Actors’ Temple, but they have all been secondary to the great privilege of being able to serve and to give in and to all of you and this wonderful synagogue. It is a place where we each can give, according to our talents and inclinations, to build up this spiritual community for each other; where we can learn and grow together: sometimes making mistakes, sometimes needing to apologize to one another and making peace, but with open, loving hearts, and the intention to strive to be more and more of a blessing: to support each other and this synagogue, and to be the kind of community we can be proud of. We are on each other’s spiritual paths, and as such we can take steps together to continue to innovate, to continue to grow, to continue to pray, laugh, learn, and help each other. As we enter the journey toward the next five years, please let me know your ideas for the future. Please suggest ways that you want to contribute to this synagogue and to those friends you have made here. Please let me know how I can give to you and support you. I am so grateful to all of you for being here tonight and for allowing me the privilege of serving you at The Actors’ Temple. Thank you with all my heart.
The Zohar (III 176a) asks, “What did he take? “ And the answer given is: “He took an evil counsel for himself.” The Zohar goes on to explain, “If one runs after that which is not his, it flies from him, and what is more, he loses his own as well. So Korah pursued that which was not his, and he lost his own without obtaining the other. Korach quarreled with peace, and the one who quarrels with peace quarrels with the Holy Name, because the Holy Name is called peace. Korah tried to upset peace on high and below. The words, “Korach took,” are telling in this portion, because they say it all. When we were young many of us thought we were given life to become the best we could be in order to be able to learn how to take all that might be available to us. Korach too, misunderstood his mission on earth. He thought he was placed here, at that location and time, to make a name for himself, to win respect and power, to take what he could, and to enjoy all the fruits of life.
It is somewhat fitting that this week’s Torah portion is about leadership.
It is a great blessing for me to be here with all of you. I want to express to you my profound gratitude and thanks that you have allowed me to be here for the last five years to give and not to take. I have enjoyed many, many fruits of life at The Actors’ Temple, but they have all been secondary to the great privilege of being able to serve and to give in and to all of you and this wonderful synagogue. It is a place where we each can give, according to our talents and inclinations, to build up this spiritual community for each other; where we can learn and grow together: sometimes making mistakes, sometimes needing to apologize to one another and making peace, but with open, loving hearts, and the intention to strive to be more and more of a blessing: to support each other and this synagogue, and to be the kind of community we can be proud of. We are on each other’s spiritual paths, and as such we can take steps together to continue to innovate, to continue to grow, to continue to pray, laugh, learn, and help each other. As we enter the journey toward the next five years, please let me know your ideas for the future. Please suggest ways that you want to contribute to this synagogue and to those friends you have made here. Please let me know how I can give to you and support you. I am so grateful to all of you for being here tonight and for allowing me the privilege of serving you at The Actors’ Temple. Thank you with all my heart.
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