17 Feb PARSHA IN PRACTICE: SKILLS FOR BETTER LIVING TERUMAH – A NEW “TAKE” ON DONATIONS

Now that we’ve read
Mishpatim, we can
proceed to Terumah.
The Beis HaLevi, Rav
Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l (d. 1892), makes
a sharp point in his opening remarks on
this week’s Torah portion. Parshas Terumah
begins the story of the most successful
fundraising campaign in Jewish history:
collecting donations for the Mishkan. Hashem
informs Moshe of all the materials that will be
necessary to construct a sanctuary worthy of
housing the Shechinah. The Beis HaLevi notes
that it is very telling that this topic appears
immediately after last week’s reading of the
civil laws of Mishpatim. In a sense, the Torah
is teaching us the prerequisites for having the
privilege of contributing to the Mishkan: In
order for there to be a Terumah (donation),
there must first be Mishpatim (laws). Only
money that is gained legally and ethically can
be accepted for Godly endeavors.
Unfortunately, there are people who have
the opposite perspective. They believe that
gaining money by cutting corners in business
or cheating the government can be justified
by giving generously to shuls, yeshivos, or

hospitals (see Maharsha, Kesubos 67b). Even
if it is not permission to commit fraud in the
first place, perhaps it is, at least, a method to
ease the conscience after the fact. Can there be
anything wrong with donating more money to
religious causes?
The order of our Parshios addresses that
question. Building a Mishkan cannot be the
impetus to rationalize or whitewash ill-gotten
gains. In fact, the more holy the undertaking,
the more important that it be funded by clean
hands and with legitimate profits.
Additionally, one who uses dishonest means
to accumulate money for charity exhibits a
flawed perspective on the mitzvah of tzedakah.
Such a person assumes that the pauper or
institution is the beneficiary of the generosity,
and that the donor is providing an altruistic
service worthy of honor. The reality, however,
is quite the opposite.
Chazal ask the existential question of why
poverty exists, and they answer that Hashem
did so to provide an altruistic service to
the wealthy, allowing them the privilege of
sharing their G-dly blessings (Bava Basra
10a). Similarly, while we would have expected
the Torah to use the word v’yitnu (and they

shall give) to instruct
on the donations to the
Mishkan, our parshah
actually opens with
the word v’yikchu (and
they shall take). This
paradoxical word for
“donate” teaches us
who is truly gaining by
pledging to Godly causes.
In reality, all money
belongs to Hashem, but
He allows us to “take”
an active role in holy
endeavors by using
His gifts as intended
(Alshich, Shemos 25:2).
It is an honor to be able
to participate in a meaningful cause like the
Mishkan, and generous “givers” should really
see themselves as fortunate “takers.”

Now consider how foolish it is to use ill-
gotten gains for charitable causes. The whole

point of donating is to recognize that money
is a gift from Hashem, and to remember the
obligation to use “our” money properly. By
cutting corners to achieve these means, we are
not only legitimizing deceitful behavior, but

demonstrating a complete misunderstanding
of Whose money it really is.
Living a frum lifestyle can be exorbitantly
expensive. But let us not kid ourselves that
Hashem would want us to engage in tax
fraud, insurance scams, or dishonest Amazon
returns in order to afford yeshiva tuition,
fancy weddings, and Pesach programs.
After all, we can only consider Terumah after
having internalized Mishpatim.