Our eldest daughter works for a Political Action Committee. One of the most important aspects of a Political Action Committee (PAC) is to raise funds in order to help finance state/federal campaigns, to help pass key pieces of legislation, or to promote a political agenda. One can imagine that in the course of fundraising, certain moral or ethical dilemmas can arise. Maybe the donor’s beliefs about other issues were totally at odds with the candidate’s positions. Maybe the donor expects a quid pro quo, something in return for the donation. Maybe the donor’s money derives from ill-gotten gains. Our daughter explained that acceptance of these questionable sorts of donations could damage the integrity, the legal standing, and even the cause that the PAC supports. She explained that she has no problem refusing donations if it means compromising the PAC’s integrity. She then explained that before she accepts a donation, research and investigation of the donor occurs. If there is a problem, she returns the money to the donor.
This Shabbat, we read from Parsha Terumah. In it, Moshe re-ascends the mountain in order to receive the laws, and the blueprint, if you will, for the construction of the Mishkan. The Mishkan will become the portable tabernacle that will eventually permit B’nai Yisroel to gather, to make offerings to God, and to provide a physical dwelling for God. If you are an architect, or if you are an interior decorator, this Parsha goes into tremendous detail about Mishkan’s construction and decoration. Before all the details are presented for construction and decoration, God commands Moshe to tell B’nai Yisroel that the funding for this vital public works project will come from each individual V’Yikchu Li Terumah Mei’eit Kol Ish Asher Yidvenu Libo Tikechu et Terumati – They shall take for me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him, you shall take my portion (Ex. 25:2). The holiest spot within the community, the most sacred area is based upon each and every individual apportioning a percentage of their assets to the construction of, decoration of, and maintenance of the Mishkan. How incredibly equitable! Everyone is involved and everyone has a stake in the outcome.
There were no “dues” per se. Rather, each individual had to look within him/herself and be brutally honest. Each individual would give as they saw fit. This was a sacred moment between the individual and God. The object was not to give due to social pressure but rather for the holiest of reasons. However, such a process requires tremendous honesty. Such a process requires us to be sure that our outside matches our inside. Such a process forces the individual to “mean what you say and say what you mean”. Such a process forces the individual to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk”. This message is implicit in the design of the Aron, the Ark. V’Asu Aron Atzei Shitim – they shall make an Ark of acacia wood (Ex.25:10). V’Tzipitah Oto Zahav Tahor Mibayit U’Michutz T’Tzapenu V’Asita Alav Zeir Zahav Saviv – You shall cover it with pure gold, from within and from without shall you cover it, and you shall make on it a gold crown all around (Ex. 25:11). It makes sense that the outside of the Ark is covered with gold since that will be viewed by the people. However, what is the reason for lining the arc with pure gold from the inside? Rabeinu Chananel, the 11th century North African Talmudist, comments that this arrangement symbolized the Talmudic dictum that a Torah scholar must be consistent; his inner character must match his public demeanor, his actions must conform to his professed beliefs. However, there is no reason to limit such sentiment to Torah scholars. Kol Ish Asher Yidvenuy Libo Tikechu et Terumati – every man whose heart motivates him you shall take my portion. Every man should be motivated to be consistent. Every person’s actions should conform to his/her professed beliefs, and his or her beliefs should be expressed by behavior.
Every day, we face the struggle to keep the pure gold of our integrity and character the same as the pure gold in our behaviour and connections to our family, friends, and community. The object is to never tarnish that which lies within nor that which lies without. Certainly, we learn the blueprints to Mishkan. Perhaps more importantly, we learn that Shachanti B’Tocham, -a place for God to dwell among his people, depends upon each member of the community seizing upon the opportunity to express holiness, whether Mitzvot l’Ben Adam L’Chavero (Mitzvot that pertains between people) or Mitzvot L’Hashem (Mitzvot that pertain to God. If we neglect those opportunities, we tarnish the most precious aspect: our soul’s aspiration toward purity and holiness. When I asked our daughter why she is so rigorous in checking the donors and demands that her staff must be so rigorous in checking the donors; she smiled and reminded me that her father is a Rabbi, that she grew up in an observant home and more than anything she learned that personal integrity is based upon behaviour both in the home and outside the home. She reminded me that we don’t behave in a manner or associate with those who tarnish our integrity, our code, and our “brand”.
Peace
Rav Yitz
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