is equivalent to the effort and sacrifice
required.
The Art of Taking
Reward in this World for Mitzvos Tzedakah
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch
The following was
written by Rabbi Daniel
Yaakov Travis based on
a drasha given on leil
Shabbos by Rav Moshe
Shternbuch, Rosh Av Beis
Din of the Eidah Hacha-
reidis of Yerushalayim.
•••••
GIVING AND TAKING
“Speak to the Jewish people and have
them take for Me terumah” (Shemos
25:2).
One of the primary mitzvos of Pu-
rim is distributing matanos la’evyonim,
distributing gifts to the poor. While the
halachos of reading the megillah are
intricate, giving tzedakah appears fair-
ly straightforward. As long as we give
two poor people enough money to buy
a minimal Purim seudah, we have ful-
filled the mitzvah.
Giving tzedakah involves much more
than taking out a checkbook or reaching
into our pockets to pull out some coins.
How we give money has a major affect
on the mitzvah. In order for our tzedakah
to have the maximum impact, we should
try to understand the deeper significance
of this mitzvah.
The Torah instructs Moshe Rab-
beinu to tell the Jewish people, “Take...
terumah.” Wouldn’t it be more accurate
to write that we should “give” tzedakah
for the building of the Mishkan? By us-
ing the word “take,” the Torah reveals a
special aspect of this mitzvah.
When we give tzedakah to those who
need it, Hashem responds by elevating
us to a level where we are enveloped by
His kedushah. The purer our intentions
and the more we give for the sake of His
honor, the more kedushah we will be im-
bued with by our tzedakah. In essence,
when we give we are really taking.
TAKING TERUMAH
In the next verse, the Torah reverts
back to the standard phraseology of
“giving.” This refers to someone who
does not have the correct intentions;
rather, he must force himself to give.
The Torah describes this as terumas-
chem, “your gifts,” for they are not in-
fused with the kedushah of the Divine
Presence that the other gifts, given with
more purity of heart, contain.
The use of the word terumah when re-
ferring to tzedakah teaches us a crucial
aspect of this mitzvah. Food grown in
Eretz Yisroel is forbidden to eat without
first separating terumah. So too, before
giving tzedakah, one’s money should be
treated as tevel, untithed produce.
Terumah literally means “lifting up.”
Giving money to tzedakah elevates one’s
wealth, raising it to a higher dimension.
Inevitably, this causes people to experi-
ence more bracha in all of their financial
endeavors.
HEARTFELT OFFERINGS
“…every man who offers his heart
should take My terumah” (Shemos
25:2).
The Zohar writes that tzedakah only
has the proper impact if one is an ish,
12 Adar 5770 • February 26 2010
supported and encouraged, Hashem yer-
acheim. Each day, the situation becomes
While diamonds are certainly more
expensive than any of the metals listed,
more and more dire.
In addition, the anti-religious gov-
in another aspect these first three items
were actually more valuable in Hash-
ernment is promoting the activities of
non-Jewish missionaries. This is being
em’s eyes. Diamonds and other precious carried out under the guise of promoting
a man of giving. Contributing to char- stones fell together with the mann, and tourism, yet it poses a grave threat to our
ity in a way that does not meet the high bringing them was not considered such holy city. What can we do to stop this
standards of the Torah seriously detracts a sacrifice. At that time, giving up one’s devastation?
from the mitzvah. Only by working on gold, silver and even brass was consid- Anyone who has political influence
oneself beforehand can one hope to ered a much greater contribution. should use it to stop what is taking place.
achieve this level of giving. The Baalei Tosafos explain that gold is In doing so, he will sanctify Hashem’s
The Medrash states that after the Jew- symbolic of giving when one is healthy, name and return Divine glory to the city
ish people said, “Na’aseh venishmah,” silver when sick, and brass when one is that houses the place of the Bais Hamik-
we received the commandment of close to death. The effort exerted when dosh. Every Jew should make his voice
terumah, to give tzedakah for the Mish- giving tzedakah is not measured mere- heard in protest over this chillul Hash-
kan. Just as we accepted the Torah un- ly by how much of a financial stretch em.
conditionally, we must also be prepared it is; Hashem values one’s donations Whatever one can do to strengthen
to give tzedakah without any strings much more when they are given from the study of Torah and the fulfillment
attached. When we do so, Hashem re- a healthy state and not motivated by ill- of mitzvos in Yerushalayim will sure aid
sponds in kind and deals with us in an ness or troubles. this cause. The more kedushah we im-
elevated manner. On Purim, we are directed to give bue into Yerushalayim, the stronger we
Rav Shternbuch describes an incident unconditionally to whoever asks for our will be against an enemy whose desire
that took place with the Chazon Ish. assistance. In fulfilling this mitzvah, we is to uproot every trace of sanctity from
The Chazon Ish once had a visitor from have a chance to take for ourselves and the home of the Shechinah. Every mouth
should be directed in prayer and all eyes
should be raised towards the heavens
Let us make the most of this special opportunity in search of mercy during this difficult
and infuse our homes with this exalted level of kedushah. time for Klal Yisroel.
•••••
Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kol-
London staying with him, so he decided bring Hashem’s light into our lives. Let lel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is
to use the opportunity to find out more us make the most of this special oppor-
the author of Shaylos U’Teshuvos Toras
about the background of his talmid, Rav tunity and infuse our homes with this Chaim and “Praying With Joy - A Daily
Moshe Shternbuch, who was also of exalted level of kedushah.
Tefilla Companion,” a practical daily
English descent. He asked his guest to guide to improving one’s prayers, avail-
tell him a story about Rav Shternbuch’s STRENGTHEN able from Feldheim Publishers. Rav
family. YERUSHALAYIM
Shternbuch’s weekly shiurim on the par-
The man replied that Rav Shternbu- The holy city of Yerushalayim is cur- sha are now in print and will be avail-
ch’s father was very careful about giv-
rently being assaulted by the non-reli- able soon from Feldheim Publishers as
ing tzedakah in a way that would protect gious political entities that are in control a sefer titled, “A Voice in the Darkness.”
the honor of his guests. He would slip
of the local government. In the palace of For more information about his work,
some money into their wallets before the King, Shabbos desecration is being contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
they would leave. This way, they would
not have to feel embarrassment about re-
ceiving charity.
The Chazon Ish heard the story, but
was not satisfied. He was searching for
a deeper aspect of the nature of Rav
Shternbuch’s family. He asked his guest
for another story.
The visitor related that when Rav
Shternbuch’s father was sick, he prom-
ised to give a certain sum of money to
tzedakah if he recovered. A short time
later, he reconsidered what he had prom-
ised and decided instead that he would
give the money whether he recovered or
not. He decided to give the money right
away - regardless of whether he would
get better or not.
After the Chazon Ish heard this sto-
ry, he was placated. His guest had now
sufficiently portrayed the family Rav
Shternbuch came from - a family who
performed the mitzvah of tzedakah
properly. This accurately reflected the
chinuch that the Chazon Ish knew Rav
Shternbuch must have received as a
child.
BRASS AND DIAMONDS
“…this is the terumah that you should
take: gold, silver, brass, diamonds” (Sh-
emos 25:3, 7).
The Torah seems to list the materials
of the Mishkan in descending order of
their value: gold, silver and then brass.
It is therefore surprising that the Torah
only lists diamonds after all of these oth-
er items. Why are these precious stones
listed last?
In truth, all wealth belongs to Hash-
em. He does not need our contributions
and merely lets us appropriate our own
wealth to fulfill the mitzvah of tzeda-
kah. The amount of reward we receive
YATED NE’EMAN Page 73