Moishe Moment: How Do You Give?
By Kevin Ary Levin, Latin America Jewish Educator
Parashat Pekudei “Accountings Of”
Parashat Pekudei (Shemot 38:21-40:38) marks the completion of the great collective feat of building the Mishkan, the “moving Temple” which the Israelites used in the desert. As with many important jobs, serving the temple requires a uniform, which is prescribed in the text. Aaron and his sons are anointed as priests and God’s presence fills the Mishkan.
This parashah connects two things that normally seem disconnected: We start from a very material recount of the money collected from the people in an actual fundraising campaign, and we finish with a cloud encircling the camp while God’s actual presence chooses its place in the world. We had learned previously that the donations, unlike the prescribed half shekel, came “from everyone whose hearts prompt them to give,” meaning it was a voluntary contribution. That is precisely what made it valuable – it symbolized people’s commitment to the common ideal of building a refuge for the Divine and elevating themselves in its proximity. By giving generously, the people became more than just users in the Mishkan, but co-builders in their new shared reality. Look at the communities that you buildevery day:
How do you and your community members act and give their hearts, in time, money or even gestures? How is a joint community built among people who are fundamentally different? How do the material aspects of our communities connect to their most intangible aspects?