This week’s Sedra opens with Hashem telling Moshe Rabbeinu to take donations from all whose hearts desire to make contributions to the Mishkan. This statement begs the obvious question: if Hashem never commanded people to give to the Mishkan, how can Moshe simply take donations? One would think that he must first instruct them to give and then collect. Why is it that Hashem doesn’t seem to instruct Moshe Rabbeinu to educate the people to give to the Mishkan fund?

The Torah reiterates a number of times that these donations should come from people whose ‘hearts’ desire’ to donate to the Mishkan. Why is it so important that the donor’s heart should wish to donate? Why does the Torah repeat this idea so many times?

The Torah is telling us that one should give to the Mishkan not because one feels compelled to, but rather because one’s heart wishes to give. The Torah repeats this point because the Torah is stressing that the whole giving from beginning to end must be from the heart. As such Hashem doesn’t even command us to give. Hashem merely tells Moshe Rabbeinu to go around and collect donations from all those who already have prepared themselves top give.

Moshe Rabbeinu is instructed to go around and to collect from those who have, at least mentally, separated money and jewels to give towards the Binyan Hamishkan.

Giving to a Shul or a Makom Torah shouldn’t be seen as an obligation. It should rather come from our desire to do so. Such a desire can only come from the heart. It can only come from a heart that is yearning to be close to Hashem.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski

written as a Zechus for the Refuah Shlaima of Chaim Yisroel ben Chana Tzirel bsch”y