Community
Torah Portion
Communal Obligations
Encompass Us All
munal institutions. Throughout our
history, Jewish communities have
taxed themselves in order to build
places to serve God, not only
through prayers but also through
efforts. We have a long tradition of
pooling our resources for the com-
mon welfare, establishing houses of
his week's parsha, Torah
worship, soup kitchens, orphanages
portion, contains many
and other mutual necessities. We
commandments and stories
continue this tradition with congre-
worthy of discussion. It
gational building funds and the
contains laws related to Sabbath
Jewish Federation's Annual
observance, including the well-
Campaign. Although today these
known V'shamru prayer (Exodus 31:
assessments are voluntary
16-17), as well as laws
contributions rather than
regarding the pilgrimage fes-
obligatory taxes, they all
tivals (Pesach, Shavuot,
began with this half-shekel
Sukkot).
•
donation to the
The parsha also contains
Tabernacle.
the dramatic story of the
In the parsha, God
golden calf, in which the
instructs the Israelites to give
people, concerned that
no more and no less than
Moses had deserted them
the half shekel, regardless of
and desperate for a physical
one's financial status: "The
manifestation of God,
RABBI
MARLA rich shall not pay more and
implore Aaron to help them
the poor shall not pay less
J. FEL DMAN
build an idol. Aaron tells
than half a shekel when giv-
Specia 1 to the
the people to collect their
ing the Lord's offering as
Jewish News
gold, perhaps as a stalling
expiation for your persons."
tactic, and he eventually
(Exodus 30:15).
uses it to create the golden calf.
The commentary of the Baalei
Upon witnessing their idol wor-
Tosafot (12th-14th century
ship, Moses breaks the tablets of the
France/Germany) asks why the
covenant. The Midrash suggests that
wealthy were neither required nor
Moses broke the tablets in order to
permitted to contribute more than
protect the Israelites; for if they did
this meager amount. The response is
not receive the laws, they could not
that no person should be able to say
be held accountable for breaking
he has a greater share in the sacred
them (Shemot Rabba; Avot deRabbi
cause than one who has less money.
Natan). After severe punishments
According to Abravanel (15th centu-
and pleading by Moses, the people
ry Spain/Italy), this law was designed
are forgiven and Moses carves a sec-
to avoid embarrassment for the poor
ond version of the tablets.
or undue praise for the wealthy.
There is much of interest in this
This commandment is a great
famous story, and many -commenta-
equalizer. If all contribute the same
tors have explored its significance. Yet
amount to the building of our holy
our focus on the Shabbat command-
places, regardless of status, then all
ments and the story of the golden calf
are equal members of the communi-
often causes us to overlook another
noteworthy element of the parsha. At
the very outset, the Israelites are com-
manded to take a census and assess a
half shekel for each person over the
How can we use the idea of the
age of 20. This tax is to be used for
half-shekel contribution to the
the building of the tabernacle in the
Tabernacle to build and maintain
wilderness. In later times, this tax
our communal institutions today?
would used for maintaining the ser-
Are there ways we can contribute
vice of the Temple.
to our communal institutions
Even today, we assess ourselves for
beyond a minimal financial contri-
the building of our modern taberna-
bution?
cles — our synagogues and our corn-
Do we treat everyone equally in
the religious life of our communi-
Marla J. Feldman is assistant director for
ty? If not, how can we help others
domestic concerns of the Jewish
feel fully a part of our community?
Shabbat Ki Tissa:
Exodus 30:11-34:35;
I Kings 18:1-39.
T
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