Articles in Terumah
Terumah: Food for Thought at your Dinner Table
Sunday: Take and Take Again
We have many motives to give charity. Some give out of peer pressure. Some give for purposes of self aggrandizement. Some give out of a sense of duty. Some give out of a sense of shame. In all the above examples the motive is self-centered; seeking …
Teruma: In the Trenches
The Pawn
What is your favorite piece on the chess board? The queen, horse, castle and bishop are all important, but the pawn has one capacity that the others don’t, growth. The pawn is not at all versatile, it crawls forward one step at a time, yet when it reaches the …
Terumah: Beyond the Call of Duty
Asking for Help?
As a rabbi in a small community, I am often approached by congregants, who need to recite the Kaddish, for help with Minyan recruitment. Before I respond to the call of duty and agree to recruit, I always ask the congregant to go beyond the call of duty …
Teruma: The Size of a Sacrifice
A Cause for Wonder
Moshe was instructed to build a Mishkan (tent) in which G-d would manifest his presence. Gazing into the future Moshe saw King Shlomo marvel that “A G-d who is not contained by the vast heavens would fit into the small confines of the Beis Hamikdash!” Moshe reflected …
Terumah: Our Only True Possession
Receiving Through Giving
“And you shall take for me a contribution,” is the first verse of this Parsha. The fact that it reads “You shall take for me a contribution” and not “You shall give for me a contribution” indicates that he who gives is also a recipient. In fact, that …
Terumah : Whose Money Is It Anyway?
The Tele-marketers and I
As I sat down for dinner, the telephone rang and I found myself responding to the third telemarketer of the evening. These calls came after a day spent digging through unsolicited e-mail from countless businesses and organizations. You can imagine my consternation when the doorbell rang as …
