PURE MONEY

THE VESSELS OF THE TABERNACLE BUILT DURING THE 40 YEAR SOJOURN IN THE SINAI DESERT IS DESCRIBED PRIMARILY IN THE SECTION CALLED TERUMAH. IN THAT SECTION 2 WEEKS AGO WE READ ABOUT THE VARIOUS VESSELS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AMAZING LEGO-LIKE BUILDING.
HOWEVER, ALL OF THE VESSELS ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THAT TORAH PORTION. FOR THE GOLDEN INSENCE ALTAR IS FIRST MENTIONED AT THE END OF THE READING OF TETZAVEH - LAST WEEK'S READING.
IN OUR CURRENT WEEK THE LAVER - WASHBASIN IS IDENTIFIED AND ITS' USE DESCRIBED.
NOW, SINCE ALL OF THE TORAH IS AT THE EPITOME OF EXACTITUDE WE ARE LEFT WONDERING AS TO WHY THE TORAH OMITTED THE GOLDEN ALTAR AND THE LAVER
FROM THE PORTION OF TERUMAH WHERE THEY WOULD BE ASSUMED TO HAVE BEEN FOUND?
WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT THESE VESSELS REPRESENT A UNIQUE ASPECT OF THE DIVINE SERVICE AND CANNOT BE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST DISCUSSION.
WHAT DOES THE GOLDEN ALTAR REPRESENT? THE OUTSIDE ALTAR WAS USED IN THE SACRIFICE OF ANIMALS, WHICH IN VARYING DEGREES PROVIDED PEOPLE WITH SOME BENEFIT OTHER THAN JUST BEING AN OFFERING TO PLEASE G-D.
EACH OF THE SACRIFICES HAD SOME OF IT LEFT OVER FOR PERSONAL USE, OR AS FOOD FOR THE PRIESTS AND OCCASIONALLY ,THE OWNER OF THE SACRIFICE WOULD EAT OF IT.NOT SO THE GOLDEN ALTAR. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL BENEFIT TO THE PRIEST DOING THE SERVICE , FOR ALL OF THE INSENCE WENT UP IN SMOKE LEAVING LITTLE OR NO RESIDUE.
WHAT DOES THIS SERVICE REPRESENT?IT SYMBOLIZES A CONNECTION WITH G-D THAT IS FOR ITS' OWN SAKE , NOT FOR ANY REWARDS. THIS IS TOO HIGH A LEVEL TO DEMAND AT THE INITIATION OF THE TABERNACLE. FOR A HUMAN BEING BEGINS HIS OR HER LIFE WORRIED ABOUT SURVIVAL.THUS THE INITIAL SERVICE MENTIONED IN THE PORTION OF TERUMAH REFLECTS THE DIVINE SERVICETHAT ASKS FOR A RETURN.
IN HEBREW IT IS CALLED AL MENAS LEQABEL PERAS-IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A BENEFIT.
THIS IS THE WAY ONE BEGINS ONE'S SERVICE TO G-D AND TO HUMANITY. WE LOOK FOR PERKS. HOWEVER, IN THE PROCESS OF SERVING A HIGHER CALLING WE MUST REACH THE HIGHER AWARENESS AND DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE RIGHT , NOT BECAUSE OF PERSONAL BENEFIT.
FOR THIS REASON , THE GOLDEN ALTAR IS ONLY MENTIONED AFTER THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS. AFTER ONE IS EXPOSED TO THE BEAUTY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIVINE SERVICE, IT NO LONGER CAN BE DONE WITH ONE'S OWN SELF-INTEREST. THE NATURE OF THE SERVICE OF G-D IS TO RAISE THE PSYCHE TO A HIGHER LEVEL. AT THIS STAGE, SELF-INTEREST MEANS LITTLE . WHAT COUNTS IS THAT G-D'S WILL BE FULFILLED.FOR THIS REASON THE GOLDEN ALTAR'S CONSTRUCTION IS DELAYED REFLECTING THE NEED FOR THE SERVANT TO GROW UP AND REALIZE THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE MITZVAH IS THE MITZVAH ITSELF .
SO WHY MENTION THE LAVER LAST? AFTER ALL THE LAVER WAS THE VERY FIRST VESSEL USED IN THE DAILY SERVICE. SURELY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MENTIONED FIRST?
THE ANSWER IS THAT THE LAVER WHICH IS USED FOR POURING WATER ON ONE'S HANDS AND FEET IN ORDER TO SANCTIFY THE LIMBS THAT DO G-D'S WORK ALSO REPRESENTS THE CLEANSING OF ONE'S HANDS IN THE FINANCIAL WORLD.
THSI IS ULTIMATELY HARDER THAN EVEN THE ALTRUISM OF THE GOLDEN ALTAR.
FOR WHEN ONE IS DEVOTED TO A CAUSE, ONE SEES THE NEEDS OF THAT CAUSE AS PARAMOUNT. IN DOING SO , ONE MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO GETTING FUNDS FOR USE OF THE CAUSE IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW THEY CAME.
SO-EVEN WHEN ONE HAS NO PERSONAL INTEREST IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO THE WRONG THINGS FINANCIALLY. THEREFORE THE LAVER IS MENTIONED LAST .
THIS IS TO TEACH YOU THAT ONE CANNOT MAKECOMPROMISE IN FUNDING HOLY INSTITUTIONS. THEY MUST BE CLEAN OF ANY TAINTING.
THE PREVIOUS LUBAVITCHER REBBE REFUSED TO HONOR A MAN WITH HIS VISIT
EVEN THOUGH THE MAN OFFERD HIM 100,000 DOLLARS FOR THE VISIT! THE rEBBE'S RATIONALE WAS THAT OTHERS WHO KNEW THE REBBE WOULD TAKE OFFENSE ASTO WHY THE REBBE WOULD HONOR THIS MAN WITH A VISIT BUT NOT THEM. AFTER ALL, THEY KNEW THE REBBE FROM LUBAVITCH AND THEY UNLIKE THE DONOR WERE SABBATH OBSERVANT. IN THAT CASE MY COMING TO VISIT THIS WEALTHY MAN WOULD IMPACT THOSE OBSERVANT FRIENDS THAT I HAVE HERE NEGATIVELY. THEY WILL CONCLUDE THAT THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY, NOT KEEPING SHABBOS. BETTER I SHOULD NOT GET THE MONEY THAN WEAKEN THSE OTHERS' SHABBOS OBSERVANCE!
THE 100,000 IN THOSE DAYS OF THE DEPRESSION WOULD BE WORTH MANY MILLIONS IN TODAY'S DOLLARS. IN FACT , THOSE INVESTIGATING THE REBBE'S DEFICITS DURING THOSE YEARS, AVER ,THAT THE 100K WOULD HAVE WIPED OUT ALL THE DEFICITS OF THE 10 YEAR PERIOD THAT THE REBBE HAD THE LUBAVITCHER YESHIVAH IN POLAND .
YET THE REBBE FOUND THAT TAKING THE MONEY THROUGH THE PERSONAL VISIT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED OTHER JEWS NEGATIVELY . THEREFORE HE REFUSED TO GO AND THE MAN NEVER GAVE THE MONEY.
IN A DAY WHEN MANY A SPIRITUAL LEADER PLAYS G-D WITH TRADING PRINCIPLES FOR THE MONEY NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THEIR TORAH INSTITUTIONS , THE REBBE'S CONDUCT SEEMS NAIVE OR IMPRUDENT. YET UPON EXAMINATION WE SEE THAT THOSE LEADERS WHO TAKE THE MONEY HAVE DEMEANED THE IMAGE OF TORAH IN THE EYES OF SECULAR JEWS. FOR ISRAELI POLITICIANS KNOW THAT GETTING THE ORTHODOX PARTIES ON BOARD IN A COALITION TAKES ONLY LARGE GOVERNMENT APROPRIATIONS NOT COMMITMENT TO PRINCIPLE. SUFFICE TO SAY THAT KIDDUSH HASHEM IS NOT WHAT EVOLVES.
IN THE REBBE'S CASE, AMONGST ALL THE GREAT LEADERS WHO WERE MIRACULOUSLY SAVED FROM THE HOLOCAUST IN OCCUPIED EUROPE, THE REBBE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WENT OUT WITH NO COLATERAL DAMAGE I.E. NO ONE DIED
IN SPIRITING THE REBBE OUT. IN FACT IT WAS THE ABWEHR, THE GERMAN CIA THAT TOOK THE REBBE AND HIS CLOSEST PEOPLE OUT OF POLAND AND SENT HIM TO THESE BLESSED SHORES IN 1940!
CLEAN MONEY = CLEAN INSTITUTIONS WITH NO COLATERAL DAMAGE!
EVEN WHEN BUILDING AN INSTITUTION THE HIGHEST STANDARDS MUST BE USED.