I have to admit that I am a bit nervous speaking to you. You are my friends who have high expectations from me and I’ve seen what wonderful educators you are. I don’t want to let you down. The committee didn’t give me any instructions about the length of this D'var Torah. I don’t know how long or short it should be. When I am nervous, I tend to ramble. I remember when I was a “green” rabbi interviewing for my first pulpit, I was nervous and spoke a little too long. In the receiving line, I began to apologize for speaking too long. One woman tried to make me feel better by saying: “Oh Rabbi, you didn’t speak too long. It only felt long.” I figure it would be good to do both again today.
As you well know there are 4 special Shabbatot surrounding Purim and Passover to help us prepare physically and spiritually for those holidays. This Shabbat marks the first special Shabbat, Shabbat Shekalim. In the second Torah portion, the Torah imposes a flat tax of a half Shekel upon Israel. “This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay; a half-shekel and from the age of 20 years up, shall give the Lord’s offering: the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than a half a shekel.” (Exodus 30:13-15) Everybody had an equal share in maintaining the Holy Temple, the Bet HaMikdosh.
This tax was due by the 1st of Nisan. The rabbis ordained that this parasha reminder should be read the Shabbat before Rosh Hodash Adar as to give the Jewish people time to save their prutot in order to pay their tax bill.
Ever since we landed in Israel, we‘ve been spending shekalim instead of dollars. What a way to make the Torah reading more tangible! Since shekalim look and spend more like monopoly money I’ve been thinking a lot about money.
I’ve learned more Torah from Mary Douglas, a British Catholic anthropologist, than almost all my JTS professors. She wrote in her book The World of Good that our money has no intrinsic value. Unlike the silver dollars of old, our paper bills are literally worth only the value of the raw materials plus the manufacturing costs. We assign value to the bills and make them one dollar, five dollar, ten dollar, 50 dollar, and 100 dollar bills.
Looking at money that way, we can understand money as value markers. Where we spend our money shows us where our true values lie. One person will value a car more than another and is willing to spend top dollar for the newest car with all the bells and whistles while another is just as happy with an old jalopy to get him back and forth from work. Both cars do the same thing, travel from point a to point b, but one person values a car more than the other. When I was a rabbinical school student and needed to buy a set of Talmud, off course I had to purchase the top of the line and not a cheap off-set copy. They both contain the same words, but I valued the Talmud and my money flowed to the most expensive set as an expression of my values.
My father z”l taught me that if you really want to learn about a person’s deepest held values, don’t read his autobiography. You’ll just get his politically correct spin. Which book do you have to read? Read his check book! Our ancestors valued the Temple and its central role in the life of the people and demonstrated it by donating a half shekel to the Bet HaMikdosh.
Although I haven’t seen any the check books of the following people I know where their values lie. I want to appreciate and thank all the people who truly value the Leadership Institute. First I appreciate and acknowledge the contribution of the Federation who by their grant makes this whole institute possible along with this trip. I’ve already learned so much. It has changed my life. I know all of you share my sentiment that this institute and this trip to Israel is a real gift.
I want to appreciate thank all the mentors, those here and those who could not come. Although they are actually working hard while we are enjoying the fruits of their labor here, they had to contribute out of their own pocket towards their trip like all of us did. They have truly put their money where there mouths are.
Of course, I want to thank Roberta and Ronit on this side of the pond and Evie and Beth on our side of the pond for all they have done for us. Words are inadequate to describe their contribution to our success as educators.
I know that I speak on behalf of all of us as I conclude “Todah Rabah min halev!”
Shabbat Shalom!
Yasher Koach! Love the picture ;-)
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