Parshat Vayakhel: Inner Generosity

What word (in the Hebrew) do you notice is repetitive in Parshat Vayakhel?

קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽה' כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת ה' זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃

Take from among you gifts to ה'; everyone whose heart is so moved shall bring them—gifts for ה': gold, silver, and copper;

שמות ל״ה:י׳

וְכׇל־חֲכַם־לֵ֖ב בָּכֶ֑ם יָבֹ֣אוּ וְיַעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה ה'׃

Exodus 35:10

And let all among you who are skilled come and make all that ה' has commanded:

שמות ל״ה:כ״א-כ״ב

(כא) וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ כׇּל־אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂא֣וֹ לִבּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נָדְבָ֨ה רוּח֜וֹ אֹת֗וֹ הֵ֠בִ֠יאוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֨ת ה' לִמְלֶ֨אכֶת אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּלְכׇל־עֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹ וּלְבִגְדֵ֖י הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (כב) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים עַל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ נְדִ֣יב לֵ֗ב הֵ֠בִ֠יאוּ חָ֣ח וָנֶ֜זֶם וְטַבַּ֤עַת וְכוּמָז֙ כׇּל־כְּלִ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכׇל־אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵנִ֛יף תְּנוּפַ֥ת זָהָ֖ב לַה'׃

Exodus 35:21-22

(21) And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit was moved came, bringing to ה' an offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral vestments. (22) Men and women, all whose hearts moved them, all who would make an elevation offering of gold to ה', came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants —gold objects of all kinds.

שמות ל״ה:כ״ט

כׇּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֣ב לִבָּם֮ אֹתָם֒ לְהָבִיא֙ לְכׇל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה ה' לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֑ה הֵבִ֧יאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל נְדָבָ֖ה לַה'׃ {פ}

Exodus 35:29

Thus the Israelites, all the men and women whose hearts moved them to bring anything for the work that ה', through Moses, had commanded to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to ה'.

שמות ל״ו:ג׳-ו׳

(ג) וַיִּקְח֞וּ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֵ֤ת כׇּל־הַתְּרוּמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵבִ֜יאוּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִמְלֶ֛אכֶת עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ לַעֲשֹׂ֣ת אֹתָ֑הּ וְ֠הֵ֠ם הֵבִ֨יאוּ אֵלָ֥יו ע֛וֹד נְדָבָ֖ה בַּבֹּ֥קֶר בַּבֹּֽקֶר׃ (ד) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ כׇּל־הַ֣חֲכָמִ֔ים הָעֹשִׂ֕ים אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ אִֽישׁ־אִ֥ישׁ מִמְּלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִֽׂים׃ (ה) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה לֵּאמֹ֔ר מַרְבִּ֥ים הָעָ֖ם לְהָבִ֑יא מִדֵּ֤י הָֽעֲבֹדָה֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה' לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽהּ׃ (ו) וַיְצַ֣ו מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַל־יַעֲשׂוּ־ע֛וֹד מְלָאכָ֖ה לִתְרוּמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם מֵהָבִֽיא׃

Exodus 36:3-6

(3) They took over from Moses all the gifts that the Israelites had brought, to carry out the tasks connected with the service of the sanctuary. But when these continued to bring freewill offerings to him morning after morning, (4) all the artisans who were engaged in the tasks of the sanctuary came, from the task upon which each one was engaged, (5) and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that ה' has commanded to be done.” (6) Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!” So the people stopped bringing:

Describe the model of generosity presented in Parshat Vayakhel.

Commanded or voluntary?
Universally applicable or only for Jews?
Does it matter to which cause one gives?

שמות ל״ב:ב׳-ד׳

(ב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃ (ג) וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כׇּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ד) וַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Exodus 32:2-4

(2) Aaron said to them, “[You men,] take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” (3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. (4) This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

"Take from among you gifts for God; everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them" (Exodus 35:5). The Midrash quotes: "Vast floods cannot quench love, nor rivers drown it" (Cant. 8:7), commenting: "My children made Me a sanctuary of skins, and I came down and dwelt among them."
The point is that the love and attachment to God that Israel received at Mount Sinai remain alive in them forever, even when sin prevents them from bringing this hidden love out into the open. So after the sin [of the Golden Calf], they needed to give this offering. By the act of giving they brought forth their own inner generosity, their longing and attachment, so that they were able to draw the Shekhinah [into their midst]. That is why the sanctuary is called "the tabernacle of witness" - it bears witness that the Shekhinah dwells in Israel.
The Language of Truth: The Torah Commentary of the Sefat Emet, Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger, Translated and Interpreted by Arthur Green, p. 137.

משנה אבות ב׳:ט׳

(ט) אָמַר לָהֶם, צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בָּהּ הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן טוֹבָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר טוֹב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן טוֹב. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב טוֹב. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם...

Pirkei Avot 2:9

(9) He [Rabban Yohanan] said unto them: go forth and observe which is the right way to which a man should cleave? Rabbi Eliezer said, a good eye; Rabbi Joshua said, a good companion; Rabbi Yose said, a good neighbor; Rabbi Shimon said, foresight. Rabbi Elazar said, a good heart. He [Rabban Yohanan] said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach, for in his words your words are included...

רבינו יונה על פרקי אבות ב׳:ט׳:ה׳

איזו היא דרך ישרה שידבק בה האדם. בכל המדות טובות והישרות יש לאדם להדבק בהם ר"ל להדבק במדה אחת להיות שלם בה כי טוב לאדם לאחוז במדה אחת בשלמות ונקל אליו להשיג ממנה אל כל המדות החשובות מהיותו בן כמה מדות ואיננו שלם באחת מהן. וזהו שאמר ר' אליעזר עין טובה. ר"ל מדת הנדיבות שהיא מדה נאה ומשובחת ואחר היות בתכלית הנדיבות על כל פנים ישיג אל המעלות האחרות כי מחמת רוחב לבו ועינו היפה הוא אליו המדה הזאת. ואדם כזה ראוי לכל מדה טובה וזהו שכתוב (משלי י"ד כ"א) ומחונן עניים אשריו ר"ל שהענוים הם מוצאין חן בעיניו ונותן להם בעין יפה מלשון (תהלים ק"ב ט"ו) ואת עפרה יחננו שעפר ארץ ישראל ימצא חן בעיניהם:

Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avot 2:9:5

what is a straight path that a person should cling to: From all of the good and straight paths that a person should cling to. He means to say to cling to one trait, to be complete with it. As it is better for a person to grab one trait in full - that it become easy for him to reach all of the important traits via it - than his being someone with [attempted mastery of] many traits and he is not complete in any one of them. And this is that which Rabbi Eliezer said, A good eye: He means to say the trait of generosity, which is a fine and praiseworthy trait. And once he is at the peak of generosity, he will certainly reach the other virtues - as this trait [comes] to him because of a broad heart and a good eye. And a person like this is fit for every good trait, and this is what is written (Proverbs 14:21)," he who shows pity (mechonen) for the lowly is happy." This means to say that the humble are the ones that find favor in his eyes and [so] he gives to them with a good eye. [This is like] the usage (Psalms 102:15), "and they will cherish (mechonen) its dust" - that the dust of the Land of Israel will find favor in their eyes.

משנה תורה, הלכות מתנות עניים י׳:ז׳

(ז) שְׁמוֹנֶה מַעֲלוֹת יֵשׁ בַּצְּדָקָה זוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִזּוֹ. מַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה זֶה הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּךְ וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַתָּנָה אוֹ הַלְוָאָה אוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ שֻׁתָּפוּת אוֹ מַמְצִיא לוֹ מְלָאכָה כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק אֶת יָדוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת לִשְׁאל. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כה לה) "וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ" כְּלוֹמַר הַחֲזֵק בּוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפּל וְיִצְטָרֵךְ:

Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor 10:7

(7) There are eight levels in charity, each level surpassing the other. The highest level beyond which there is none is a person who supports a Jew who has fallen into poverty [by] giving him a present or a loan, entering into partnership with him, or finding him work so that his hand will be fortified so that he will not have to ask others [for alms]. Concerning this [Leviticus 25:35] states: "You shall support him, the stranger, the resident, and he shall live among you." Implied is that you should support him before he falls and becomes needy.

חובות הלבבות, שער שלישי - שער עבודת האלוהים י׳:י״ח

וכן שתי מדות הנדיבות והכילות ומקום הנדיבות לשום כל דבר במקומו ולתת לכל בעל מדה חמודה מן הממון והחכמה כפי מה שראוי לו כמ״‎ש (שם ג) אל תמנע טוב מבעליו בהיות לאל ידך לעשות ואמר (שם ה) יפוצו מעינותיך חוצה

Duties of the Heart, Third Treatise on Service of God 10:18

So with the two traits, generosity and miserliness. The part of generosity is to assign to everything its proper place, and give to every good-charactered person of your money and of your wisdom, in a measure suitable to the recipient, as it is said: "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it" (Prov. 3:27); further, "Let your fountains be dispersed abroad" (Prov. 5:16).

סוטה ל״ח ב:י׳

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אֵין נוֹתְנִין כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה לְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא לְטוֹב עַיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבֹרָךְ כִּי נָתַן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּל אַל תִּיקְרֵי יְבֹרָךְ אֶלָּא יְבָרֵךְ

Sotah 38b:10

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: One may give a cup of blessing to recite the blessing of Grace after Meals only to someone with a good eye, i.e., a generous person, as it is stated: “One who has a good eye will be blessed [yevorakh], for he gives of his bread to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9). Do not read it: “Will be blessed.” Rather, read it: Will bless [yevarekh].