Amen אמן
Belief/Faith/Trust אמונה emunah
Artist אומן oman
Set induction: Find in our (first triennial) reading TWO moments of great equalization. What do you make of them?
(יא) וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. (יב) כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַה' בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם. (יג) זֶה יִתְּנוּ כָּל הָעֹבֵר עַל הַפְּקֻדִים מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הַשֶּׁקֶל מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל תְּרוּמָה לַה'. (יד) כֹּל הָעֹבֵר עַל הַפְּקֻדִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמָעְלָה יִתֵּן תְּרוּמַת ה'. (טו) הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט מִמַּחֲצִית הַשָּׁקֶל לָתֵת אֶת תְּרוּמַת ה' לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם. (טז) וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת כֶּסֶף הַכִּפֻּרִים מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנָתַתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהָיָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי ה' לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם.
(11) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (12) ’When thou receive the sum of the heads of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul to the LORD, when you count them; that there be no plague among them, when you count them. (13) This they shall give, every one that passes among them that are counted, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary—the shekel is twenty gerahs—half a shekel for an offering to the LORD. (14) Every one that passes among them that are counted, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of the LORD. (15) The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of the LORD, to make atonement for your souls. (16) And you shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.’
(ב) לֹא־י֭וֹעִילוּ אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת׃
(2) Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivers from death.
(ג) עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַה' מִזָּֽבַח׃
(3) To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
(1) For the leader of the Korahites - a psalm. (2) Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world, (3) men of all estates, rich and poor alike. (4) My mouth utters wisdom, my speech is full of insight. (5) I will turn my attention to a theme, set forth my lesson to the music of a lyre. (6) In time of trouble, why should I fear the encompassing evil of those who would supplant me — (7) men who trust in their riches, who glory in their great wealth? (8) Ah, it cannot redeem a man, or pay his ransom to God; (9) the price of life is too high; and so one ceases to be, forever. (10) Shall he live eternally, and never see the grave? (11) For one sees that the wise die, that the foolish and ignorant both perish, leaving their wealth to others. (12) Their grave is their eternal home, the dwelling-place for all generations of those once famous on earth. (13) Man does not abide in honor; he is like the beasts that perish. (14) Such is the fate of those who are self-confident, the end of those pleased with their own talk. Selah. (15) Sheeplike they head for Sheol, with death as their shepherd. The upright shall rule over them at daybreak, and their form shall waste away in Sheol till its nobility be gone. (16) But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me - selah. (17) Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when his household goods increase; (18) for when he dies he can take none of it along; his goods cannot follow him down. (19) Though he congratulates himself in his lifetime —“They must admit that you did well by yourself”— (20) yet he must join the company of his ancestors, who will never see daylight again. (21) Man does not understand honor; he is like the beasts that perish.
(ה) בָּא הֶעָנִי וְשָׁאַל דֵּי מַחֲסוֹרוֹ וְאֵין יַד הַנּוֹתֵן מַשֶּׂגֶת נוֹתֵן לוֹ כְּפִי הַשָּׂגַת יָדוֹ וְכַמָּה עַד חֲמִישִׁית נְכָסָיו מִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר. וְאֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה בִּנְכָסָיו בֵּינוֹנִי. פָּחוֹת מִכָּאן עַיִן רָעָה. וּלְעוֹלָם לֹא יִמְנַע עַצְמוֹ מִשְּׁלִישִׁית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשָׁנָה. וְכָל הַנּוֹתֵן פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה לֹא קִיֵּם מִצְוָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה חַיָּב לִתֵּן צְדָקָה לְאַחֵר:
When a poor person comes and asks for his needs to be met and the giver does not have the financial capacity, he should give him according to his financial capacity. How much? The most desirable way of performing the mitzvah is to give one fifth of one's financial resources. Giving one tenth is an ordinary measure. Giving less [than that] parsimony. A person should refrain from giving less than a third of a shekel a year. A person who gives less than this has not fulfilled the mitzvah. Even a poor person who derives his livelihood from charity is obligated to give charity to another person.
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less (30:15) (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
People differ in their intellect, character and talents, in the quantity of their material resources and the timbre of their spiritual sensitivities. But all are equal in the very basis of their bond with G‑d: the intrinsic commitment to Him that resides at the core of their souls. So while every man contributed to the making of the various components of the Sanctuary in accordance with their individual capacity, all gave equally of the silver of which its foundation was made. As regards the foundation of the relationship between man and G‑d, the "rich man" cannot give more, and the "pauper" cannot give less.
(2) See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. (3) I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft; (4) to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, (5) to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of craft. (6) Moreover, I have assigned to him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have also granted skill to all who are skillful, that they may make everything that I have commanded you... (12) And the LORD said to Moses: (13) Speak to the Israelite people and say: Nevertheless, you must keep My sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you throughout the ages, that you may know that I the LORD have consecrated you. (14) You shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy for you. He who profanes it shall be put to death: whoever does work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his kin. (15) Six days may work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. (16) The Israelite people shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time: (17) it shall be a sign for all time between Me and the people of Israel. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and was refreshed.
הספרות, הציור והחיטוב עומדים להוציא אל הפועל כל המושגים הרוחניים המוטבעים בעמקי הנפש האנושית וכל זמן שחסר עוד אף שרטוט אחד הנגלה במעמקי הנפש החושבת והמרגשת שלא יצא אל הפועל עוד יש חובה על מלאכת המחשבת להוציאו. מובן הדבר מעצמו שרק אלה האוצרות, שבהתפתחותם הם מבסמים את אויר המציאות טוב ויפה לפתח. מכל דיבור ודיבור שיצא מפי הקב"ה נתמלא כל העולם כולו בשמים; אמנם אותם הדברים הגנוזים שקבורתם הוא בעורם. עליהם מתוקן היתד שעל אוזנו לחפור ולכסות, ואי לו מי שמשתמש ביתד זו פעולה שכנגדה למען הרבות באשה. זעזועי הנפש מצד רגשי אהבה הטבעית שנוטלת חלק גדול במציאות במוסר ובחיים, הם ראויים להתפרש ע"י הספרות בכל הצדדים שבהם היא מוציאה אל הפועל את הגנוז, אבל רק בשמירה היותר מעולה מנטות לצד השיכרון המכוער, שיש באלה הרגשות שמהפך אותם מטהרה טבעית לטומאה של זוהמה מנוולת, רק אנשי קודש ראויים להיות שרי קודש, אמנם אם נחשב לחסרון כללי באיזו ספרות כשלא ימצאו בה אלה הרגשות הפנימיים שאהבה מרשמת בעומק הנפש, באותה האהבה הנהוגה, על אחת כמה וכמה, ראוי לחשב לחסרון אם אותם הזעזועים הרמים והנשואים, שככה הם פועלים לעולם ועתידים לפעול על כל טובי בני אדם ועל כנסת ישראל בייחוד הנובעים ממקור האהבה לאדון כל המעשים מקור האור והחסד; ואלה הרגשות הנאהבים לא יחקקו בספר ויפקד מקומם. היש ערך לעומק מקור רגש האהבה הזאת? היכילוהו ימים רבים, היכלכלוהו גבהי שחקים?
Rabbi Kook ~ Introduction to the Song of Songs
The purpose of Literature, Art and Sculpture, is to bring to action [give expression] every natural and spiritual concept found in the depths of the human soul. As long as even one revealed quality within the thinking and feeling soul remains unexpressed [inactive], it is the responsibility of the creative art to reveal it. It is obvious that only these treasures which, in their development, they embellish reality should be developed. From every expression that came out of the Holy One's mouth the whole world was filled with beauty [aroma]. Of course, artistic expression is not without boundaries and limits. The artist is duty-bound to create and express as long as his art serves to enrich and ennoble life. Some matters, however, are best left hidden. For such topics, the artist should use his figurative shovel, to bury and cover (cf. Deut. 23:24). Woe to the author who uses his artistic tools for the opposite purpose, to uncover and reveal unseemly matters, thus polluting the general atmosphere. All the upheavals of the soul from the side of feelings of natural love which are a sizable area of life in reality they can be explained through literature, and through all sides that can be brought out to light [to action]. But this has to be done through guarding oneself from the ugly and the drunken side... in the future, all the goodness in human beings will come to fore, and particularly the people Israel, who come from a core of love towards the Holy One, the Source of All Deeds and Light and Goodness - those feelings cannot be imprinted in a book and set in their place. Is it possible to give a value to the depth of such love? Can days comprise it, can the highest heavens contain it?