The intention of a donor determines how their money is best utilised by the Tzedakah
From the teachings of Maran Rebbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy shlit”a, Leeds United Kingdom)
It states in the Parashah, “Moshe said to the Bnei Yisrael, ‘Hashem has selected Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah, and has filled him with a divine spirit of wisdom and understanding, knowledge, and [a talent for] all types of craftmanship. [He will thus be able] to devise plans, work in gold, silver and copper…’” (Shemot 35:30-31).
We must reflect on what does “to devise plans”, which is said about Betzalel mean? Every person’s action is thought through how to achieve it! Study a jeweller who makes rings and bracelets, ask them what do you think to do? They will reply, I think about making rings and bracelets! If so, what is unique with Betzalel who was “devising plans”?
It happen with Rav Chaim Volozhin z”l (1759-1821), who opened a Yeshiva in Volozhin (now Valozhyn, Belarus). He received at the yeshiva students great in Torah, and he was responsible to ensure their welfare. He would go from wealthy person to wealthy person and influence them through his pleasant approach to donate to the yeshiva. These, rich people, when they saw the rav, who was a great gaon, didn’t let him leave empty handed, each one donated according to their generosity.
The gaon Rebbi Chaim was very organised. He had a ledger and he would write in it, on such a day I was by this rich person and he donated this amount. There were some affluent people who donated once. Conversely there were those who donated monthly and those who donated yearly. The rav would return to them, each one according to their schedule. Since he was so sensitive to the yeshiva’s funds who would travel on foot to the wealthy people and not by a personal stage coach.
There was a village near Volozhin and a Jewish farmer lived there. The rav arrived at the village and spoke with him. He explained to him that these talmidei chachamim study Torah day and night and if you will support them, your donation will be more important than a sacrifice which is offered in the Bet HaMikdash! All the money which you will donate will go to the holy mouths of the talmidei chachamim who study Torah! The farmer was very much influenced by the rav’s words and gave a very generous gift. For example, $10,000 to the yeshiva. The rav blessed him and returned to the yeshiva. The following year the rav returned to him and immediately the farmer gave him a large amount as in the previous year. Likewise every subsequent year, for any years.
When Rav Chaim became old and weak he asked the yeshiva’s board to appoint someone else who should be the agent to fundraise. The yeshiva’s board found someone with a beard and a little plump (as the saying goes, “a belly and a beard is half a rabbi”). They assured him that they would pay him well. That person received the rav’s ledger and began to gather donations for the yeshiva’s welfare. For his work he asked the board to hire for him a stage coach and a personal driver, to take him everywhere. The yeshiva granted his request.
When the emissary arrived at the farmer, the farmer heard the sound of a luxurious carriage near his home. He went out and asked, what do you want? The emissary responded to him, I am an emissary of the Volozhin Yeshiva and I hope to receive from you your regular donation for the yeshiva’s benefit. The farmer replied to him, “My master, forgive me, but this year I didn’t earn so much, and I am unable to assist the yeshiva.” He emissary turned to him and said, “Perhaps at least you could give me half of your yearly donation.” But the farmer rejected him. He said to him, “Please don’t pressure me, this year I cannot help…”.
The emissary returned to Reb Chaim Volozhin and said to him, “My master the rav, I went to the farmer and he didn’t even donate to me one coin! It’s a shame about his contribution, what shall we do?” The rav said, “I will personally go to him.” The rav tried with all his strength and went as he had always done to the village and approached the farmer’s home. When the farmer saw the rav, he rejoiced in greeting him and received him with great honour. The rav said to him, “See my friend, you committed to donate to the yeshiva every year and I spoke with you as to what a great merit it is for you!” The farmer responded to him, “With all due respect rav, I will tell his honour the truth. To you, I would give with a generous heart as I was accustomed to do yearly. But now that I see a stage coach with horses, I have no interest to donate to feed horses! The rav told me that the donation is for the chachamim. For this I am prepared, but a stage coach and horses, no!”
The rav said to him, come my friend, do you read the Torah? He read him this passuk, ‘to devise plans’, and asked, what is this ‘to devise plans’? Is there a person who does things without thinking?” The farmer responded, “Yes sir, I don’t know how to respond!” The rav replied to him, “See, at the time that the passuk was written, there were many types of people amongst Am Yisrael. There were many who had gold from the spoils of the sea, however, there was one person who donated with all their heart who loved the Mishkan, they wanted the merit that their gold to be in the Mishkan and gave the gold to Betzalel. Betzalel knew the thoughts of the donors. The gold that came from this person he would take to the Holy of Holies and make for it a covering for the Ark of the Covenant and made from it the cherubim. In contrast to this, another person came who loves accolades, they gave a kilo of gold but secretly hoped that they will announce that they gave a kilo of gold! This will be an honour for them! What did Betzalel do? He placed this gold on the external columns. There were columns made of gold and he placed this person’s gold there. Then there was another person whose thoughts were somewhere in between. They wanted to donate for the Sake of Heaven but also for honour. But their main thought, seventy percent, was for the Sake of Heaven. Betzalel placed their gold in the middle. He made from it the Shulchan or the Golden Altar (which wasn’t in the Holy of Holies). And so in this way, each one according to their intention.
“HaKadosh Baruch Hu placed wisdom, a holy spirit in Betzalel’s heart that he would know the thoughts in order to act accordingly, he knew every person’s thoughts and according to their intentions he utilised their donation.”
“Now”, added Rav Chaim and said to the farmer, “You are worried that your donation will be used for horse fodder? You have nothing to worry about! This money that you donate will only go to feed talmidei chachamim! ‘May He grant you your heart’s [desire], and fulfil your every plan’! (Tehillim 20:5). There are other people, who love honour, their money will go to the stage coach and the horses, but your money will only go to talmidei chachamim!”
The farmer replied, “My master the rav, you have influenced me, you have made me happy.” Immediately he took out his money and gave his donation with kindness. The rav blessed him and went on his way.
This is what we read in the parashah “to devise plans”. Yirmiyah HaNavi, who had enemies, wicked people, prayed about them to Hashem that “at the time of Your anger, act against them!” (Yirmiyahu 18:23). Our chachamim explained [Bava Kama 16b] “cause them to encounter unsavoury people”. That someone who doesn’t intend for the Sake of Heaven, their money will go to waste, it will go to undeserving people so that they won’t receive reward. However, someone who is righteous, Hashem provides decent people, He provides for them righteous and upright talmidei chachamim. But, those that act only for honour, their money goes to emptiness and dread. The righteous aren’t tripped up!
[Maran Rav Ovadia ztvk”l continued] I opened the yeshiva under the headship of my son Rebbi Yitzchak [shlit’a] and I needed assistance. I approached the philanthropist Edmond Safra a”h (1932-1999). He asked me, “How much money do you need?” I replied to him, “$70,000”, immediately he gave the money! Where can such a tzaddik be found? Such a philanthropist? HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave him more and more, the more he gave, the more he profited. In contrast there is a rich person to whom the former Mayor of Yerushalayim Teddy Kollek (1911-2007) approaches and asks them to donate to a stadium, a donation for a mixed swimming pool. And they give him the money, there is no tzedakah here! All the money they gave went to impurity! To the dark side! They will receive no reward for this, “at the time of Your anger, act against them!” Their money is going to waste and they will receive no reward for this. “But the kindness of Hashem is forever and ever upon those who fear Him” (Tehillim 103:17), these are the righteous that HaKadosh Baruch Hu knows their thoughts and He provides for them needy talmidei chachamim, and they contribute to the kollelim and yeshivot. These people’s reward is great before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, happy are they and happy is their lot!
May Hashem merit us that we are able to support Torah institutions and G-d-fearing initiatives and through this may we merit their fruits in this world and the principal exists for the Next World [see Mishnah Peah 1:1], amen ken yehi ratzon.
Shabbat Shalom!
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