Last week, I watched as Adam, a preschooler at Temple Akiba in Culver City, handed a beanbag to Melissa. She was crying because she didn’t have one. He had two. In Parshat Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89), we are told that we must give one-tenth of our yearly income to the Levites. Can you tell me what percentage of his “property” Adam gave to Melissa?
Sometimes we think, “No way! I’m not giving part of my allowance to tzedakah.” Or, “Uh-uh! I wanna eat my whole lunch. I don’t care if Brandon forgot his today.” Chances are you don’t need it all. You just think it’s too valuable to give away to someone else. God teaches us: The portion you give away is much more valuable to God than the portion you keep. So, if you only have to give away 10 percent, how much do you get to keep?
Father’s Day
This Father’s Day, which falls on June 15, you will have a chance to appreciate the person who has taught you so much about life: how to share, how to ride a bicycle and how to take care of yourself. Show him how much you’ve learned: make him breakfast, clean up your dirty room and give him a big hug!
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.