The Torah explains that the Israelites should make a sanctuary, a place where God dwells. But just a few verses earlier, the Torah teaches that the same sanctuary should be created with gifts from emotionally motivated hearts. Perhaps after revelation, each Israelite was moved to act.
But today, in a less motivated world, how and where do we find God?
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin once said, “While the word tzedakah derives from the word justice, which suggests that it’s not only a voluntary thing to give tzedakah, it’s an act of justice, which means not doing so becomes an act of injustice….What I want to emphasize is that Judaism is rooted in the notion of not just volunteerism but also obligation.”
Which means, we can’t always count on feeling good when we are meant to give, build, or create. Imagine passing by a hungry man on the side of the road. Should he have to worry about whether we’ve had a bad day? We must learn how to train ourselves to give out of responsibility, not just emotion.
God dwells within us when we see ourselves as God’s partners, not merely when we feel inspired or motivated. Every single day is an opportunity to become co-creators of a better world.
It’s not a reward. It’s our obligation.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
