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SharePart I: Building Infrastructure
The first text describes the process of building the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the holy space that the Jewish people create while they are in the desert. The Mishkan is to be the place where God's presence rests, and it travels with the people on their journeys. The story of its creation is perhaps the first account of communal giving in Jewish history.
(ה) קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ו) וּתְכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ וְעִזִּֽים׃ (ז) וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׂטִּֽים׃ (ח) וְשֶׁ֖מֶן לַמָּא֑וֹר וּבְשָׂמִים֙ לְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃ (ט) וְאַ֨בְנֵי־שֹׁ֔הַם וְאַבְנֵ֖י מִלֻּאִ֑ים לָאֵפ֖וֹד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ (י) וְכָל־חֲכַם־לֵ֖ב בָּכֶ֑ם יָבֹ֣אוּ וְיַעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה יְהוָֽה׃ (יא) אֶת־הַ֨מִּשְׁכָּ֔ן אֶֽת־אָהֳל֖וֹ וְאֶת־מִכְסֵ֑הוּ אֶת־קְרָסָיו֙ וְאֶת־קְרָשָׁ֔יו אֶת־בְּרִיחָ֕ו אֶת־עַמֻּדָ֖יו וְאֶת־אֲדָנָֽיו׃ (יב) אֶת־הָאָרֹ֥ן וְאֶת־בַּדָּ֖יו אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֑רֶת וְאֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֥כֶת הַמָּסָֽךְ׃ (יג) אֶת־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֥ן וְאֶת־בַּדָּ֖יו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְאֵ֖ת לֶ֥חֶם הַפָּנִֽים׃ (יד) וְאֶת־מְנֹרַ֧ת הַמָּא֛וֹר וְאֶת־כֵּלֶ֖יהָ וְאֶת־נֵרֹתֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֖ת שֶׁ֥מֶן הַמָּאֽוֹר׃ (טו) וְאֶת־מִזְבַּ֤ח הַקְּטֹ֙רֶת֙ וְאֶת־בַּדָּ֔יו וְאֵת֙ שֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת קְטֹ֣רֶת הַסַּמִּ֑ים וְאֶת־מָסַ֥ךְ הַפֶּ֖תַח לְפֶ֥תַח הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ (טז) אֵ֣ת ׀ מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֗ה וְאֶת־מִכְבַּ֤ר הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ אֶת־בַּדָּ֖יו וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו אֶת־הַכִּיֹּ֖ר וְאֶת־כַּנּֽוֹ׃ (יז) אֵ֚ת קַלְעֵ֣י הֶחָצֵ֔ר אֶת־עַמֻּדָ֖יו וְאֶת־אֲדָנֶ֑יהָ וְאֵ֕ת מָסַ֖ךְ שַׁ֥עַר הֶחָצֵֽר׃ (יח) אֶת־יִתְדֹ֧ת הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְאֶת־יִתְדֹ֥ת הֶחָצֵ֖ר וְאֶת־מֵיתְרֵיהֶֽם׃ (יט) אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֥י הַשְּׂרָ֖ד לְשָׁרֵ֣ת בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֤י הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו לְכַהֵֽן׃ (כ) וַיֵּֽצְא֛וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִלִּפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (כא) וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ כָּל־אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂא֣וֹ לִבּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נָדְבָ֨ה רוּח֜וֹ אֹת֗וֹ הֵ֠בִיאוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֨ת יְהוָ֜ה לִמְלֶ֨אכֶת אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּלְכָל־עֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹ וּלְבִגְדֵ֖י הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (כב) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים עַל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ נְדִ֣יב לֵ֗ב הֵ֠בִיאוּ חָ֣ח וָנֶ֜זֶם וְטַבַּ֤עַת וְכוּמָז֙ כָּל־כְּלִ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכָל־אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵנִ֛יף תְּנוּפַ֥ת זָהָ֖ב לַיהוָֽה׃ (כג) וְכָל־אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֣א אִתּ֗וֹ תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ וְעִזִּ֑ים וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כד) כָּל־מֵרִ֗ים תְּר֤וּמַת כֶּ֙סֶף֙ וּנְחֹ֔שֶׁת הֵבִ֕יאוּ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א אִתּ֜וֹ עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֛ים לְכָל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כה) וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֥ה חַכְמַת־לֵ֖ב בְּיָדֶ֣יהָ טָו֑וּ וַיָּבִ֣יאוּ מַטְוֶ֗ה אֶֽת־הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן אֶת־תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃ (כו) וְכָל־הַ֨נָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָשָׂ֥א לִבָּ֛ן אֹתָ֖נָה בְּחָכְמָ֑ה טָו֖וּ אֶת־הָעִזִּֽים׃ (כז) וְהַנְּשִׂאִ֣ם הֵבִ֔יאוּ אֵ֚ת אַבְנֵ֣י הַשֹּׁ֔הַם וְאֵ֖ת אַבְנֵ֣י הַמִּלֻּאִ֑ים לָאֵפ֖וֹד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ (כח) וְאֶת־הַבֹּ֖שֶׂם וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑מֶן לְמָא֕וֹר וּלְשֶׁ֙מֶן֙ הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃ (כט) כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֣ב לִבָּם֮ אֹתָם֒ לְהָבִיא֙ לְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֑ה הֵבִ֧יאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל נְדָבָ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃ (פ)
(5) Take from among you an offering unto the LORD, whosoever is of a willing heart, let that person bring it, the LORD’S offering: gold, and silver, and brass; (6) and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’hair; (7) and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia-wood; (8) and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (9) and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate. (10) And let every wise-hearted person among you come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded: (11) the tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; (12) the ark, and the staves thereof, the ark-cover, and the veil of the screen; (13) the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the showbread; (14) the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light; (15) and the altar of incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; (16) the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base; (17) the hangings of the court, the pillars thereof, and their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; (18) the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords; (19) the plaited garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.’ (20) And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. (21) And they came, every one whose heart stirred them up, and every one whom the spirit made willing, and brought the LORD’S offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all the service thereof, and for the holy garments. (22) And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought nose-rings, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and girdles, all jewels of gold; even every person that brought an offering of gold unto the LORD. (23) And every person, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’hair, and rams’skins dyed red, and sealskins, brought them. (24) Every one that did set apart an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD’S offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia-wood for any work of the service, brought it. (25) And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen. (26) And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’hair. (27) And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; (28) and the spice, and the oil, for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. (29) The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering unto the LORD; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses to be made.
(ה) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה לֵּאמֹ֔ר מַרְבִּ֥ים הָעָ֖ם לְהָבִ֑יא מִדֵּ֤י הָֽעֲבֹדָה֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽהּ׃ (ו) וַיְצַ֣ו מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַל־יַעֲשׂוּ־ע֛וֹד מְלָאכָ֖ה לִתְרוּמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם מֵהָבִֽיא׃
(5) And they spoke unto Moses, saying: ‘The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.’ (6) And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying: ‘Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.’ So the people were restrained from bringing.
What do you notice about the way in which these givers are described?
What motivates these people to give?
What is the impact of this communal giving?
How do you imagine it felt to be a part of such a widespread communal giving project? Have you ever been a part of a project that you feel brought your community together in a similar way?
(א) ויבאו כל איש אשר נשאו לבו - על החכמים העושים במלאכה יאמר כן, כי לא מצינו על המתנדבים נשיאות לב, אבל יזכיר בהם נדיבות. (ב) וטעם אשר נשאו לבו - לקרבה אל המלאכה, כי לא היה בהם שלמד את המלאכות האלה ממלמד, או מי שאימן בהן ידיו כלל, אבל מצא בטבעו שידע לעשות כן, ויגבה לבו בדרכי ה' לבא לפני משה לאמר לו אני אעשה כל אשר אדני דובר. וכבר הזכרתי זה בסדר האחר (לעיל לא ב). והנה אמר שבאו לפני משה כל אשר נשאו לבו לקרבה אל המלאכה, וכל אשר נדבה רוחו אותו הביאו התרומה.
(Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, 1194-1270)
The “stirring up of the heart” (nesao libo) is being said about those who are doing the work, because we don’t find among those who donate this stirring of the heart, rather it mentions their generosity. And the reason it says their hearts were stirred up is to imply the arousing of their capacity to undertake the work. For none had ever learnt these skills before from any teacher, nor had ever practiced them before. But each one discovered his own natural talent or aptitude for the task, each person's heart rising as it were to the Divine challenge, enabling that person to come into Moses’ presence and say: “I will do what my Lord has commanded”…the text thus observes that everyone whose hearts lifted them up – everyone who had confidence in their own power to undertake the work came along to offer their services, while those whom the spirit made willing brought the offerings.
העמק דבר על שמות פרק לה פסוק כא
כל איש אשר נשאו לבו וכל אשר נדבה רוחו. דבשני אופנים נותן אדם נדבה. שי מנדב מחמת כי לבבו מכהו אם לא יתן כא' מחביריו יהיה לחרפה או ישא עונשו על העלמת עין. וזה נקרא נשאו לבו. ויש מנדב משום ששכלו ורוחו הטובה מיעצהו ליתן ע"ז. וע"ז כתיב אשר נדבה רוחו. ובמקרא כ"ט פירש הכתוב דאפילו מי שנשאו לבו מתחלה.
Netziv 35:21
(Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin, 1816-1893)
There are two ways in which a person gives a gift. Some people give because their heart is “pounding on them” to do it, because if they don’t give like everyone else they’ll be embarrassed or punished for ignoring the situation. This is called “his heart stirred him up.” And there are those who give because their mind and good spirit advise them to give. This is what is called “his spirit was generous.” And the Torah tells us that even those who originally came for the first reason, eventually came for the second (in verse 29 – nadav libam, their hearts were generous).
What do each of these commentaries add to our understanding of how people were motivated to give, and what they contributed?
What role do you feel peer pressure plays in this story?
Part II: Operating Support
The next story continues to draw on the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the desert. Here, the people are commanded to each contribute a half-shekel towards the upkeep of this holy space.
(יא) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יב) כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃ (יג) זֶ֣ה ׀ יִתְּנ֗וּ כָּל־הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֤ים גֵּרָה֙ הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל מַחֲצִ֣ית הַשֶּׁ֔קֶל תְּרוּמָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (יד) כֹּ֗ל הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ (טו) הֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִֽמַּחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ (טז) וְלָקַחְתָּ֞ אֶת־כֶּ֣סֶף הַכִּפֻּרִ֗ים מֵאֵת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנָתַתָּ֣ אֹת֔וֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃ (פ)
(11) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (12) ’When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. (13) This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, 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 passeth among them that are numbered, 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 thou shalt take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shalt 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.’
(א) מצות נתינת מחצית השקל בשנה - שיתן כל אחד מישראל מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה בין עני בין עשיר מחצית השקל. שהוא משקל עשרה גרה כסף בכל שנה ליד הכהנים, שנאמר (שמות ל, יג) זה יתנו כל העובר על הפקדים. והיו מניחין הכל בלשכה אחת שבמקדש, ומשם היו מוציאין (שקלים פ''ד) לקנות תמידין ומוספין וכל קרבן הקרב על הצבור ונסכיהם, והמלח שמולחין בו את הקרבנות, ועצי המערכה, ולחם הפנים ושכר העושה לחם הפנים, והעמר ושתי הלחם, ופרה אדמה, ושעיר המשתלח, ולשון של זהורית. (ב) משרשי המצוה. שרצה הקדוש ברוך הוא לטובת כל ישראל ולזכותם שתהיה יד כלם שוה בדבר הקרבנות הקרבים לפניו כל השנה בהתמדה ובענינים אלו הנזכרים, ושיהיו הכל, אחד עני ואחד עשיר, שוים במצוה אחת לפניו להעלות זכרון כלם על ידי המצוה שהם כלולים בה יחד לטובה לפניו...
The mitzvah of giving half a shekel per year - that every Jew, twenty years and over, whether poor or rich, must give half a shekel....and they would put all of this in one storehouse in the Temple, and they would take funds from there to buy the daily sacrifices and additional (musaf) sacrifices...and the salt used to salt the sacrifices, and the wood for the altar, and the showbread...
The roots of the mitzvah: God wanted this for the good of all of Israel, to give them merit, that all would give equally in the matter of sacrifices that were offered to God all year long on a regular basis...and that all people, poor and rich alike, would be equal in this one mitzvah, in order to elevate all of them together, in which they were all involved together, before God.
Why is everyone commanded to donate a half-shekel?
What do you think is the implication and impact of asking everyone to donate the same amount?
Part III: Giving Locally
This third model also focuses on giving that is presented as an obligation upon the community; the Mishnah describes philanthropic responsibilities that are incumbent upon all the citizens of a town. The Gemara adds to these responsibilities, and in doing so, gives us a fuller picture of how the Talmudic authorities viewed the ideal charitable structure in a Jewish community.
(ה) כופין אותו לבנות בית שער ודלת לחצר.רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר, לא כל החצרות ראויות לבית שער.כופין אותו לבנות לעיר חומה דלתים ובריח.רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר, לא כל העירות ראויות לחומה.כמה יהא בעיר ויהא כאנשי העיר.שנים עשר חדש.קנה בה בית דירה, הרי הוא כאנשי העיר מיד.
(5) We force a person to build a gatehouse and a door for the courtyard. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not all courtyards are suitable for gatehouses. We force a person to build for a city a wall, doors, and a deadbolt. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not all cities are suitable for a wall. How long must a person live in a city to be counted among the people of that city? Twelve months. If a person bought a house, he is immediately considered a to be a citizen of that city.
ולכל מילי מי בעינן י"ב חדש והתניא שלשים יום לתמחוי שלשה חדשים לקופה ששה לכסות תשעה לקבורה שנים עשר לפסי העיר אמר ר' אסי אמר ר' יוחנן כי תנן נמי מתניתין שנים עשר חדש לפסי העיר תנן:
But is twelve months’ residence required for all situations? Has it not been taught: ‘[A person must reside in a town] thirty days to become obligated to contribute to the soup kitchen, three months for contributing to the charity box, six months for the clothing fund, nine months for burial, and twelvemonths for contributing to the repair of the town walls’? — Rav Assi replied in the name of R. Yochanan: Our Mishnah also is specifying the period of twelve months was thinking of the repair of the town walls.
What do you notice about the types of institutions to which citizens were asked to contribute?
How would you change this list in your "ideal" community? How would you divide between governmental responsibilities, and those that are incumbent upon private citizens?
Part IV: Philanthropic decision making
The texts above focus on the experience of giving communally, and the obligation to ensure that certain communal services are in place. We turn now to the experience of of the decision-making process. What are the qualifications for making these decisions? What does it mean to participate with others in the allocation of funds?
מתני' ר' נחוניא בן הקנה היה מתפלל בכניסתו לבית המדרש וביציאתו תפלה קצרה...
גמ' ת"ר בכניסתו מהו אומר יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהי שלא יארע דבר תקלה על ידי ולא אכשל בדבר הלכה וישמחו בי חברי ולא אומר על טמא טהור ולא על טהור טמא ולא יכשלו חברי בדבר הלכה ואשמח בהם
Mishnah: Rabbi Nehunia ben HaKaneh used to say a prayer as he entered the beit midrash (house of study, as as he would leave, a short prayer...
Gemara: Our Rabbis taught: On entering what does he say? "May it be Your will, Lord my God, that I will not make a mistake, and that I will not fail in a matter of Jewish law, and that my colleagues will rejoice in me, and that I will not say "impure" about that which is pure, or "pure" about that which is impure, and that my colleagues not fail in a matter of Jewish law, and that I will rejoice in them.
תנו רבנן קופה של צדקה נגבית בשנים ומתחלקת בשלשה נגבית בשנים שאין עושים שררות על הצבור פחות משנים ומתחלקת בשלשה כדיני ממונות תמחוי נגבית בשלשה ומתחלקת בשלשה שגבויה וחלוקה שוים
Our rabbis taught: The charity fund is collected by two people, and distributed by three people. It is collected by two people, because any position of authority over the community cannot be held by fewer than two people. And it is distributed by three, like judges of monetary matters [monetary matters are always judged by courts of three]. Food for the soup kitchen is collected by three people, and distributed by three people, because the collection and the distribution are equal.
(דניאל יב, ג) והמשכילים יזהירו כזוהר הרקיע וגו' (המשכילים יזהירו כזוהר הרקיע) זה דיין שדן דין אמת לאמתו (דניאל יב, ג) ומצדיקי הרבים ככוכבים לעולם ועד אלו גבאי צדקה
(Daniel 12:3) "Those who are wise shine like the brightness of the sky" - this refers to a judge who judges truthfully. "And those who turn many to righteousness are like the stars forever" - this refers to those who collect charity.
...וצריכין הגבאין שיהו נאמנין חכמים ונבונים שידקדקו על כל עני ועני ליתן לו הצריך וידקדקו עליהם שלא יהו רמאים חוץ ממי שמבקש שיאכילוהו שאין מדקדקין אחריו כדפרישית לעיל ואם אין הגבאין חכמים וראויים לכך דוחין אותם ולא יגבו כלל ואם אין יכולין לדחותן אסור לתת צדקה על ידם שכן אמרו חכמים לא יתן אדם פרוטה לארנקי של צדקה אלא א"כ ת"ח ממונה עליה
The charity collectors must be trustworthy, scholarly, and wise, so that they will be careful about each and every poor person, to ensure that they give people what they need, and so that they will be careful about themselves, so that they will not cheat...and if the collectors are not scholars and fit for the task, we push them out of office, and they cannot collect at all...our rabbis said: A person may not give so much as a penny to the charity funds unless a Torah scholar is appointed over it.
פרישה
צ״ל לאו דוקא ת״ח דהא רבינו כתב לעיל בסמוך וצריכין הגבאין שיהיו נאמנים חכמים ונבונים...אלא צ״ל שרבינו סובר שכל מי שיש לו מדות הללו מיקרי ת״ח לענין זה.
Perisha on above
It must be that it is not necessarily a Torah scholar, for the Tur wrote above that the collectors must be trustworthy, scholarly, and wise...rather, one must say that the Tur believes that anyone who possesses these attributes is considered a scholar for these purposes.
What are the advantages, according to this source, of having a group get together to allocate funds?
What attributes are these people supposed to possess? What character traits would you add to this list?
כל דיין שדן דין אמת לאמיתו אפילו שעה אחת מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו נעשה שותף להקדוש ברוך הוא במעשה בראשית
Any judge who judges truthfully, even for a single moment, that person is considered as one who has partnered with God in the creation of the world.
Why do you think that a true judge is considered a partner in creation? What is it about rendering a decision that earns a person this status?
