(א) וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם ׀ עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃ (ג) וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כׇּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ד) וַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that fellow Moses—the man who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.” (2) Aaron said to them, “[You men,] take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” (3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. (4) This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
Theologian Paul Tillich writes, “Idolatry is the elevation of a preliminary concern to ultimacy. Something essentially conditioned is taken as unconditional, something essentially partial is boosted to universality, and something essentially finite is given infinite significance; . . . ” (Systemic Theology, 1:13).
(ה) קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
(5) Take from among you gifts to יהוה; everyone whose heart is so moved shall bring them—gifts for יהוה: gold, silver, and copper;
(ה) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה לֵּאמֹ֔ר מַרְבִּ֥ים הָעָ֖ם לְהָבִ֑יא מִדֵּ֤י הָֽעֲבֹדָה֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽהּ׃ (ו) וַיְצַ֣ו מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַל־יַעֲשׂוּ־ע֛וֹד מְלָאכָ֖ה לִתְרוּמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם מֵהָבִֽיא׃ (ז) וְהַמְּלָאכָ֗ה הָיְתָ֥ה דַיָּ֛ם לְכׇל־הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֹתָ֑הּ וְהוֹתֵֽר׃ {ס}
(5) and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than is needed for the tasks entailed in the work that יהוה has commanded to be done.” (6) Moses thereupon had this proclamation made throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!” So the people stopped bringing: (7) their efforts had been more than enough for all the tasks to be done.
וּלְכׇל מִילֵּי מִי בָּעִינַן שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ וְהָתַנְיָא שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם לְתַמְחוּי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים לְקוּפָּהּ שִׁשָּׁה לִכְסוּת תִּשְׁעָה לִקְבוּרָה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לְפַסֵּי הָעִיר אָמַר רַבִּי אַסִּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כִּי תְּנַן נָמֵי מַתְנִיתִין שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ לְפַסֵּי הָעִיר תְּנַן:
The Gemara asks: And do we require that one live in a city for twelve months for all matters? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: If one lives in city for thirty days, he must contribute to the charity platter from which food is distributed to the poor. If he lives there for three months, he must contribute to the charity box. If he lives there for six months, he must contribute to the clothing fund. If he lives there for nine months, he must contribute to the burial fund. If he lives there for twelve months, he must contribute to the columns of the city [lepassei ha’ir], i.e., for the construction of a security fence. Rabbi Asi said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When we learned twelve months in the mishna, we learned that with regard to contributing to the columns of the city, money used for protecting and strengthening the city, but not for other matters.
(סִימָן גָּדוֹל מִקְדָּשׁ מֹשֶׁה) אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר גָּדוֹל הַמְעַשֶּׂה יוֹתֵר מִן הָעוֹשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם וַעֲבֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה הַשְׁקֵט וָבֶטַח עַד עוֹלָם זָכָה הֲלֹא פָרֹשׂ לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ לֹא זָכָה וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת אֲמַר לְהוּ רָבָא לִבְנֵי מָחוֹזָא בְּמָטוּתָא מָנַיְיכוּ עוּשׂוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֶיהְוֵי לְכוּ שְׁלָמָא בְּמַלְכוּתָא וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים אָדָם שׁוֹקֵל שִׁקְלוֹ וּמִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים אִם עוֹשִׂין צְדָקָה מוּטָב וְאִם לָאו בָּאִין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְנוֹטְלִין בִּזְרוֹעַ וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נֶחְשָׁב לָהֶן לִצְדָקָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְנֹגְשַׂיִךְ צְדָקָה
The Gemara offers a mnemonic device for the following statements extolling the mitzva of charity: Greater; Temple; Moses. Rabbi Elazar says: One who causes others to perform [me’aseh] a meritorious act is greater than one who performs that act himself, as it is stated: “And the causing [ma’aseh] of righteousness shall be peace, and the work of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever” (Isaiah 32:17). If one merits, the following verse is applied to him: “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?” (Isaiah 58:7), i.e., he will wholeheartedly give charity to the poor. If he does not merit, the latter clause of that verse is applied to him: “You shall bring the poor that are cast out to your house,” i.e., he will be compelled by the government to billet soldiers in his house and sustain them against his will. Rava said to the people of Meḥoza: I beg of you, strive with each other to perform acts of charity and righteousness, so that you will live in peace with the government, since if you do not act charitably toward each other, you will end up paying fines to the government. And Rabbi Elazar says: When the Temple is standing, a person contributes his shekel for the Temple service and achieves atonement for his sins. Now that the Temple no longer stands, if people act charitably, it will be well for them; but if not, the nations of the world will come and take their money by force. The Gemara comments: And even so, the money taken from them by force is credited to them as if they had freely given charity, as it is stated: “And I will make your oppressors charity” (Isaiah 60:17).
"Reach for the person, not for the pocket." Rae Ringel
וְעִנִּתִךְ אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא אֲפִילּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה יַעֲשֶׂה צְדָקָה לֹא אַעֲנֵּךְ עוֹד תָּנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף שׁוּב אֵין מַרְאִין לוֹ סִימָנֵי עֲנִיּוּת
The Gemara addresses the continuation of the verse: “And though I have afflicted you [ve’innitikh]” (Nahum 1:12). Mar Zutra says: This means that even a poor person [ani] who is sustained from charity must also perform charity. With regard to the expression: “And I will afflict you [a’anekh] no more,” Rav Yosef teaches: This means that if he gives charity to others, God will no longer show him signs of poverty [aniyyut].
״עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר״ — עַשֵּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּתְעַשֵּׁר.
“A tithe shall you tithe [te’aser]” (Deuteronomy 14:22)? This phrase can be interpreted homiletically: Take a tithe [asser] so that you will become wealthy [titasher], in the merit of the mitzva.
(י) נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙ ל֔וֹ וְלֹא־יֵרַ֥ע לְבָבְךָ֖ בְּתִתְּךָ֣ ל֑וֹ כִּ֞י בִּגְלַ֣ל ׀ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדֶֽךָ׃
(10) Give readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return your God יהוה will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings.
וְתָנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר רַב מִדִּיפְתִּי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה אוֹמֵר כׇּל הַמַּעֲלִים עֵינָיו מִן הַצְּדָקָה כְּאִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּתִיב הָכָא הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן יִהְיֶה דָבָר עִם לְבָבְךָ בְלִיַּעַל וְגוֹ׳ וּכְתִיב הָתָם יָצְאוּ אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל מָה לְהַלָּן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אַף כָּאן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה
And Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rav of Difti taught: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: With regard to anyone who averts his eyes from the obligation to give charity, it is as if he engages in idol worship. It is written here concerning charity: “Beware that there be not a base [beliya’al] thought in your heart…and you will not give him” (Deuteronomy 15:9), and it is written there concerning idolatry: “Certain base [beliya’al] fellows have gone out” (Deuteronomy 13:14). Just as there, in the latter verse, the word “base [beliya’al]” is referring to idol worship, so too here, this expression indicates a sin on the scale of idol worship.
(ט) כַּבֵּ֣ד אֶת־יְ֭הֹוָה מֵהוֹנֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית כׇּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃
(9) Honor the LORD with your wealth,
With the best of all your income,
With the best of all your income,