Parashat Pekudei- Public Opinion
***In Memory of the young students who perished on March 6th in Jerusalem while studying at Yeshivat Harav: Yohai Livshitz (18), Neria Cohen (15), Yonatan Yitzhak Eldar (16), Yonadav Haim Hirschfeld (19), Segev Peniel Avihail (15), Avraham David Moses (16), Ro’i Roth (18), Maharta Taruno (26).
In the beginning of Parashat Pekudei, we read that Moshe gave a precise accounting of all the money and materials donated towards the construction of the Mishkan. He presented a full report of the precious metals collected and how they were used.
The obvious question arises, why did Moshe deem such a report necessary? The Mishkan was not a company with investors and shareholders, to whom it is required to present quarterly earnings reports. And if the people could not trust Moshe Rabbenu, then whom could they trust?
The Sages teach that, indeed, there were those among Bene Yisrael who suspected Moshe of using some of the funds donated towards the Mishkan for his own purposes. The Midrash tells that when the people would look at Moshe walking to his tent, some would comment that he appeared as though he had gained some weight. Others would then respond, "Of course! With all the money that went through his hands, does it surprise you that he's been eating well lately?"
This is human nature; people seize every opportunity to scoff, mock and accuse. There have always been cynics ready and willing to cast baseless allegations against righteous people – even against Moshe Rabbenu.
By making a detailed accounting of the funds donated to the Mishkan, Moshe teaches us the critical lesson that one cannot simply ignore the cynics and scoffers. People – particularly leaders – must ensure not to provide the cynics with more fodder for their baseless accusations. One must do everything he can to not only do the right thing, but to avoid suspicion and not even appear as though he does something wrong.
Moshe teaches this lesson again much later in Humash, when the tribes of Reuven and Gad ask that he allow them to permanently settle along the East Bank of the Jordan River, rather than settle west of the Jordan along with the rest of the nation. These tribes had large amounts of cattle, and the territory east of the Jordan was especially fertile and suitable for grazing. Moshe granted their request on condition that they would join the other tribes in the battle to capture the Land of Israel. He then added, "You shall be clean from God and from Israel" (Bamidbar 32:22). Reuven and Gad were enjoined to not only fulfill their responsibility of fighting the battle along with the other tribes, but also to be entirely above suspicion of indifference towards the plight of the other tribes. Indeed, the men of Reuven and Gad not only participated in the seven-year battle to conquer the land, but also remained an additional seven years until after the land was divided among the other tribes. They thus avoided any suspicion that they sought to excuse themselves from the responsibility of capturing the land.
We find several expressions of this principle in the Talmud. For example, the Mishna in Shekalim teaches that the treasurer of the Temple was forbidden to enter the treasury, where the half-shekel donations were kept, with pockets, shoes, hems, or Tefillin, so as to avoid suspicion that he pocketed some of the money. Similarly, the Talmud tells that the family responsible for baking the "Lehem Ha'panim" bread in the Mikdash would never eat white bread, in order that people would not charge that they took some of the bread for themselves. And the family responsible for making the incense for the Ketoret offering would never wear perfume.
The Hatam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer of Pressburg, Hungary, 1762-1839), in a remarkable passage, noted that it is far more difficult to keep a clean record with people than it is with God. Whereas God knows the truth of one's actions and motives, people are always looking to criticize and accuse. The Hatam Sofer writes that he wonders if anybody has ever truly fulfilled this obligation to be "clean" in the eyes of people. He speculates that when King Shelomo wrote, "For there is no righteous person who does [only] good and does not sin" (Kohelet 7:20), he perhaps refers to this requirement of avoiding suspicion. Even a righteous person who entirely avoids sin cannot completely avoid suspicion and accusations.
Of course, it is very wrong to cynically cast accusations and look to find fault in people, particularly in great, righteous people. We must avoid this tendency to as great an extent as possible. At the same time, however, it behooves us to recognize this human weakness and ensure not to provide any fodder for the cynics who look to criticize and mock us. We must make every effort to be "clean" not only in the eyes of God, but also in the eyes of everybody around us.
