No appearance of impropriety #Pekudai#parashathashavua#devartorah

Moses in this week’s Torah portion, Pekudai, gives a very detailed accounting of all the materials he collected for the construction of the Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle. He enumerates how much gold, silver, and copper was collected and how much was used and for what purposes. The Etz Hayyim commentary page 564 below the line asks and answers the question why Moses felt obligated to give this detailed account. The answer comes from the midrash.

“Some Israelites knew that they would have taken advantage of handling all that gold and silver for their own enrichment. They suspected Moses of being no better than they were. Thus the midrash emphasizes that leaders of the community must be above any suspicion of personal aggrandizement. The family that prepared the incense for the Temple services would never let their relatives wear perfume, less some people suspect them of using Temple incense for the personal benefit. The official who supervised the shekel offering would wear a special garment with no pockets and no long sleeves when they did so, so no one could suspect them of pocketing public funds. (Song of Songs Rabbah 3:7)” 

We have other examples in the Talmud of such people of integrity. Because only the House of Garmu had the knowledge and skill to make the shewbread correctly, this family owned the monopoly of baking this bread. The Gemara praises them for their integrity: “Never was refined bread of fine flour found in the hands of their descendants, so that people would not say that they are sustained from that technique of preparing the shewbread. They ate only bread made of coarse flour mixed with bran, to fulfill that which is stated: “And you shall be clear before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22). Not only must one’s behavior be beyond reproach, he should also make certain to be beyond suspicion” (daf TB Yoma 38a,Sefaria.org translation)

Similarly House of Avtinas held the monopoly of making the incense for the Temple. They too are praised for their integrity. “Never did a perfumed bride emerge from their homes. And when they marry a woman from a different place, they stipulate with her that she will not perfume herself, so that cynics would not say that it is with the work of the incense that they perfume themselves, to fulfill that which is stated: “And you shall be clear before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22).” (daf TB Yoma 38a,Sefaria,org translation)

Too bad many our public servants don’t follow the above examples and be people of integrity. No wonder most of us don’t think highly of them and the institutions they lead. I only wish that some presidential candidates, some members of Congress, and some Supreme Court justices would be as careful to avoid any appearance of impropriety as our ancestors were.

In November remember we need more leaders like Moses.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Greene