This week’s Parasha , Teruma talks about the donations to the Mishkan . It says there, “ Tell the Jewish people, ‘Let them take for Me a donation.” The question all the commentaries ask is, Shouldn’t it have said, “ You should give Me a donation?” You don't take a donation. The Bet Halevi explains that the main money that a person possesses is actually the money that he gives to Sedaka. Any money that he uses for his own personal enjoyment, he didn't really take ; it’s not really his . He enjoyed it, but it's not his. It's wasted. But the money that you give to Sedaka is yours . He says this is actually found in a Gemara in Masechet Bava Batra 11a, where or discusses the great king Mumbaz, who, in a time of famine, gave away his treasure houses to charity. His relatives said, “ Your forefathers amassed wealth and you're giving it away?!” And his answer was, “ My forefathers put away the wealth for others, and I put it away for myself.” Because the Sedaka that you give is for yourself. The Gemara in Eruvin 54a says If you have money, do good for yourself. Most people understand it to mean, If you have money, enjoy yourself. But the Bet Halevi says that's a misunderstanding . If you have money, take care of yourself means give Sedaka, because that's the way you're taking care of yourself. There's a famous story about the Chafetz Chaim and a man who wrote a will. The man left his money to all his children, his grandchildren, his nephews, nieces his old teacher and even his dog. And he wanted to know if the Chafetz Chaim agreed with the will. The Chafetz Chaim said, “ You left one person out of your will.” The man asked, “ Who'd I leave out? I covered everyone.” The Chafetz Chaim told him that he’d left himself out, because the only money that you have is the money that you give away. And therefore, the pasuk says, “ Vayikhu Li Teruma/ Take for Me. The Bet Halevi gives mashal that’s a little morbid. He says, Imagine a glass box. In the box there's a large sugar cube and a fly flying around. The fly is all excited with the sugar cube that he has. But he doesn't realize that he doesn't have it. He's locked in the box with the sugar cube and it's not really his. So too, the money that a person owns is not the money that's locked down here with him. The money that he owns is the money that he sends ahead. Furthermore, within Sedaka, there are different levels of giving. The Rosh says that in the Parasha that talks about what to give, it says gold, silver and brass (or copper). He says this refers to different levels of Sedaka. When a person is healthy and wealthy, and everything's going well and he gives Sedaka, not because he's scared, or because he needs something, then it's gold . He’s giving Sedaka to give Sedaka. When a person is sick or has some challenge, it's also good, but it drops to silver. And when a person is really in dire straits and he's dying, and he gives it away, then it drops to copper. They're all good, but there are different levels. Rav Yissachar Dov of Belz had a close student, who was extremely wealthy, and said he was planning to leave all his money for after he dies. Similar to the story of the will, he said he’d give everything to all the Mosdot after this death, because, as he said, “ As long as I'm here, I don't want to be on the giver list.” The Rebbe replied with a mashal: There was a man who borrowed a large sum of money, let’s say $100,000, from his friend. He was supposed to give it back at a certain time, but the time passed, and he kept pushing it off. Then, one day the man that owed the money was traveling with the man that he borrowed the money from, and suddenly a group of thieves surrounded them and held them up for the money. At that moment, the man that owed the money told his friend , “I decided to pay you back now.” Of course! Because you’re going to lose the money anyway, so I might as well pay you back now when the thieves are here saying, ‘Your money, or your life.’ The Rebbe said told him it was the same thing when a person waits until he is almost dying to give away his money. Well, very nice. It's your money, or your life. It's going to be separated from you anyway. The time to give money is when the person has no pressure and just gives it to give. That's the highest level, that's the level that's called zahav/gold . We are now in the giving season, Purim is coming, with Matanot L’Evyonim , Mahasit HaShekel, Maot Hittim , and all the wonderful causes that are coming our way. Let us take advantage and give in the golden way, and let us realize that the money that we give is really the money that we take. Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat Shalom.