Dear friends,
I came across this discussion on writings from the Torah and found this section so very interesting and profound. I'm bringing it here to you because in many ways it applies to our efforts as Marketers. Read the article and then my comments at the end.
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"Wow!" cried David, "What a beautiful building! Right in the middle of
the desert! So many colors! Such intricate needlework, gold and silver!
How did they get expert craftsmen to come to this desolate wilderness
and create such a work of art?"
"No way!" exclaimed Nathan. "The artisans who crafted this Tabernacle
in the desert were all former slaves whose occupation the last 50 years
was building bricks for pyramids!"
Nathan continued: "Then one clear blue day they woke up and felt the
ability to fashion wood, gold, silver, and copper. The result is this
fabulous creation! It seems that it came straight from the Almighty, as
it says: 'To all the wise hearted have I given wisdom' (Exodus 36:2)."
Question: Why does the verse imply that God gives wisdom to those who
already have wise hearts? Why not give wisdom to the dummies?
Answer: The first requirement for wisdom is the appreciation and
desire to acquire it. Only the wise-hearted who come to study Torah
(even online!) will receive it from God. Those who don't value wisdom
will never understand.
Our Parsha begins with God's commandment to Moses to "take a trumah"
(donation) from the people to construct the Tabernacle, the portable
Temple that accompanied the Jews in the desert for 40 years.
Question: Why does the verse say: "take" a donation? Doesn't one
"give" a donation?
Answer: When dealing with the Almighty, it's different. You can't give
Him anything because it's all His anyway. When you give to God, you are
taking, in the sense that the merit of this Mitzvah is yours, and can
never be taken from you.
I knew a woman who wrote in her will, to put in her coffin her
tattered prayer book, Psalms book, and all the receipts for charity she
had saved up her entire life. That's called "Taking your money with
you!"
(This portion clipped from a discussion forum managed by "A Very Old Wolf", the forum located here: Kabbalistic@yahoogroups.com )
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I don't want to bore you with a long and drawn out conversation, I just want to make two comments.
1.
Where he speaks about wisdom it really struck me, and the point is easy to see. People slaving away, working many years on things not of their choosing, but eventually one day the realization or "awakening". I AM.
I am a craftsman, I am an artist, I have skills.
I was particularly intrigued by that so very true Q&A regarding wisdom and how it relates to those of us in this industry.
Why do the wise get wiser? Because they seek wisdom respecting it's value.
Do you truly value the knowledge that you require and have you gone to seek it out?
2.
The other thing that really stood out for me was the little tale of the wise woman who knew the only things that we take with us when we meet our maker. Our love, our faith, and that which we gave away during our lifetime.
We seek so hard to earn riches here, and it's sometimes easy to forget the importance of other things.
While I don't have a lot to give in the way of money my charity extends in many other ways, I have my faith and I have my love for others. What else do I need?