"Take that same energy, and that same enthusiasm, and use it for Torah"

“It’s that time of year again, the season of fundraising, when the desperate “One Hour Left!” texts are shared in a frenzy, followed shortly thereafter by a euphoric “We Made It!” with clips of joyous singing and dancing.

Talmud Torah Moriah,  a Torani school in Ramat Beit Shemesh, had never run a charity campaign before. It’s a simple institution, understated by design, and the public paparazzi of a charity campaign wasn’t in line with their personality. But they needed the money, the parents really wanted it, and so they ultimately complied. The goal was set at NIS 1.8 million, the frantic phone calls were made, the urgent texts sent and, finally, success. The NIS 1.8 million goal was met. Those in attendance broke out in joyous singing and dancing, as seems to be the prevailing minhag in Klal Yisrael. When the celebration died down, the menahel, Rabbi Moshe Steiner, got up to speak.

He spoke about how important the mission was, how raising money for the sake of building Torah is reminiscent of the shekalim donated for the sake of building the Mishkan.

But then he quoted the pasuk “Tov li Toras picha me’alfei zahav va’chesef.” He paused and surveyed the crowd. “We put in time, energy, and enthusiasm, to succeed in a campaign of raising money,” he declared. “Now, I want to make another campaign. Take that same energy, and that same enthusiasm, and use it for Torah. Between now and Purim, everyone should take upon themselves an extra limud, a mishnah, a gemara, anything. We raised the money, now let’s raise the limud haTorah.”

A campaign ended and a campaign began. And when the final tally of immeasurable Toras picha comes in, the Heavens will surely also break out into joyous singing and dancing.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 900)