P'kudei - Exodus 38:21-40:38 - 3/28/25

The name of this week’s Torah portion, “P’kudei”, means ‘records’ or ‘accounting’.  Moses orders that careful accounts are kept of every item that was donated or created for use in the Tabernacle and for the priestly vestments, including how much each item was worth. This meticulous attention to detail, commitment to transparency, and demonstration of integrity, became the model for public service in the Jewish community.

Understanding that public service is a sacred trust, throughout the Talmud, the Rabbis instituted processes and procedures to ensure that this trust was not violated. Those in charge of the Temple treasury wore clothes without pockets to demonstrate they were not profiting from public funds.  Those who collect for charity must do so in pairs, and distributing charity must be done by three people, to demonstrate the integrity of the process (Mishnah Pe’ah 8.7).

Maintaining the public trust, serving the public good with integrity, refraining from profiting personally from public service, are basic principles of Judaism.  Let us commit to hold all our leaders, both in the Jewish community and in the public sphere, to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and commitment to the common good above personal gain.

-Rabbi Bonnie Margulis