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“Volunteering” in the Torah

Are there any quotes in the Torah about the importance of volunteering and if so where can I find them.

Answer:

The Torah mentions the instruction of giving charity, and according to some, there is a Torah source for the obligation to give a tenth of our income to charity. Rav Moshe Feinstein stated that just as one must donate a tenth of his money, so one should donate a tenth of his time to ‘volunteering’ (Rav Moshe was referring to an issue of encouraging secular Jews to learn about Judaism and Torah practice), a position seconded by Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo, p. 259).

The importance of volunteering is underscored in the construction of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, which was made only from materials that were donated volunarily by the people: Kol Nediv Libo (anyone who’s heart is generous). Something holy, it would seem, requires the voluntary generosity of the heart.

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1 Comment

  1. I heard from my family Rov, Rabbi Bluth Shlita (who was a talmid muvahk of Rav Moshe ZT”L) that Rav Moshe didn’t include the time he spent answering questions of the tzibbur as part of “Maaser” !

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