While there may be an abundance of "cardiac Jews," Judaism is a religion which values actions over feelings. As someone at a meeting I recently attended pointed out, Judaism has always insisted on Jews "acting Jewish" rather than "feeling Jewish." Feelings without actions contribute neither towards the future of Judaism nor tikun olam, the repairing of the world.

The Rabbi of Leesa once approached one of his community’s wealthiest men to request a donation to tzedakah. He went knowing fully well of the man’s reputation for being a miser.

The man welcomed the rabbi with a full table, set with many good things to eat and drink. The rabbi did not touch anything. He got right to the point. "I will pass on the refreshments and polite conversation," said the Rabbi. "I came for your contribution!"

The wealthy man was quite learned in his own right and quoted the Talmud to the rabbi: "The one who gives a penny to the poor receives six blessings. But the one who speaks kindly to him receives eleven!"

"So you see, Rabbi, our sages believed that polite conversation is even more important than contributing money!"

The Rabbi answered: "You are misunderstanding the Talmud! Our sages meant that polite words to the poor are worthy of blessing when they are accompanied by concrete financial assistance. Kind words without kind deeds are meaningless." (Meora shel Torah, Exodus, p. 105)

The giving of tzedakah is a mitzvah, a Divine Commandment, an act required of a believing and committed Jew. It is the generous deed and not the generous thought which matters.

And yet, this week’s parsha suggests a connection between thought and deed which seems to imply that giving Tzedakah is voluntary rather than obligatory. When God instructed Moses in building the Mishkan, God told him: "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him." (Ex. 25:2)

May we deduce from God’s words that if a person’s heart does not move him or her, that the person is exempt from giving tzedakah?

Certainly not!

Rabbi Ya’akov Aigar explains that when it came to the building of the Mishkan, the Torah designated two different types of donations. One of them is referred to in Exodus 25:2: "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him." This refers to the type of gift that we offer spontaneously whenever we become aware of God’s Presence and goodness to us. This type of contribution is optional and comes from the heart.

The major construction of the Mishkan, however, came from another source: "And these are the gifts that you shall accept from them; gold, silver and copper..." (Ex. 25:3-8) (Iturei Torah)

These gifts were unconditional. Every Israelite was obligated to help build the Mishkan. To do so was Divinely mandated and an obligation they dared not ignore.

But the Torah specified only the minimum donation expected. Along with it went an additional expectation that every Israelite would then go "beyond the call of duty" and make voluntary contributions as well. It was the voluntary but not the base amount that was determined by the dictates of their hearts.

Synagogue dues structures function in the same way. They set the minimum amount that each family needs to contribute in order to maintain the congregation and community. But the health, well-being, and future of congregations also depends on their members making more than the minimal contribution. Synagogues only flourish if the hearts of their members move them to make additional free will contributions to sustain the community.

When we do so we live up to the word and spirit of the God’s word as recorded in the Torah: "Let them build Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them." (Ex. 25:8)