On Terumah, Ki Tisa, and Purpose-Driven Action

It is important to think about the reasons why we do the things we do and the ends to which our actions aim. Especially when our actions have a direct impact on other people. The narratives of the Golden Calf and the construction of the Mishkan offer different ways of approaching the topic of purpose-driven action and highlight the importance of being mindful of why we do certain actions over others.

In Exodus 25:2 we learn that Hashem spoke to Moses and requested donations of materials that would be used to construct the Mishkan. But they weren’t…