{"id":63955,"date":"2019-10-03T14:29:43","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T11:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=63955"},"modified":"2023-05-01T01:07:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T22:07:10","slug":"the-age-old-question-of-fundraising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-age-old-question-of-fundraising\/","title":{"rendered":"The Age-Old Question Of Fundraising"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[796,723,436,631,400],"acf":{"old_id":"63955","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33692,"related_cahpter":"321","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Was there embezzlement - or just amateurishness?","content":"

At first glance, what takes place in 12:7-9 is merely an interesting vignette about the Temple finances, but if we read it closely, we notice that it harbors a great deal of information about Joash and his relationships. Let us try to probe deeper; why did the priests and Levites fail in their responsibility?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The priests’ initial method of collection was to solicit funds, “each from their acquaintance”: from personal contacts, friends, and benefactors. What was the concept here? Possibly, after years in which Baal-oriented kings had ruled the kingdom, enthusiasm for the Temple was at a low ebb. The priests, who were impassioned for the Temple, would be its most enthusiastic advocates, not merely waiting passively for Temple worshippers to contribute but rather collecting door-to-door in each town and village.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This should have proven an effective fundraising technique if each priest had fulfilled his duty. However, this method is not without its problems: First, there is apathy; second, there is conflict of interest. With regard to the apathy, perhaps the priests simply resented being the sole fundraising mechanism for the Temple renovations. Regarding the conflict of interest, what incentive would the priests have had to fundraise for the Temple? The priests themselves subsisted by collecting tithes \u2014 <\/span>teruma<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>maaser<\/span><\/i>. They would likely have been reluctant to appeal to benefactors for further money, possibly fearing that a generous Temple donation would harm their personal livelihood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some commentaries suggest that the king suspected corruption on the part of the priests. When he shifts the plan: “Now do not accept money from your acquaintances anymore, but deliver it for the repair of the house” (II Kings 12:8), he is essentially insinuating that significant sums have been pocketed by the priests. And certainly, the original priestly financing system opens a distinct temptation of corruption. Financing through personal favors opens the door to paybacks, bribery, and ethical abuses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Were the suspicions true or misplaced? Rashi (12:6) suggests that the priests took the role of professional fundraisers, drawing expenses from the funds they collected. With a lack of oversight or accountability it is hardly surprising that the priests were exposed to accusations of misappropriation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas Chronicles attributes the failure to mere apathy and conflict of interest, implying that the fundraising effort was an amateur system rather than a fraudulent one, Kings suggests financial impropriety. Whatever the case, we may conclude that the collection system was deeply flawed and the Temple paid the price.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex Israel, II Kings: In a Whirlwind<\/em>, Maggid Books, 2019, Joash of Judah: Accountability and Betrayal\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":63310,"id":63310,"title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","filename":"Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-hairy-prophet\/alex-israel-2_kings_cover\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"alex-israel-2_kings_cover","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":63117,"date":"2019-09-23 13:43:41","modified":"2019-09-23 13:53:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"home_baner-height":420}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"Excerpts from: II Kings - 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