Vayakhel 2010 - Baboker Baboker

This parsha is truly one of the highlights of the biblical history of B'nai Israel. So many times, we see the Israelites complaining: "Did you take us out of Egypt to die here?" "Where's the water?" "Where's the food?"
This parsha is different. Moshe says that he needs a few things for the mishkan - gold, copper, blue threads, crimson threads, dolphin skins. You know, the usual list. The Israelites are so responsive to this request that everyone brings their "truma", their contribution, that Moshe has to say "di", enough already. Can you imagine what life would be like today if our charitable organization -- our synagogues or the Multiple Sclerosis Society, or organizations set up to help the victims of Haiti -- said "Thanks so much for volunteering, but really, we have enough"? What an incredible tribute to B'nai Israel that they were able to offer their trumot so selflessly!
As I read the parsha this week, two things struck me about this episode. First is the egalitarian model of giving. The parsha specifically states that both men and women who had the "nadiv lev" could come forward. In addition, each was to make their contribution according to their ability. So those who had gold, gave gold. Those who had copper, gave copper. Those who had blue thread, gave blue thread. And, yes, those who had dolphin skins, gave dolphin skins. Can you imagine the scene before the exodus from Egypt. You're about to leave Egypt forever, trying to jam everything into that one knapsack that you're going to carry as you flee, and thinking, "I better pack that dolphin skins. You never know when I might need that."
But if every person had a different truma, there is a second phrase that struck me as even more important. The parsha says that those with a willing heart gave their truma "baboker baboker." I've seen this translated as every day, which is remarkable. The people of B'nai Israel considered anew what they had to contribute every single day. Every day brought a renewed consideration and a new offering.
But if that was the only meaning, the Torah could just as easily said Kol boker or something like that. By repeating the word "baboker", I think the Torah is teaching something else.
My interpretation of this is that just as different people brought different trumot, the same person may have offered a different truma on a different day. By repeating the word "baboker," the Torah is teaching that each day brings a new opportunity to present a truma.
This makes sense with what we know of the world. The person with gold today may not have gold tomorrow. The person who can cut down a tree and carry acacia wood today to the mishkan may break her leg and not be able to do that tomorrow.
Fortunately, this process works two ways. Someone may proper financially and be able to make a truma tomorrow that they could not make today. Even more importantly, people may change their ability internally or psychologically. Maybe today you are not kind to your sister or parent. Maybe today you are not patient with your child. Maybe today you speak lashon hara with your friends. Isn't your truma going to be affected by that? Tomorrow may be different. Tomorrow, you might be kind instead of mean. You might have patience instead of impatience. Empathy instead of hostility. So, tomorrow, you have a new opportunity, a new chance to make your contribution to the world.
I don't think that it's a coincidence that this comes immediately after the golden calf incident. Last week, the Israelites had their low point, committing their gold to an idol. This week, with their collective "nadiv lev," the Israelites were contributing to the Mishkan and bringing spirituality to their community.
Another interesting point about the parsha is Rashi's comment about how the princes brought onyx stones. One commentary was favorable in that the princes had not expected the people to make such generous contributions and had volunteered to provide whatever was still needed. A less generous interpretation is that the princes delayed, and because of that, one of the letters of their name is missing from the written Torah.
May we all merit to figure out what our truma is to this world, not just today, but tomorrow, and the day after that.