Fundraising

My former career. I don't miss it....

I learned that people really like holding on to their money more than they like giving it away. That is ODD:-). Giving is so much more rewarding than holding on but it seems that not everybody is aware of this scientifically proven fact. A broad case study proved that people who give away are happier than people who self indulge.

I learned that even in the event that people did give it was only to avoid the discomfort of saying no. The proof was that they would not give until directly asked even they knew that funds were being collected. Who wants to take when people don't really want to give?! The giver is upset he "lost" money while the receiver feels "yichee" for taking what was ungraciously coughed up. The pasuk actually says and it is paskened in halacha that the giver must feel good about giving, otherwise he is mevatel the mitzva of giving properly. לא ירע לבבך בתתך לו - Listen here.

I also learned a code phrase. "I can't right now because things are rough but hopefully in the future when business picks up". At first I took people at their word but then I realized that it was just a polite way of telling me to get lost because not one of these people ever came back and gave. Although in the meantime they did go on vacation to Florida...


I also learned that people liked me more when I wasn't collecting:-).

I spoke to people with millions and even tens of millions who couldn't spare a dime. A DIME:-).  May Hashem have rachmanus on their tortured souls.


I have a friend who started an organization to help people. He went to a person who makes tens of millions of dollars a year [30 mil. in a side business alone!:-)] who was so impressed. "Wow!! Amazing!!! You are doing such important work!!!!" He then promptly wrote out a check for ... 100 dollars [far less than he pays his gardener for a days work]. My friend was so disheartened he stopped collecting altogether.    
Two mysim she-hayu....

1] A fundraiser was organized in 1940 at the home of the well known philanthropist to benefit Jews In Europe. The guest speaker was none other than HaRav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik.

Not one person showed up.

2] Rav Aharon Kotler once spent a whole day going from office to office to raise money for Torah. At the end of his day all he had to show for his efforts was .... 5 dollars. He swore his driver to secrecy because he feared that knowledge of his disappointing efforts would discourage people from becoming Roshei Yeshiva.

Oyyyyy - how people love their money.

What can I say friends. I have been there too many times. "There" is to a funeral. They put him in the ground and the chevre kadisha announces "All that you take with you is your mitzvos and maasim tovim". No pockets in the burial shrouds. What you give away, you take with you, what you keep you lose.

How paradoxical.

How true.

How many blogs I write and feel like it was just a waste of "virtual" space and actual, real time I could have spent cracking another Rashba... One day I am hope to retire from blogging [today?] and focus on what I know is a valuable usage of time. Pure T.T. [Talmud Torah]. Here I have "sfeikos" if anybody is changing [although the many "I love your blog" emails are appreciated:-)]. So maybe I should just focus on changing the only person over whom I have any real power to change - me. [How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? One. But it has to WANT to change...].

May my words pierce someone's heart and may someone be inspired to live his/her life with the belief that all we have is a gift from Hashem to be used for His purposes.

May we all be zoche to be from the givers and not from the takers:-).

Bi-ahava ubracha,

Me