Tzedaka Box by Hendel Futerfas

THE ARTIST

Hendel Futerfas
Hendel is a sculptor, painter and mixed media artist and draws inspiration from his upbringing in a loving and warm chassidic Jewish family. Futerfas explores the kabbalistic aphorism in his work “the mind is sovereign over the heart;” a metaphor for work and life.

What starts as a flash of excitement can only be fully realized through intellectual and technical control, and choice of medium. Futerfas lives and works in Melbourne, Australia.

THE ARTWORK

“Tzedakah” belongs to the artist’s “word energy” series, drawing upon the concept of prayers ascending on high. “Tzedakah” draws its inspiration from the “coin of fire,” which the Midrash relates that G-d showed Moses to illustrate the power of giving (Exodus 30:31). The coin’s flame is representative of one’s energy when being charitable. The Hebrew word צדקה (Tzedakah) can be found in the flames.

To magnify the power of the coin’s flame the artist set the scene deep within the ocean, representative of abundance. Through reaching deep inside us, we can attain the true depth of our ability to give and ultimately become the abundance we seek.