PASSIONATE
PERSONIFICATION: SHEKALIM
Shira Smiles shiur
2020/5780
Adapted by Channie
Koplowitz Stein
This
is a year of the census of the US population. Forms will be sent out for each
family to fill out, and eventually actual people will be sent on the job of
canvassing neighborhoods and counting heads. This however is not the way of the
Jewish census. In this parsha, Parshat Shekalim, which we will read this
Shabbat IY”H, Hashem instructs Moshe on how to be a Jewish census taker. “…
Every man shall give atonement for his soul when counting them. Zeh/This
shall they give – everyone who passes through the census – a half shekel of the
sacred shekel … shall give a portion to Hashem, to atone for our souls… you
shall take the silver of the atonements … and give it for the work of the Tent
of Meeting; and it shall be a remembrance before Hashem...”
Zeh/This always
refers to something specific, something we can point to. What was it that
Hashem showed Moshe? Rashi in Medrash Tanchuma tells us that Hashem took
a fiery coin from under His Throne of Glory and showed it to Moshe, “This fiery
half shekel shall you give.”
This
medrash raises more questions than it resolves. First, how could this small
donation take the place of the sacrificial offering usually used for atonement?
Further, since coins are commonplace, why did Hashem need to show Moshe a half
shekel coin and, more specifically, why did this coin come from under God’s
Throne of Glory, and why was it a fiery coin?
Rabbi
Schlesinger in Eleh Hem Moadai credits the Baal Haturim with
noting that both shekel and nefesh add up to 430. [But we only
give half the shekel because one soul is incomplete without another half.
CKS] Nevertheless, how could a physical coin atone for a spiritual soul? That’s
why Hashem showed Moshe a fiery coin, continues Rabbi Schlesinger. Fire has
both physical characteristics and spiritual significance, as we talk of Aish
Hatorah/the fire of Torah, for example. This coin will also incorporate
both these elements. Further, unlike anything else I give to another, I have no
less fire for myself after I have given of my flame to others. Similarly, when
you give tzedakah, you do not diminish what you have and what Hashem gives you.
The physical half shekel becomes spiritual as if from under Hashem’s throne.
Taking
a different approach, the Chazon Lamoed cites the Alshich in explaining
that every action we take in this physical world has some impact on the
spiritual realm above. For example, when we blow the shofar in our earthly
shuls on Rosh Hashanah, it not only awakens us, but metaphorically also awakens
God’s mercy above. Hashem showed Moshe the fiery coin to impress upon him the
power that coin would have in heaven, for Hashem continuously interacts with
the world. Hashem interacts with all the seventy nations according to the laws
of nature. But with Bnei Yisroel Hashem interacts in supernatural ways, above
and beyond, like fire.
This
half shekel came to atone for the sin of the golden calf when Moshe pleaded
with Hakodosh Boruch Hu to continue to lead Bnei Yisroel in a supernatural way
and to continue to rest His Shechinah/Presence within us. This fiery
coin was Hashem’s response. Use these coins to build the foundations of the
Mishkan for My dwelling place on earth, a reflection of the Heavenly Throne
above. But you can only do that by being united, by working together, by
connecting the halves with each other. The power of the half shekel remains
with us as long as we are united. Together we are strong; divided we are weak.
It
is this power of unity that saved us from the evil scheme of Haman, explains
Rabbi Bernstein. Haman’s argument to Achashverosh was that we were a disunited
nation, divided and dispersed among all the other nations, and therefore
worthless and unworthy of any consideration. Queen Esther repaired that
perceived flaw by telling Mordechai to gather all the Jews together
in prayer. In fact, the central theme of Purim is unity and brotherhood among
all the Jews, to validate your friends and repair broken relationships by
giving them gifts, and including the poor by giving to them as well.
Rabbi
Bernstein bolsters his argument by pointing out an interesting kri uktiv
in the Megillah, a word that is read aloud one way but written differently.
When Mordechai sent out letters to Bnei Yisrael that would prepare them to
protect themselves against their enemies, he uses the word atidim/be
prepared for the future. However, the word is actually written as atudim.
Atudim are those goats in the herd that keep the entire herd together.
What Mordechai was teaching Bnei Yisroel was that when that future day of
battle against our enemies arrives, we will be successful only if we remain
united.
There
was even more power in the half shekel, writes the Netivot Shalom citing
the Noam Elimelech. While there is no individual who has not sinned, Klal
Yisroel, the collective nation is still considered pure. When each
individual gave his personal half shekel to the whole, he became part of the
collective and was again able to form the close relationship with Hakodosh
Boruch Hu.
We
are offered a more esoteric, philosophical and psychological approach by Rabbi
Eisenberg in Mesillot Bilvovom. He begins by separating the realm of
thought prior to action, the area of the brain, to the realm of action centered
in the heart. Rabbi Eisenberg tells us that the thought is more powerful than
the action. And, while we have control over our thoughts, acting on those
thoughts and plans is not in our control, for circumstances may arise that
prevent us from completing the plan.
Because
of these possibilities, once the thought is actualized through action, it is
diluted many times, often so that we don’t realize what the original thought or
motivation was, much like the tinctures of homeopathic medicine when we can’t
recognize the original plant from simple observation.
Rabbi
Eisenberg goes on to apply this idea to mitzvah performance, using giving
tzedakah as an example. Perhaps a rich man has decided to donate a substantial
sum of money to tzedakah. A representative for a worthwhile project approaches
him for a donation. The philanthropist immediately gives him the full amount of
his pledge. The representative thanks him, gives him back half the amount of
money, and explains that the lesser amount is certainly adequate to complete
this particular project. What does the donor do? Most likely he will not pocket
the rest of the money. The “fire” to give this money to tzedakah will continue
to burn in him until he finds another worthwhile cause to complete the
donation.
Now
let us suppose that this rich man has already dispersed all the money he had
planned in his mind. The representative of the other worthwhile organization
approaches him for a donation. He is now likely to say, “I just gave a
significant amount to tzedakah; come back in a few weeks.” Having completed the
action, the passion for the mitzvah of tzedakah has left him.
In
almost every other mitzvah we can think of, continues Rabbi Eisenberg, the
whole or the perfect is either the only acceptable method or the preferable
method of performing a mitzvah. Reciting a brachah over a whole apple is
preferable to reciting a brachah over a slice; an imperfect animal cannot be
brought as a sacrifice; even a handicapped kohen is not permitted to
serve in the Beit Hamikdosh. So Moshe doesn’t understand why Hashem wants only
a half shekel rather than a whole shekel for this mitzvah. That’s why Hashem
showed Moshe the fiery coin. Maintain the passion for mitzvoth in your mind as
if you have still only completed half of the mitzvah. As long as the thought
for the closeness to Hakodosh Boruch Hu remains in my mind as not yet fully
actualized, the passion for that closeness and for giving more will remain.
The
thoughts in the mind are important not only before we do a mitzvah, but
afterward as well, writes the Shvilei Pinchas. There is an interesting
but seemingly redundant phrase in our morning prayer of Yishtabach, “Habocher
bshirei zimrah/[He] chooses songs of songs.” A Jew may pray and, when he
has finished, he may stop to contemplate how he has prayed. He may realize he
has not prayed with adequate focus, with a sense of connection to Hakodosh
Boruch Hu. He may yearn to repeat his prayers, which he may not do. Yet Hashem
will credit him as if he had actually repeated these “songs” with all the love
and connection he now feels.
The
donated shekels were coins of kesef/silver, a word closely related to kesuf/desire/yearning.
Hashem commanded Moshe to take this census not long after Amalek attacked Bnei
Yisroel. Amalek’s aim was to cool the fervor and passion Bnei Yisroel had for
Hakodosh Boruch Hu to follow His ways. Hashem showed Moshe a fiery coin to
transmit the idea that when one performs mitzvoth, desire to do Hashem’s will
must accompany the observance.
The
Shem Mishmuel brings these ideas together. Hashem prepared the mitzvah
of the silver half shekel as a future counter measure when Haman, the
descendent of Amalek, would try to annihilate the Jews. Haman bribed
Achashverosh by promising to donate 10,000 talents of silver into the royal
treasury. [In the spirit of Purim Torah, I wonder if Haman could deduct it as a
charitable donation. CKS] The silver half shekels Bnei Yisroel were now donating
many generations earlier Hashem preemptively prescribed as a strike for the
later danger. The coin Hashem showed Moshe was silver representing desire, but
also fiery to counteract the coldness Amalek introduced to Bnei Yisroel in
their relationship with Hashem.
On
that first Purim we re-accepted the Torah. But there was a difference in our
attitude toward this acceptance than towards the first acceptance at Sinai,
writes Halekach Vehalebuv. The medrash tells us that at Sinai Hashem
held a mountain over our heads to force us to accept the Torah. Here, at Purim,
we accepted the Torah joyfully. It was not that we would have rejected the
Torah at Sinai; we were very willing to accept the Torah and be bound by its
mitzvoth. We were, however, accepting the Torah through a sense of obligation.
The joy had to be forced upon us. At Purim, that fiery passion for Torah,
mitzvoth and connection to Hashem was reignited from within ourselves. It is
this fire, not the coin itself, that Hashem took from under His throne, writes
Rabbi Biederman.
Hashem
has infused each of us with this passion for Hakodosh Boruch Hu, writes the Sefas
Emes. It is our job to offer it to Hashem. The amount we offer is not what
is relevant. What is relevant is how the donation reflects our desire to give.
That’s why we are instructed to give only half a coin, adds Rabbi Biederman.
Even if I do not have the half shekel in our time, I can still give my longing
and my love to Hakodosh Boruch Hu for His mitzvoth. By doing the mitzvoth mindfully
and joyfully, I am adding the elements of fire and joy to their
performance.
If
you want to know how connected you are to Hashem, ask yourself how passionately
you perform His mitzvoth. The Kedushat Halevi relates a medrash that
before the Prophet Shmuel was born, a heavenly voice was heard declaring that a
child destined to be a prophet of God would be born. This child would be named
Shmuel. That year, so many parents of the boys born were named Shmuel. Since no
specific child or family had been mentioned, each family wanted to achieve that
closeness with Hashem. Our Scribes say that each of these children did indeed
become a prophet, although of a lesser stature than the Scriptural Shmuel,
because of the deep desire of their parents.
That
Bnei Yisroel lacked joy and exuberance in their performance of mitzvoth,
although they performed them meticulously, gave Haman the courage to feel he
could defeat them, writes Rabbi Miller in Yom Tov Shiurim. Haman
introduced his request to Achashverosh by saying yeshno am echad…/there
is a nation [referring to Bnei Yisroel].... But the word yeshno, by
simply changing the vocalization, can be read as yoshnu/asleep,
lethargic. This descendent of Amalek understood that the way to weaken the
Jewish people was to remove the heat and passion from their Torah observance,
to cool their relationship with Hashem as his ancestors had done in the desert.
The Torah writes that Amalek korcha baderech/happened upon you/chilled
you [toward God]. In fact, it is this aspect of Haman the Amalekite that
Mordechai apprises Esther of when she sends him clothing to replace the
sackcloth and ashes he is wearing in the courtyard of the king. Mordechai then
sends the reply to Esther explaining everything asher korohu/that
happened/that is connected to the kor/cold [of Amalek].Therefore, when
we re-accepted the Torah on that first Purim, we invested our holidays and
observances with the light, joy, gladness and honor that had been missing
from our earlier observance.
When
we start educating our children in brachot and mitzvoth almost from infancy, we
educate by rote. But as the children grow, we must also infuse joy and passion
into this observance so that it doesn’t remain rote, writes Rabbi Weissblum in Heorat
Derech. As adults, we can realize that every time we recite a brachah, we
have the opportunity to connect to Hashem and to His wonders. Contemplate the
apple, for example. From a seed grew the tree upon which the apple blossomed,
grew and ripened so I I now have the opportunity to eat it. See how Hashem
loves me.
It
may be difficult to maintain that level of joy, passion and connectedness over
long periods of time, but at least let us try to do so for this Shabbat when we
read Parshat Shekalim. And like fire, may that passion for Torah and mitzvoth
continue to burn and ignite others.