Parshas Shekalim 5633 First Ma'amar

This year Parshas Shekalim coincides with parshas Mishpatim.  In the first pasuk of parshas Mishpatim God tells Moshe Rabbeinu, "ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם/These are the laws that you shall set before them." (Shmos 21:1)  This is strange wording that we find nowhere else.  Why not the more conventional, "Speak to the children of Israel the following laws?"

The Rav of Parshischa explains that God is teaching the importance of the mitzvos.  He is telling Moshe that we must place the mitzvos before ourselves – on a higher level of importance that our own lives.  We, in fact, did this when we said to Moshe Rabbeinu at the end of this week's parsha, "נעשה ונשמע/We will do and we will listen." (Shmos 24:7)  We committed to do even before knowing what we were committing to do.  We were ready to deliver ourselves to God.  We were ready to do anything God required of us without a thought as to what that might be or how it might impact our lives.

God repeats this requirement in Iyov (41:3), "מי הקדימני ואשלם" which, according to the Sfas Emes translates as, "Whosoever will place My will before his own, I will reward."

This concept can help us understand an issue that arises in Parshas Shekalim.  The Torah does not favor counting people.[1]  Counting evokes importance and individuality.  When people are counted, each person is noted.  Counting implies that each person is unique.  When people are noted individually, rather than as part of a group, each person must stand on his own merits.  As part of a group, though, the merits of the group count for each individual even if there are people within the group who do not merit on their own.

In Parshas Shekalim, God instructs Moshe to conduct a census.  What about the issues raised by counting people?  The beginning of the parsha alludes to the answer.  "כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל לפקודיהם ונתנו איש כופר נפשו לה' .../When you take a census of the children of Israel according to their numbers, let each man give a ransom for his soul to God …"  The literal translation of the beginning of this pasuk is, "When you raise up the head of the children of Israel according to their numbers …"  Shouldn't the word "head" be plural? 

The Sfas Emes explains that the "head" of the children of Israel is an allusion to our root or source.  Although we manifest as many different individuals in this physical world, the roots of our souls come together in the highest spiritual realm as one entity.  At our source we are one.  The Torah is advising us to identify with this reality – that the entire nation is, at its source, one.  By identifying with the entire nation, we are protected against being viewed individually and the need to stand scrutiny alone.

The Chiddushei HaRim explains, furthermore that that the word, ראש/head, alludes to Shabbos in this pasuk.  The literal translation, "When you raise the ראש/head …" tells us to look at the letters in the Hebrew alphabet that are above ראש.  The letters following ראש in the Hebrew alphabet are שבת.  On Shabbos the nation of Israel comes together with one will to recognize God as the Creator.  Here again, we see the concept of group instead of individuals in this pasuk.

Another hint to the same concept in this pasuk is from the word, "לפקודיהם/according to their numbers."  Chazal[2] refer to mitzvos as, "פקודי ה'/God's commands."  This word then, alludes to the mitzvos.  The pasuk is telling us that we can raise ourselves up to our source in which we are all one entity through the mitzvos.  How?  The pasuk continues, "ונתנו איש כופר נפשו לה'/Each man will give a ransom of his soul to God ..."  When we place the importance of the mitzvah on a higher level than ourselves, we are automatically raised up to our source where we are all one. 

By subordinating ourselves to the performance of the mitzvos – through mesirus nefesh in performance of the mitzvos – as the Rav of Parshischa taught us in the beginning of parshas Mishpatim, we connect with our source which is one with every other member of the nation of Israel at the highest spiritual place.  We are then protected from the individual scrutiny implied by the census.

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[1] See for example Shmuel 2, 24

[2] Zohar 2:90b, 93b

Shekalim 5631 First Ma'amar

The shekel is a silver coin that was in use at the time of the giving of the Torah.  It is a mitzvah[1] for every man to donate a half shekel (or at least its value) to the Beis HaMikdash once a year.  The money is used for public sacrifices.  Sacrifices must be brought during the year in which they were purchased.  For this purpose the year is considered to start on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.  Therefore, even though the half shekel was given during Adar, the sacrifices were first purchased during Nissan.  This being the case, why was the money given during Adar?

The Sfas Emes explains that the Adar, being the end of the year with respect to the counting of the months[2] (Nissan = month #1, Iyar = month #2 … Adar = month #12) is a time of repentance similar to Elul, the end of the year with respect to the counting of years.  The difference between Elul and Adar is in the type of repentance that is required.  In Elul, we repent out of fear or awe.  In Adar we repent out of love of God.

The mitzvah of Shekalim helps us to love God.  This is because giving to a cause is a great way to develop an affinity for that cause.  When we give towards the Beis HaMikdash, our natural inclination towards God is         stimulated and brought out. 

This idea helps us to understand why Chazal[3] teach us that giving the half shekel was a rectification of the transgression of the golden calf.  Once that natural inner desire to be close to God is stimulated and comes to the fore, every barrier falls away.  Chazal[4] allude to this idea when they say that even an iron barrier cannot come between us and God.  Similarly, God's beloved said, "שימני כחותם על לבך .../[For the sake of my love,] place me like a seal upon Your heart …" (Shir HaShirim 8:6) – with no barrier separating us.

The mitzvah of Shekalim applies only when the Beis HaMikdash stands[5].  Nowadays, we are still stimulated to love God when we hear Parshas Shekalim read on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Adar, maybe even more so since our desire to give to God is not bounded by the mitzvah of giving the half shekel.  As a result of this pining to sacrifice for God, we are inspired to return to Him out of love.  After all, God is interested in our return to Him, not in the half shekel.  Giving the half shekel is only a tool to help us come close to God.

Why are we encouraged to prepare for the month of Nissan specifically by cultivating love of God and happiness?  Elsewhere[6], the Sfas Emes teaches that every Rosh Chodesh is a time of renewal.  The moon's cycle of waning and waxing is an obvious metaphor for renewal.  The aspect of renewal is particularly strong in the month of Nissan since it is the first of all the months.

Elsewhere[7] the Sfas Emes teaches us that there is no renewal in this world, "אין כל חדש תחת השמש/There is nothing new under the sun." (Koheles 1:9)  The implication is that all renewal comes from "above the sun", from the spiritual realms.  In essence the more we attach ourselves to God, so to speak, the more we are open to the renewal that ultimately comes from Him.  The best way to come close to God is by cultivating happiness and a love for Him.  Hence we accent happiness and returning to God out of love specifically during the month that precedes Nissan, the month of Adar. 

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[1] Viz Yad HaChazaka Shekalim 1:1, 4:1, 4:11

[2] Rosh HaShana 1:1

[3] Tanchuma Ki Sisa 2

[4] Pesachim 85b – ma'amar of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi

[5] Viz Yad HaChazaka Shekalim 1:8

[6] Sfas Emes Mikeitz 5631 Second Ma'amar and other places

[7] Ibid.