CLD #812

This past Shabbat marked 5773's Shabbat Shekalim, which is the Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh Adar (which we are currently celebrating). What is Shabbat Shekalim all about? It is to remind us that in the times of Moshe Rabbenu and the Bet HaMikdash there used to be people assigned from the High Court in Jerusalem to go around Israel to begin collecting the annual Mahatzit HaShekel Tax (Half Silver Coin). Each individual, no matter how poor or rich, educated non-educated, etc. would have to donate the same amount.

These monies would be collected to pay for all the korbanot (animal sacrifices) for the entire year. What does this teach us? 1) As Rav Levy shlit'a said today in Shul that the word Mahatzit can be broken down into three sections: Mem-Het-Tzadi-Yud-Tav, Mem and Tav making up the word Met (dead), Het with Yud making up the word Hai (alive) and the last letter Tzadi which is the center letter that is used to symbolize the word Tzedakah (charity). This comes to teach us that the donation of the Mahatzit HaShekel was to remind the people of Am Yisrael that Tzedakah (the letter Tzadi) brings closer to the people Hai (life), while being stingy and closing up one's pocket brings closer the opposite, Lo Alenu.

Another teaching from the Mahatzit HaShekel is the strict rule that is taught from the Torah that every Jew must bring the same amount. Meaning a rich person who wants to donate more under the category of Mahatzit HaShekel IS NOT ALLOWED TO, while a poor person must bring the same amount as everyone else and cannot decrease his donation! This teaches us the improtance of unity among Israel and the love we must have for eachother. 

Be'ezrat Hashem with the holiday of Rosh Hodesh now, we should have a Hodesh (month) filled with Beriyut (health), Simha (happiness) and all the Shefa and Beracha one needs (spiritual energy and blessing)!

Shavua Tov & Hodesh Tov!

Judaism=Think.

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