Heads Up

This week is the first of the Arba Parshios, four weeks during this part of the year in which the regular Maftir and Haftorah are replaced with selections pertaining to the time period. The Arba Parshios are part of a very old Takana, and are actually discussed in the Mishnayos of Meseches Megilah. The Gemarah brings very practical reasons for each of these special weeks, but we know that there are messages to be found not only in the existence of these Shabosim, but in the Pessukim chosen to mark them.

The Pesssukim that are Leined as the Haftorah of Parshas Shekalim come from Sefer Melachim, and discuss the reign of Yoash (also known as Yehoash), who became king at the young age of seven. At the beginning of the Hafotrah, the Navi testifies that Yoash was by and large a righteous king, except that people still used Bamos in his time, and then turns to the events of his reign.

At the beginning of his kingship, Yoash instructed the Kohanim to receive any funds given to the Bais Hamikdash directly from the donors, and use them for the Bedek Habayis, the material upkeep of the Mikdash. It seems, though, that this plan was unsuccessful: “Vayehi Bishnas Esrim V’Shalosh L’Melech Yehoash Lo Chizku HaKohanim Es Bedek Habayis.” By the twenty third year of his reign, it was apparent that the Kohanim were not keeping up their part of the bargain, and the Mikdash had fallen into some degree of disrepair. The remainder of the Haftorah discusses the steps taken by Yoash to rectify this situation and return the Bais Hamikdash to its appropriate glory.

Although the Pessukim discuss the monies donated to the Bais Hamikdash at length, the exact connection between the Haftorah and Shekalim is not overt. We do however find an allusion to this Mitzvah early in the Haftorah.

When Yoash speaks to the Kohanim originally, and instructs them to personally attend to the funds, he delineates the types of donations to which he is referring: “Kol Kesef HaKedoshim…Kesef Over Ish Kesef Nafashos Erko Kol Kesef Asher Ya’aleh Al Lev Ish L’Havi Bais Hashem.” Rashi there explains that there are two types of money being discussed, the Kesef Over and the Kesef Nafashos Erko. The latter refers to a voluntary donation such as those known as Erachin, and the former refers to the yearly Shekalim, about which it says “Kol HaOver Al HaPekudim”.

Although this Rashi allows us to perhaps identify a link between the Haftorah and the Shekalim, there are a number of questions which must be asked.

First, seeing as the singular mention of Shekalim is very much incidental to the story of the Haftorah, and the refence itself somewhat oblique, why did Chazal select these Pessukim specifically for this special Shabbos? Coud not other Pessukim in Neviim be found which mention Shekalim in some more direct way?

Second, the was that Yoash refers to the Shekaim, as “Kesef Over”, is quite curious. If he meant to speak of Shekalim, why not use that term? As Rashi explained, these words are a reference to the fact that the Shekaim were given by those who were “Over Al HaPekudim”, why refer to the Shekaim by this particular detail of the Mitzvah?

Last, and perhaps most challenging, is the fact that the Shekalim would not even seem to belong in this discussion. Rashi in Parshas Ki Sisa, in the Parsha of the Shekalim, explains that there were three Terumos in the times of Moshe Rabbeinu, two of which were done with a Machatzis Hashekel: at the start of the Terumas Hamishkan, and after the Mishkan was complete. The first round of Shekalim went to the construction of the Adanim of the Mishkan itself, and the second went to the purchase of Korbanos Tzibbur. It was this second set of Shekalim that became the Tzivuy L’Doros, the Shekalim that were given each year. Given that Yoash was concerned about the upkeep of the Bais HaMikdash, which had fallen into disrepair, it would seem odd to speak to the Kohanim about the Shekalim at all. Why did Yoash in fact tell the Kohanim to take the Shekalim for the Bedek HaBayis, and why do we Lein a Haftorah for Parshas Shekalim that seems to take the Mitzvah out of context?

Radak asks this final question from a different perspective: if the Shekalim at the time of Yoash were taken for the Bedek Habayis, how did they buy Korbanos Tzibbur? The many animals needed for the Timidin and Mussafin were generally purchased using the Machatzis HaShekel given by each person annually—if those were otherwise earmarked, what monies were used in their stead?

The answer offered by Radak is based on a historical context. The years prior to the reign of Yoash were dark times in Klal Yisroel. The land was ruled by Asalya, an evil queen, and the hearts of the people were given over to Baal. During those years, reasons Radak, the people would not have fulfilled the Mitzvah of Machatzis HaShekel, a fact alluded to by a Passuk in Divrei HaYamim which mentions that the Temidim were not brought in those days. However, when Yoash succeeded in bringing members of the Tzibur back to the Derech Hashem, they brought the Shekaim that they owed. Therefore, even if some of the Shekalim were taken for the Bedek Habayis, as the Passuk suggests, there would be enough other funds for the Korbanos Tzibbur.

The approach of the Radak seems to address, at least partially, our final question: Yoash instructed the Kohanim to use the Shekalim for the Bedek HaBayis because there would be other funds for the Kodshei Mizbeach. That said, it is still interesting that the Pessukim selected by Chazal to be read on Parshas Shekalim describe an extraordinary application of the Mitzvah.

If we look a little deeper into the Mitzvah of Machatzis HaShekel, however, we may find that the Chachamim selected these Pessukim precisely for the message they bear.

As we noted, Yoash referred to the Shekalim by another name: “Kesef Over.” It is interesting to note that elsewhere we see that he used an alternative term.

The Pessukim in Divrei HaYamim that describe the reign of Yoash tell the story of his fundraising slightly differently. There we learn that he instructed the Kohanim to go out and collect the money proactively, but they were not compliant. When Yoash learned of this he confronted Yehoyada, the Kohen Gadol, asking him: “Maduah Lo Darashta Al HaLeviim L’Havi M’Yehudah U’Miyerushlayim Es Masas Moshe Eved HaShem.” Yoash asked Yohyada why the Kohanim were delinquent in collecting the “Masas Moshe” from Klal Yisroel.

The words “Masas Moshe” can be literally translated as “the tax of Moshe”, but this seems inadequate to understand the words of Yoash. Rashi therefore explains that this refers to the Shekalim, an obligation mandated at the hands of Moshe Rabbeinu. The word “Masa”, explains Rashi, relates to the words “Ki Sisa”, used in the original Tzivuy.

We see that Yoash had yet another name for the Shekalim, Masas Moshe, based on another part of the Passuk. We must of course understand the meaning of this term. Why would Yoash refer to the Shekalim by this term, Masas Moshe, because Hashem used the words “Ki Sisa” in the original Tizvuy?

Perhaps, however, this terminology opens the door to understanding the way Yoash understood the Shekalim, and why he was so fixated on their use in his days. In order to see how this is the case, we must have a better understanding of the words “Ki Sisa”.

The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, in Parshas Ki Sisa, wonders why HKB”H in fact chose the word “Sisa” as opposed to “Sifkod”, which is a terminology used by other instances of counting. The Ohr HaChaim explains that the choice of this word is related to one of the key elements of the Mitzvah of Machatzis HaShekel. He establishes, based on various Pessukim, that when one is in a Matzav of Chet, his head is bowed, looking toward the ground. When one is in an elevated state, however, he looks up, toward the heavens.

It is clear from the Divrei Chazal that the he Machatzis HaShekel, also known as “Kesef HaKippurim”, was tied to the Kapparah for the Chet HaEgel. As such, explains the Ohr Hachaim, it had the Koach to be Noseh Rosh, to raise peoples heads, so to speak, as they are uplifted from their state of Chet. When Hashem said “Ki Sisa”, he was thus telling Moshe Rabbeinu that this Mitzvah would have an effect of raising the heads of those who gave the MAchatzis Hashekel, elevating them from a place of Chet.

With this in mind, we can perhaps understand the Shekalim of Yoash.

As we noted, Yoash used two different terms to refer to the Shekalim: “Masas Moshe” and “Kesef Over”. It seems that both these Leshonos are related to the Teshuva aspect of the Machatzis HaShekel. The words “Masas Moshe”, as Rashi in Divrei HaYomim tells us, refers to the words “Ki Sisa”. When Yoash saw that the Kohanim were delinquent in collecting the Shekalim, he reprimanded them for not allowing Klal Yisroel the Nesius Rosh that was afforded by the Sheklaim. The people, who had been involved in Aveiros in previous times, would have been elevated, their heads raised to the heavens, by giving the Shekalim, and Yoash wished the Kohnaim to act with more alacrity with regards to this opportunity.

In Sefer Melachim, when Yoash instructs the Kohanim how to spend the Shekelim that would be brought, he calls them “Kesef Over”. the words “Kol HaOver Al HaPekudim” refer to the age of those who are Mechuyav in the Mitzvah—those who are above the age of twenty and therefore require a Kapparah lest they be punished. Yoash used this term to refer to the Shekalim that Radak speaks Tabout in which people brought extra money to replace those Shekalim that they had failed to give in previous years. These Shekalim were brought by those who understood the need for Teshuva, they were Over Al HaPekudim, and wished to make amends for previous missteps. In bringing the extra Shekalim they not only increased the funds available in the Bais Hamikdash, but accessed the Koach of the Shekalim to be Noseh Rosh, to lift them up from Chet.

We now understand the way that Yoash related to the Shekalim, and why he used these terms to speak about them, but we still must undesrtand why the Chachamim chose these Pessukim for Parshas Shekalim. What was it about the Shekalim of Yoash that we are meant to internalize on this Shabbos?

The Gemarah in Megillah tells us: “Galuy V’yoduah Lifnei Mi Sheamar V’Haya HaOlam SheAsid Haman Lishkol Sheklaim Al Yisroel Lifichach Hikdim Sheklehen L’Shakalav”. The Borei Olam knew, Kaviyachol, that Haman would attempt to buy the fate of the Yidden with Shekalim, and so he proceeded Haman’s Shekalim with those of Bnei Yisroel. The Gemarah ends with the Mishna in Shekalim that tells us that we announce the Mitzvah of Machatzis Hashekel in Adar. Clearly the Takana of Parshas Shekalim is somehow related to the Shekalim of Haman. Perhaps our new understanding of the power of Shekalim, as illustrated by Yoash, can allow us to explain how the two are connected.

In Parshas Beshalach, when the Torah tells us about the first Melchemes Amalek, the Passuk says “VaYehi K’Asher Yarim Moshe Yado V’Gavar Yisroel”, when Moshe’s hands were raised the army of Bnei Yisroel was successful, and when they were lowered Amalek took hold. The Mishna in Rosh Hashana asks “V’Chi Yadav Shel Moshe Osos Melchama…Ela Lomar Lecha Kol Zman Shehayu Yisroel Mistaklin Klapei Ma’alah…Misgabrin”. We know that the position of Moshe’s hands did not dictate the outcome of the war, but when Klal Yisroel was looking up at the Yidei Moshe, their hearts were “Mishtabed L’Avihem Shebashamayim” and they had success.

The Imrei Emes explains this phenomenon based on a Medrash in Parshas Titzvah which tells us that Bnei Yisroel are “L’Maalah M’Kochvei U’Mazlei”, above Teva, represented by the pinnacle of physical world—the heavens. Amalek, on the other hand, is steeped in Teva and the utter lack of belief in any sort of Hashgacha. Thus, when we look to the heavens, we are reminded that we are in fact above it all, so to speak, and we can defeat Amalek. When, however, the Yidei Moshe are not raised, and our sights are not properly focused, we are susceptible to the attacks of Amalek, which are rooted in Teva.

This idea can easily be applied to the Shekalim, and their Koach of Nesius Rosh, as well.

When a person is in a place of Chet, he had given into his most basic urges and tendencies—a victim of his own Teva. If he raises his head, however, and looks to the Shamayim, he will recall that he is capable of so much more, of rising “L’Maalah M’Kochvei U’Mazlei”. It is this understanding that propels him beyond Chet, and back into the embrace of Avinu Shebashamayim..

As a prerpation for Purim, which signifies the battle with Amalek, Chazal told us to read Parshas Shekalim, specifically with the Haftorah of Yoash, so that we may understand the power of Nesius Rosh. By recalling what we are capable of, by trying to rise above Teva, we may counteract the Shekalim of Haman and bring about the ultimate destruction of Amalek.