Teaching Team
eRosh Blog: Shabbat Shekalim
This year on the second day of Rosh Chodesh on the first of Adar II 5768 (March 8) is Shabbat Shekalim. This commemorates a special day during the era when the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem on which the annual Temple tax was collected. According to the Talmud in tractate Shekalim, men were sent throughout the Land of Israel and the Diaspora beginning on the 15th of Adar to collect this tax; the collection was begun early so as to have all shekalim in Jerusalem in time for Passover. This was a tax that everyone over the age of nineteen had to pay towards the maintenance of the Temple. (However, there is a discussion among the Sages as to whether the priests were required to pay duty towards the Temple. See Mishnah Shekalim 1:4).
Exodus 30:13 says,
“Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.” (ESV) (Cf. Exodus 30:13 in the Septuagint)
The story is told of the Master and Peter and their encounter with one of the Temple-tax collectors. In Matthew 17:24-27 it says,
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” (ESV)
In this story, the Master teaches that the sons of a king are typically exempt from paying taxes. Looking to the time when there will be no Temple (see Rev. 21:22), the Master indicates the it is the “sons of God” (see John 1:12-13) who are exempt. However, because the Messiah was not recognized, He was unable to establish a physical Kingdom on earth. Therefore, He shows (as Peter stated in Matthew 17:25) that He is faithful and obedient to the Torah and He proceeds to pay the tax for both Himself and Peter, for the Torah remains the standard for God’s people (see Matthew 5:17-19).
Since we are uable to discharge this obligation today, it is customary to give three coins half the value of the standard currency of one’s country of residence (e.g. in America, the dollar is the standard and thus three half-dollar coins are usually given). Also, this contribution, which is given to charity, is not taken from one’s usual maaser (tithe). Three coins are given because this is the number of times that the word terumah (offering) is mentioned in Parshat Ki Tisa (Ex. 30:11-34:35). This contribution is given before Minchah on the Fast of Esther. If one was not able to give it then, he may still give it after Minchah on the same day. One who was still not able to make the donation may still give it before the reading of the Megillah on Purim night or before the reading of the Megillah on Purim morning.
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(Credit: Brian R. Volunteer/ Researcher)
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