Parashat Ki Tisa opens with Parashat Shkalim, which we read two weeks ago. Hashem asks Moshe to take a census of Bnei Israel, each person aged twenty and older. The verse says: “This they shall give, everyone who passes among those who are counted, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary.” The question that arises is: Why are they counted in this way? Rashi looks at the previous verse, “And there shall be no plague among them when they are counted,” and explains that counting creates an evil eye, so it is done in an indirect way to prevent a plague.
The next question is: Why specifically half a shekel, and not a full shekel? After all, it would be much easier to count full shekels. Many commentators have discussed this question. The “Kli Yakar” gives several reasons, one of the reasons is that, due to the sin of the Golden Calf, the tablets were broken into two pieces, so each person gives a half-shekel, a “broken” part. Rabbeinu Bechaye also offers several explanations, one of which is that the sin of the Golden Calf occurred at midday, “בשֵׁשׁ משֶׁה” ‘יןבי בשמ נק רקשג Ba Shesh, at the sixth hour meaning at noon, so they give half.
These explanations focus on the need for atonement after the sin of the golden calf. The Alshich offers a sweet explanation, which teaches the Israelites a lesson about unity. He explains in the name of Rabbi Shlomo Ben Elkabatz that the half-shekel is meant to focus the mind on the unity of Israel. A person may think they are better than their friend, but only when they unite with each and every member of Israel do they become complete.
In the Talmud, in Megillah, it explains that the half-shekel preceded Haman’s plan, where he said: “If it pleases the king, let it be written to destroy them, and ten thousand talents of silver I will weigh out.” The half-shekel corresponds to the money that Haman weighed. Haman came to destroy and annihilate, while Israel weighs contributions to build and unite.
Later in the parsha, the Bnei Israel collect gold to create the Golden Calf and unite, but this unity is not for the right cause. In another verse in the Book of Esther, Haman describes the Jews as “There is one people scattered and dispersed among the nations.” The word “one” is puzzling here because one could simply use the word “people,” especially since the next words are “scattered” and “dispersed,” which are the opposite of “one.” Perhaps it can be explained that the “one” refers to the verse “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,” teaching that as long as Israel looks upward and directs their hearts to their Father in Heaven together with great unity, no Amalek will be able to break them.
To summarize everything, there is a beautiful interpretation by Rabbi Shlomo Ishon on the verse “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less.” Rabbi Ishon explains that the uniform contribution of half a shekel shows us not only unity but also that everyone is equal in the eyes of Hashem, and there is no preference of the rich over the poor. From the contribution of the half-shekel, they built the foundation of the Mishkan, which is the basis of the structure. This teaches us that equality in the eyes of God is the foundation for the resting of the Shechinah among the people, no matter their level of observance or who they voted for in the previous elections they are equal before Hashem. May we merit, with Hashem’s help, to experience unity and love that will bring about the resting of the Shechinah among our people and Geulah Shlema.
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