English translation — תשא א

A.

On the verse¹

"This they shall give"

(regarding the commandment of the half-shekel)

Chazal say²

: A sort of coin of fire the Holy One, blessed be He, brought out ...

And showed it to Moses and said to him: This they shall give,

Like this they shall give.

What is the difficulty in "half-shekel" that the Almighty needed to show Moses our teacher a "coin of fire"?

Tosafos³

explains,

that "Moses was perplexed

(Moses)

about the matter: what can a person give as a ransom for his soul."

But this requires an explanation:

What was the wonder and astonishment of Moshe Rabbeinu that the giving of the half-shekel could be "atonement for his soul" — every simple town preacher

more etc."<sup>4</sup>,

and the ultimate perfection in intellect]

explains it quite <b>simply</b>: When a Jew fulfills a commandment, he receives a reward for it, and sometimes a very great reward,

as it is written<sup>5</sup>

"If you walk in My statutes etc., I will give your rains in their time etc." all the blessings that are enumerated there<sup>6</sup>

; and likewise

In our matter: as reward for fulfilling the commandment of machatzit hashekel one receives "kofer nafsho".

So what is the wonder and — a great wonder of Moshe Rabbeinu that through the commandment⁷

one gives "reward" — "kofer nafsho"⁸?

Also, the answer of the Above — He showed him "a coin of fire": is not understood.

(a)

What is the emphasis "a coin of <b>fire</b>" specifically?

— And from either side:

If the precision of "fire" is from the fact that all matters above are of "fire"

("His ministers a flaming fire"<sup>9</sup>

and the like),

and therefore,

when the Most High shows a specific thing it is in the form of "fire" — then it is not necessary to emphasize this specifically <b>here </b>

(since all matters above are of fire)

And if one would say,

that were it not for the emphasis "a coin of <b>fire</b>" one could think that the Most High showed a coin literally,

a coin of silver

(and not of fire)

— in the manner of "And you shall erect the Tabernacle according to its ordinance, as you were shown

In Behar<sup>10</sup>,

that they showed him the pattern of a physical Mishkan<sup>11</sup>

(according to the simple meaning of the verse)

— requires explanation

(on the other hand)

: How is the half-shekel different, regarding which it is necessary to show specifically a "coin of <b>fire</b>"?

And the main point: Where is the answer to Moshe Rabbeinu's wonder

(how can the giving of a half-shekel be an atonement for his soul)

through that which Hashem showed him a "coin of fire"?

(b)

2.

Seemingly one could say,

that the two questions mentioned above

(in the answer of the Most High)

are answered one by its companion:

The answer to the question of how can the giving of the half-shekel be "atonement for his soul" is — Hashem showed him "a coin of <b>fire</b>": when a Jew fulfills a <b>mitzvah</b>

(as the words of <b>fire</b>¹²)

through a physical coin,

and all the more so when he fulfills the mitzvah with vitality and enthusiasm

("fire" in his soul¹³)

— it becomes a matter of "fire",

and therefore the giving can be "atonement for his soul".

But according to this, even stronger becomes the

(first)

above question

(section a)

— what is initially the wonder of Moshe Rabbeinu: this very reasoning

(that by fulfilling a mitzvah there becomes a matter of "fire")

— is

(a)

a regular exposition by any preacher,

and

(b)

regarding <b>all mitzvos</b>,

that by doing a mitzvah one draws and effects in that object of mitzvah a matter of "fire"

(spirit-

of life¹⁴).

So what is the wonder of <b>Moshe Rabbeinu</b>,

and specifically regarding the matter of <b>Machatzit HaShekel</b>?

Moreover: if because of this,

it would have been enough that the Almighty should <b>tell</b> Moshe that through this mitzvah the coin would become a matter of "fire"; and on the contrary, it <b>should have</b> been specifically

(and only)

through telling — for thus was the giving of <b>all</b> the Torah and its mitzvos to Moshe! Why did the Almighty need here to take out and show a "coin of fire" and say "this they shall give"?

From the fact that specifically regarding <b>this matter</b> there was required the special action of the Almighty to show a "coin of fire" and say "this they shall give" — it is necessary to say,

that regarding machatzit hashekel there is a special matter that is <b>not</b> present in all other mitzvos.

3.

The point of the explanation in this — one must say:

The matter of reward for a commandment — can be in two ways¹⁵

(a)

The performance of the commandment is such an action which, from the aspect of the <b>content of its subject</b> — <b>brings</b> a certain reward; the reward is a "result" of the action of the commandment.

(b)

The content of the action of the commandment is not related

(according to intellect,

at least)

to a certain reward,

but so is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He,

to give this reward for the fulfillment of that particular commandment.

Just as regarding the mitzvos themselves there are mitzvos that one does not do them

Because of the reason,

But because "a decree I decreed, a statute I enacted"¹⁶

— So too regarding the reward of the mitzvos,

That it can be that for certain mitzvos

(Also from the category "ordinances")

One should give a great reward commensurate with the mitzvah,

Because so is His will, the Holy One Blessed be He,

"A statute I enacted."

And likewise in our matter — the "reward" of "ransom for his soul" for the mitzvah of giving the half-shekel:

Since the half-shekel

(a <b>physical</b> coin)

and "ransom for <b>his soul</b>"

(spirituality)

have no value between them,

until they are opposites from one extreme to the other

: money — silver and gold — is

(among physical matters themselves)

a thing &lt;b&gt;most low&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;.

as one sees it tangibly by "lust for money" how low that can bring down a person&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;,

until that "&lt;b&gt;it is established &lt;/b&gt;for the Rabbis that a person does not place &lt;b&gt;himself &lt;/b&gt;above his money"&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

and "a person is &lt;b&gt;hasty &lt;/b&gt;for his money"&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

(and it may be said that this is also expressed in the place of silver and gold literally: in the category of the inanimate itself,

their place is

(for the most part)

&lt;b&gt;in the depths of the earth &lt;/b&gt;specifically&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;,

lowest that there is no lower beneath it,

and afterwards there must also be — a refiner for silver and a furnace for gold&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;)

And on the other hand, "

(ransom)

<b>his soul</b>" — every soul — a most elevated thing,

and all the more so the soul of a Jew which is "literally a part of G-d above"²⁴],

has no place according to reason,

that the action of giving physical money

(the purpose of the descent),

should, in terms of the <b>content of its subject</b>, effect the matter of "ransom of his soul" of a "literally a part of G-d above"

(the purpose of the ascent²⁵)

And although being a mitzvah it becomes like all mitzvos "fire"

(as above sec. 2)

spirituality — is nevertheless this not a change which is connected with the <b>physical coin itself</b>²⁶,

for the "fire" comes from the side of the "mitzvah"

(and spirituality)

in this,

but the coin itself remains a coin <b>physical</b>.

It comes out,

that the <b>action of </b>the mitzvah

(the giving of a physical coin)

itself — is entirely not comparable

(from the aspect of the content of its matter)

to be able to effect "atonement for his soul".

4.

And this was the wonder

(and doubt)

of Moshe Rabbeinu:

From the aspect of Moshe's intellect — the intellect of &lt;b&gt;Torah &lt;/b&gt;— it turned out,

that the "reward" of "ransom for his soul" for the giving of the half-shekel is in the category of "chok"; according to intellect it is a perplexing thing and there is room for doubt etc.,

only because this is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He,

"A decree I have decreed" — "you have no &lt;b&gt;permission &lt;/b&gt;to ponder them"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

But on the other hand: from the fact that the Almighty &lt;b&gt;did not &lt;/b&gt;define and &lt;b&gt;did not &lt;/b&gt;call the commandment of the half-shekel a &lt;b&gt;chok &lt;/b&gt;— it is certain,

that there is an explanation in this&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;.

And therefore — "he wondered

(Moshe)..

What can a person give as a ransom for his soul": How can there be an explanation and interpretation of this according to intellect,

that the giving of a physical coin

(half-shekel)

is an action that can effect "ransom for his soul".

On this, the Almighty answered him with that which He showed him "a coin of fire ..

and said to him 'this they shall give'."

The Almighty showed him that when Jews give the half-shekel, then the &lt;b&gt;coin itself &lt;/b&gt;

(not

(only)

from the aspect of the spirituality of the "mitzvah" in it)

a "coin of fire",

consequently, also according to intellect one understands the connection between the "content" of giving the half-shekel and the "reward" of "atonement for his soul".

But by charity — it does

Not at all the coin — rather as Chazal say²⁹

(which is a <b>simple</b> reasoning)

: You <b>revived the soul of</b> the poor person and the son of the house, his reward is his soul and the soul of the son of the house,

<b>measure for measure</b>

From the half-shekel however they made the sockets for the Mishkan³⁰

is how can there be any thing that is — "what",

even the sockets — ransom for the soul.

The explanation in this:

With this itself that Hashem showed him a "coin of fire" and said "this they shall give" — the Above One <b>effected</b> <b>created</b> a novelty: the half-shekel that Jews gave then

(and this is drawn forth in the commandment of half-shekel — <b>always all the days</b>)

is not only a physical coin,

but also a "coin of <b>fire</b>"; i.e.,

5.

i.e.,

then was renewed,

that <b>the</b> coin that the Above One showed to Moses — the coin as it is

(in its root)

fire that is under the Throne of Glory — is "<b>this</b> they shall give" the children of Israel,

a coin <b>exactly like this</b>³¹.

In addition to this, that through the mitzvah one draws and effects in the coin a matter of "fire"

(which is so by <b>all</b> mitzvos,

as above),

is by machatzit hashekel here a special novelty — that the coin <b>itself</b> is a "coin of fire".

The novelty in this is not that <b>in its source</b> it is a "coin of fire"

— this is with all physical things,

which all become descended from their spiritual root,

but their source is found and remains above and they are below a physical thing —

But in that which also after the coin became descended and came down into the physical world,

is through that which one fulfills with it the commandment of the half-shekel,

there is opened a change in the coin that it becomes

(as it is found physically)

a "coin of fire".

6.

Based on this one will also understand the unique wonder of machatzit hashekel — which demanded a unique action from Above "a coin of fire He brought out ..

And said 'this they shall give'" — regarding all other commandments:

That which is found regarding all commandments,

that a commandment draws down a vitality to the spiritual

("fire")

into the physical action&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;,

this is all in a manner that the physical itself is and &lt;b&gt;remains &lt;/b&gt;below its source,

from the spiritual,

only &lt;b&gt;in &lt;/b&gt;the physical one draws down a spiritual vitality

(which is the concept of "hishtalshelut",

that in the "lower" there is

(and sometimes also &lt;b&gt;shines&lt;/b&gt;)

from the "upper",

but the lower remains &lt;b&gt;below &lt;/b&gt;the upper)

But by machatzit hashekel the novelty is — that the physical coin that Jews

give is itself becomes "coin of fire",

a <b>connection</b> of two <b>opposites</b>

— even the physical fire of this world,

is it an opposite extreme of "coin": "coin" is "earth"³³

(and in earth itself — in the depths of the ground,

as above),

the lowest element; and fire is the highest and most elevated element³⁴.

And all the more so in the content of their matter

(in spirituality)

— as is known³⁵

that the four elements fire-water-air-earth are corresponding to the four worlds Atzilut-Beri'ah-Yetzirah-Asiyah — earth corresponding to the world of Asiyah,

the lowest world,

and fire is corresponding to the world of Atzilut,

the highest world -

What the connection of these two opposites,

physical nature with the nature of fire

(and certainly that this is not the fire of this physical world,

but "this" — the fire that is under the Throne of Glory)

— is the opposite of the entire concept of the order of Hishtalshelus

(that "Hishtalshelus" means,

as above,

that the "lower" is "extended" [from the higher],

and consequently — below the higher).

Even more: this is opposite even of the order of Torah

(which is higher than the world),

even of its order in matters of Torah — for the order in Torah is in a manner of "Hishtalshelus",

that the part of pshat

(which corresponds to the world of Asiyah³⁶)

It becomes <b>evolved</b>

(three stages)

from the part of the secret

(which is opposite the world of Atzilut³⁶)

and is consequently lower — <b>and much</b> than it.

And therefore this connection

(of "coin" with "fire")

cannot be accomplished through an angel etc.,

and even not, as it were, through Torah³⁷,

which all of them are in the manner of evolution

(and consequently limited within the boundary of evolution),

but only the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory and in His essence,

who chose in His will

(not, heaven forbid, by necessity)

in the order of evolution,

and being "all-powerful",

"the impossible of impossibilities"³⁸,

is in His ability to nullify the order of evolution,

and to connect the two opposites³⁹

of physicality and spirituality,

that the <b>physical</b> coin should become in actuality,

in this world — <b>also</b>,

a "coin of <b>fire</b>".

7.

And this is the answer

(from above)

in the Midrash — and precisely the language of the Midrash: "A coin of fire the Holy One, blessed be He, brought out

<b>And said </b>to him, 'This they shall give'" — "the Holy One, blessed be He" specifically and through a <b>saying</b>:

The unification of physicality and spirituality

(that a physical coin should also become a "coin of fire")

— both actually simultaneously,

silver and ransom of his soul — can be made only by "the Holy One, blessed be He" Himself

(as above),

who by His will chose in the order of the chain of descent,

and it is obvious that He is not limited by the chain of descent

(and can nullify it).

And in this manner

the concept of creation ex nihilo,

which can be only from "His essence and being of the Emanator, blessed be He, whose existence is from His essence and is not caused by any cause

that preceded Him, heaven forbid,

and therefore He alone, by His power and ability, can create ex nihilo, etc."

And in the manner as in the matter of yesh me'ayin — it is indeed that the coming into being of ma'aseh bereishis was through speech and utterance specifically,

"With ten utterances the world was created"⁴³,

"By the word of Hashem the heavens were made"⁴⁴

— it is so also regarding the "coming into being" that a physical coin should also become fire,

that this is effected through the speech of the Holy One, blessed be He.

The speech of the Holy One, blessed be He, "zeh yitnu" — that the physical coin which Jews give

("yitnu")

will also be "fire"

("zeh")

— has "brought into being" the novelty,

in the manner of the coming into being of the creations during the six days of

In the beginning through His speech and utterance of the Holy One, blessed be He.

8.

At first glance one can ask:

Certainly Moshe Rabbeinu knew

(also before the Most High showed him the "coin of fire")

that it is in His power, may He be blessed, to combine two opposites

— from which it is understood that the Most High can combine the physical coin with

(its root in)

spirituality.

And the difficulty returns to its place: What is the wonder of Moshe "What can a man give as a ransom for his soul"?

There are several answers to the matter,

and among them:

a)

In the wisdom and intellect of holiness — Moshe — <b>must</b> such a thing be <b>astonishing</b>⁴⁶

(But being a <b>statute</b> he does not ponder etc.),

But one cannot say that this is a "rational law" or "testimony"⁴⁷.

b)

Since the Most High had <b>not</b> defined the half-shekel as a <b>statute</b>⁴⁸

— it is certain that there is an explanation for its astonishment,

and the commandment of the half-shekel enters into the "chain of descent" of Torah and commandments,

and moreover — in the essence itself,

<b>not</b> in the category of "statute".

And this is also the precision in the response

(in the Midrash)

— "like a coin of

fire ..

<b>He showed it </b>to Moses": in order to remove the wonder from Moses,

it is not enough to tell the matter to Moses

(because then it remains a wonder that cannot be understood <b>with intellect</b>),

rather it needed to be "<b>He showed it</b>" — that the action

(just as the physical coin is also a "coin of fire")

should be in a manner of sight.

The thing is in actual revelation in a manner of "<b>this </b>they shall give" — "he points with his finger and says 'this'."

And even more: the revelation is

(not only by Moshe,

but)

by <b>all Jews</b>—that their giving is in the manner of “<b>this</b> they shall give”,

that in the coin that they give is revealed also that it is “this”,

“coin of fire”

(“to distinguish well

(and by this)

to inform Israel”⁴⁹).

9.

And one should add explanation in the content of the concept of “coin of fire”—fire specifically.

For at first glance:

To emphasize that the coin that Jews give is

(not only a physical coin,

but also)

the coin above from beneath the Throne of Glory — it is not necessary to show specifically a coin of fire.

For we find that above there is also⁵⁰

the concept of water

("Michael the prince of water"⁵¹)

etc. — why did they show specifically "a coin of fire"?

And one may say,

that with this the Supreme One

(showed,

and through this)

revealed,

that the giving of the half-shekel

The shekel should be not only a matter of <b>spiritual</b>,

but in spirituality itself — a matter of "fire":

The difference between fire and the other elements: earth, water, and air

(as they are simply below,

which from this is understood also regarding their spiritual root)

is — that the other elements descend downward,

or at most — remain in their place; but not so the nature of fire is to <b>ascend</b> <b>upward</b>⁵²,

to such an extent,

that a special effort is required

(through a wick etc.)

that the fire should remain below.

And this the Almighty showed Moses "a coin of &lt;b&gt;fire&lt;/b&gt;" — that the giving of the half-shekel by Jews is

(not only a giving of a spiritual coin,

but in this itself)

in a manner of "fire",

that it has the property of fire to always ascend upward,

to ascend in holiness, ascent after ascent.

And with this it is even more sweetened than a &lt;b&gt;physical&lt;/b&gt; coin can accomplish "ransom for his soul" — since it has in itself the property of "fire",

which indicates ascent upward,

this distancing oneself from materialism and the yearning for spirituality.

Yud-Dalet.

From this one learns a wonderful lesson in the service of man:

Although the commandment of giving the half-shekel is primarily in the time when the Holy Temple existed⁵³,

when one had to give the half-shekel because of

The public offerings for the entire year⁵⁴

— nevertheless,

there is also in the present time the custom of Israel⁵⁵

"to give⁵⁶

before Purim

("on the night⁵⁷

of Purim before they pray Minchah")

half of the coin fixed in that place and in that time,

<b>a remembrance of the half-shekel</b> which they would give in Adar.

And since three times is written "Terumah" <b>in the portion</b>,

one should give three"⁵⁸.

In addition to this: since by every Jew there is a Mishkan and Mikdash <b>spiritual</b>,

as it is written⁵⁹

"And I will dwell in their midst,"

"in him" it does not say, but rather <b>"in their midst"</b>,

within each and every one⁶⁰

of Israel⁶¹

— it is understood,

that there is the matter of the giving of the half-shekel

(in spirituality)

from which one makes the sockets of the Mishkan⁶²

(from the spiritual Mishkan that is "in their midst").

And upon this is the instruction of the matter of "this they shall give" — a coin of fire — that when Jews give a prutah for a mitzvah,

for charity

(and so also when one appeases a poor person with words&lt;sup&gt;63&lt;/sup&gt;,

physical speech through the five physical organs of speech),

this is not merely a physical coin

(or physical speech),

but

(also)

a "coin of fire" —

a matter of spirituality and holiness,

and in this itself — with the quality of fire,

whose nature is that it is always ascending upward.

And from machatzit hashekel one also learns about all mitzvot⁶⁴

— that every action of a Jew in matters of Torah and mitzvot,

although they have become clothed specifically in physical things

(tzitzit in physical wool,

tefillin in physical parchment,

and so forth

in all the other mitzvot)

— this is not merely a physical action,

rather it is also a "coin of <b>fire</b>",

a matter of <b>spirituality and holiness</b>.

And from this is understood the greatness of the elevation and the wonder in the matter of vitality,

warmth and enthusiasm — "fire" of holiness — in the service of a Jew in all matters of Torah and His commandments,

until that in every deed of his is <b>discernible</b> the "coin of fire",

until that he fulfills the command⁶⁵

: <b>A perpetual fire</b> shall be kindled upon the altar

(the heart⁶⁶)

it shall not be extinguished.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim

(Parshas Shekalim)

5745)