Preparing for Shabbat is part of the experience of observing Shabbat, and every Jewish holiday carries with it a particular traditional period of preparation ordained in Jewish law and custom.

We are now beginning preparations for one of the most important holidays of the year. Not Purim, unless you're making hamentashen in advance and freezing them or participating in an elaborate Purim play. It's too early to prepare for Purim. Today, in fact, we observe the traditional beginning of the preparation for Pesach.

Shabbat Shekalim, the cause for reading from the third Torah as well as the special Haftarah reading, was instituted to remind us of the call that went out at the first of Adar for the half-shekel tax which was required of each adult male in the Jewish community. In the Torah, the half-shekel served both as a census and as a source for funds for the Tabernacle. In Temple times, the half-shekel went to purchase animals for the elaborate Pesach sacrifices to come, and for bedek habayit -- repairs to the Temple and surrounding roads, necessitated after the harsh winter. The roads had to be in good shape for the pilgrims who would come to Jerusalem 6 weeks later. Apparently contractors in those days worked a bit more quickly, but that's another story entirely.

In reading through the sources about Shekalim, I found something that intrigued me ... a subtle connection between the tradition of the Shekalim and the observance of Pesach.

In Maimonides' law code, the Mishnah Torah, he begins his discussion of the half-shekel by expanding on the line in the Torah that the rich did not give more and the poor did not give less than the half-shekel. He said that the poor within Israel must give the half-shekel even if they are being supported by charity funds; even if they are surviving only on tzedakah, they must give the half-shekel. The half-shekel could not be deducted from their tzedakah allocations. They must be given the half-shekel so that they can give it back. This way, apparently, they are trained to give so that when they are back in a better financial situation they will remember to give.

Then, when he writes about Pesach, Maimonides repeats the teaching of the Mishna which states that on the first night of Pesach a poor person must be provided with 4 full cups of wine in addition to sufficient food, of course, even if the person is being supported by tzedakah. Every person, even if they are being supported by charity, receives wine. Wine for Pesach was not a luxury; it was expected that the poor would receive this.

There is a lovely symmetry here. The poor person is expected to give and is entitled to receive. That the giving comes first in the course of the season is critical. But the point is that you are considered part of a community if you both give and receive, and you are expected to give and entitled to receive. And, what is true for those in need is true for all of us. We are expected to give and we are entitled to receive.

Perhaps, then, this is the answer to the question which has been plaguing me (sorry for the Pesach language) for years. Why a half-shekel? Why not a whole shekel? Certainly asking for a half-shekel is more inclusive, since it is more easily affordable. But there has to be more.

When I envision the half-shekel, I have the obviously incorrect picture in my mind of half a coin. But use that imagery for a moment. Perhaps the message of the half-shekel is that giving is only half the process of being part of a community, receiving is the other half. Yes, giving is mentioned first because it is human nature that people will think about what they can get before they think about what they should give. But involvement in a community and giving this "tax" means that we should expect something in return. Whether that something to our Biblical ancestors was God's protection or a right to consider oneself part of the community or access to the Tabernacle, we can assume that people saw benefit in involvement in the community; and this half-shekel was given to show that something would come back to them.

I have spoken about the new Beth Israel Mitzvah Connection effort, and the call you will be receiving from a member of the committee in the weeks to come will highlight this principle of giving and receiving. We are seeking volunteers to help when there is a need, and we want you to know that you can turn to your fellow community members when you have a need. It is not a source of embarrassment to receive assistance from the community -- it is the reason why we belong in the first place. And each of us will inevitably find ourselves in the position when we could receive, and so we need everyone to give.

Shabbat Shekalim is focused on the giving of the half-shekel, but giving is only half of what it means to be part of a community. We should not be reticent to expect that what we give will come back to us in terms of the meaning of belonging to a community, the nourishment we get from the services offered, the support we can expect -- legitimately expect -- at a time of a need and the sense of connection we feel which makes the good times even better.

Robert Dobrusin, Rabbi
Copyright © 2008, Robert Dobrusin.
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This message was originally posted on March 10, 2008.

Please send comments or suggestions to Rabbi Robert Dobrusin.