NAALEH.COM and YU TORAH Dimension Parshat Shekalim - Vayakhel By: Mrs. Shira Smiles

Every year we begin a cycle of reading four special parshiot leading up to the redemption at Pesach. The first of these, Parshat Shekalim, is read before Rosh Chodesh Adar. Hashem commands Moshe to take a census of Bnei Yisroel, (literally, raise up the heads) to count them not through their physical bodies but by counting a half shekel of silver, no more and no less, which each man would donate. Hashem even pointed out specifically what Moshe should collect – zeh, this shall they give. Thus Moshe, by raising the shekalim, would get an accurate count of Bnei Yisroel. Further, the half shekel would serve as perpetual atonement for Bnei Yisroel. Initially, the silver would be melted down to serve as the sockets, the foundation for the Mishkan and subsequently, when Bnei Yisroel would be in their land the monies raised would be used for the communal offerings. Click here for Summary by Channie Koplowitz Stein.