Ze Yitnu 5738 (Ma’amar of Parshas Shekalim). 1) Two half Shekels, you give a half and get whole (and there are many versions of this. In this Ma’amar, they are): the half of the Neshama in the body brings to us the half that is above the body.2) Everybody is the same (they give “only”…

This standard מחצית השקל מאמר has a typical approach with a completely novel aspect: The typical: no one is whole without another, thus we give half and the other half comes from outside of us. The atypical aspect is that we are commanded to give the “higher” half of Shekel called שקל הקדש the lower…

Class One. Class Two.

Part One. Part Two.

Machatzis Hashekel is a Klalis (all important) idea in Torah, as it is “Lichaper Al Nafshoseichem” (to atone on the Soul). It is different than Teshuva because Teshuva is the complete breaking down of the person, while Machatzis HaShekel and the Aron haKodesh (Torah) are only halving oneself. The idea is not to be broken…

The details of the Parsha of Machatzis Hashekel that are irrelevant beyond Moshe’s time (and beyond the Beis Hamikdash) need analysis. How are they also an eternal lesson? The Rebbe explains the idea that Torah is a Hora’a and a illuminated lesson for us to practice, not only to understand in some spiritual way. The…

This Ma’amar explores that Machatzis HaShekel has a message ‘klali’, we are a half and the other half is our schar- connection to Hashem. Three steps: 1) Bittul until Mesiras Nefesh as is indicated in the idea of 1) Ze Yitnu, giving with no constraint, 2) a half 2) Above the bittul is the ‘ten’…

Everyone gives half a Shekel which is ten Gaira. Still one is rich and another poor, because though each gives ten Gaira they are rich (in Atzilus) and poor (BYA). The higher ten is Adam (and people like him) the lower ten is ordinary people. The joining the higher and lower ten need to be…

1) When counting is good את שדרכו למנות it makes it eternal and infinite, and when counting is no good, כל שדרכו למנות, counting limits and reduces. Counting lifts up and makes us whole. Yidden are a half חצי צורה and they are made whole by doing their own maximum. This raises their heads and…