Sheqel Dues

It is a positive commandment from the Torah that every adult Jewish male give a half-shekel each and every year. Even a poor man who derives his livelihood from charity is obligated [to make this donation]. He should borrow from others or sell the clothes he is wearing so that he can give a half-shekel of silver, as [Exodus 30:15] states: "The rich shall not give more, nor should the poor give less." [The half-shekel] should not be given in several partial payments - today a portion, tomorrow a portion. Instead, it is to be given all at once.

The silver denomination spoken about in the Torah regarding rape, seduction, one who puts out a bad name and one who kills a slave – that silver denomination is the shekel that is spoken about in every [other] place in the Torah. And its weight is three hundred and twenty barley seeds. And the Sages already added to it and made its weight [to be] like the weight of the coin called, [the] sela, at the time of the Second Temple. And how much is the weight of the sela? Three hundred eighty four medium barley grains.

And the sela is four dinar; and a dinar is six maah. And the maah is what was called gerah in the days of Moshe, our teacher. And a maah is two fundyon; and a fundyon is two issar. And a ferutah is an eighth of an issar. It comes out that the weight of a maah – which is a gerah – is sixteen barley grains; and the weight of an issar is four barley grains; and the weight of a perutah is half a barley grain.

And there was yet another coin there – the weight of which was two sela – and it was called the darkhon. And all of these coins, that we have said and explained the weight of each one of them, are the ones with which we measure in every place. And we have explained them [now], so that I will not have a need to explain their weight in every place.

The mitzvah of giving the half-shekel entails giving half of the coin that is [common] currency at the time in question, even if that coin is larger than the shekel used for the sanctuary. [The converse, however, does not apply.] Never should one give less than the half-shekel that was given in the time of Moses our teacher, which weighed 160 barley corns [of silver].

At the time when the currency of that time was [the] darkhon, each and every one would give a sela as his half shekel. And at the time that the currency was [the] sela, each one would give half a sela – which is two dinar – as his half shekel. But at the time that the currency was the half sela, each and every one would give that [same] half sela for the half shekel. And regarding [the commandment of] the half shekel, Israel never weighed less than the Torah's half shekel.

Everyone is obligated to give a half-shekel: priests, Levites, Israelites, converts, and freed slaves. Women, slaves, and children are not obligated. Nevertheless, if they give [a half-shekel], it may be accepted. By contrast, if a Samaritan gives a half-shekel, it should not be accepted. A father who began giving a half-shekel on behalf of a child should not stop. Instead, he should [continue to] give a half-shekel on the child's behalf every year until he comes of age and gives [the half-shekel] by himself.

[The mitzvah of giving a half-]shekel is observed only during the era that the Temple is standing. During the era that the Temple is standing, the [half-]shekel should be given both in Eretz Yisrael and in the diaspora. When, however, it is destroyed, even in Eretz Yisrael it is not necessary to give.

On the first of Adar, the court would announce [the collection of] the [half-]shekalim, so that every single individual would prepare his half-shekel and be ready to give. On the fifteenth [of Adar], the money-changers would sit in every city and would gently prod [the people to give]. If people gave them, they would accept it. If someone did not give, they would not compel him to give. On the twenty-fifth [of Adar], they would sit in the Temple to collect [the half-shekalim]. From this time onward, everyone who had not given [a half-shekel] as yet would be compelled to give. When a person did not give [voluntarily], his property would be taken by force as a pledge. Even his clothing was taken from him.

We do not take collateral from someone not obligated [to pay the half shekel] – even though it is their way to give [it], or they will be giving it in the future. And we never take collateral from the priests (Kohanim), on account of the ways of peace. Rather we take it from them when they give it, but we do claim it until they give [it].

How would the money-changers collect the shekels in each and every province? They would place two boxes in front of them. The bottom of the box would be wide below and its opening would be narrow above – like a type of shofar – so that they could throw [the coins] into it, but it would not be possible to take [them out] easily. And why would they make two boxes? One in which they throw the shekels from this year; and in the second one, they would place the shekels of the past year. For they collect [that] from one who did not [give] it in the past year.

And there were always thirteen boxes in the Temple in front of them – each box was [shaped] like a type of shofar. The first was for the shekels of that year. The second was for the shekels of the past year. The third was for anyone who is [obligated to offer] two doves or young pigeons – whether as a burnt-offering or as a sin-offering – he would throw their cost to this box. The fourth was for anyone who is [obligated to offer] a burnt-offering of fowl only – he would throw its cost to this box. The fifth was for one who pledged money with which to buy wood for the arrangement (of wood on the altar). The sixth was for one who pledged money for the frankincense. The seventh was for one who pledged gold for the ark cover. The eighth was for the remnant of [the cost of] a sin-offering. For example, [if] one designated money for his sin-offering and bought a sin-offering, but there was money left over from it – he throws the rest into it. The ninth one was for the remnant of a guilt-offering. The tenth was for the remnant of "bird nests" of a zav, a zavah or a woman who gave birth. The eleventh was for the remnant of the offerings of a nazerite. The twelfth was for the remnant of the guilt-offering of a metsora. The thirteenth was for one who pledged money for a burnt-offering of an animal.

And the name of each thing for which its money was inside the box was written on the box on the outside. And there was a stipulation of the court on all of the remnants, that they would [be used] to offer animal burnt-offerings. It comes out that you have learned that all of the money found in the last six is for animal burnt-offerings – and their skins [would go] to the priests, like the rest of all the skins. And all of the money in the third box is to purchase fowl with them – half of them burnt-offerings and half of them sin-offerings. And in the fourth one, it was all [for] burnt-offerings of fowl.

[After] they collected the shekels in each and every province, they would send them to the Temple in the hand of messengers. And they needed to change them into golden dinars (which were more compact), because of the load of the journey (to lighten the burden). And all of them would be gathered to the Temple and placed in one of the Temple's chambers. And they would close all of its doors with keys, and seal it over with seals. And they would fill three big chests from all of the shekels that were gathered there. The requisite size of each chest was enough to contain nine seah. And they would place the remnant in the chamber. And that which is inside the chests is what is called the allocation of the chamber (terumat halishkah). And that which remains as the surplus of what is in the chests is called the leftovers of the chamber.

Three times a year sums are taken from the Temple treasury: on Rosh Hodesh Nisan, on Rosh Hodesh Tishri, before or after the festival, and on the fifteenth day before Shavuoth. And how do we perform its appropriation? One enters inside the chamber while guards stand on the outside. And he says to them, "Should I make the appropriation?" And they say to him, "Make the appropriation; make the appropriation; make the appropriation" – three times. And afterwards, he fills three small chests – each of the chests containing three seah – from those three large chests, and brings them out in order to use them until they finish. And he returns and fills those three small chests from the three big ones a second time before [Shavouot]; and they make use of them until they finish.

And he returns and fills them from the three big chests a third time in Tishrei; and they make use of them until they finish, until the beginning of the month of Nissan. And on Rosh Chodesh of Nissan, they make the appropriation from the new appropriation. If the shekel dues in the three large baskets were insufficient and all spent before Nisan, sums were taken again from the residue of the chamber.

Upon the three small chests with which he makes the appropriations and which he takes out is written, aleph, bet, and gimmel (respectively). [This is] so that they will use [the contents] from the first one until it finishes. And [only] afterwards will they use [the contents] from the second one until it finishes. And afterwards will they use [the contents] from the third one until it finishes. And he makes the first appropriation from the first big chest and he covers [what is left in] that big one with a handkerchief. And he makes the second appropriation from the second one and he covers that big one with a handkerchief. And he makes the third appropriation from the third big chest, but he does not cover it with a handkerchief – so that where he stopped be recognizable. And he begins with it first the second time, when he enters before [Shavouot]; and makes the first appropriation from [that] big one that was uncovered, and he covers it. And he makes the second appropriation from the big one from which he made the first appropriation at the beginning, and he covers it. And he makes the third appropriation from the big one next to it, but he does not cover it – so that he begin from it first on the third time, when he enters in Tishrei – until it comes that he has made an appropriation with the first, second and third of the small ones from each and every one of the large ones.

When he makes the appropriation [with] these three chests, he makes the first appropriation on behalf of the Land of Israel; the second one on behalf of the cities surrounding it and on behalf of all of (the Land of) Israel; and the third on behalf of Babylon and on behalf of Medea and on behalf of [other] distant provinces and on behalf of all of the rest of Israel.

When he makes the appropriation, he should intend to make the appropriation from that which has been collected that is in the chamber; that which has been collected but has not yet arrived to the chamber; and that which will be collected in the future – so that these shekels that he is taking out to use will be atonement for all of Israel. And [it will] be as if all of their shekels arrived to the chamber, and this appropriation was made from all of them.

When the person entered to set aside the funds, he should not enter wearing a garment in which he could hide money, nor wearing shoes or sandals, nor wearing tefillin or an amulet, lest the people suspect that he hid funds from the chamber underneath them when he set aside the funds. And they would talk to him [continuously] from the time he entered until the time he departed, so that he could not place [a coin] in his mouth. Even though all these safeguards were taken, a poor person or someone who craved money should not [be appointed to] set aside these funds. [In this way,] the matter will not arouse suspicion, thus [fulfilling the advice of Numbers 32:22]: "You shall be blameless before G-d and before Israel."

Everyone needed half shekels, in order that each and every one could give the half shekel that he was obligated. Hence when one went to a money-changer to change a shekel into two half shekels, he would need to give [the money-changer] a surcharge over the shekel. And that surcharge is called a kalbon. Hence two [men] that gave a shekel for both of them are obligated [to pay] a kalbon.

Any one who is not obligated [to give] shekels – such as two women or two slaves – are exempt from the kalbon. And likewise if there was one who was obligated and one who was exempt, and the obligated one gave on behalf of the one who was exempt – such as a man who gave a shekel for himself and for a woman or a slave – he is exempt from the kalbon. And likewise are priests exempt from the kalbon. And one who [pays a shekel] on behalf of a priest [and himself] is exempt from the kalbon.

And [in a case of] one who gives a shekel for himself and for a poor person or his neighbor or his townsman: If he gave it to them as a gift, he is exempt from the kalbon – for he surely gave the half shekel as a gift in order to increase the shekels [given]. But if he gave them the half shekel for them by way of a loan until they return it to him, when it is found in their hand, he is obligated [to pay] the kalbon.

Brothers who have not yet divided what the father left them – and likewise partners – that gave a shekel on behalf of one another are exempt from the kalbon. To what are these words applicable? To partners that have bought and sold with the money of the partnership and the money has changed its form. But if this one brought his money and that one his money and they mixed it, but the money has not yet changed and they have not spent it, these ones are surely obligated [to pay] the kalbon. If they bought and sold and, after a time, divided [the funds of the partnership]; and [then] went back to a partnership, they are obligated [to pay] the kalbon until they buy and sell in this later partnership and [this] money changed.

Brothers and partners that have animals and money [in partnership], but [only] divided the money are obligated [to pay] the kalbon – even though they have not yet divided the animals. However if they divided the animals and did not divide the money, they are exempt from the kalbon until they divide the money; and we do not say [that] it is surely about to be divided.

One who gives a shekel to [become] consecrated property (hekdesh), so that they will consider it for him to be the half shekel that he is obligated; and he takes a half shekel from that which is collected from others – he is obligated [to pay] two kalbons. For if the whole shekel had [gone] to the shekels, he would have been obligated one kalbon.

How much is the requisite amount of a kalbon? At the time that they were giving two dinars as a half shekel, the kalbon was half a maah – which is a twelfth of a dinar. And there never was a kalbon given that was less than this. And the kalbons are not [treated] like the shekels. Rather the money-changers [store] them on their own until the consecrated property takes [it] from them.

One who lost his shekel is responsible for its liability until he delivers it to the treasurer. [In a case of] the people of a city who sent their shekels in the hand of a messenger, and they were stolen or lost: If he was an unpaid guardian (of the money), such a one must surely swear to them, and he will be exempt like any unpaid guardian; and they go back and give their shekels a second time. And if the people of the city said, "Since we will be paying our shekels [again], we don't want the messenger to swear – as he is believed by us," we don't listen to them. For it is an ordinance of the Sages that consecrated property is not released without an oath. If the first shekels are found after the messenger swore, these and those are [considered] shekels, but they do not count for the next year. [Rather] the first ones go to the shekels of the year, and the later ones go [with] the shekels of the past year.

If they sent their shekels in the hand of a paid guardian, such that he is surely responsible for theft or loss, but it was lost from him by force majeure – such as if armed brigands took it from him – so that he is exempt; we see if the messenger was extorted after the treasurers made the appropriation. [If he was,] the messenger swears to the treasurers, and the people of the city are exempt. For the one making the appropriation makes [it] from that which is collected and that which will be collected in the future, so that [these shekels] were [already] in possession of the consecrated property. And what was there for the people of the city to do? See that they gave it only to a paid guardian who is liable for theft or loss; and force majeure is not common (that they should have taken precautions against it). But if they were lost before the appropriation was made, [the shekels] were still in the possession of the people of the city. So the messenger swears in front of the people of the city, and they must pay [a second time. If] after the messenger swore and they collected the shekels a second time, the brigands returned them – these and those are [considered] shekels, and they do not count for the next year. [Rather] the later ones go [with] the shekels of the past year. There is someone who says that the first ones which go for the shekels of this year are the ones that were collected first and lost or extorted and returned. And there is someone who says that the first shekels are the ones that arrived to the treasurer first.

[In a case of] one who gave his half shekel to his fellow to bring it to the money-changer to [pay] it on his behalf; but [his fellow] paid it on behalf of himself, so that collateral not be taken from him (as he does not presently have his own half shekel): If the appropriation had already been made – he is guilty of misappropriation, as this shekel was in the possession of consecrated property. For they already made [the appropriation] from that which will be collected in the future. So it comes out that this one saved himself with the money of consecrated property [when] he drew benefit from this shekel. But if the appropriation was not [yet] made – he has not misappropriated, and is obligated to give his fellow the half shekel that [the latter] gave to him. And likewise does one who extorts or steals a half shekel and [gives] it for himself fulfill his obligation, and is obligated to pay twice to the owners or add a fifth.

[In a case of] one who gives half a shekel from consecrated property [that he is holding], and the appropriation is made: Once some of it used, he is liable for misappropriation, and has fulfilled his obligation for the half shekel. [If] he gave it from monies of the second tithe – he must eat corresponding to [its value] in Jerusalem. [If he gave it] from monies of seventh-year [produce] – he must eat corresponding to [its value] with the [laws that apply to] the sanctity of the seventh year. [If it was] from a condemned city, he did not do anything.

[In a case of] one who designated his shekel and thought that he was obligated to [give] it, and it comes out that he is not obligated: It is not consecrated. [In a case of] one who designated two [shekels] and it comes out that he is only obligated one: If [he gave them] one after the [other] – the later one was not consecrated. But if at one time, the first one is [considered] shekels and the second one is the leftover of shekels. [In a case of] one who designated his shekel and died, it goes to voluntary offerings.

[If] one takes money in his hand and said, "These are for my shekel"; or he was gathering several maah or several perutah and, when he began to gather, said, "Behold I am gathering maahs for my shekel" – even if he collected a purse full – he [only] gives the half shekel that he is obligated from them, and the rest is non-consecrated. For the leftover of shekels is non-consecrated.

[In a case of] money that was found between the box for shekels and the box for voluntary offerings: [If] it was closer to the shekels – it goes to the shekels; [if] it was closer to the voluntary offerings – it goes to the voluntary offerings; half and half – it goes to the voluntary offerings. For the voluntary offerings all go to fire-offerings, whereas the shekels are used for burnt-offerings and other things.

And likewise any money that is found between boxes goes to the closer one. If it is half and half: If found between the wood and the frankincense, it goes to the frankincense; if between the "birds nests" and the burnt-offerings [of fowl], it goes to the burnt-offering [of fowl]. This is the general principle: We go according to the closest with all of them; [if] half and half – [it goes] to the [more] stringent. And any money found on the Temple Mount is non-consecrated. For the treasurer does not remove money from the appropriation of the chamber until he transfers its sanctity to animals that he buys for sacrifices.

What is done with the Temple fund? It is used for the purchase of the daily offerings, the additional offerings, and all other public offerings with their libations, as well as the salt with which all sacrifices were salted, and the firewood, if it has not been brought as a gift and is obtainable only for money. And the incense and the wage of its makers; the showbread and the wage of those that made the showbread; the omer (barley offering); the two breads; the red heifer; the scapegoat; and the crimson strip that we tie between its horns. All of these come from the appropriation of the chamber.

But we collect the [monies for] a bull of communal forgetting and goats [to atone for] idolatry at the outset; and they do not come from the appropriation of the chamber. The curtains for the [Temple] chamber were made instead of a [part of the Temple] structure, so they do not come from the appropriation of the chamber, but rather from the consecrated property of Temple upkeep; but the curtaions of the gates come from the appropriation of the chamber. The [stipulations] of the commandment of the menorah and the [other] service vessels is that they should come from the remnant of the libations. And what the remnant of the libation is will be explained in the Laws of the Temple Vessels and Those who Serve Therein. But if they did not have a remnant of the libations for them, they should bring [their funds] from the appropriation of the chamber. Garments of the priests – whether the garments of the high priest or the rest of the garments of the priests with which they served in the Temple – all of it is from the appropriation of the chamber.

All [fit] animals found in Jerusalem or close outside of it are offered as burnt-offerings – as will be explained in [the Laws of] Sacrifices Rendered Unfit. [And] their libations are brought from the appropriation of the chamber. And likewise [if] an idolater sent a burnt-offering from a different province but did not send the value of [its] libations – they would bring its libations from the appropriation of the chamber.

[In a case of] a convert that died and left over sacrifices: If he has libations [to accompany the sacrifices], we bring them from him. But if not, they came from the appropriation of the chamber. [In a case of] a high priest that died, and they did not [yet] appoint another in his place: We offer the griddle cakes (which the high priest would otherwise offer daily) from the appropriation of the chamber. Those who examine blemishes [of sacrifices] in Jerusalem; Torah scholars that teach the laws of slaughtering to the priests and the laws of pinching [the meal offering]; and women raising their sons for the red heifer – all of them would take their wage from the appropriation of the chamber. And how much was their wage? According to that which the court determined for them.

In the sabbatical year – which is [a time when all produce is] ownerless – the court hires [agents] to guard a little of the natural growth, that it should grow in order that they can bring the omer from them; [as well as] the two breads, which may only come from the new [grain]. And these guards take their wages from the appropriation of the chamber.

We do not listen to one who volunteers to guard for free, on account of the thugs – lest they come and take them from him. Hence the Sages ordained for them that they take their wage from the chamber – in order that all would (know about them and) separate from the place that these guards were there.

Scribes who check Torah scrolls in Jerusalem and judges in Jerusalem who preside over cases of robbery receive their wages from terumat halishcah. How much are they paid? Ninety maneh a year. If this is not sufficient for their [needs], they are given - even against their will - an additional amount sufficient to meet their needs, those of their wives, their children, and the other members of their household.

They would build a ramp from the Temple Mount to the Mount of [Olives] upon which they would remove the red heifer; and a ramp upon which they would remove the scapegoat. And both of them were made from the leftovers of the chamber. And likewise the sacrificial altar; the chamber; and the courtyards were made from the leftovers of the chamber. The aqueduct in Jerusalem; the wall of Jerusalem and all of its towers; and all of the needs of the city come from the leftovers of the chamber. [In a case of] an idolater that pledged money for these things or to do them for free: We do not accept it from him – even if he is a resident alien (who is not an idolater) – as it is stated (Ezra 4:3), "It is not for you and us to build, etc."; and it is [also] stated (Nehemiah 2:20), "and you have no portion, etc."

And they would purchase male [animals] with the remnant of the appropriation of the chamber and the leftovers of the chamber; and offer them all as burnt-offerings. For it is a stipulation of the court on all of the remnants, that they would [be used] to offer animal burnt-offerings. But [they would] not [purchase] burnt-offerings of fowl, since there are no fowl among the communal sacrifices. And these burnt-offerings that come from the the remnant of the shekels are called, the "dessert" of the altar.

[At a time when] the shekels did not suffice for all of the communal sacrifices, we take out what is fit for [the remainder] from the Temple upkeep. But the Temple upkeep does not release what is fit for it (its needs) from the consecrated properties of the altar.

From when Rosh Chodesh of Nissan arrives, we only offer communal sacrifices from the new appropriation. But if the new has not [yet] come, we take from the old. Hence if Rosh Chodesh of Nissan arrived and they had animals for the daily sacrifice from the old appropriation, we redeem them and they go out to becoming non-consecrated – even though they are unblemished. And their cost goes to the old allocation, with which we provide "dessert" for the altar. For it is a stipulation of the court for all the animals we purchase for daily offerings – that if we do not need them, they go out to being non-consecrated.

And likewise would they do with incense: From when Rosh Chodesh of Nissan arrived, they would transfer its sanctity to the wages of the craftsmen. And the money of the wages would go back to the "dessert" of the altar; and the craftsmen would take the remnant of the incense as their wage [in exchange for the money]. And then [the treasurers] would purchase the incense from them with the new allocation, in order to offer it from the money of the new allocation. But if they do not have the new allocation, they offer it from the old allocation.

The End of the Laws of the Shekels