Dvar Torah for Parshat Shekalim

"On the first day of the month of Adar, shekalim are announced" (Shekalim 1:1). It is announced that the annual half-shekel donation to the Temple was to be readied so as to reach there in time.

Every year, the public *korbanot* were purchased from the Temple treasury.
Even if there was enough money in the treasury at year's end, new money had to be donated. (The month of Nissan is the beginning of the Temple's fiscal
year.) Last year's money was likely to be "stale" and so most likely any service it would produce. But Jewishness must always be fresh (see Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom #51), so donations were given anew.

But newness wasn't the only objective. The word *korban*, usually translated as "a sacrifice," is related to the Hebrew word for "near." The nearness to God that we seek depends on donating shekalim. Why?

Rebbe Nachman teaches that in order to hear the message of the tzaddik a person must be at peace, not only with himself, but with others as well.
Contributing tzedakah (charity), creates a peaceful atmosphere between the giver and the recipient. The more people that one's donation will positively affect, the wider the peace. (The depth and strength of the peace depend, among other things, upon the sincerity underlying the giving.)

In addition to the peace between the giver and the recipient, there is another peace that needs to be made; the peace between the givers. One of the lessons of giving a half-shekel is to remind us that we need to co-operate with others in order to achieve our sacred goals. None of us can do it all by himself. To make your half-shekel whole, you have to work together with another.

"Announcing" the shekalim, learning its lessons, and working to make and maintain peace so that we can work together, makes a peaceful atmosphere.
When the "winds of war" have been replaced by such a peaceful atmosphere, the tzaddik's words can be heard even by the furthest reaches of humankind.
They will be able to hear what God wants from them and draw closer to Him.

In Megilat Esther, Haman pays Achashverosh 10,000 silver talents (750
*tons* of silver) for the right to perpetuate genocide against a chosen people. Achashverosh is at peace with this. Later, when the table has turned against Haman and his plans start to unravel, he comes to honor Mordekhai. Haman finds Mordekhai learning about the shekalim, and admits "Your shekalim are stronger than mine. "

May God help us:
to give tzedakah generously and work peacefully with one another; to properly hear and understand the teachings of the tzaddik; practice them honestly and be saved from our enemies. Amen.

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!