Half Shekel, The

The Torah reading of the Shabbat that falls on or before Adar is supplemented with G‑d's commandment to Moses regarding the giving of the half-shekel.

The day the Jews battled their enemy was a day of fasting and prayer. And fasting also preceded Esther’s approaching Ahasuerus. We commemorate these fasts . . .

The Shabbat before Purim is Shabbat Zachor. The day before Purim is the Fast of Esther. Learn about the significance of these days and their associated observances.

In commemoration of the custom in the Holy Temple to give charity towards its building, we give coins half the value of the countrie's currency once a year

In commemoration of the half shekel contributed by each Jew to the Holy Temple -- and which the Talmud credits as having counteracted the 10,000 silver coins Haman gave to King Ahasuerus to obtain the royal decree calling for the extermination of the ...

Can a mere half Shekel atone for the gravest of sins? Perhaps the answer lies in the "halfness" of the coin...

Halachot of Ta'anit Esther and the Half Shekel that is given to charity on this day

With Parshat Shekalim we begin the process of preparing ourselves for the holiday season. The first step in this process is quite surprising...

G-d took a coin of fire and showed it to Moses: "Such as this they shall give." Why did G-d need to put on a "show and tell" for Moses?

In the Torah reading of Shekalim, G‑d tells Moses to instruct the Jews to contribute a half-shekel in order to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf. Our Sages explain that Moses had a difficult time understanding what it was that he had to do. So G‑d ...