The Laws of the Half-Shekelהִלְכוֹת שְׁקָלִים
It contains one positive commandment: The obligation that every man give a half-shekel to the Temple treasury every year.מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אַחַת, וְהִיא: לִתֵּן כָּל אִישׁ מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּכָל שָׁנָה.
This mitzvah is explained in the following chapters.וּבֵאוּר מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּפְרָקִים אֵלּוּ.
1It is a positive commandment from the Torah that every adult Jewish male give a half-shekel each and every year. 1 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. אמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה לִתֵּן כָּל אִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה; אֲפִלּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה - חַיָּב, וְשׁוֹאֵל מֵאֲחֵרִים אוֹ מוֹכֵר כְּסוּת שֶׁעַל כְּתֵפוֹ, וְנוֹתֵן מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל כֶּסֶף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט..." (שמות ל, טו). וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנוֹ בִּפְעָמִים רַבּוֹת, הַיּוֹם מְעַט וּלְמָחָר מְעַט, אֶלָא נוֹתְנוֹ כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַחַת פַּעַם אַחַת.
2The sum of money mentioned in the Torah concerning the fines paid by a rapist, a seducer,2 a slanderer,3 or a slave killed by an ox4 is calculated in shekalim, a coin of equal value whenever mentioned in the Torah. Its weight is 320 barley corns of pure silver. The Sages increased its value and made it equivalent to the coin called a sela, which was prevalent during the Second Temple period. How much did a sela weigh? 384 average size barley corns of pure silver.5במִנְיַן כֶּסֶף הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה בְּאוֹנֵס וּבִמְפַתֶּה וּבְמוֹצִיא שֵׁם רָע וְהוֹרֵג עֶבֶד, הוּא שֶׁקֶל הַנֶּאֱמָר בְּכָל מָקוֹם בַּתּוֹרָה. וּמִשְׁקָלוֹ, שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים שְׂעוֹרָה. וּכְבָר הוֹסִיפוּ חֲכָמִים עָלָיו, וְעָשׂוּ מִשְׁקָלוֹ כְּמִשְׁקַל הַמַּטְבֵּעַ הַנִּקְרָא סֶלַע בִּזְמָן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי. וְכַמָּה הוּא מִשְׁקַל הַסֶּלַע? שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּע וּשְׁמוֹנִים שְׂעוֹרָה בֵּינוֹנִיּוֹת.
Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)
Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.
3A sela is four dinarim, a dinar is six ma’ah and a ma’ah was called a gerah in the time of Moses our teacher. A ma’ah equals two poondionin, and a poondion is equal to two isarin. A prutah is worth an eighth of an Italian isar. Thus, the weight of a ma’ah—and a gerah—is sixteen barley corns of silver; the weight of an isar is four barley corns; and the weight of a prutah is half a barley corn.גסֶלַע הָיָה אַרְבָּעָה דִּינָרִין, וְהַדִּינָר שֵׁשׁ מָעִין; וּמָעָה, הִיא הַנִּקְרֵאת בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ גֵּרָה, וּמָעָה הָיְתָה שְׁנֵי פֻּנְדְּיוֹנִין; וּפֻנְדְּיוֹן שְׁנֵי אִיסָרִין, וּפְרוּטָה אַחַת מִשְּׁמוֹנָה בְּאִיסָר. נִמְצָא מִשְׁקַל הַמָּעָה, וְהִיא הַגֵּרָה, שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שְׂעוֹרוֹת; וּמִשְׁקַל הָאִיסָר אַרְבַּע שְׂעוֹרוֹת, וּמִשְׁקַל הַפְּרוּטָה חֲצִי שְׂעוֹרָה.
4At that time, there was also another coin that was worth two selaim; it was called a darcon. These coins whose weights we have listed and explained are used universally as standard measures. We have described them so that we will not have to describe their weight at all times.דוְעוֹד מַטְבֵּעַ אַחֵר הָיָה שָׁם, שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁקָלוֹ שְׁתֵּי סְלָעִים, וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא 'דַּרְכּוֹן'. וְאֵלּוּ הַמַּטְבֵּעוֹת כֻּלָּן שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ וּבֵאַרְנוּ מִשְׁקַל כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן, הֵן שֶׁמְּשַׁעֲרִין בָּהֶן בְּכָל מָקוֹם; וּכְבָר בֵּאַרְנוּם, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא אֶהְיֶה צָרִיךְ לְפָרֵשׁ מִשְׁקָלָם בְּכָל מָקוֹם.
5The 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.המַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, זוֹ מִצְוָתָהּ - שֶׁיִּתֵּן מַחֲצִית מַטְבֵּעַ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הַזְּמָן, אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה אוֹתוֹ מַטְבֵּעַ גָּדוֹל מִשֶּׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וּלְעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ שׁוֹקֵל פָּחוֹת מֵחֲצִי הַשֶּׁקֶל שֶׁהָיָה בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁקָלוֹ מֵאָה וְשִׁשִּׁים שְׂעוֹרָה.
6At the time when the common currency was a darcon, everyone would give a sela as a half-shekel. At the time when the common currency was a sela, everyone would give half a sela, the equivalent of two dinarim, as a half-shekel. At the time when the common currency was half a sela, everyone would give that coin, half of a sela, as a half-shekel. At no time did the Jews ever give less than the half-shekel mentioned in the Torah for the half-shekel.ובִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה הַמַּטְבֵּעַ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ זְּמַן דַּרְכּוֹנוֹת, הָיָה כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נוֹתֵן בְּמַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל שֶׁלּוֹ סֶלַע; וּבִזְמָן שֶׁהָיָה הַמַּטְבֵּעַ סְלָעִים, הָיָה כָּל אִישׁ נוֹתֵן בְּמַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל שֶׁלּוֹ חֲצִי הַסֶּלַע, שֶׁהוּא שְׁנֵי דִּינָרִין; וּבִזְמָן שֶׁהָיָה הַמַּטְבֵּעַ חֲצִי הַסֶּלַע, הָיָה כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נוֹתֵן בְּמַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל אוֹתוֹ חֲצִי הַסֶּלַע. וּמֵעוֹלָם לֹא שָׁקְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל פָּחוֹת מֵחֲצִי שֶׁקֶל שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
7Everyone is obligated to give a half-shekel: priests, Levites, Israelites, converts, and freed slaves.זהַכֹּל חַיָּבִין לִתֵּן מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, כּוֹהֲנִים לְוִיִּים וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִיּם וְגֵרִים וַעֲבָדִים מְשֻׁחְרָרִים.
Women, slaves, and children are not obligated. Nevertheless, if they give a half-shekel, it may be accepted. By contrast, if a gentile 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. אֲבָל לֹא נָשִׁים, וְלֹא עֲבָדִים, וְלֹא קְטַנִּים; וְאִם נָתְנוּ, מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶם. אֲבָל הַגּוֹיִים שֶׁנָּתְנוּ מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶם. קָטָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל אָבִיו לִתֵּן עָלָיו מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק, אֶלָא נוֹתֵן עָלָיו בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה, עַד שֶׁיַּגְדִּיל וְיִתֵּן עַל עַצְמוֹ.
8The mitzvah of giving a half-shekel is observed only during the era that the Temple is standing.6 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.חהַשְּׁקָלִים, אֵינָן נוֹהֲגִין אֶלָא בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת. וּבִזְמָן שֶׁהַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם, נוֹתְנִין אֶת הַשְּׁקָלִים, בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ; וּבִזְמָן שֶׁהוּא חָרֵב, אֲפִלּוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן נוֹהֲגִין.
9On 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.טבְּאֶחָד בַּאֲדָר מַשְׁמִיעִין עַל הַשְּׁקָלִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּכִין כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל שֶׁלּוֹ, וְיִהְיֶה עָתִיד לִתֵּן. בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ, יֵשְׁבוּ הַשֻּׁלְחָנִין בְּכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה, וְתוֹבְעִין בְּנַחַת; כָּל מִי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם - יְקַבְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן - אֵין כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן. בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים בּוֹ, יֵשְׁבוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ לִגְבּוֹת, וּמִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, כּוֹפִין אֶת מִי שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן.
When a person did not give voluntarily, his property would be taken by force as a pledge. Even his clothing was taken from him.וְכָל מִי שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן - מְמַשְׁכְּנִין אוֹתוֹ, וְלוֹקְחִין עֲבוֹטוֹ בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ כְּסוּתוֹ.
10We do not take property as a pledge by force from those individuals who are not obligated to give a half-shekel, even though they are accustomed to giving, or they will give in the future. Nor do we take the property of priests as a pledge by force, as a reflection of the ways of peace. Instead, when they give, we accept their donations. We do, however, continue to demand from them until they give.יכָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב בַּשְּׁקָלִים - אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לִתֵּן, אוֹ הוּא עָתִיד לִתֵּן - אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין אוֹתוֹ. וְאֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין אֶת הַכּוֹהֲנִים לְעוֹלָם, מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם; אֶלָא כְּשֶׁיִּתְּנוּ, מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶן, וְתוֹבְעִין אוֹתָן עַד שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ.
