Two main themes dominate this week's parsha. First, the parsha begins with the taking of a census for which everyone had to give a half shekel, as the posuk states: זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים מחצית השקל , this they shall give, everyone who passes through the census, a half shekel.
Rabbeinu Yona teaches that charity has the power to protect one from suffering, pending his repentance from sin. Furthermore, it can even delay a Divine death sentence from being carried out, as the famous posuk states: צדקה תציל ממוות, charity rescues from death. The Simchas Aaron says that we see this same concept from our posuk, for we can translate the posuk as follows: כל העבר על הפקדים, whoever transgresses the commandments, זה יתנו מחצית השקל, he has to give the half shekel. By giving charity one can buy himself time to repent so that he won't get punished for his sins.
The Alshich explains that we have to give a half shekel and not more or less, to demonstrate that every Jew alone is merely a fragment. Only by linking ourselves to others can we be complete. The Toldos Yaakov Yosef takes this a step further and says that this is also referring to a spiritual sense. One shouldn't think that just because he is wealthy in Torah and mitzvos, he plays a more significant role than his spiritually destitute brother. Also, one who is spiritually destitute shouldn't look down on his own contribution to the spiritual welfare of the nation. Each Jew, no matter who, fulfils his unique contribution to the nation as something that only he can fulfill and will be complemented by someone else fulfilling the other half.
Following this theme, the parsha relates the incident of the עגל, the golden calf, where Moshe went up to get the luchos and when he came back down the Jews had made a golden calf to replace him. The people thought he was dead and wanted an intermediary between them and Hashem. When he came down and saw them dancing around the golden calf, he broke the luchos and punished the sinners. Afterwards, he said to Hashem, “yes, they made a great sin; however, either forgive them or erase me from your book. Rashi says it means erase me from your whole Torah, so that people shouldn't say about me that I wasn't worthy to ask forgiveness for them.
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel explains Moshe’s words as follows: people shouldn't say I didn't daven for them because I didn't trust that Hashem would have pity on them and forgive them.There is no greater honor to Hashem then having complete trust in Him, that no matter what, he will have mercy and forgive. Conversely, there is no greater disrespect than one who doesn't trust Hashem fully to cast all his burdens on Hashem.
One time, the king of Poland journeyed to the various cities in Poland. Each city he came to, made a royal reception that was befitting the king. One of the cities he visited was the city of Mir, upon which the mashgiach, Reb Yeruchem, said that Mir was the only city that gave the true honor befitting a king. They didn't really do any more than the rest of the cities, so what was the great honor? There was one woman whose husband was on death row. When the king's carriage came into town, she lay down in front of the wheels and cried out, “my master, the king, my husband is sentenced to death and there is no other force in the world that has the power to save him only you. I’m not moving from here until you forgive him and pardon him”. That, said Reb Yeruchem, is real honor for the king showing that all the power is his.
Perhaps, the Torah is teaching us twofold; a person should never think that he isn’t worthy, because, whatever one’s status, he is integral to the Jewish people and no matter what we might have done, as long as we put our complete faith in Hashem, there can always be forgiveness and salvation!
Rabbeinu Yona teaches that charity has the power to protect one from suffering, pending his repentance from sin. Furthermore, it can even delay a Divine death sentence from being carried out, as the famous posuk states: צדקה תציל ממוות, charity rescues from death. The Simchas Aaron says that we see this same concept from our posuk, for we can translate the posuk as follows: כל העבר על הפקדים, whoever transgresses the commandments, זה יתנו מחצית השקל, he has to give the half shekel. By giving charity one can buy himself time to repent so that he won't get punished for his sins.
The Alshich explains that we have to give a half shekel and not more or less, to demonstrate that every Jew alone is merely a fragment. Only by linking ourselves to others can we be complete. The Toldos Yaakov Yosef takes this a step further and says that this is also referring to a spiritual sense. One shouldn't think that just because he is wealthy in Torah and mitzvos, he plays a more significant role than his spiritually destitute brother. Also, one who is spiritually destitute shouldn't look down on his own contribution to the spiritual welfare of the nation. Each Jew, no matter who, fulfils his unique contribution to the nation as something that only he can fulfill and will be complemented by someone else fulfilling the other half.
Following this theme, the parsha relates the incident of the עגל, the golden calf, where Moshe went up to get the luchos and when he came back down the Jews had made a golden calf to replace him. The people thought he was dead and wanted an intermediary between them and Hashem. When he came down and saw them dancing around the golden calf, he broke the luchos and punished the sinners. Afterwards, he said to Hashem, “yes, they made a great sin; however, either forgive them or erase me from your book. Rashi says it means erase me from your whole Torah, so that people shouldn't say about me that I wasn't worthy to ask forgiveness for them.
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel explains Moshe’s words as follows: people shouldn't say I didn't daven for them because I didn't trust that Hashem would have pity on them and forgive them.There is no greater honor to Hashem then having complete trust in Him, that no matter what, he will have mercy and forgive. Conversely, there is no greater disrespect than one who doesn't trust Hashem fully to cast all his burdens on Hashem.
One time, the king of Poland journeyed to the various cities in Poland. Each city he came to, made a royal reception that was befitting the king. One of the cities he visited was the city of Mir, upon which the mashgiach, Reb Yeruchem, said that Mir was the only city that gave the true honor befitting a king. They didn't really do any more than the rest of the cities, so what was the great honor? There was one woman whose husband was on death row. When the king's carriage came into town, she lay down in front of the wheels and cried out, “my master, the king, my husband is sentenced to death and there is no other force in the world that has the power to save him only you. I’m not moving from here until you forgive him and pardon him”. That, said Reb Yeruchem, is real honor for the king showing that all the power is his.
Perhaps, the Torah is teaching us twofold; a person should never think that he isn’t worthy, because, whatever one’s status, he is integral to the Jewish people and no matter what we might have done, as long as we put our complete faith in Hashem, there can always be forgiveness and salvation!
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