The Half-Shekel That Lifted Israel's Head After the Golden Calf

Pesikta Rabbati 10:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"When you take the sum (literally: lift the head) of the children of Israel according to their numbers" (Exodus 30:12). Let our master teach us: how many times a year is the chamber set apart? Thus our rabbis taught: at three seasons of the year the chamber is set apart — before Passover, before Shavuot, and before Sukkot. From this offering they would purchase the daily sacrifices from all Israel, from the shekels they gave, so that all Israel would be partners in them. They began collecting from the first of Adar. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: it is foreseen before Me that every count of Israel that is to be will have a deficiency. What then shall I do? I will prepare for them a remedy, that every count taken should bring them atonement. And what was their atonement? This atonement of the shekels. "When you lift the head" — it does not say "when you number," but "when you lift the head." To what may this be compared? To a king's son who sinned against his father. The king said, "Go and lift his head" — that is, hang him. When the tutor heard, he said to the king: "My master, are you destroying your son? Do you not have a clever way? Your decree can stand, and your son remain unharmed. With the very language you issued against him, you can raise him up. You said, lift his head — let them lift his head higher than it was. Then your decree stands, and to your son comes greatness." So Israel are children to the Holy One, blessed be He. They sinned with the calf and angered Him, and He said, "Let Me alone, that I may destroy them" (Deuteronomy 9:14). When Moses heard, he girded himself in advocacy and turned the words around. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "By your life, since you have taught Me to be an advocate, through your hands I will lift their head." "This they shall give" (Exodus 30:13) — the Holy One, blessed be He, took a coin of fire from beneath the throne of glory and said, "Like this they shall give." The half-shekel is ten gerahs, that they should atone for the Ten Commandments which they transgressed. Come and see the love of Israel: their very transgressions bring them to high standing. So too here: what brought about the portion of the shekels? The transgression of the calf. And if their sin led to a commandment, how much more so their merit.

Themes

AtonementCommandmentsIsrael

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