Foundations

This week we read פרשת כי תשא, that begins with the instructions of the מחצית השקל. This half shekel was a requirement for every adult male. There was no distinction between wealthy or poor. Everyone had to give the same amount. This was also a method of census taking of the population.

On the one hand, the Torah tells us that every נדיב לב, generous of heart, could contribute whatever he wanted and for general purposes. But, on the other hand, the Half Shekel was used specifically for the אדנים, or sockets, used for the foundations of the Mishkan.

When it came to the foundations, that contribution had to come equally from rich or poor. The lesson to be learned from this is that when it comes to the foundational beliefs of the Torah, everyone has the same obligations.

This is what ultimately cements us as a nation. It is our shared beliefs and commitment to the Torah. Some say that the three foundations of the Torah are, Shabbat, Kashrut, and Family Purity. These laws must be followed diligently by rich and poor.

This is the reason the מחצית השקל was given equally by all, so that the foundations of the Torah would be observed equally by all.