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SHEKEL UPDATE:
PESACH -- Nisan, 5759
Rosh Chodesh Nisan, New Years for Kings and Festivals


New Years for Kings: the Torah ordained beginning of the year for the civil government of Israel.

New Years for Festivals: dedicatory vows for the Temple must be honored by 1st Nisan in order to fulfil the vow.

This year, for the second time in 1929 years, we enter Nisan with Hekdesh available for the new year. Locked in a safe, on the second floor of the Office of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel, rests the proceeds of the Trumat HaLishka ceremony performed on Erev Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

In the presence of Levites and Kohanim (descendants of the Priestly family) at precisely 1:30 pm, Wednesday, March 17, 1999, 29th Adar, 5759, the fourth Trumat HaLishka ceremony was performed since the year 70, prior to the destruction of the Holy Temple. Between 1:30 and 2:00 pm, chapter 3 of Mishnah Shekalim was read aloud in several languages, to the accompaniment of Davidic Harp music.

At 2:00 pm, a Brinks armored truck arrived, and a team of Brinks guards, including Kohanim, proceeded to the chest for NEW SHEKELS. The call went out for the Levite who bears the key to the chest to come foward, and he removed the lock from the chest. The honor of Torem (the one who performs the 'Seperation') went to a Kohen who asked all those assembled; Etrom? (Shall I 'Seperate') to which all responded; Trom! Trom! Trom! (Seperate!) While the Shofar was sounded, the Kohen removed the Half-Shekels (donated since Rosh Chodesh Adar) in a special wicker basket, and from that into a steel strongbox that was locked with a key (of which two copies were made).

The senior Kohen amongst the Brinks guards received the lockbox containing the Hekdesh, as well as a second lockbox containing Motar Shearith HaLishka (the remaining Half-Shekels from last year, see previous UPDATE), and proceeded to the armored truck under guard with Uzis and pistols, to the accompaniment of Shofar blasts.

The Brinks guards proceeded to the Chief Rabbinate's Office, deposited the two lockboxes inside the safe, the representative of the Chief Rabbinate's Office (also a Kohen) signed for receipt of Hekdesh, and the two keys to the lockbox were given to the two Chief Rabbi's secretaries. We received a confirmation call from the Chief Rabbinate that all was delivered safely.


A funny thing happened on the way to the Temple. In the Pesach edition of the Jerusalem Post I found an advertisement announcing that a Sanhedrin had been formed. While I was munching on that piece of information, my eyes ran up the page to an article listing Pesach happenings around the country. What do I read? The Chief Rabbis are holding open house during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of Passover), and their address is given. What do you know? So, we're off to Tel Aviv to Rabbi Lau's house.

As I'm preparing to leave Jerusalem I'm going over in my head what the chances are that Rabbi Frank will be called into service on this family oriented holiday, to assist Rabbi Lau, and I decided the chances were slim. An hour and 45 minutes later I'm walking in the open front door to Rabbi Lau's home, and quickly scanning the faces to see if Rabbi Frank is present, I relax to a normal level of panic as I figure out what to do next. Since everyone else present is dressed in black from head to toe, including a few of the tallest shtreimals (round fur hats) I've ever seen, I was obviously dressed for a different party, and stood in the back of the room as small as I could make myself. Rabbi Lau was surrounded by folks, and he motioned greeting and bid me to make a L'Chaim on grape juice, which I obediantly did. One by one, people approached the Chief Rabbi to ask for a blessing or to share a tale. When there was nobody left between myself and the Chief Rabbi, and folks were waiting behind me, I had no choice but to approach Rabbi Lau (it was that or crawl under a table to get away). I had brought with me the Year 51 First Strike Proof Specimen, and the packet containing photos, articles, and Halachic questions that Rabbi Frank had returned to me, a few weeks before. Rabbi Lau seeing my nervousness, graciously helped out with a "Nu?" I opened with a Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday greeting) and continued with "I have Purim Gelt (lit. Purim money - a play on Chanukah Gelt, Chanukah money, money or chocolate coins given to children on Chanukah) for you." I explained that this was this year's Half-Shekel. Rabbi Lau already had the velvet box open and was examining the proof specimen. His first concern was reimbursing me for the coin. I insisted that it was covered, and was a gift. Rabbi Lau then went into an incredible Torah for this week's reading, Parshat Shmini, connecting it to the Half-Shekel, and told me (and all assembled around his living room) that he would speak on the Half-Shekel in this Friday's sermon on the radio on Erutz 7. I asked the Rav if he would like to see actual ancient coins and weights to which he responded yes, and I presented the coins and weights which were passed around from hand to hand to all present. Rabbi Lau asked after my marital status, and asked if I had Parnasah (livlihood) to which I responded "I make Beged Ivri" holding up the corner of my garment, with the Tzitzith and Techelet. Rabbi Lau smiled from ear to ear and when I told him I could also provide him with the 11 spices of the Ketoret, he responded "And our days will be renewed as of old".

Rabbi Lau accepted my offering and left the room with it in hand. Mission accomplished. Succesfully circumvented Rabbi Frank. Also had my suspicion verified. Rabbi Lau has no idea what Rabbi Frank has been doing in regard to the Half-Shekel. When I mentioned to Rabbi Lau that I had presented him with a coin last year, and even received a letter back from him, it came as news to him. Likewise, when I mentioned Beged Ivri there was no perceptible recognition. Surely with the stink I made last year, had Rabbi Lau been apprised of the situation, he would have reacted to the mention of Beged Ivri.


Back to that advertisement concerning the Sanhedrin. The following letter was prepared and delivered together with a substantial info packet to the Vaad HaSanhedrin. Mutual recognition at this stage would benefit both endeavors, just as the dynamics of two together provide more strength than two apart.


3 Omer 5759

Vaad HaSanhedrin
P.O.Box 50290
Jerusalem

re Transference of responsibility for Hekdesh

Dear Esteemed Rabbanim of the Sanhedrin Haketana,

Fourteen months ago the Commandment of giving a pure silver Mahatzit HaShekel was re-established for the first time in 1928 years.

Coins were minted, distributed, collected back in into the chest for NEW SHEKELS, and the thrice yearly Trumat HaLishka ceremony was duly performed.

The Hekdesh proceeds were transfered under armed guard by Kohanim provided by Brinks corporation, to the vault on the second floor of the Chief Rabbinate's Office, Beit Yahav.

There are currently five lock-boxes in the safe: Trumat HaLishka Aleph, Bet, & Gimel from last year, Motar Shearith HaLishka from last year, and Trumat HaLishka Aleph from this year.

Keys to the lock-boxes were given to Chief Rabbis Lau and Bakshi Doron. The keys to the Aleph and Gimel lock-boxes from last year were returned to us by Rabbi Raphael Frank, Rabbi Lau's assistant.

With the recent unimaginable pronouncement from Chief Rabbi Bakshi Doron that a synagogue represents a 'Mikdash me'at' and therefore Hekdesh may be used to build synagogues, we fear that the Chief Rabbinate, though the "official" representatives of the guardianship of religious matters for the State of Israel, is not suited to take responsibility for the guardianship and disbursement of Hekdesh.

We therefore turn to the Vaad HaSanhedrin with the request that you assume immediate responsibility for Hekdesh. We would like to transfer the proceeds from Trumat HaLishka 'Bet', on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, to your guardianship, as well as aid in the retrieval of the earlier proceeds from the Chief Rabbinate's Office and their transference to your custodianship.

We are also submitting a list of questions that seek redress, as a result of the new halachic environment created by the reappearance of Hekdesh. Also enclosed, please find a complete archive of our correspondence with the Chief Rabbinate, as well as an archive of the work achieved thus far in restoring this vital Commandment.

G-d Bless,


Reuven Prager
Beged Ivri




  1. a) What is the last day to give the Half-Shekel each year?

    b) If it is after the third Trumat HaLishka ceremony prior to Rosh HaShanah, what is done with the coins?

  2. When are the funds withdrawn from Shearith HaLishka?

  3. Is there a similar ceremony for withdrawing Shearith HaLishka?

  4. What Bracha is said at Trumat HaLishka by the Torem?

  5. If a package containing Hekdesh is sent through the mail, may the canceled stamps on the packaging be enjoyed?

  6. Would it be proper to make silver trumpets for the Beit HaMikdash with the Motar Trumat HaLishka in the Chief Rabbinate's safe, come Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5759 (if the Temple is not built before then)?

  7. Is there a limit to how many make-up shekalim one can put into SHEKALIM YESHANIM?, i.e. this year I gave my Half-Shekel for the first time, and I was 39, which means from age 20 till 38 I didn't give. Can I now give 18 coins to make up for the years I missed?

  8. Is there a Chovah to make up those years?

  9. Motar Trumat HaLishka L'Klei Sharet: If silver trumpets are to be made from funds of Motar Trumat HaLishka, must the trumpets be made from mundane money - and then the Kedusha transferred to the trumpets thereby releasing the silver Half-Shekels to Chulin?

  10. By what process is the Kedusha transferred from the silver Half-Shekels to the silver trumpets?

  11. May those Half-Shekels, after the Kedusha has been transferred from them, then be resold?

  12. From the time of the Midbar through the entire First Temple Era, the commandment was fulfilled by giving a fixed weight's worth of silver bullion, in nugget form, weighed on a scale against stone weights. With the introduction of coinage to the world in the sixth century BCE, and its appearance in the Middle East in the fourth century BCE, the custom was adopted in the Second Temple Era to be fulfilled with a particular coin, comprising the necesary weight and silver purity. Because of the demand for the necesary coin to fulfil the commandment, the coin commanded a premium beyond its bullion value. The following question relates to how Hekdesh may obtain maximum value when exchanging the silver Half-Shekels for goods and services;
    We have established that the Half-Shekel today is 7.8 grams of .999 silver, with an approximate intrinsic value of $1.50 U.S., a production cost of aproximately $3.40 U.S., and a retail sales value of US$10, with wholesale values at $8 or $7 depending on quantity.
    The question is, at what rate does Hekdesh exchange the coins for goods and services?

  13. May Hekdesh counter-stamp the coins and sell them directly to collectors at a premium?

  14. If Hekdesh exchanges the Half-Shekels for goods and services, may the person receiving them sell them for more than the value at which they were calculated, viz. if Hekdesh were to sell a large quantity of coins and they were exchanged based on intsrinsic value, production cost, or wholesale value of new coins - may the recipient sell them for more and keep the profit?

  15. What is the first day of the year to give the Half-Shekel?

  16. On what day is the chest for NEW SHEKELS emptied of coins that were deposited between Rosh HaShanah and Rosh Chodesh Adar?

  17. If someone were to place their Half-Shekel for the new year into the chest for NEW SHEKELS before the coins were removed from last year, does that person fulfil their obligation for the current year?

  18. Does the existance of a Half-Shekel given as a NEW SHEKEL among coins of Motar Shearith HaLishka have any effect on their disposition, or must that coin be removed from Motar Shearith HaLishka and transferred to NEW SHEKELS?

  19. Must that particular coin be removed or may any identical coin be removed in its stead?

  20. May the proceeds from Trumat HaLishka Aleph, Bet, & Gimel be combined when they are in a state of Motar Trumat HaLishka, (i.e., may the proceeds from the three lock-boxes of Half-Shekels from last year be combined into one box marked Motar Trumat HaLishka)?

  21. Must the three Gizbarim, seven Amarcolin, and two Katlikin who are over Hekdesh all be Kohanim?


    Good Purim! Great Purim!


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