Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle/2

Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle?

Exegetical Approaches

THIS TOPIC IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED AND UPDATED

Overview

Commentators disagree over the circumstances which mandate the donations described in Shemot 30:12-16. Rashi appears to maintain that the census is the determining factor; since a headcount is forbidden, Hashem commanded to instead give and count half-shekels in order to obtain the population totals. In contrast, R. Saadia posits that there is an annual obligation to give a half-shekel to support the Mishkan/Mikdash, but no need to give during a census. Other exegetes, such as the Minchah Belulah and the Vilna Gaon suggest that there are multiple factors at work, and each of a census and the maintenance needs of the Mishkan/Mikdash require a collection.

Census Only

Sources: RashiShemot 30:12Shemot 30:15Shemot 30:16Bemidbar 1:2Shemuel I 11:8Shemuel I 15:4About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, ShadalMishtadel Shemot 30:12Shemot 30:11About R. S.D. Luzzatto,

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Contributions to the Mishkan

Sources: Qumran 4Q159, JosephusAntiquities 3:8:2 (194-196)Antiquities 18:9:1 (312)About Josephus, R. Saadia GaonCommentary Shemot 30:11Cited by Ibn Ezra Shemot Long Commentary 30:12About R. Saadia Gaon, RashbamShemot 30:12Shemot 35:1About R. Shemuel b. Meir,

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Combination of Factors

Sources: ChizkuniShemot 30:12Shemot 30:16About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach, AbarbanelShemot 30 Questions 1-4Abarbanel Shemot 30:11-14Abarbanel Shemot 30:15Abarbanel Bemidbar 1:2About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, Minchah BelulahShemot 30:13About R. Avraham Rappo of Porto, Vilna Gaon (GR"A)Aderet Eliyahu Shemot 30:11About R. Eliyahu Kramer, MalbimShemot 30:12About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, Hoil MosheBemidbar 1:2About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi,

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