What
Is
Half
a
Shekel
in
the
Work?
-
2
Article
No.
20,
1990
The
verse
says,
“When
you
count
the
heads
of
the
children
of
Israel
to
number
them,
each
one
of
them
shall
give
a
ransom
for
his
soul
to
the
Lord,
when
you
number
them,
and
there
shall
be
no
plague
among
them
when
you
count
them.
This
is
what
they
shall
give:
half
a
shekel
in
the
shekel
of
holiness.
The
rich
shall
not
give
more
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less
than
half
a
shekel,
to
make
a
contribution
to
the
Lord,
to
make
atonement
for
your
souls.”
We
should
understand
what
specifically
a
half
shekel
implies
to
us
in
the
work,
and
not
a
quarter
or
a
third
of
a
shekel,
where
the
whole
point
is
to
know
the
number
of
Israel.
What
does
specifically
the
half
imply
to
us?
Also,
why
does
it
say,
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less”?
Even
a
small
child
understands
that
if
we
take
from
someone
less
or
more
we
will
not
know
the
number
of
Israel.
And
also,
what
is
the
meaning
of
“there
shall
be
no
plague
among
them”?
It
is
known
that
the
purpose
of
the
creation
of
the
world
was
because
He
desires
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
However,
in
order
for
this
doing
good
to
be
complete,
meaning
not
to
have
any
shame
in
it
while
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure,
a
correction
took
place,
called
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment.
This
means
that
before
a
person
can
aim
his
actions
to
be
in
order
to
bestow,
they
will
not
feel
the
delight
and
pleasure
unless
when
they
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Creator.
Afterward,
when
he
has
vessels
of
bestowal,
the
delight
and
pleasure
found
as
a
deposit
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
will
be
revealed.
At
that
time
he
will
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
was
in
the
thought
of
creation,
and
for
which
He
created
the
world.
Since
man
was
created
by
nature
to
yearn
only
for
his
own
benefit,
from
where
can
one
work
on
the
intention
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator?
This
is
regarded
as
a
person
exerting
himself
in
all
kinds
of
works
so
as
to
please
the
Creator,
since
then
the
body
asks,
“What
will
you
gain
if
the
Creator
enjoys”?
You
should
do
things
so
you
will
enjoy,
and
why
did
our
sages
tell
us,
“All
your
works
should
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator?”
How
can
we
do
something
against
nature?
The
body
also
asks,
“Why
should
the
Creator
mind
if
the
creatures
work
for
themselves,
meaning
that
they
will
enjoy?
After
all,
His
desire
is
to
delight
His
creations.”
It
follows
that
on
one
hand,
man
can
enjoy
life,
meaning
work
for
his
own
sake,
which
is
natural.
On
the
other
hand,
it
is
said
that
man
should
not
go
according
to
the
nature
with
which
he
was
born,
but
should
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
And
as
much
as
we
may
explain
with
all
kinds
of
answers,
the
body
cannot
understand
this.
Although
sometimes
the
body
agrees
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
in
practice,
when
the
body
faces
something
it
will
enjoy
and
it
must
give
it
up
because
it
will
benefit
only
the
Creator,
the
body
chooses
its
own
benefit
and
relinquishes
the
benefit
of
the
Creator.
Therefore,
we
get
two
things
out
of
this:
1)
Since
we
must
believe
in
the
words
of
our
sages
that
we
must
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
although
the
body
does
not
understand
it
after
all
the
explanations
we
give
to
it,
our
sages
said,
and
so
did
Maimonides
determine
in
practice
(Hilchot
Teshuva,
Chapter
10),
“Therefore,
when
teaching
little
ones,
women,
and
uneducated
people,
they
are
taught
to
work
only
out
of
fear
and
in
order
to
receive
reward.
Until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,
they
are
taught
that
secret
little-by-little.”
The
question
is,
What
is,
“Until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom”?
That
is,
what
is
“wisdom”
and
what
is
“much
wisdom,”
so
we
will
know
how
to
determine
when
we
are
permitted
to
reveal
to
him
that
secret
little-by-little.
At
the
beginning
of
man’s
work,
we
must
say
to
the
body
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
relinquish
corporeal
pleasures,
which
are
only
a
“tiny
light”
compared
to
the
delight
and
pleasure
found
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds].
It
follows
that
to
the
extent
that
he
believes
and
faith
illuminates
for
him,
the
body
agrees
to
replace
a
small
pleasure
with
a
big
one.
As
in
corporeality,
when
a
person
makes
his
effort,
the
reward
he
acquired
for
his
work
and
gives
it
in
order
to
obtain
nourishments
to
sustain
his
household,
since
he
has
more
pleasure
when
he
buys
groceries
for
his
household
with
the
money
he
earned
through
the
labor.
Also,
to
the
extent
that
faith
illuminates
for
him
and
he
feels
that
it
will
give
him
more
pleasure
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
he
can
relinquish
corporeal
pleasures
in
order
to
obtain
greater
pleasures.
However,
sometimes
a
person
gets
a
descent
in
the
faith
that
he
will
be
rewarded.
At
that
time,
it
is
difficult
for
him
to
concede
corporeal
pleasures.
However,
if
he
watches
over
himself
and
is
in
a
good
environment,
the
body
does
not
resist
this
work
because
this
is
not
considered
against
nature,
since
he
says
that
he
will
receive
a
greater
reward,
meaning
greater
pleasure
from
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
It
follows
that
this
reason
is
a
strong
reason
that
can
compel
a
person
to
relinquish
the
corporeal
pleasures
that
the
Torah
forbade,
and
all
in
order
to
receive
greater
pleasures.
2)
Since
man
has
to
come
to
a
state
where
“All
your
works
should
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,”
meaning
against
nature,
and
this
is
for
the
purpose
of
the
correction
of
creation,
which
is
for
the
creatures
to
be
able
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
without
shame,
a
correction
was
placed
where
one
must
aim
that
all
his
enjoyment
will
be
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
That
is,
that
the
Creator
will
enjoy
the
creature’s
pleasure,
since
this
was
the
purpose
of
creation.
However,
sometimes
the
body
feels
that
it
is
impossible
that
with
the
same
intellect
and
understanding
he
had
when
he
began
to
do
the
holy
work,
he
is
constantly
in
the
same
intellect
and
is
making
no
progress,
but
only
in
quantity.
When
he
begins
to
ask
about
this,
this
is
regarded
as
what
we
asked,
What
is
“wisdom”
and
what
is
“much
wisdom”?
“Wisdom”
means
that
he
already
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
“Much
wisdom”
means
that
he
wants
to
understand
the
meaning
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
to
what
state
it
should
bring
a
person.
This
is
called
“intention,”
which
is
to
aim
while
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
that
it
should
bring
him
to
some
degree.
This
is
called
“much
wisdom.”
At
that
time
they
begin
to
reveal
to
him
this
secret,
meaning
what
is
the
work
Lishma
[for
Her
sake].
In
other
words,
they
begin
to
let
him
see
that
he
must
work
not
in
order
to
receive
reward,
but
completely
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
When
he
obtains
“much
wisdom,”
he
begins
to
understand
that
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
there
is
what
was
said,
“For
it
is
your
wisdom
and
understanding
in
the
eyes
of
the
nations.”
However,
there
is
concealment
on
it.
At
that
time
he
is
told
that
this
is
true,
there
is
a
concealment
on
it
for
the
purpose
of
correction,
since
the
purpose
is
for
man
to
achieve
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
and
this
is
obtained
by
equivalence
of
form,
regarded
as
“all
his
actions
should
be
in
order
to
bestow.”
Here
is
where
man
begins
to
be
a
servant
of
the
Creator.
In
the
work,
“serving
the
Creator”
means
that
he
is
working
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake.
At
that
time,
the
work
he
does,
meaning
the
fact
that
he
wants
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
is
the
beginning
when
a
person
begins
to
enter
the
exile,
under
the
rule
of
the
will
to
receive
for
himself.
Also,
he
has
no
hope
of
emerging
from
this
exile
unless
with
heaven’s
mercy.
That
is,
the
Creator
Himself
should
deliver
him
from
exile,
as
was
in
Egypt,
where
it
is
written
(in
the
Haggadah
[Passover
narrative]),
“And
the
Lord
brought
us
out
from
Egypt,
not
by
an
angel,
but
the
Lord
Himself.”
However,
the
fact
that
a
person
feels
that
he
is
in
exile
under
the
rule
of
the
will
to
receive
for
himself,
a
person
cannot
feel
this
at
once,
meaning
when
he
begins
to
work
to
come
out
of
its
control.
Rather,
this
Kli
is
called
“a
lack,”
meaning
a
need
to
overcome
his
vessels
of
reception.
A
person
does
not
acquire
this
at
once,
but
it
requires
time
and
effort.
Then,
over
time,
there
is
room
for
a
person
to
feel
that
he
cannot
emerge
by
himself,
but
time
causes
a
person
a
need
and
suffering,
to
feel
how
good
it
would
be
if
he
could
emerge
from
exile,
and
bad
when
he
is
in
exile.
For
this
reason,
a
person
is
given
ascents
and
descents,
and
he
must
believe
that
both
the
ascents
and
the
descents
come
to
him
from
above.
At
the
same
time,
during
the
work,
he
should
say,
“If
I
am
not
for
me,
who
is
for
me?”
When
a
person
comes
to
a
state
where
his
lack
is
complete,
this
is
considered
that
he
has
a
Kli
[vessel]
to
receive
the
filling,
to
satisfy
his
lack.
Then
comes
the
time
when
the
upper
one
fills
his
Kli.
It
is
known
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
as
there
is
no
filling
without
a
lack.
Accordingly,
a
complete
thing
is
called
“light
and
Kli,”
which
divides
into
two
halves:
The
first
half
is
the
Kli,
namely
the
lack.
The
second
half
is
the
light,
namely
the
filling.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
lack,
it
is
called
“half,”
meaning
making
a
lack,
which
is
the
Kli,
for
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
lack.
This
is
as
our
sages
said
(VaYikra
Rabbah
18),
“A
prayer
makes
half.”
We
should
interpret
that
a
prayer
is
when
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
lack.
This
is
already
regarded
as
“half,”
meaning
the
first
half,
which
is
in
one’s
hand.
The
second
half
is
in
the
hands
of
the
Creator,
meaning
that
the
Creator
must
give
the
light,
and
then
there
will
be
a
complete
thing.
However,
there
are
many
interpretations
to
light
and
Kli.
If
we
are
to
define
a
Kli,
we
can
say
that
it
is
a
lack,
and
it
does
not
matter
what
is
lacking.
For
example,
sometimes
a
person
feels
that
he
is
lacking
a
Kli
to
receive
abundance,
since
the
abundance
cannot
reach
a
Kli
that
cannot
aim
in
order
to
bestow.
Since
he
feels
that
he
is
under
the
control
of
the
will
to
receive
for
himself,
it
follows
that
he
lacks
a
Kli
that
can
receive
abundance.
It
follows
that
he
is
not
praying
to
receive
abundance.
Rather,
he
is
praying
to
be
given
a
Kli
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
Thus,
in
this
case,
“a
prayer
makes
half”
means
the
prayer
made
half
a
Kli,
and
the
Creator
should
give
the
other
half
of
the
Kli.
It
follows
that
these
two
halves
are
actually
a
complete
Kli
and
not
light.
On
the
other
hand,
we
should
say
that
the
lack
is
in
man’s
hands.
This
is
called
“the
first
half
of
the
Kli.”
And
the
filling
of
the
Kli,
meaning
having
the
desire
to
bestow,
considered
the
“second
half
of
the
Kli,”
is
regarded
as
light,
since
the
desire
to
bestow
that
the
upper
one
gives
him
is
a
filling
for
a
lack,
and
any
filling
is
called
“light”
with
respect
to
the
lack.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
what
we
asked,
What
does
the
half
a
shekel
imply
to
us?
for
the
Torah
said
specifically
half:
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more,
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less.”
The
thing
is
that
we
should
interpret
the
words
“When
you
count
the
heads
of
the
children
of
Israel
to
number
them,”
we
should
interpret
the
meaning
of
“heads”
as
it
is
written,
“May
we
be
the
head
and
not
the
tail,”
meaning
that
they
will
be
regarded
as
Israel,
which
are
the
letters
Li-Rosh
[a
head
to
me].
This
is
the
meaning
of
“each
one
shall
give
a
ransom
for
his
soul.”
That
is,
a
person
must
come
out
of
exile,
which
is
called
“a
ransom
for
his
soul”
from
the
hands
of
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side].
This
is
why
it
is
written,
“This
is
what
everyone
who
is
numbered
shall
give,”
meaning
those
who
feel
that
they
are
breaking
the
commandments
of
the
Torah
because
they
are
placed
under
the
governance
of
the
will
to
receive.
Half
a
shekel
means
that
they
must
pray
that
the
Creator
will
deliver
them
from
exile.
“A
prayer
makes
half”
means
that
the
Kli
and
the
desire
for
something
are
regarded
as
half,
meaning
that
by
this
they
will
have
a
complete
thing,
meaning
that
they
will
be
rewarded
with
the
“shekel
of
holiness.”
That
is,
they
will
have
a
half
shekel,
which
is
the
Kli,
and
the
Creator
will
place
the
light
on
this,
at
which
time
it
is
called
“a
complete
thing.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“This
is
what
everyone
who
is
numbered
shall
give,”
meaning
those
who
feel
that
they
are
breaking
the
commandments
of
the
Torah
and
want
to
pay
a
ransom
for
their
souls
so
that
their
souls
will
enter
Kedusha
[holiness],
meaning
that
they
will
have
the
strength
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
They
must
give
half
a
shekel,
meaning
a
prayer.
That
is,
they
must
pray
and
not
stop
praying
until
they
have
a
complete
measure
of
lack
and
desire
to
emerge
from
the
exile,
where
they
are
placed
under
the
control
of
the
will
to
receive
for
themselves.
By
giving
their
half,
they
will
be
rewarded
with
the
shekel
of
holiness,
where
the
other
half,
which
is
the
filling
for
the
prayer,
will
be
together
the
shekel
of
holiness,
meaning
it
will
be
one
complete
shekel
of
Kedusha.
By
this
we
will
understand
what
we
asked,
What
does
it
tell
us
when
it
says,
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more,
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less”?
Even
a
small
child
understands
that
if
we
want
to
know
the
number
of
something,
everyone
must
give
the
same
amount.
We
should
interpret
this
in
the
work.
The
Torah
is
telling
us
a
great
thing
here:
We
should
know
that
to
the
Creator,
great
and
small
are
equal,
as
it
is
written
(“All
Believe”),
“Who
is
equal
and
equalizes
small
and
great.”
This
means
that
a
person
thinks
that
he
is
rich
in
good
deeds,
therefore
he
deserves
the
help
of
the
Creator,
and
he
does
not
need
to
pray
so
much
for
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
wish.
Therefore,
if
he
has
prayed,
to
the
extent
of
his
virtues,
the
Creator
should
have
promptly
granted
his
wish.
And
if
the
Creator
does
not
help
him
right
away,
according
to
his
understanding,
he
stops
praying
and
says
that
the
rest
of
the
people,
who
are
inferior
to
him,
must
pray
a
lot
for
the
Creator
to
help
them.
Therefore,
he
escapes
the
campaign.
This
is
why
it
is
written,
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more.”
This
means
that
the
rich
should
not
think
that
he
is
praying
too
much,
according
to
his
understanding.
Rather,
there
is
a
certain
measure
of
lack
and
need,
and
precisely
by
praying
a
lot,
a
person
receives
a
greater
lack
than
he
has.
That
is,
a
great
light
requires
a
great
lack,
meaning
to
have
a
feeling
of
lack
in
that
he
is
in
exile
under
the
governance
of
the
will
to
receive
and
he
cannot
come
out.
As
long
as
he
does
not
have
true
suffering,
it
is
still
not
considered
a
true
lack
so
as
to
be
called
“a
prayer
that
counts
as
half
a
shekel.”
We
must
know
that
in
the
work,
a
prayer
is
a
lack,
meaning
that
which
a
person
feels
in
his
heart
that
he
lacks,
this
is
called
“a
prayer,”
and
not
what
he
utters
with
his
mouth.
This
is
as
our
sages
said,
“A
prayer
is
work
in
the
heart,”
meaning
that
which
the
heart
feels
it
is
lacking.
To
the
extent
that
his
heart
feels
a
lack
because
of
what
he
does
not
have,
by
this
is
the
size
of
the
prayer
measured.
Concerning
the
shekel,
The
Zohar
explains
that
this
concerns
the
balance
scales
on
which
we
weigh
the
deficiencies
and
fillings,
since
they
are
regarded
as
light
and
Kli.
Hence,
the
light
can
come
only
to
its
proper
Kli,
since
the
lack
for
the
filling
is
in
the
heart.
For
this
reason,
the
light,
too,
comes
to
the
feeling
in
the
heart,
and
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
what
the
mouth
says
while
he
is
praying.
It
therefore
follows
that
when
a
person
gives
his
half
in
prayer,
which
is
a
sense
of
deficiency
in
the
heart,
the
Creator
will
give
the
light,
which
is
Kedusha.
Out
of
both
the
lack
and
the
light,
will
be
one
shekel
of
holiness.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“half
a
shekel,”
since
then
this
half
is
still
not
holiness.
But
when
the
Creator
gives
him
the
light
as
in
“The
light
in
it
reforms
him,”
the
two
halves
are
shekel
of
holiness,
as
it
is
written,
“in
the
shekel
of
holiness.”
Now
we
can
understand
the
words,
“And
the
poor
shall
not
give
less.”
That
is,
one
who
feels
that
he
is
poor
in
virtues
and
good
qualities,
and
he
is
poor
in
the
sense
that
he
has
a
weak
character,
when
he
prays
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
and
give
him
the
power
to
overcome
the
bad
in
him
and
to
be
able
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
he
sentences
the
Creator
to
the
side
of
merit
when
the
Creator
does
not
grant
his
prayer,
since
he
is
poor.
Thus,
what
should
he
do?
Only
escape
the
campaign
and
say
that
this
path
is
only
for
the
rich.
The
writing
warns
us
about
this,
“The
poor
shall
not
do
less.”
Rather,
“Each
one
of
them
shall
give
a
ransom
for
his
soul,”
to
emerge
from
the
exile
and
be
rewarded
with
redemption.
To
the
Creator,
everyone
is
equal,
as
it
is
written,
“And
all
believe
that
he
is
easy
to
please,
equal
and
equalizes
small
and
great.”
In
other
words,
for
the
part
of
the
Creator,
there
is
no
discrimination.
Rather,
He
answers
everyone.
However,
everyone
should
come
to
feel
the
lack,
to
know
what
they
are
lacking
and
to
pray
for
this.
And
the
prayer
itself
increases
the
lack
and
the
pain
at
being
far
from
the
Creator.
When
a
person
does
all
the
prayers
he
should
do,
he
receives
the
other
half
of
the
shekel,
which
at
that
time
is
all
holiness,
as
it
is
written,
“in
the
shekel
of
the
holiness.”
Then
“there
shall
be
no
plague
among
them.”
This
means
as
it
is
written,
“The
wicked
in
their
lives
are
called
‘dead,’”
as
presented
in
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
that
it
is
because
the
will
to
receive
is
in
disparity
of
form
from
the
Creator,
and
disparity
of
form
creates
separation.
Hence,
they
are
separated
from
the
Life
of
Lives.
This
is
why
they
are
called
“dead.”
It
follows
that
through
the
prayer,
which
is
the
half
shekel
that
a
person
must
give,
if
the
giving
is
complete
the
Creator
gives
the
other
half,
meaning
the
light.
By
this,
a
person
can
already
work
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
regarded
as
being
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
to
adhere
to
the
Life
of
Lives.
It
therefore
follows
that
there
are
two
manners
that
cause
a
person
to
escape
the
campaign
even
when
he
enters
the
work
of
being
adhered
to
the
Creator.
Once
a
person
begins
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth,
he
is
shown
from
above
his
lowliness,
meaning
that
the
more
he
overcomes,
the
more
hardening
of
the
heart
he
receives
from
above,
because
as
it
is
written,
“That
I
may
set
these
signs
of
Mine
within
him.”
This
means
that
by
this,
there
will
be
room
for
the
revelation
of
the
light
of
Torah,
called
“letters,”
and
this
reforms
him.
That
is,
since
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
through
the
hardening
of
the
heart,
the
lack
appears
sufficiently,
and
the
Creator
knows
when
the
measure
is
sufficient,
when
the
Kli
is
completed.
Therefore,
sometimes
a
person
escapes
the
campaign
when
he
sees
that
he
has
already
prayed
a
lot
in
his
opinion,
but
the
Creator
does
not
notice
him.
At
that
time,
sometimes
a
person
sentences
the
Creator
to
the
side
of
merit
for
not
granting
his
prayer,
and
says
that
it
is
because
he
has
a
poor
character
in
every
way,
in
virtues,
and
in
good
qualities,
etc.
It
was
said
about
this,
“The
poor
shall
not
give
less,”
meaning
that
a
person
should
not
belittle
himself
and
say
that
the
Creator
cannot
help
a
lowly
person
such
as
him,
for
it
was
said
about
this,
“The
Lord
is
high
and
the
low
will
see.”
And
sometimes,
a
person
leaves
the
campaign
because
he
knows
that
he
is
rich,
meaning
he
has
much
Torah
and
many
good
deeds,
and
he
knows
that
he
is
superior
to
others.
Therefore,
when
he
asks
the
Creator
to
help
him
be
able
to
do
everything
in
order
to
bestow,
why
is
the
Creator
not
granting
him,
for
he
knows
that
he
has
already
given
many
prayers
for
it.
Therefore,
he
says
that
the
Creator
does
not
want
to
answer
him,
and
therefore
he
runs.
And
yet,
a
person
must
always
overcome.