783. A Ransom for His Soul
Adar Aleph, February 1965
A ransom for his soul, half a Shekel [coin]. Why not a whole Shekel? What is the meaning of half, Shekel, rich, and poor?
Mentioned and done, for on that generation, Israel should have been obliterated, and the Gemara says it is because they bowed to idols or enjoyed the meal of that wicked one. From this we see that even if one is on the lowest degree, to the point where he should be obliterated, through fasting and crying out, one can still be rewarded with repentance from love, as in “observed and received,” henceforth, willingly. It follows that one should never give up on mercy.