The Gemara in Megillah (13b) relates: אמר ריש לקיש גלוי וידוע לפני מי שאמר והיה העולם שעתיד המן לשקול שקלים על ישראל לפיכך הקדים שקליהן לשקליו והיינו דתנן באחד באדר משמיעין על השקלים – “Rabbi Shimon ben Lokish said: It was obvious and clearly known to the creator of the universe that Haman would weigh coins (to kill) the Jews. Therefore, he had their (the Jews) coins precede his coins, and that is what the Mishnah says: ‘On the First day of Adar we make the announcements about the giving of the yearly shekolim coins (to pay for the korbanos tzibbur in the Beis HaMikdosh)’”.
Tosfos in Megillah (16a) says that the 10,000 kikar (a specific measure) of silver offered was the same amount of silver the Jews donated for the adanim [the sockets for below the planks making up the walls in the Mishkon which the Jews erected in the Midbar]. It seems that Haman’s action of offering 10,000 kikar of silver to King Achashveirosh had a spiritual effect that “demanded” an action by the Jews to counteract. It required a donation of the Jews, hundreds of years earlier whilst they were still in the Midbar, to merit not being annihilated. (As Tosfos points out) It also required the yearly donation to the Beis HaMikdosh to counteract that action.
The question is: Why is Hashem worried about Haman giving this money to Achashveirosh? What difference does this make?
Reb Sholom Schvadron answers as follows. The Medrash in Parshas Terumah tells us that Haman’s entire fortune consisted of 10,000 kikar of silver. This means that he was so dedicated to the cause of killing the Jewish nation that he was willing to give up everything he owned to succeed at his task. Such dedication, the desire to succeed at all costs even to the cost of one’s entire being and life is called mesiras nefesh. Mesiras nefesh must be answered. The Sotan himself approaches Hashem and says: “Haman is willing to give up everything” to destroy the Jews. What are the Jews willing to give up for Hashem?” Hashem must answer the demand of the Sotan and He says, “My Children are willing to give up for me. In fact, they gave me back in the desert, the adonim [silver sockets] for the Mishkon. They give me a machatzis hashekel [half shekel] every single Adar”. That is what Hashem answers the Sotan.
There are several questions that can be asked on the above. First of all, what difference does it make that Haman was dedicated, why does that have an effect in Shomayim? The second problem is why did Hashem choose the mitzvah of machatzis hashekel to counteract Haman. Why not point out the donations that were given to build the entire Mishkon which was certainly a greater amount donated than half a shekel per person? Thirdly, if we compare what Haman was willing to give up to what the Jews gave up and give up yearly. Haman was willing to give up everything to kill the Jews. That shows a dedication, zeal and a passion for his cause. The Jews, on the other hand gave no more than one half a shekel for this mitzvah. Why is that the response to the zeal and mesiras nefesh shown by Haman? One more question. Obviously, Haman was dedicated to his cause, but his cause was evil. Why should his dedication mean anything to Hashem?
To understand the answer to the first question we can answer that just like there are rules in nature similarly there are rules in ruchniyus [the spiritual realm] as well. Just as what goes up must come down, so too there are rules in ruchniyus. One of these rules is: When one is totally dedicated to a cause, he automatically receives siyata dishmaya [heavenly help] to succeed. That is why once Haman showed his commitment and his zeal with the willingness to do anything to destroy Jews, Hashem had to answer the Sotan with a show of mesiras nefesh, a show of complete dedication on the part of the Jews. That was shown by the willingness of the Jews to give the machatzis hashekel. (We will iy’H explain soon what was so special about giving machatzis hashekel.)
R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz uses this same idea to explain a pasuk in Parshas Balak, the pasuk says: ויקם בלעם בבקר ויחבש את אתוני – “Bilam awoke early in the morning and he saddled his donkey.” Rashi quotes the Medrash that says: “Hashem says: “You got up early to destroy the Jews. You will not succeed because their father Avraham has already done this before you.” As the pasuk states: “And Avraham got up early in the morning and he saddled his donkey”. R’ Chaim asks the same question we asked earlier: Why does the action of Bilam waking up early to saddle his donkey require Hashem to respond with, “Avraham their father has done this already”? What is so special about Bilam saddling his donkey? The answer he gives is because Bilam was very aware of his own importance. Everything he did was only to further his own honor and stature in the world. Still, he was willing to forgo his honor and personally saddle his donkey so as to be able to curse the Jews and cause their annihilation. Therefore, that dedication would demand that he be the recipient of siyata dishmaya and success. Therefore, Hashem said, Avraham has already shown his dedication to me. He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, literally, and sacrifice his son. Therefore, his children are worthy of being saved because of his dedication.
R’ Shimon Schwab uses a very similar explanation. In the same story about Bilam, Bilam in a dream asks Hashem permission to go with the second group of messengers of Balak. Hashem tells him, if they are coming to hire you and you will receive a reward for this, then go with them (Bamidbar 22:20 see Rashi). Rabbi Schwab asks why did Hashem give him permission only if he would get paid? The answer is, says R’ Schwab, because then his dedication to the cause is not pure. His dedication comes from a desire to be compensated. If his dedication to the cause is anything less than pure, then he will not be deserving of siyata dishmaya. He is doomed to failure. If he wants to go, no harm will befall the Jews, and Hashem Himself is willing to allow him to go.
This answers why there was need to counteract the dedication of Haman, but the other questions still need answering. Why rely on the half a shekel instead of the donations for the entire Mishkon, and how can the giving of a half a shekel show a dedication equivalent or better than the giving of 10,000 kikar of silver. Perhaps we can understand the above based on a Gemara in Kiddushin. The Gemara tells us that when one who is commanded to do a mitzvah, the mitzvah is far greater than one who is not commanded to do the mitzvah but does it anyway. On the surface one would think the opposite is true. One who is not obligated to do a mitzvah and does it anyway, shows a greater love for Hashem by doing the mitzvah than one who is obligated to perform the mitzvah. The Gemara is telling us that this is not so. Tosfos explains the reason for this. When a person is obligated to do something, the yetzer horah tries desperately to dissuade the person from doing the mitzvah. However, when a person does a mitzvah without being obligated to do so, he has very little standing in his way. After all, he wants to do this because he thinks it’s right. He is doing what he desires.
Now we can answer the question. Haman was dedicated to his cause. He was willing to give up everything to get what he wanted. To counteract this action Hashem needed to show that the Jews could also perform an act that was equally meaningful and equally powerful. That act was the giving of half a shekel. The act of being told, “You must give half a shekel. No more and no less” This action was one that showed dedication to Hashem and his mitzvos. The will power needed to overcome one’s natural inclination not to want to give what one is obligated to give, is more difficult than giving up 10,000 kikar of silver.
This concept is also apparent in a Gemara in Shabbos. The Mishnah in Shabbos (9b) lists many activities that one may not do prior to Mincha time. One of the forbidden activities is to sit down to a meal. Nevertheless, the Gemara says that if one started a meal, then one does not have to stop the meal right away, for Mincha. (He may continue until closer to the time for Mincha). The Gemara asks what act determines the beginning of the meal? The Gemara answers, when one removes his belt to begin eating. (They used to tie their robes around them with a belt. Prior to eating they used to remove the belt to be more comfortable when eating). The Gemara responds by asking: What is the big deal to put the belt back on? Besides, let him daven without a belt. The Gemara answers, one can’t daven without a belt since the pasuk says: "Prepare yourself to greet your G-d.” Tosfos (10a) says that the Gemara only answered the second question and did not bother with the first question. Reb Yisroel Salanter answers, that by answering the second question no answer was needed for the first question. Once the Gemara explained and proved that one was not allowed to daven without putting on the belt, then the question of: “What is the big deal to put on a belt?” is not a question. Once a person is required to put on his belt then it IS a big deal to put it back on.
Now everything makes perfect sense. In anticipation of Haman’s dedication to the cause of annihilating the Jews, Hashem in his mercy gave us the mitzvah of machatzis hashekel, from the times of the Mishkon in the Midbar. This allowed us to demonstrate our dedication to him by giving the half a shekel to the Mishkon. By serving Hashem, we show our dedication. By overcoming our own natural instincts and accepting Hashem’s will upon ourselves we show the greatest mesiras nefesh, the greatest dedication to Hashem and his will.
I heard from R’ Falk zt”l a very similar idea. He was talking about why there had been an increase in suicide bombing in Eretz Yisroel and why non-Jews are prepared to be moser nefesh to kill the Jews. He said the reason is because Hashem puts certain kochas [strengths] into the world and they can be used either for good or for bad. If Klal Yisroel use them for good, then the non-Jews have nothing left to use. If, however, we don’t use it then the non-Jews will. There is a ko’ach of mesiras nefesh in the world, if we are moser nefesh to learn Torah and keep the mitzvos then the non-Jews won’t be able to use the ko’ach of mesiras nefesh against us, as we are already using it. If chas v’sholam however, Klal Yisroel becomes very lax in avodas Hashem, then the ko’ach of mesiras nefesh will be given to the non-Jews and they will use it against us. This is unfortunately what was happening in Eretz Yisroel, that’s why the number of suicide bombings were going up.
This is the same thing with Haman, Haman used the ko'ach of money to try and destroy Klal Yisroel. Either the power of money can be used for good or for bad. If we don’t give tzedokah and don’t use money for good, then it will be used against us. Haman gave lots of money to destroy Klal Yisroel, the only way to counteract it is for Klal Yisroel to use money for the good, therefore Hashem gave us the mitzvah of machatzis hashekel.
