THE HALF SHEKEL

“Everyone subject to the census is to pay as an offering to Adonai half a shekel [one-fifth of an ounce of silver] – by the standard shekel (a shekel equals twenty gerahs).”
Exodus 30:13

Later this week we will celebrate Purim. How fitting, then, that this torah portion start out with the instructions concerning the half shekel. One of the traditions, and in many ways a secret, of Purim is the giving of the half shekel offering. It is this offering that Adonai says will release an atonement of the soul of the believer. We see this idea in both Exodus 30 and Leviticus 23, and in some writings it is known as the ‘offering of fire.’ While one cannot buy his atonement, it was the truth behind the giving that opened the pathway for the atonement. The half shekel itself only proved as a reminder that nothing done for Adonai was to be done halfway. In fact, sowing with wholehearted purpose and sincerity opened the door for Adonai’s presence and power to be released. In truth, this ‘offering of fire’ was designed to release the longing and burning desire for the things of Adonai.
With this detail, we then look at Exodus 30:11-16 which starts out by explaining further the commands given to Moshe while he was on Mount Sinai concerning a census. It was at the time of the census that each person of Isra’el was to pay a ransom for his life to Adonai. This giving would allow the giver to avoid any breakout of plague. As each person was counted and moved from a non-counted to counted place, the half shekel was given as their offering. And important as well is that each person twenty and over was to give this offering as their own. The rich could not give more and the poor could not give less. In the end, all funds collected for atonement were to be used for the service of the Tent of Meeting and as a memorial for the Isra’elites before the LORD.
In Leviticus 23:26-32 we read more concerning atonement. It is in this passage that Adonai says to Moshe that the tenth day of the seventh month was to be a designated Day of Atonement. It was on this day that a sacred assembly was to be held at which the people were to deny themselves and present an offering to Him. Anyone who did not deny himself on that day was to be cut off from the people.
So then as we draw close to celebrating Purim one may question what the relationship is between the half shekel and this Jewish holiday. To answer this I think it is wise to define a little better the term ‘atonement’. The dictionary will define it as the reconciliation of God and humankind, especially as accomplished through the life, suffering, and death of Christ. The Strong’s Concordance will define it as the Hebrew term KAPHAR, meaning to purge, reconcile, pacify, or cover over sin. In reading the details of the life of Esther, we see atonement was made. Although there is no wording specific to Adonai in the book of Esther, Adonai is woven throughout the book. In the salvation of His people from the hand of Haman whose desire was to kill all the Jews, Adonai covered His people. He covered His people not only from sin, but also from death. The offering that released the atonement for Adonai’s covering of His people became the covering that we still stand under, and on a greater scale with the giving of the greatest offering later on, Adonai’s Son, Yeshua.