Much of parshas Ki Thisa deals with the building of the Temple. Unlike parshas Teruma where specific materials for construction were requested, here a monetary tax of one half a shekel is being imposed. A shekel is both the standard coin and a unit of weight. However it is not ostensibly a tax or even a contribution. Rather it is an indirect way of performing a census. All men over twenty were required to give it and by counting the amount of money received the population was easily calculated. It was not a lot of money. A half shekel was 0.4 ounces of silver, which is worth today US$ 6.66.
Another peculiarity is that the payment is called כֹּפֶר. The word has a number of meanings at times contradictory. It can be aromatic camphor wax or a town. It can mean denial or rebellion. Often it means to purify. Here it means ransom and atonement. Interestingly the archaic meaning of the English word atone includes the ideas of reconciliation and unity. The implication here is that there is something dirty in the human condition that places a person at odds with the Temple and that this required donation effects a reconciliation.
Rashi explains that the half shekels in parshas Ki Thisa were used to acquire the foundations for the posts of the fence that surrounded the Tabernacle. This idea also was applied to fixing roads and other public property as explained in mesechta Shekelim in the Mishna. The appeal was made on the first of Adar in connection with Purim. Also that was the time to start preparing for Pesach and its many pilgrims to Jerusalem.
As part of the observance of Purim it is incumbent on all Jews to give gifts to the poor, as well as to send festive food packages and have a nice meal with family and friends. This is the proper response to Haman the villain of Purim, when he said the Jews are scattered and cutoff, they have strange practices, and there's no reason for the king to tolerate them. This is because Purim shows the unity of the Jewish people under religion. The foundation of this is taking care of public institutions and the poor. With this generosity and good will even those that are distant because of foul behavior are reconciled to their family, community, and our Father who is in heaven.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
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