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Perek 3

Mishnayos Shekalim Perek 3 Mishnah 2

שקלים פרק ג׳ משנה ב׳

2
The funds are collected from the Temple treasury chamber with three baskets, each measuring three se’a. On the baskets is written, respectively, alef, beit, gimmel, based on the order in which the baskets are filled, to indicate from which basket coins should be taken to buy sacrifices. The coins were used in the order of their collection. Rabbi Yishmael says: The letters written on them were in Greek, alfa, beta, gamma. The one who collects the funds from the chamber must not enter while wearing a cuffed garment [ḥafut], and not with a shoe, and not with a sandal, and not with phylacteries, and not with an amulet, since all of these have places into which money can be inserted. The concern is that perhaps the one collecting the funds will one day become poor, and people will say that it is because of the sin of stealing the shekels of the chamber that he became poor, as they will suspect that he stole money and hid it in those places. Or perhaps he will become rich and people will say that he became rich from stealing the funds of the chamber, even though he did not actually do so. Even though one should not suspect someone of stealing consecrated shekels, the one collecting the funds from the chamber must nevertheless take these precautions, as a person must appear justified before people just as he must appear justified before the Omnipresent [HaMakom], and it is stated: “And you shall be guiltless before the Lord and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22). From here it may be inferred that it is not enough to be innocent before God; one must also be innocent before the Jewish people. Even in situations where there is little concern that one may commit a sin, the proper course is to remain above any possible suspicion of misconduct. And the verse states: “So shall you find grace and good understanding in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
בְּשָׁלשׁ קֻפּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁלשׁ שָׁלשׁ סְאִין תּוֹרְמִין אֶת הַלִּשְׁכָּה, וְכָתוּב בָּהֶן אָל''ף בֵי''ת גִימ''ל. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, יְוָנִית כָּתוּב בָּהֶן אָלפ''א בֵית''א גָמל''א. אֵין הַתּוֹרֵם נִכְנָס לֹא בְּפַרְגּוֹד חָפוּת, וְלֹא בְּמִנְעָל, וְלֹא בְּסַנְדָּל, וְלֹא בִּתְפִלִּין, וְלֹא בְּקָמִיעַ, שֶׁמָּא יַעֲנִי, וְיֹאמְרוּ מֵעֲוֹן הַלִּשְׁכָּה הֶעֱנִי, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא יַעֲשִׁיר, וְיֹאמְרוּ מִתְּרוּמַת הַלִּשְׁכָּה הֶעֱשִׁיר. לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת יְדֵי הַבְּרִיּוֹת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָצֵאת יְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם, שְׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לב) וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִים מֵיְיָ וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְאוֹמֵר (משלי ג) וּמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם:
ב׳

תורמין את הלשכה – they would separate the Shekalim from the chamber/compartment for the Shekalim were placed there and they would take from them in three funds; each fund of them was three Se’ah. But Maimonides wrote that we first fill the three large baskets of twenty-seven Se’ah and from them donate to three small baskets of nine Se’ah, and freely, he pressed to state this.

וכתוב עליהן א' ב' ג' – to know which one was separated out first, and from it, they would purchase the community offerings first. And after that from the second one, and after that from the third one.

יונית כתוב עליהן – they were accustomed to do it in Greek because it is written (Genesis 9:27): “May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem.” The beauty of Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem [Megillah 9a], and the language of “beauty” in the children of Japheth does not exist other than in the Greek language.

פרגוד חפות – the clothing was long and we fold it from the bottom. That double rim is called a פרגוד חפות/hem in his cloak; cloak with sleeves. The person donating [Terumah]/making appropriation does not enter with the double rim in his cloak so that people would not suspect him that he placed into it from the monies of the compartment/chamber.

ולא בתפילין ולא בקמיע – so that people don’t say that he loosened the seam and placed into it money.

תורמין את הלשכה. מפרישין השקלים מן הלשכה שהיו השקלים מונחים שם, ונוטלין מהן בשלש קופות, כל קופה מהן של שלש סאין. ורמב״ם כתב שממלאין תחלה שלש קופות גדולות של שבעה ועשרים סאין ומהן תורמין לג׳ קופות קטנות של ט׳ סאין. ובחנם דחק לומר כן:

וכתוב עליהן א׳ ב׳ ג׳ לידע אי זו נתרמה תחלה, וממנה היו קונים קרבנות צבור ראשונה, ואח״כ מן השניה, ואח״כ מן השלישית:

יונית כתוב עליהן. היו רגילים ביונית משום דכתיב (בראשית ט׳:כ״ז) יפת אלהים ליפת וישכון באהלי שם, יפיפותו של יפת ישכון באהלי שם [מגילה ט], ואין לך לשון יפה בבני יפת כמו לשון יונית:

פרגוד חפות. כשהמלבוש ארוך וכופלין אותו מלמטה. אותה השפה הכפולה קרויה פרגוד חפות. ואין התורם נכנס עם השפה כפולה ההיא במלבושו, שלא יחשדוהו שנתן לתוכה ממעות הלשכה:

ולא בתפילין ולא בקמיע. שלא יאמרו התיר התפר ונתן בתוכן מעות: