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- What is done with excess coins?
The next Mishnah states, המכנס מעות – One who saves up coins for his shekel obligation, ואמר הרי אלו לשקלי – and says at the time that he begins accumulating the coins, “Let these be for my shekel,” but when Adar arrives he realizes that he has amassed more than a shekel, Beis Shammai say, מותרן נדבה – Their excess is used for a voluntary offering, but Beis Hillel say, מותרן חולין – Their excess is chullin. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that Beis Shammai is consistent with their opinion that הקדש בטעות שמיה הקדש - a consecration made in error is valid, and Beis Hillel is consistent with their view that הקדש בטעות לא שמיה הקדש - a consecration made in error is not valid. If the person said at the time he was accumulating the coins that he was amassing them, שאביא מהן שקלי – in order that I will bring my shekel from them, Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel agree that the excess is chullin. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that Beis Shammai agree in this case, since saying “from these coins” is as if he stated explicitly that the excess would not be consecrated.
- Why is half a shekel given?
The Gemara brings several interpretations as to why a half shekel is given. The passuk states, זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים – This shall they give, all who pass through the census…a half shekel. Rebbe Yehudah and Rebbe Nechemyah dispute the matter. One says, לפי שחטאו במחצית היום יתנו מחצית השקל – Since they sinned at half the day, regarding the cheit ha’eigel, let them give a half a shekel. And the other one says, לפי שחטאו בשש שעות יתנו מחצית השקל – Since they sinned at six hours into the day, let them give half a shekel, which makes six garmesin, which was a coin used at the time.
Rebbe Yehoshua, of the academy of Rebbe Nechemyah, in the name of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said, לפי שעברו על עשרת הדברות יהיה נותן כל אחד ואחד עשרה גרה – Because they transgressed the Aseres Hadribros, let each one give ten geirah, which is the value of half a shekel. Rebbe Pinchas in the name of Rebbe Levi says, לפי שמכרו בכורה של רחל בעשרים כסף – Because they sold the firstborn of Rachel for twenty pieces of silver, and each one of the brothers received a tabaah, which is two dinars, as his share, let each one give for his shekel a tabaah .
- The source that a pesach not brought during its time becomes a shelamim
In Bavel they say, from where do we know that the pesach changes to become a shelamim if it is shechted not in its proper time? The Torah states, ואם מן הצאן קרבנו לזבח שלמים – And if from the flock is his offering as a sacrifice of a shelamim. This teaches that כל שהוא מן הצאן בא שלמים – whatever offering is from the flock, meaning the pesach, which the Torah mandates must come from the flock of sheep or goats, becomes a shelamim when brought not during its proper time. When Abba bar Ba objected, saying that an olah also comes from the flock, he was told that the passuk is referring to offerings that only come from the flock, and not from cattle as well, like the Olah. When he objected further, saying that an asham comes from the flock, he was told that the passuk is referring to offerings that come from all types of animals of the flock such as sheep and goats, whereas an asham only comes from the sheep.