[Avodah] No Differentiation

[Cantor Wolberg]

The Baal Haturim explains that   the gematria of the word esrim  
(twenty), which is the weight of the half-shekel is 620. This is the  
same gematria for the words ashir v'dal -- the rich and the poor man.  
This shows that there is no difference between the wealthy and the  
poor. All Jews are of equal value in order to achieve atonement. Also,  
the obligation of the machatzis ha-shekel begins at the age of twenty  
(esrim).

Another interesting observation is that there are 613 mitzvos and an  
additional 7 d'rabbanan which are: 1) Washing hands [before a meal and  
before the morning prayers],             2) making eruvin,  3)  
reciting brochos, 4) kindling the Shabbos lights, 5) reading the  
Megillah, 6) commemorating Chanukah, and 7) reciting Hallel,  
(equalling 620).  AND... there are 620 letters in the Aseres Hadibros  
and the same gematria for kesser (crown of the Torah).

Kol tuv.
ri

"If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed;
if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed."
--Mark Twain

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