[Avodah] The Sacred Shekel

[Prof. L. Levine]

The following is from Rav Schwab on Chumash

Everyone passing by to be counted must give this half a
shekel based on the shekel of the Holy [Sanctuary,} where a
shekel is twenty geras. Half of such a shekel must be given
as a terumah-offering to Hashem. (Shemos 30:13)

Money obtained by a person who may have worked hard for it, but in the
process used forbidden tactics such as overcharging, withholding an
employee's wages, charging interest, doing business on Shabbos or Yorn
Tov, or engaging in various forms of dishonesty, is not completely his. He may have
only earned a part of his money, and he does not truly own the complete shekel.
When one offers a gift to Hashem, the shekel that he donates must be a
shekel of holiness. He must have honestly earned all twenty geras of that shekel, or
as we say in English, there should be "one hundred cents to the dollar." Not even one
penny should be missing from that dollar due to involvement in forbidden monetary
dealings. Jewish money must be -sacred shekels.

When one wishes to donate money for tzedakah or appropriate money for objects
to be used in the performance of mitzvos, one must be certain that every penny was
acquired honestly.

A man offered Rav Schwab a large donation. The Rav recalled that
this man had several years earlier declared bankruptcy, thereby avoiding
paying his creditors.

"Didn't you declare bankruptcy a few years ago?" he asked.
"Yes," the man replied.

"Well, what happened?"

"Thank G-d, I went to bankruptcy court and received a settlement," the
man responded. "I was able to restructure my business, and today I am
even wealthier than I was originally. I therefore wish to offer the Rav this
large donation for his yeshivah."

"You must use the money you wish to donate to pay back your
creditors," the Rav responded. "According to the Shulchan Aruch, there
is no such thing as declaring bankruptcy to free yourself from debt.
When a man owes money, he is obligated to return it. Otherwise, he is
considered a thief. Money that is to be given to tzedakah must be earned
in a kosher manner. Bankruptcy is not kosher."

Professor Yitzchok Levine

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