This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shekalim. It is the Shabbat before the beginning of the month of Adar, where a section called "Shekalim" is added to the regular Torah reading. In it, the Torah tells us that every Jew was to donate half a shekel toward the construction of the Sanctuary.
Later, during the First and Second Temple periods, that same half-shekel was used to repair any damage the Temple had suffered during the previous year.
Our sages explain several practical life lessons derived from this Mitzvah, such as the concept of helping one's neighbor and equality among all Jews, since, regardless of the money each person possessed, everyone had to donate the same amount.
However, there is a concept embedded in this precept that has much to do with a new project we are starting at Beit Chabad.
Each person donated half a shekel. This teaches us that, in reality, each of us is only half of a whole, not a complete entity. God is the other half, giving meaning to our lives and keeping us focused on a specific goal.
It is common that, due to the whirlwind of life, work, marital obligations, being parents, we forget that life is not a succession of disordered, meaningless events that simply pass by, but rather a succession of opportunities to grow, both personally and as a community.
Every circumstance, every encounter, every difficulty, is like a platform to elevate us to the next level of consciousness and perception of God, a challenge that, when overcome, delights us with new and better opportunities for development.
But for that to happen, we must understand that we cannot navigate such a life, filled with constant changes and challenges, alone. We need a strength that allows us to rise above all those difficulties and overcome them. That strength is the other half. It is the other half of Shekel. It is the soul that God gives us, which is a piece of Him on high, literally.
And it is precisely that spirit that, generation after generation, has kept the Jewish people united to their principles and values, beyond the will of the government in power and the implicit dictates of society. It is that spirit that, when it reveals itself and flourishes, guarantees the continuity of the Jewish people.
In that spirit, we began this new project, called Gan Israel. It's a Jewish workshop for 2- and 3-year-olds (see News) where the main focus is, through games, music, art, and various recreational activities, for children to learn to joyfully embrace their Jewish identity. To learn to reveal that soul. That half-shekel.
We invite the entire community to participate in this project and be part of the continuity of Judaism in La Plata.