Sicha, Parshas Ki Sisa 5725,
And Sicha, Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei 5743
A. The History of the Half-Shekel
There is a mitzvah for every Jew to give a half-shekel towards the cost of the offerings in the Holy Temple. Each year at the beginning of the month of Adar, the obligation would be announced, and a month later, on the first of Nissan, the priests would purchase the communal offerings for the coming year. Today this mitzvah is no longer in effect, but we continue to read about it in the Torah around the time of the first of Adar, in commemoration of the mitzvah (Source 1), and so that we will be prepared to observe it again with the imminent coming of Mashiach. (Source 2)
The command is first given in Parshat Ki Tisa, where G-d instructs Moses that if he wishes to count the people he should not do so directly, but by counting the half-shekel contributions. This way, he will prevent a plague from striking. (Source 3)
B. Kings Saul and David Count the Nation
King David counted the people directly, triggering a plague that killed thousands. The Talmud in Tractate Berachot explains that even schoolchildren know this commandment, but David was caused from Above to err in this matter as a punishment for speaking disrespectfully about G-d. (Sources 4-5)
The Rebbe cites from elsewhere in the Talmud—in Tractate Yoma—where the prohibition against counting the Jewish people directly is derived from stories of King Saul, who used shards and sheep to indirectly count the troops of his army. When Nachash of Amon threatened to go to war with the Jews, Saul called up his army and counted them using shards (Source 6), and while preparing for war with Amalek, counted them using sheep. (Source 7)
C. Two Kinds of Counting
Why does the Talmud in Yoma cite the story of Saul as the source for the prohibition of directly counting instead of bringing proof from the Torah in Ki Tisa? The answer is that there are two kinds of counts: a mitzvah related count and a discretionary count. When the Torah says “when you count the sum of the Jewish people” that is referring to a discretionary count, and directly counting is prohibited. David’s mistake was with this kind of discretionary count. A mitzvah related count, however, might be different. Thus, the Talmud cited Saul’s count, which was for a mitzvah purpose, and nonetheless, Saul did not count the people directly, but via shards or sheeps.
If Moses wasn’t commanded to count the Jews, why did he do so – at risk of causing a plague? The explanation is that through counting, the value of each Jews is accentuated in the eyes of the Creator.
D. Is There a Tenth?
In the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the priests were counted by their fingers, and not by themselves (Source 8). When we wish to count if there’s a minyan in the synagogue, we do not count directly—one, two, three, etc.—but indirectly. Rashi suggests using the following verse that contains ten words (in Hebrew): “And I, through Your abundant kindness, come into Your house; I bow toward Your holy sanctuary in awe of You.”
In the Concise Code of Jewish Law, written about 160 years ago, it states that the custom is to use the ten words of another verse: “Grant salvation to Your people and bless Your heritage; tend them and exalt them forever.”
Why, asks the Rebbe, did the custom change? Rashi’s suggested verse speaks of prayer in the synagogue and would seem to be more appropriate. The Rebbe explains that in the later generations, as exile became more difficult, every opportunity was used to beseech G-d for salvation, and accordingly, this verse was used for counting the minyan.
