In Parshas Ki Sisa, the Torah commands each Jew to give מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל (machatzis hashekel) to the בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (Beis HaMikdash). The Torah specifies that this מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל is part of the שֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ (shekel hakodesh), which consists of עֶשְׂרִים גֵּירָה (twenty geirah). This means that the מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל is precisely ten גֵּירָה.
The significance of this number is profound. The שֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ represents the full structure of עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם (Divine service), which is built upon the עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת (ten sefiros). These include the three מוֹחִין (intellectual faculties)—חָכְמָה (chochmah, wisdom), בִּינָה (binah, understanding), and דַּעַת (daas, knowledge)—and the seven מִּדוֹת (emotional attributes), including חֶסֶד (chesed, kindness), גְּבוּרָה (gevurah, discipline), and תִּפְאֶרֶת (tiferes, harmony). The מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל represents our personal עֲבוֹדָה (avodah, service) in fulfilling these ten faculties—both in מַחֲשָׁבָה (machshavah, thought), דִּבּוּר (dibbur, speech), and מַעֲשֶׂה (ma’aseh, action), and in refining our מִּדוֹת (middos) to align with Hashem’s will.
This idea connects with the deeper theme of Ki Sisa (lit. "when you elevate"). When a Jew fulfills his purpose in life—aligning his מוֹחִין (mochin) and מִּדוֹת (middos) with the Divine—he is elevated, and in return, he receives הַשְׁפָּעָה (hashpa’ah, Divine influence) as a מַתָּנָה (matanah, gift) from above. This reciprocal flow is the spiritual essence of שָׂכָר (sechar, reward), which is not just a transactional compensation but a הִשְׁתַּקְּפוּת (hishtakfut, mirror response) to our עֲבוֹדָה (avodah).
However, there is a deeper paradox at play. In קַבָּלָה (Kabbalah), it is explained that we exist on the סַף הַהוֹוֶה (saf ha’hoveh, razor’s edge of the present), a continuous transition between past and future. The חֹסֶר אִיזוּן (choser izun, imbalance) occurs when שָׂכָר (sechar) is seen as merely a גְּמוּל (gemul, reward) for מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁעָבְרוּ (ma’asim she’avru, past actions). This misunderstanding leads to גָּלוּת רוּחָנִית (galus ruchanit, spiritual exile), where we remain trapped in חַדְרֵי הַפֵּרוּד (chadrei hap’rud, chambers of separation), akin to the חֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת (cherev hamis’hapeches, flaming sword) that guards the entrance to גַּן עֵדֶן (Gan Eden) (Bereishis 3:24). אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן (Adam HaRishon) was commanded to refrain from eating from the עֵץ הַדַּעַת (Eitz HaDaas, Tree of Knowledge) only until the eve of Shabbos, yet he was impatient, failing to trust the unfolding of Divine time (see Torah Or, Parshas Bereishis 5a).
This is where the concept of בִּטָּחוֹן (bitachon, trust) becomes crucial. True בִּטָּחוֹן is not just belief in Hashem but an בִּטָּחוֹן בִּלְתִּי מְתְנֵה (unconditional trust) in the כֹּחַ הָעָתִיד (koach ha’atid, power of the future). When a Jew has complete reliance that his future is in Hashem’s hands, this אֱמוּנָה (emunah, faith) reshapes his עָבָר (avar, past) as well, opening the שָׂכָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ תָּלוּי בְּדָבָר (sechar she’eino talui b’davar, unconditional rewards) that transcend ordinary סִבָּה וּמַסּוּבָּב (siba u’mesubav, cause-and-effect) relationships. This is especially evident in the power of תְּשׁוּבָה (teshuvah, repentance), where one’s עֲוָנוֹת (avonos, sins) are transformed into זְכֻיּוֹת (zechuyos, merits) (Yoma 86b, Tanya, Iggeres HaTeshuvah ch. 1).
Thus, the מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל serves as a reminder of שׁוּתָּפוּת אֱלֹקִית (shutafut Elokit, Divine partnership)—we bring עֲשָׂרָה (asara, ten), and Hashem provides the הִשְׁתַּקְּפוּת (hishtakfut, reflection). By trusting the process, aligning our מַחֲשָׁבָה (machshavah, thought), דִּבּוּר (dibbur, speech), and מַעֲשֶׂה (ma'aseh, action) with the Divine structure of סְפִירוֹת (sefirot), we merit the true הַעֲלָאָה (ha'ala'ah, elevation) of Ki Sisa—a גִּלּוּי אֱלֹקוּת (giluy Elokus, revelation of G-dliness) that transcends all barriers (Torah Or, Ki Sisa 78a).