DONATING A HALF A SHEKEL TO CHARITY
The price of a half a shekel: It is proper to donate the equivalent of a half a shekel to charity. In modern terms, this is the price of ten grams of pure silver (including sales tax or V.A.T.). Obviously, every year this amount must be recalculated, according to the current price before Purim. It is even better if one actually has a coin of pure silver that weighs at least ten grams. In difficult circumstances, one may instead donate a coin which is a half of the local currency, (e.g., a coin of a half a dollar, or a half a modern shekel), despite its low value, since such a coin, too, reminds us of the half a shekel of temple times.
The R״ma mentions (in the laws of Purim) several details concerning this custom: “There is an opinion that one should give to charity, be-fore Purim, a half of the present local currency, in memory of the half a shekel which was given in the month of Adar. Being that in Para-shat Ki Tisa, where the commandment to donate a half a shekel to-wards the building of the mishkan (tabernacle) is written, the word “t’rumah” (donation) appears three times, it is correspondingly appropriate to donate three coins, each of which is a half of the largest denomination of the locale.” However, a number of authorities dif-fered with the R״ma on this point, and the Vilna Gaon used to donate only one coin — a half a gold piece.
The time of the donation: The R״shash wrote in his siddur to give the Machatzit Hashekel before Minchah (afternoon prayers) preceding Purim, that is on the 13th of Adar. The R״ma wrote the same, and added that this is the common custom in eastern Europe. There are those who give it on the day of Purim in the morning, before the reading of the Megillah. However, the Sepharadim in Jerusalem give it after Minchah of Ta’anit Esther (the fast of Esther — see Chapter 64), before Arvit (evening prayers), in order to donate the shekels before the reading of the Megillah.
If one who usually gives before Minchah did not manage to do so, then he should give afterwards. If he gave it neither before nor after, then he should give it whenever he can, even on or after Purim. (Alt-hough Mishlo’ach Manot and Matanot La’evyonim, described later in Chapter 64, cannot be compensated for after Purim, Machatzit Hashekel differs from them). In such a case, one should be sure to give before Rosh Chodesh Nisan, but if he still has not given by then, then he should give whenever he can.
Fulfilling vows without delay: The Shulchan Aruch quotes the Gemara that if one tarries in fulfilling his vow, his “account book is opened.” There are various explanations of what this means. Some say it refers to the book in which his mitzvot and sins are recorded. Others say it means that his good deeds are exam-ined to determine whether they are sufficient to protect him from a punishment for his sins. (Certainly delay of charity would arouse many accusations against him in the Heavenly Court). Anoth-er explanation is that it’s opened in order to recompense him for his sins! We learn from this that after promising, a person should donate his charity immediately, in order not to endanger himself, God forbid.
To say “in memory”: If one says, “this is Machatzit Hashekel” in-stead of “this is in memory of Machatzit Hashekel,” the money does not become consecrated to the Temple, since he didn’t really mean to donate it to the Temple. Nevertheless, the Shulchan Aruch states that a person should not say about charity “this money is consecrat-ed” since it could be interpreted as a reference to the Temple treasury, rather he should make his intention clear and say “this money is des-tined for charity.” Therefore it is preferable to give the Machatzit Hashekel without mentioning anything, or to say that it’s “in memory of the Machatzit Hashekel.”