Why does the Torah mention "Terumah" three times (in Pesukim 13-15)?
Rashi 1 : This is a hint at the three donations that Yisrael gave towards the construction of the Mishkan: 1. The half-Shekel T'rumas Adanim (which took place when they began to donate towards the Mishkan - after Yom Kipur of the first year in the desert) 2 from which the hundred sockets of the Mishkan were manufactured; 3 2. The half-Shekel donations (after the Mishkan was completed, in Iyar - Bamidbar, 1:1, when they were counted again and with which they purchased the annual Korb'nos Tzibur. 4 3. The freewill offeringof raw materials (which took place at the same time as the first donation and), where each person gave whatever he saw fit to give.
At which point Moshe counted them.
See 38:25.
Rashi: They come to atone for Yisrael's sins - which explains why the Torah writes "Lechaper al Nafshoseichem." Ramban - since all men above the age of thirteen require Kaparah, including Levi'im and even Kohanim (Shekalim 1:4), also they must donate a half-Shekel for Korbanos Tzibur. Consequently the current Terumah is not synonymous with the census in Bamidbar, which excluded Levi'im and men under twenty.
What are the ramifications of "he'Ashir Lo Yarbeh, ve'ha'Dal Lo Yam'it ... "?
Bearing in mind that the two censuses took place in two different years (in Tishri and Iyar, respectively), how is it possible for their numbers to have been exactly the same? Did no men turn twenty in between?
Rashi (in Pasuk 16): The years from Yetzi'as Mitzrayim are counted from Nisan, but ages are counted from Tishri, so whoever was twenty at the first count (in Iyar) was still twenty at the second count. 1
Ramban #1: The first census included the Levi'im, who had not yet been chosen, whereas the second one did not - and it was quite by coincidence that the number of people who turned twenty during that period (over and above those who died) tallied with the number of Levi'im who became ineligable. 2
Ramban #2: It is also likely that the "men" (See Shemos 12:37) who were counted when they left Egypt, included all those above thirteen, and it was only the women and children who were precluded. 3
See Ramban (on Pasuk 12, DH 'va'Ani Tamah') who disagrees with this. Moreover, he asks, how is it possible that in the space of seven months, nobody died, particularly considering the Parshah in Beha'aloscha, 9:6, concerning people who were Tamei Meis?
See Ramban (Ibid.)
A year later, after some died (due to Chet ha'Eigel), there were probably about 15,000 Levi'im above twenty (there were 8,580 between thirty and fifty), and another 603,550 Yisraelim above yernty (and some say that this excludes men above sixty. All of them were at least nineteen when they left Egypt, and among the 600,000! If at least 30,000 (a mere five percent) of the men were between thirteen and nineteen, the total would exceed 650,000. It would be more reasonable to call this 'about 700,000'! Perhaps it says 'about 600,000', for this number is associated with Yisrael, which is an acronym of "Yesh Shishim Ribo Osiyos l'Torah" - PF)
What is the significance of the notes 'Munach Revi'i' on the words "he'Ashir Lo Yarbeh"?
Kol Eliyahu and Divrei Eliyahu: It hints at the ruling in Kesuvos, 50a - that one may only give up to a fifth of one's money to Tzedakah, and 'Revi'i Munach' (four parts - fifths) should remain with him.
Why does the Torah forbid giving more than a half-Shekel?
Hadar Zekenim #1: Because had they been permitted to give more, they would not have been able to know how many people there were. 1
Hadar Zekenim #2: To prevent them from then claiming that their wealth redeemed them from hardships.'
Oznayim la'Torah: Because they all sinned equally (in the murder of Chur) and the half-Shekel came to atone for the sin.
Oznayim la'Torah: Perhaps it is referring to the annual half-Shekel which everyone had do give in order to purchase the Korb'nos Tzibur. 2
Because if Reuven gives more, why should Shimon not give less?
Because then all the lessons of the half-Shekel - refer to 30:13:4:1-4 - would be lost on him.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that the same people were counted both times. The latter did not include Levi'im or men below the age of twenty, but also Levi'im and boys over Bar-Mitzvah needed to donate a half-Shekel for the Mishkan! Did no one die in seven months? There were men who were Tamei Meis in Nisan (Bamidbar 9:8)! And Erchin 18b says that years are always counted from day to day!
Mizrachi: In Sukah (25a), some say that the men were Tamei from Nadav and Avihu (or from Yosef's bones) - implying that people were not dying! 2 Bamidbar Rabah (1:10) assumes that the same people were counted both times, and concludes that men's years were counted from Tishri. Rashi holds that the Levi'im were chosen in place of the Bechoros after Chet ha'Eigel, and were excluded also from the first count 3 . In the desert, only people above the age of twenty needed to give; only after coming to Eretz Yisrael it applies from Bar Mitzvah.
Riva (in Pasuk 12) and Hadar Zekenim (in Pasuk16): According to R. Yehoshua, who says that the world was created in Nisan (and years are never counted from Tishri), we must say that there was only one criterion for both counts - whoever woukd turn twenty in Iyar (after Nisan), had to give also now (in Tishri). 4
Moshav Zekenim (in 38:25): In Pekudei, the Torah counts only the silver used for the sockets and clasps 5 , and not the total amount collected. 6
Given that 22,300 Levi'im were above one month, and 8,580 of them were between thirty and fifty (Bamidbar 4:48, 3:39 and Rashi there), presumably roughly 15,000 were above twenty. It is reasonable to say that the number of men who turned twenty (in the seven months between the counts) was about 15,000 more than the number of deaths, if there were many more youths than older people. Levi did not have many more youths; perhaps they had less children because they were not enslaved (1:12; refer to 5:4:2:1) (PF).
Also the one who argues can say that they were Tamei due to a woman, Levi or youth who was not counted! (PF) Tosfos (Ta'anis 30b, based on Eichah Rabah, Pesichah 33): In the Midbar people died only on Tish'ah b'Av (or when the Torah explicitly says that people died).
Moshav Zekenim (in Pasuk13): There is a Machlokess in Shekalim, 1:3 about whether or not Levi'im gave. However, they argue only about for half-Shekalim for Korbanos, but all agree that they did not give for the sockets. (Later he says that all agree that Levi'im and youths past Bar Mitzvah gave for Korbanos; only those above twenty gave for the sockets, and there is a Machlokes about Levi'im.) Sifsei Chachamim (38:26) - the Levi'im were exempt from the half-Shekel, which came to atone for Chet ha'Eigel, of which they were not guilty .
Da'as Zekenim: This is also the opinion of Rashi.
Perhaps the extra silver was used for K'lei Shares. Each Nasi donated two hundred silver Shekalim that comprised two Keilim (Bamidbar 7:13); the half-Shekalim of the Levi'im (refer to 30:15:4:2*) could make about seventy such Keilim. (PF)
This is difficult, since in Pikudei, 38:26 the Torah gives the totral number as 603,550 (PF).
Rashi writes that they gave the half-Shekalim to buy Korb'nos Tzibur in Iyar, after the Mishkan was built. From what did they buy Korbanos Tzibur before that? Moreover, the Mishnah in Shekalim, 1:1 states that, once the Mishkan was set up, they took Terumah (from the half-Shekalim collected)?
Refer to 25:2:153:1-3.
