My reading

Haftarah Shabbat Sh’kalim

Haftarah Shabbat Sh’kalim

2 Kings 12: 1- 17

12:1 בֶּן־שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים יְהוֹאָ֥שׁ בְּמָלְכֽוֹ׃

12:2 בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלָ֑‍ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

12:3 וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהוֹאָ֧שׁ הַיָּשָׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה כָּל־יָמָ֑יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹרָ֔הוּ יְהוֹיָדָ֖ע הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

12:4 רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת׃

12:5 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים כֹּל֩ כֶּ֨סֶף הַקֳּדָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־יוּבָ֤א בֵית־יְהוָה֙ כֶּ֣סֶף עוֹבֵ֔ר אִ֕ישׁ כֶּ֥סֶף נַפְשׁ֖וֹת עֶרְכּ֑וֹ כָּל־כֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַֽעֲלֶה֙ עַ֣ל לֶב־אִ֔ישׁ לְהָבִ֖יא בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

12:6 יִקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּר֑וֹ וְהֵ֗ם יְחַזְּקוּ֙ אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבַּ֔יִת לְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֥א שָׁ֖ם בָּֽדֶק׃

12:7 וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְשָׁלֹ֛שׁ שָׁנָ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֑שׁ לֹֽא־חִזְּק֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃

12:8 וַיִּקְרָא֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ לִיהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מַדּ֛וּעַ אֵינְכֶ֥ם מְחַזְּקִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבָּ֑יִת וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־תִּקְחוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּֽרֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־לְבֶ֥דֶק הַבַּ֖יִת תִּתְּנֻֽהוּ׃

12:9 וַיֵּאֹ֖תוּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑ים לְבִלְתִּ֤י קְחַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת הָעָ֔ם וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י חַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃

12:10 וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּקֹּ֥ב חֹ֖ר בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתוֹ֩ אֵ֨צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ בימין [מִיָּמִ֗ין] בְּבֽוֹא־אִישׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽתְנוּ־שָׁ֤מָּה הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְהוָֽה׃

12:11 וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔ם כִּֽי־רַ֥ב הַכֶּ֖סֶף בָּֽאָר֑וֹן וַיַּ֨עַל סֹפֵ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְהַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיָּצֻ֙רוּ֙ וַיִּמְנ֔וּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֥א בֵית־יְהוָֽה׃

12:12 וְנָתְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֣סֶף הַֽמְתֻכָּ֔ן עַל־יד [יְדֵי֙] עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה הפקדים [הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים] בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיּוֹצִיאֻ֜הוּ לְחָרָשֵׁ֤י הָעֵץ֙ וְלַבֹּנִ֔ים הָעֹשִׂ֖ים בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

12:13 וְלַגֹּֽדְרִים֙ וּלְחֹצְבֵ֣י הָאֶ֔בֶן וְלִקְנ֤וֹת עֵצִים֙ וְאַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וּלְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֥א עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת לְחָזְקָֽה׃

12:14 אַךְ֩ לֹ֨א יֵעָשֶׂ֜ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֗ה סִפּ֥וֹת כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מְזַמְּר֤וֹת מִזְרָקוֹת֙ חֲצֹ֣צְר֔וֹת כָּל־כְּלִ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּכְלִי־כָ֑סֶף מִן־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְהוָֽה׃

12:15 כִּֽי־לְעֹשֵׂ֥י הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה יִתְּנֻ֑הוּ וְחִזְּקוּ־ב֖וֹ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

12:16 וְלֹ֧א יְחַשְּׁב֣וּ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתְּנ֤וּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ עַל־יָדָ֔ם לָתֵ֖ת לְעֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֑ה כִּ֥י בֶאֱמֻנָ֖ה הֵ֥ם עֹשִֽׂים׃

12:17 כֶּ֤סֶף אָשָׁם֙ וְכֶ֣סֶף חַטָּא֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּבָ֖א בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה לַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יִהְיֽוּ׃

The commentary about the connection between the Haftarah and Torah reading was written by

Parashat Shekalim is the first of four special portions read in the season leading to Purim and Passover. It is read on the Sabbath immediately preceding Rosh Hodesh* Adar (Adar Bet in a leap year), or on Rosh Hodesh Adar (Adar Bet), if it falls on a Shabbat.
The special Torah reading (Exodus 30:11-16) tells about the collection of mandatory of a half-shekel fee that all Israelites were required to pay for Temple maintenance, prior to the beginning of the ritual year on Rosh Hodesh Nisan, two weeks before Passover. The prophetic reading continues this theme with the story of repairs made to the Temple in the days of King Jehoash, after a long period of neglect.

The Torah reading emphasizes that all of the people must participate equally in this levy. The haftara tells how the previous mismanagement of funds was corrected by a new system managed by the king’s scribe and the High Priest rather than individual priests. Furthermore, it notes that the money was paid out to the craftsmen who did the actual work on the basis of trust, because they were faithful to their mission.

Together these messages are an important reminder that our religious institutions require ongoing material support, from the entire community, and that the money must be managed with integrity and trust.

[When Parashat Shekalim falls on Shabbat-Rosh Hodesh, the haftarah for Shekalim is read, but some congregations also read a few verses from the haftara for Rosh Hodesh. You should check with congregation where you will be reading well enough in advance to be sure you have learned the correct reading for the local custom.]

שושנה צוקר

שושנה צוקר היא מורה מנוסה בתחומי היהדות. היא למדה זאת בעיקר בכוחות עצמה, ומתעניינת בהפטרות ובקשר שלהן לפרשות השבוע מאז בת המצווה שלה, לפני הרבה זמן.  

Recorded by
Dikla Druckman

My name is Dikla Druckman and I am a student at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem. The first time I encountered Torah reading was when I was 12, as I was preparing for my bat mitzvah at Kehillat Raanan in Raanana. Dvora Rowen taught me the trope. I remember the excitement and magic that were part of the process, as well as the fears and the pressure I felt as the day of the ceremony approached. The magic of that day ignited a spark inside of me. During the following years, I forgot the melodies, but I relearned them after I finished the army, when I began to teach students for their bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies. Today, I am 30, and as part of my rabbinical program I work with Masorti congregations in a number of capacities. These include teaching courses about prayer and preparing youngsters for their bar/bat mitzvahs as well as conducting these ceremonies. I was privileged to teach in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah for the Special Child Program, working with youngsters with a wide range of disabilities. I studied music, and I am a Hazzanit (Cantor) as well as conducting a children's choir. I have a BA in psychology and in Jewish thought, and I am currently completing my master's degree in Jewish thought. I am also studying spiritual care.

Women readers

Recordings