1,218. How the Half-Shekel Was Collected

Shekalim 1:10

Property is not taken as collateral from people who are not required to give the half-shekel, even if they normally donate or will donate in the future. Similarly, the property of kohanim was not held as collateral in order to promote peace (the Talmud Yerushalmi says out of respect for their position as Temple functionaries). When they donate, it is accepted, though they were nagged until they made their donations.

Shekalim 2:1

The money-changers collected the half-shekel as follows: in every city, they placed two chests in front of them. The chests had wide bottoms but the tops were narrow like the opening of a shofar so that money could be dropped into them and not easily removed. One of the two chests was to deposit the half-shekel of the current year, while the other was for the half-shekel of the previous year because they would demand unpaid donations from those who had neglected to pay the previous year.