1,224. Who Pays the Kolbon Fee

Shekalim 3:2

If two people who are not obligated in the half-shekel, like two women or two servants, jointly donate a shekel, they are not obligated to give the additional fee (kolbon). Similarly, if one person was obligated in the half-shekel and the other was not, and the obligated person donated a half-shekel on behalf of the non-obligated, such as if a man paid a whole shekel for both himself and a woman or a servant, he is not obligated to pay the kolbon. Kohanim are not obligated to pay the kolbon, nor is one who donates on behalf of a kohein.

Shekalim 3:3

If a person donates a whole shekel on behalf of himself and a poor person, a neighbor or a resident of his city, he is not obligated to pay the kolbon if he paid the other person’s share as a gift. Since he gave the other person’s half-shekel, he increases the number of shekels. If, however, he only laid out the half-shekel for the other person as a loan to be repaid at a later time, then he must pay the kolbon.