Siman - Shekalim Daf 13
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- פחתיה זה מרדכי
The opening Mishnah lists fifteen Temple offices and the names of their administrators. Among them, is פתחיה על הקינין – Pesachya, who presided over the collection chest for pairs of birds. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that one obligated to bring a pair of birds as part of his purification process, such as a zav or zavah, did not actually have to bring these birds to the Beis Hamikdash. He could deposit an adequate sum of money into a collection chest marked קינין. The administrator would make certain that by day’s end, all the money in the chest had been used to purchase birds and that the birds had been offered. A talmid chochom was required for this post, since many complicated halachic shailos arose when birds got mixed up. The Mishnah identifies Pesachya as Mordecha,i who was called Pesachya, שהיה פותח דברים ודורשן ויודע בשבעים לשון – Because he would open mysterious matters and explain them, and he knew seventy languages. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that he needed to speak all of the languages since foreigners from many different countries brought birds. He was so proficient that he could even understand them when they spoke their language incorrectly.
- Rebbe Akiva’s Portion
Rebbe Yonah said, based on a passuk in Yeshaya, לכן אחלק לו ברבים – Therefore, I will assign him a portion from the multitudes, ואת עצומים יחלק שלל – and he will divide spoils with the mighty, זה רבי עקיבא – This refers to Rebbe Akiva, שהתקין משנה ומדרש ההלכות והגדות – who established Mishnah and Midrash, Halachos and Aggodos. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that “a portion from the multitudes” refers to the portion in Olam Haba for Rebbe Akiva together with the multitude of his talmidim. “And he will divide the spoils with the mighty” is a reference to two righteous brothers who were executed in Lod. They falsely confessed to killing the Emperor’s daughter, to save the Jews from annihilation. The passuk concludes, אשר הערה למות נפשו – In return for having poured out his soul in death, referring to Rebbe Akiva’s dying a martyr’s death. There are those that say that the Mishnah, Midrash, Halachos and Aggados were established by the Anshei Knesses HaGadolah, and Rebbe Akiva established, - כללות ופרטות the thirteen principles by which the Torah is expounded .
- Why teachers are called soferim
Rebbe Abahu said, it is written in Divrei Hayomim, משפחות סופרים ישבי יעבץ – The families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz. Why does the passuk refer to the teachers as soferim? אלא שעשו את התורה ספורות ספורות – It is to teach us that they organized the Torah into lists, such as חמשה לא יתרמו תרומה – There are five individuals that should not separate Terumah, חמשה דברים חייבים בחלה – Five species of grain are obligated in challah.
Rebbe Chaggai said in the name of Rebbe Shmuel bar Nachman, הראשונים חרשו וזרעו – The earlier scholars plowed and planted, weeded, trimmed, hoed, reaped, gathered, threshed, winnowed, selected, ground, sifted, kneaded, formed and baked, ואנו אין לנו מה לאכול – but as for us, we do not have what to eat. The Korban HaEidah explains that despite the earlier scholars working to make the Torah accessible and easy to remember, we still find the Torah difficult to comprehend. I didn't see this explanation.
