״כֹּ֗ל הָעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה יִתֵּ֖ן תְּרוּמַ֥ת ה׳״. (30.14)
Everyone who is entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, shall give the LORD’s offering.
Why only from 20 years and older? Rashi explains that it is simply because anyone younger than 20 years is not considered to be a man.
What other answers explain why it is only 20 years? Where else in the Torah are young adults (teenagers) not included in something? Why are bar mitzvah age (13) not considered a man in this case?
Why did those only over 20 need to provide an offering to Hashem? The Chizkuni says it's because no one is punishable in Shamiyim until they are over 20 years of age. Because they were not punishable until over 20, an offering for forgiveness was not necessary. I like this answer because it provides a deeper meaning to Rashi's simpler answer, and how it connects to Hashem.
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ReplyDeleteEveryone had to give a half a shekel to show that everyone was equal and each sould was equal and Hashem does not care how much you have but that you give what you can. Hashem judges us all equally and fairly on what we have. i like this because its true some people have more to give and some have less but Hashem just cares that we are giving and doing our best.
https://www.ou.org/torah/mitzvot/taryag/mitzvah105/
The mizrachi states that the reason that it must be men above 20 because at 20 you are obligated to be a member of the Jewish army. Entering the pikudim is like enlisting in the army. He also says that over 20 you are reasonable for your actions. I like this answer because it is simple and relates to something that’s a little more relatable.
ReplyDeleteThe קיצור בעל התורים says that the giving of the shekel helped to determine how much מן would be needed. I think this is a very practical answer that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteMaytal:
ReplyDeleteThe Siftei Chakhamim answer this question by first quoting rashi. Then the Siftei Chakhamim ask how does rashi know his answer? He answers by say ding it is because of the words מבן עשרים שנה so then he asks why does the pasuk need to use the words כל העובר על הפקודים? He says that in this context the word פקודים means army (then he quotes different pasukim to prove that) Therefore the pasuk means “When you take the count of the B’nei Yisrael to go into the army for war, they shall be from twenty years and older.” He then goes on to say that you might ask why it tells us that at 20 you go to the army if it already told us that in an earlier pasuk (quoted pasuk) so he answers that you might have thought that the Torah was just talking about obligatory wars but not optional ones so by repeating it it shows that only men above 20 can go to optional wars as well. I like this answer because it gives us a lot of detail. He is explaining his points and he gives us proof that his ideas don’t just come out of thin air.