Shekalim Daf 5 שקלים דַף 5

The Gemara cites a Baraisa that discusses what the kolbonos were used for. Rebbe Meir says that they go to the shekalim fund, which is used to purchase communal offerings. The Tiklin Chadtin explains that Rebbe Meir follows his reasoning, that a kolbon is part of the d’Oraysa half-shekel obligation, and therefore should be put to the same use as the half-shekel. Rebbe Lazar says, לנדבה – they go to the fund for voluntary offerings, for when the mizbei’ach sits idle. Rebbe Shimon Shezuri says, ריקוע זהב וצפוי לבית קדש קדשים – They were used to purchase sheets of beaten gold and were used as a plating for the kodesh kedoshim. Ben Azzai says that the moneychangers would take them as their fee, and others say, להוצאת דרכים – they were used for travel expenses of the moneychangers who traveled from the provinces to Yerushalayim to deliver the shekalim they had collected.

The opening Mishnah of the second perek states, מצרפין שקלים לדרכונות מפני משוי הדרך – We may combine shekalim into darkonos because of the burden of the way, i.e., in order to ease the burden of carrying so many coins up to Yerushalayim. A gold darkon was equal in value to two selaim, which was worth four shekalim. Therefore, the messengers carried a quarter of the load of coins.

The Gemara asks, ויעשו אותן מרגליות – But let them convert them into pearls, which are even easier to transport, and answers, שמא תזיל המרגליות ונמצא ההקדש מפסיד – We do not do this because the price of pearls may decline, and it will result in Hekdesh suffering a loss. A Mishnah from Bechoros  is brought as a proof for this concern.

The Gemara discusses a case in which a shekel became lost while it is in the hands of the donor. הפריש שקלו ואבד – If one separated his shekel and it became lost before the terumah was withdrawn, Rebbe Yochanan says, חייב באחריותו עד שימסרנו לגזבר – He is responsible for it until he hands it over the treasurer. Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish says, הקדש ברשות הגבוה בכל מקום שהוא – He is not responsible for it, for once a shekel is separated it is consecrated, and a consecrated item is in the possession of the Most High wherever it is. The Gemara points out that the Mishnah seems to contradict Rebbe Shimon ben Lakish, as it states, if townspeople sent their shekalim to the Beis Hamikdash via messengers, and the coins were stolen or lost enroute, if the terumah had not yet been withdrawn before the theft or loss occurred, the messengers swear to the townspeople, and the townspeople contribute other shekalim. The Gemara answers that Rebbe Shimon Lakish agrees with Rebbe Yochanan that the person is responsible to bring another shekel, but for a different reason. On a d’Oraysa level it belongs to hekdesh once it is consecrated, but the Rabbanon imposed a liability on the donors so that they would guard their shekalim properly after they consecrated them.