Shema-Shekalim-Divrei Shmuel

The 19th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shmuel Weinberg of Slonim, the Divrei Shmuel (1916 per Hamodia 2011[Yated 2008 says 1936]). Grandson of Rav Avraham of Slonim, the Yesod HaAvodah. He was succeeded by his sons Rav Yissochor Leib and Rav Avraham, the Beis Avraham.

The concept of the Four Portions corresponds to, “And you shall love God your Lord with all your hearts, and with all your soul, and with all your being.” The person must begin with the final charge, “with all your being, or, possessions.” He must begin with a willingness to place all monetary matters into the hands of God so that he will not waste his energies and time for emptiness, to simply make a profit. He will not rush through his prayers so that he can make more money. This includes giving charity and taking care of the poor. This is all included in loving God with all our possessions. 

With this the person reveals his awareness that God could surely give him all the wealth in the world if it was proper for the person. The person understands that whatever he has, is what God wants him to use in his life of loving God. This corresponds to the first of the Four Portions; Shekalim, the portion that addresses how to use money as an expression of our love of God.

“With all your hearts,” corresponds to the portion of Zachor, because we remember in our hearts.

“With all your soul,” corresponds to the portion of Parah, because the idea of loving God so intensely that a person is willing to give up even his life for God., the theme of all the offerings. This also includes fear of God; that he is willing to be burned to death in order to avoid breaking God’s law, this too is part of the Red Heifer that is completely burned. This offering is a powerful expression of the full intensity of love and the full intensity of fear.

One who is able to achieve all three of these levels will arrive at the level of HaChodesh, which is the concept of our ability to become entirely new creations.

This is why our portion begins, “When you raise their heads of the Children of Israel to their numbers,” if you want the people to achieve this idea of, elevating his soul to entirely new hearts renewal, begin with this level of love of God, the level of, “with all your possessions.”