PURIM IS ON the way, b”H. This week is the first of the four special readings, Parashas Shekalim, in advance of and after Purim. This is the time of year the Jewish People gave their half-shekels to the Temple for public sacrifices, a tradition we have continued since even during non-Temple times.

I WOULD PERSONALLY like to dedicate this week’s Perceptions to the refuah shlaimah of a very close friend, Michaela Leeba bas Hendel Blima, amush. May she have a speedy and complete recovery. Please have her in mind if you can.

THE GEMORA MAKES a rather ominous statement that making a zivug is as difficult as splitting the sea (Sotah 2a).

WE’RE NOT ALLOWED to eat chometz for the seven days of Pesach, but you can eat matzah. The technical difference between the two is really just time, because dough becomes chometz and an issur kares (punishable with excision) if it remains unworked for eighteen minutes before baking. Bake it before eighteen minutes and you have matzah, and a mitzvah.

THE MIDRASH SAYS that it took God seven days to “convince” Moshe Rabbeinu to accept his mission of taking the Jewish People out of slavery and to Eretz Yisroel.