My question is this: Why did Hashem command a half-shekel be given in Exodus 30? Why not one shekel? Why half?

There are several reasons given. The first is that it was an atonement for selling Yosef.  You may remember in the account in Genesis, that his ten brothers sold him for 10 dinarim which was equal to 5 Shekels. (Granted, five shekels then was worth alot more than it is today!!!)  Since there were 10 of them involved in the sale of their brother (Benyamin was at home with Ya'acov), each brother received a half-shekel.  Therefore Hashem commanded that every male over the age of Bar Mitzvah was to give a half-shekel to the Tabernacle to atone for the sin of the betrayal of Yosef.

Another reason is that Hashem wanted 'half' of something to show that He desires and accepts that which is 'broken and un-whole'.  (Psalm 51:19)  When a person has a broken and crushed heart, he is acceptable to Hashem.  When we think we are 'whole', we tend to forget how much we need Him.

A third reason is to teach all Jews that they are responsible for one another.  Only being connected to others makes us 'whole' or complete.  On our own, we are each like a 'half shekel'.  Companion to this thought is also the concept of marriage - that a man without a woman is only 'half' a body for the two become 'one flesh'.  Also, since only men took part in the incident of the Golden Calf, he must give a half-shekel for only 'half of him' sinned.

This really two questions in one, Leah.  In Jer 31:22b, it reads, "For the L-rd has created a new thing in the earth;  a woman shall encompass a man."  What is the Hebrew meaning of that?  Also, in Jer 31: 27; "Behold, the days are coming, says the L-rd, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast.  What is meant here with the seed of man and the seed of beast?  I know in Gen 3: 15, the Lord "will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed". I'm not sure what the seed of man vs beast is.

One of the major interpretations of Jer 31:22b is that the woman symbolicly represents Israel who in the end of days will see Hashem as never before and will be victorious in battle and warfare, surrounding her enemies.  She will conquer despite holding to 'womanly' or civilized values and behaviors while her enemies will resort to 'manly' or 'macho', more violent and brutal, behaviors.

A secondary interpretation is that we may see a gender-role reversal in the time of the return of the exiles to the Land. including in military service, esp. siege warfare.

The multiplicity of meanings is symbolized in Jewish weddings where the bride circles the groom seven times, as was done by Israel at Jericho. The connection to Jericho and weddings both emphasize that these things indicate the beginning of the final return, even as Jericho was the beginning of the first return to the Land after Ya'acov had 'descended' to Egypt.  In the same way, a wedding is the beginning of a marriage, a reminder of Hashem's covenant with Israel whom He calls His bride, but even more than that.  Each new Jewish family established by a wedding strengthens the fabric of all of Israel and enhances the promise of final Redemption which Hashem will accomplish just as He conquered Jericho when Israel obeyed His instructions through Yehoshua.

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Jer 31: 27 "Behold, the days are coming, says the L-rd, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast." What is meant here with the seed of man and the seed of beast?

This verse means that HaShem will increase the population of both people and animals in the territories settled by Judah and Israel. This promises that the population of Jews will increase despite the past genocides. The populations of animals, so harmed by the modern world, will also increase in messianic times.

Can you explain to me the significance of the fringes on the prayer shawl? And the prayer shawl itself?

The tallit is a prayer shawl, the most authentic Jewish garment. It is a rectangular-shaped piece of linen or wool (and sometimes, now, polyester or silk) with special fringes called Tzitzit on each of the four corners. The purpose of the garment is to hold the Tzitzit.  Most have a neckband, called an Atarah, which most often has the blessing one recites when donning the tallit, embroidered across it.

The biblical foundation for the Tallit comes from Numbers 15:37-41: The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God. 

The purpose of the tallit, then, is to hold the Tzitzit, and the purpose of the Tzitzit (according to the Torah) is to remind us of God's commandments and our call to live in obedience to them. When tied correctly, the Tzitzit will have 7-8-11-13 winds between the double knots.   The numeric value of the word "Tzitzit" (tzadi-yod-tzitzit-yod-taf) is 600. (All Hebrew letters have a corresponding numeric value.)  To this we add the eight strands plus the five knots, totaling 613 in all, representing the 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. Just looking at the tallit with its Tzitzit, therefore, reminds us of the commandments, as the Torah says, "You should see them and remember all God's commandments and do them."

The second commandment forbids making graven images yet G-d commanded Moses to make two cherubim to sit on top of the Ark of the Covenant?  Isn't that a contradiction?

The second commandment specifically says ' do not make for yourself any graven images...'  Hashem is telling us that it is forbidden to make 'for ourselves' anything that would serve as another 'god'.  It is a prohibition of all forms of idolatry.  Therefore, for instance, the making of the Golden Calf was idolatry because the people said 'make for us a god...'

The Cherubim that grace the top of the Aron (Ark) are not a contradiction to the commandment because it was Hashem Himself who ordered their construction.  It was not the idea of any man, nor were they ever to be substitute 'gods' for anyone.  Their purpose actually has a very profound meaning and I urge you to click on the link given here to understand that significance.   Click here

In Jer.3:8 the House of Israel was given a gett, a writ of divorce but not the House of Judah who committed the same sin of adultery.  They (Messianics) are teaching that Yeshua had to die so that the House of Israel could be remarried.   I do not agree with this understanding.    I understand that all the Father desires is a heart of repentance and return to Him and His ways, to Torah.   I do not believe that a man, had to die because Torah doesn't teach this principle, does it?  There is the law of Adultery that says the husband can't remarry her if the divorce is given and accepted.  Isn't there room for mercy and forgiveness in this law?   Please let a Jew with understanding of Torah Law explain this.  

You are right in rejecting the interpretation you describe above.  No place does the Torah indicate that one person can die and atone for the sins of others.  This is never suggested in the Torah or the Prophets as one of the roles of the 'coming messiah.'  In fact, the Torah spells out very clearly that each man is responsible for his own sins and the only path back to Hashem is heartfelt repentance accompanied by a change of behavior.  Where there has been disobedience, there must be obedience as evidence of genuine repentance. Trying to appeal to the sacrificial system to force such an interpretation is equally invalid; particularly since there was never a sacrifice of any kind for intentional sin and the sacrifice for unintentional sin was a goat, never a 'lamb'.  (Leviticus 4)

In the Hebrew text, it is clearer than in translations that the words "...I sent her away and gave her a bill of divorce" are addressed to the Ten Tribes of the northern Kingdom.  Jeremiah is informing them the bill of divorce was specifically intended for their fathers who had sinned and were expelled from the Land.  The sons are not included in the "divorce" unless they themselves continue in the sinful ways of their fathers.  If, on the contrary, they forsake their parents' sinful ways and repent, their return to the Land remains open.   That is the meaning behind the wording "After Israel committed adultery and I sent her away..."  that is, the divorce was conditional, valid only as they continued to sin.  Yes, there is a great deal of mercy and forgiveness in this text. Actually the law says that if the divorced woman marries someone else, then divorces him, the original husband cannot re-marry her.  It's not just if the divorce is given and accepted.  (Deut. 24:1-4) 

The other flaw in the argument you mention above is that there is no justification whatsoever to suggest that somehow Hashem had to "change Himself" in order to bring Israel back to Him.  It was Israel who needed to change...repent.  Hashem never changes!

In reading Isaiah chapter one, why does Isaiah say in versus 11-14 that God had enough and seems to be  not concerned with new moon,sabbath and appointed feasts? v.14 says "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointd feasts, They have become a burden to Me."

The key to understanding this verse is in the twice repeated word "your". In the context of the entire chapter, we understand that the prophet is delivering a stern rebuke from G-d to the people.  Though they appeared to be observing divinely mandated festivals, they actually had corrupted those very feasts with idolatry and 'revised' them according to their own ideas, rather than observing what Hashem had commanded.  That is why He says, "I hate YOUR new moon festivals and YOUR appointed feasts..."  the ones they had created to replaced the ones that G-d had commanded them to keep.  The real matter at hand is that G-d was VERY concerned with Sabbath and appointed feasts; concerned that they be kept in accordance with His word; not changed to suit man's pleasure.

 

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