Those of the house of R. Gamliel would enter with their shekel between their fingers and fling it before the torem [They directed their shekalim at the basket, so that they would go towards the purchase of communal offerings and not be left in the lishkah.] and the torem would, likewise, press it to the basket. The torem does not remove (the shekalim) until he asks them: "Shall I remove them?" And they answer: "Remove, remove, remove" — three times [This three-fold expression is characteristic of the sages. Similarly, in respect to the omer: "Magal zo, magal zo, magal zo" - Ektzor, ektzor, ektzor," and, in respect to chalitzah: "chalutz hana'al, chalutz hana'al, chalutz hana'al" — three times.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
וזורקו לפני התורם – they intended that their Shekels would be spread out into the basket, and they would purchase from them the community offerings, and they would not come from the remnants of the compartment.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
Introduction
This mishnah continues to teach how the appropriation of the shekels was actually performed.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
שלש פעמים – on each occasion, he would say, “shall I remove them?,” and they say to him: “Remove.” For it was the manner of the Sages that something should be done thrice, and an example of this we found in the Omer ceremony (see Tractate Menahot, Chapter 10, Mishnah 3): “this sickle, this sickle, this sickle. Shall I reap, Shall I reap, Shall I reap?” and similarly in the removal of the shoe (see Tractate Yevamot, Chapter 12, Mishnah 6) – “Remove the Shoe? Remove the Shoe? Remove the Shoe? = three times.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
[The members] of Rabban Gamaliel’s household used to enter [the chamber] with their shekel between their fingers, and throw it in front of him who made the appropriation, while he who made the appropriation purposely pressed it into the basket. The mishnah reads “….of Rabban Gamaliel’s household.” I have interpreted this as “the members” but it also may be interpreted to refer to an agent who brings the shekels from his household. In any case, the purpose of the arrangement described here is to get the shekel immediately into the basket so that it can count toward the next appropriation. The person bringing the shekel to the chamber would arrive on the day upon which the appropriation was made and would arrange so that the shekel was not just left in the chamber for a while but rather was put right into the basket.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
He who made the appropriation did not make it until he first said to them: “Should I make the appropriation?” And they say to him three times: “Make the appropriation! Make the appropriation! Make the appropriation!” The ceremony described here was probably intended as a polemic against those groups of Second Temple Jews, perhaps Sadducees, who opposed the institution of the yearly shekel donation. In order to make it loud and clear that the shekels are being appropriated and that the public sacrifices will be bought from this money, they made public declarations and affirmations that the appropriation was being done with the consent of the people.
