As the census was taken only of men ages 20 and up, I decided they should all have beards! I love that every tribe and every family had an equal stake in the Mishkan. We ALL contributed!
| Exodus 30:11 | And G-d said to Moses: | וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃ |
| 24:12 | When you take a census of the Children of Israel, each man will give payment for his soul, so that there will be no plague amongst them. | כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת־רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַה’ בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם׃ |
| 13 | Each one that passes will give half a shekel, as a donation to G-d. | זֶה יִתְּנוּ כׇּל־הָעֹבֵר עַל־הַפְּקֻדִים מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הַשֶּׁקֶל מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל תְּרוּמָה לַה’׃ |
| 14 | Each one that passes, from age 20 and up, will give the donation of G-d. | כֹּל הָעֹבֵר עַל־הַפְּקֻדִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמָעְלָה יִתֵּן תְּרוּמַת ה’׃ |
| 15 | The rich one will give no more, and the poor one will give no less than the 1/2 shekel to give the donation of G-d, as atonement for your souls. | הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא־יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט מִמַּחֲצִית הַשָּׁקֶל לָתֵת אֶת־תְּרוּמַת ה’ לְכַפֵּר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם׃ |
| 16 | And you will take the money of atonement from the children of Israel, and pay it toward the building of the Tent of Meeting, and it will be for the Children of Israel as a reminder before G-d, as an atonement for their souls. | וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת־כֶּסֶף הַכִּפֻּרִים מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנָתַתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהָיָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי ה’ לְכַפֵּר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם׃ |
Ingredients as shown:
- Small bear-shaped cookies (I used Kedem in this one)
- Sunflower seeds
- Hot cocoa mix, about 1 T
- Powdered sugar, about 1 T, plus more for coating scissors
- 1 date
- 1-2 large marshmallows or the same number of small marshmallows as cookies
Tools:
- Knife
- 2 small bowls
- 2 small spoons
- 2 toothpicks
- Scissors
Instructions:
- Take one small bowl, add the hot cocoa mix and add water, a few drops at a time, to form a paste. Use one of the toothpicks to paint hair and a beard on some of the bear cookies.
2. Put the powdered sugar in the second bowl, add water a few drops at a time to form a thick paste, and paint beards and hair on the rest of the cookies with the second toothpick.
3. One bear at a time, put a dot of the powdered sugar paste on one of the “hands,” and add the sunflower seed “coin.” Repeat with most but not all of the bears, as some will have already donated their coins.
4. Following the instructions HERE, cut marshmallows and attach to front and back of the “men” to make them stand up.
5. Using sugar glue again, put a few drops on each head, and add a sunflower kippa.
6. Cut the date in half crosswise, then cut enough from the end to form a flat edge. Open the date to form a basket. Fill with sunflower seeds.
7. Arrange the donors: those who already gave (and therefore are not holding coins) after the “basket,” and those who have not yet given and are therefore still holding their coins!
