Parashas Ki Tissa

Our Parsha this Shabbos is 'Ki Tissa,' where HaShem instructs that when a 'Census' is taken,each Jew is to give half a shekel.
HaShem shows us straight away that no Jew is an island on their own and needs to stand with others to make the whole.We cannot become Holy on our own.We cannot climb higher to HaShem on our own.We need others to lead us there.What can others do to help?That answer is never-ending.Others can see within us,that which we cannot see and so,help us correct that which we don't always see,needs correction.This teaches us humility.We are not all-knowing.We know hardly anything.The people that HaShem puts in our lives are so necessary to aid and assist us to get closer to HaShem and better ourselves.Each living soul in this world knows something that no other living soul knows.Each living soul in this world has a part of HaShem that no other living soul has.When we work together, we automatically climb out of ourselves and step into a realm that is beyond us.
For each one of us,HaShem Creates a world.So when we interact with each other,we find HaShem .We need each other.We cannot get there alone.The faults we tend to repeatedly see in others tend to be the very faults we ourselves have.
HaShem tells us to each take a half Shekel and give it when we are counted,as an atonement for our souls as a portion for HaShem.When we come together with others,we can improve ourselves and thus atone for our errors and aveiras.
But how can a half Shekel be a portion for HaShem?HaShem doesn't need Shekalim.HaShem is telling us a deeper concept.HaShem wants our closeness.When we ,with the help of others,see our faults and are able to atone,we automatically come closer to HaShem for that portion that we purified and improved,becomes a portion of ourselves that can now climb to HaShem.
HaShem instructs us to be very careful when counting and it can only be done at the instruction of HaShem.We remember how upset HaShem felt at Dovid HaMelech when he took a counting) . Even when HaShem asked us here to count, HaShem still asked us not to take a direct count but to use ,a half Shekel for each of us.To count souls is to Chas VeShalom count HaShem for HaShem is the very soul within us.HaShem should not be counted as HASHEM is ONE.Each of us are actually the ones who have a portion of HaShem ,which is our souls.When we atone and account for ourselves,we are atoning and returning within us,HaShem's Portion that He gave us.We are not as such giving our souls back,but we are lifting the body around it, up to HaShem,which , when purified , comes together with our soul.It is this portion we lift up to HaShem .The more of ourselves we lift up to HaShem,the closer to HaShem we become.As I said,HaShem wants us to be close to Him so when we better ourselves , following HaShem's Holy Commandments , we come close to HaShem .
HaShem Commands us to take a census .This is not just of the people, but of ourselves.To truly better ourselves , we need to take an accounting of ourselves,looking within , at where we can improve and how we can make ourselves more holy and righteous. In so doing, we will thus atone for our souls.
So,taking a census means joining with our fellow Jew and looking within to where we need improvement.Knowing what to improve is the first step.The next step will then be to do something active about what we find and that is, to give every effort (to make that action of improving on the things we find we need to improve on.It is not enough to just take an accounting of ourselves.We need to also take that physical step (like giving that half shekel) of doing what we need to do to improve ourselves and HaShem will bring us closer to Him. 
So let us all look within and make every effort to improve on ourselves and do our best to keep HaShem's Torah Commandments which HaShem gave us, in love so that HaShem could be closer to us in love.
With love HaShem I wish You a beautiful Holy Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Holy Shabbos Kodesh with love.