The power of prayer and tzedaka may take many years to manifest itself, and in the following case, it did, baruch Hashem.

I was a guest of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Eliyahu Shuman on a Shabbos following Purim this past year. Based on the words of Rabbi Asher Weiss in his sefer Minchas Asher, Rabbi Shuman spoke about the connection between Purim and the mitzva of machtzis hashekel. On Purim we traditionally give machtzis hashekel (half a shekel), and in parshas Ki Sisa, it speaks of giving machtzis hashekel when we are counted. In the time of the Bais Hamikdash, the money