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R. Yehudah said, At first they would uproot and throw before them. When the number of transgressors increased, they would uproot and throw upon the roads; they decreed that they declare the entire field ownerless.

This mishnah is a continuation of the latter part of the previous one, and teaches what the emissaries of the bet din did when they found kilayim growing in the fields.

R. Yehudah said, At first they would uproot and throw before them - When emissaries of the bet din would find kilayim growing in the fields, they would weed out the plants and throw them at the feet of the owners of the fields, so as to shame them.

When the number of transgressors increased -- he baraita (Jerusalem Talmud Tractate Shekalim; Baylonian Talmud Tractate Mo'ed Katan 6b) explains that there were owners of such fields who were happy to have their fields weeded, and furthermore, they used them as fodder. As a result, they - would uproot and throw - the produce upon the roads - So that the owners would not benefit from the kilayim; but the owners were still happy that their fields had been weeded for them. Finally,

They decreed that they declare the entire field ownerless - if kilayim were found in it and the bet din are entitled to confiscate property, as deduced from the verse (Ezra 10:8), "And whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his property should be confiscated." Thus we see that Ezra and his bet din had the power to confiscate property of anyone who did not comply with their directives (Jerusalem Talmud).

SHEKALIM: CHAPTER 1: MISHNAH 3

On the fifteenth of it money changers would sit in the province. On the twenty-fifth they sat in the Temple; from the time they sat in the Temple they began to exact collateral. From whom did they exact collateral? Levites and Israelites, proselytes and freed slaves, but not women, slaves and minors. A minor whose father had begun to contribute the shekel for him, must not cease. And one does not exact collateral from the kohanim, in the interests of peace.

This mishnah returns to the details of the collection process.

On the fifteenth of it - of the month of Adar, money changers- who exchanged the various currencies for the shekels would sit in the province - in Jerusalem (Rashi; Bartenura). Others explain that this refers to all cities in Eretz Yisrael except for Jerusalem (Rambam). Rambam writes: On the fifteenth of the month the money-changers sat in each province and province and would demand courteously. Whoever gave them, they accepted from him, and whoever did not give them, they would not coerce (Hil. Shekalim 1:9). On the twenty-fifth - Of Adar, they sat in the Temple - for as the time was short, they would sit in the Temple to speed up the collection process. Rambam, though, interprets Mikdash (here translated as Temple) to refer to all of Jerusalem. From the time they sat in the Temple they began to exact collateral - from one who had not contributed his shekel, they sent people to his home to seize collateral.

From whom did they exact collateral? Levites and Israelites, proselytes, and freed slaves - For all of these were obligated to give a yearly half shekel, But not women - for the Torah says in regard to shekels that (Ex. 30:12), "let each man give a redemption of his soul." On this, our Sages commented, "a man" but not "a woman," for women are exempt from the half shekel, slaves - non-Jewish slaves, who are only required to perform those mitzvot incumbent on women, and minors - Under the age of twenty, for it states (Ex. 30:14), all who pass among the numbered, from twenty years older, shall give an offering unto the Lord.

A minor whose father had begun to contribute the shekel - on his behalf, must not cease - paying the yearly half shekel for his son until the son reaches his majority and begins contributing himself.

And one does not exact collateral from the kohanim - Although kohanim, too, are obligated to contribute the half shekel and one demands it from them, nevertheless one does not exact a collateral from them, in the interests of peace- so that those who exact collateral will not come to quarrel with them. The Jerusalem Talmud explains "out of respect" since the kohanim are responsible for sacrificial services we show them our appreciation, and treat them with respect and do not exact collateral from their property. And even if they do not contribute the half shekel to the treasury, the bet din nevertheless gives them a share in communal sacrifices in exchange for their Temple service, just as other laborers who perform work for the Temple are paid out of Temple funds as explained below (Bartenura).

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