Why The Men’s Donations Were Higher Than The Women’s The pasuk describes (Vayakhel 35:22) the rush of people bringing their donations to Mishkan as, “Vayavou HaAnashim Al HaNashim”. This literally means above the women, but Rashi explains this to mean together with them. If so why does the Torah use this awkward language instead of saying together with them?
The Shanayim Mikra brings from Rav Tzvi Hirsch Chossid a talmid of the ViIna Gaon as follows. The gemara (Brachos 34b) tells us that the level of a Ba’al Tshuvah is even higher than a Tzaddik Gamur. We know that the women did not participate in the Chait HaEigel and did not give over their jewelry for the cause. The building of the Mishkan and the donations made were a Kapara for the Eigel. Therefore it was the men who were doing tshuvah with their donations unlike the women who already proved to be righteous. As Baalei Tshuva the men’s donations were viewed as being higher than the women’s. This is hinted at with the word “Al”.
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A Building Duo Of The Biggest & The Simplest “There were two main contractors working on the mishkan together,” says Rav Shimon Schwab. “The first was the Betzalel. He was a child prodigy,who Moshe admitted defeat to, and acknowledged the he was privy to special secrets of the Heavenly Court. He also came from the finest lineage in Klal Yisrael being from the Shevet of Yehuda, the grandson of Chur, who was a leader of Bnei Yisrael, who died Al Kiddush Hashem at the hands of the mob by Chait HaEigel, and the great grandson of Kalev ben Yefuneh.
His second in command was Oholiav ben Achisamach, a total unknown. The Torah never mentions any great details about him or his family. In fact, he came from Shevet Dan, from the Pechusim of the Shevatim. Apparently,” says Rav Schwab,” he was a simple Yid, a Yarei Shamayim, and was a straight and thoughtful person.
Hashem made this odd team to teach us that while the Bais HaMikdash is made by a great man with a fine Yichus, it is also made by a simple Jew who is a Tzaddik in Hashem’s eyes. The reason is that we must understand that Hashra’as HaShechina is for every single Jew to be together with Hashem.”
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A Mishkan With a Broken Heart The pasuk (36:7) says that after all the donations were made to the Mishkan they had enough (Dayam). At the end of this pasuk it says, “V’Hoseir,” and there was even more than they needed. So which is it; was it exactly enough or did they have extra?
The Iturei Torah brings from Sichos Tzadikim that if there were exactly enough and no more, each person would become full of pride thinking that his contribution to the Mishkan made it all possible. “Without me there would be no Mishkan.” This would make the Mishkan a place where Hashem’s Shechina would definitely not rest, since Hashem does not dwell among the haughty.
However, if there was more than enough materials and some were left out of the actual building then each person would be brokenhearted thinking that his contribution may have been left out, and he has no share of the Mishkan. This made for the ideal sanctuary for Hashem’s Shechina, as it always finds rest among the broken hearted.
Therefore, the pasuk tells us that the amount of materials donated was exactly enough to build a Mishkan for the Shechina. Why? Because there was excess.
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The Mishkan Lagged In Gold But Not In Shechina The Sforno (Pikudei 38:24) points out that in the Mishkan there was a relatively small amount of gold used compared to the First Bais HaMikdash and much less than the extravagant building of Hurdus in the Second Bais HaMikdash. On the other hand we see that the presence of the Shechina was more constant during the Mishkan than the First Bais HaMikdash. “In the Second Bais HaMikdash,” says the Sforno, “there was no visible presence at all.”
“From here we see,” says that Sforno, “that it is not the glorious building that attracts the Shechina, but rather the deeds of the people that bring Hasra’as HaShechina,” Rav Moshe Shternbuch (Ta’am VaDa’as) adds that gold was used to draw attention of the people towards this great building in order that their hearts will follow. However, when the hearts of the people are already focused on Hashem and his Shechina, these externalities are not necessary for that purpose, but only to glorify Hashem’s house, and does not require an exaggerated abundance of excess.
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Pure From Start To Finish “Vateichel Kol Avodas Mishkan Ohel Mo’ed Vaya’asu Bnei Yisroel K’Chol Asher Tziva Hashem;They finished all the work on the Mishkan and they did everything Hashem commanded them.” (Pikudei 39:32) Shouldn’t it say this the other way around, they did everything Hashem said and finished all the work?
The Ben Ish Chai says that the first thing Hashem demanded when commanding Bnei Yisrael to build a Mishkan was, “Yidvenu Libo.” Hashem wanted everything Lishma, with a pure heart. All of Bnei Yisrael came running with the purest intentions. However, the tendency is that while everyone is excited at first, as the work drags on, the enthusiasm wanes.
In prasie of Bnei Yisrael, the Torah tells us that Bnei Yisrael finished all the work, and even at the very end, it was done exactly how Hashem commanded, with the same heart and fervor that they had that very first day, before hearing any of the details.

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