Comentario sobre Números 7:86

כפות זהב שתים עשרה THE GOLDEN SPOONS WERE TWELVE — Why is this stated at all, since we have been told that twelve princes brought each one spoon? But because it is stated in each instance: “one spoon עשרה זהב”, I might explain it either as meaning: it was of gold but its weight was ten shekels of silver, or, perhaps, not so, but it means: one spoon of silver and the weight thereof ten gold-shekels — and the gold-shekels have not their weight equal to those of silver-shekels — Scripture therefore states here, “golden spoons” — the spoons themselves were of gold ( Sifrei Bamidbar 55).

It was golden and it weighed. Meaning that I would not know whether the word “gold” written regarding the spoon refers to the spoon — which was golden, or whether it was actually silver and its weight was “of gold”, given that the shekolim of gold and those of silver were not equal. Therefore the Torah said “golden spoons”, juxtaposing the words “gold” and “spoon” to teach that the spoon was golden and that [the words] “ten gold” refers to the spoon. Re’m. You might ask: Why didn’t Rashi answer as he did previously, that the number was written because they were the exact same ones that were donated. For even without his answer one would have to say so, given that the Torah writes “bowls of silver, twelve” where this raises the difficulty: Why do I need the number? One must answer that they are the exact ones etc. Thus, we see that it is normal of the Torah to teach the same novelty for each and every utensil. It appears to me that Rashi was answering the question: Why did it write “golden” when it should have just written “twelve spoons”? Re’m answers that the number was written in order to tell one that they were the exact same ones that were donated, however since the word “gold” and “spoons” were juxtaposed we also learn like I explained above.