פירוש על שמות 36:5

מדי העבדה means more than is sufficient for the needs of the work.

למלאכה אשר צוה ה' לעשות אותה. The donations of the people exceeded what was needed to perform the specific tasks which alone G’d had commanded to be performed. G’d wanted no additions, nor omissions. This is expressed by the words לעשות אותה בלבד, “to perform only this task alone.” This was different from the Temples built by Solomon and Herod.

מרבים העם להביא; the people were bringing too much. Why would it be such a bad thing for the Temple treasury to possess a good supply? We should not understand the artisans' comments as a complaint that too much raw material had been contributed; they complained that too much material such as fabrics already woven or embroidered had been brought. They were neither required nor likely to be safe against deterioration. This sentiment was expresseed in the words מרבים…מדי העבודה, more than could be put to use immediately. Further proof that our interpretation is correct may be seen in the proclamation to the people not to perform any more work designed to be used in the construction of the Sanctuary. Moses did not discourage donations of raw materials. When the Torah states that the people were prevented from bringing more materials and not from performing more work such as weaving fabrics, the reason is that Betzalel had no control over what people did within their tents.

מרבים העם להביא, “the people are bringing too many contributions.” The Torah records this fact in order to flatter the people who had contributed so generously, and in order to praise the honesty of the artisans who, instead of pocketing the excess received, drew attention to it and thus enhanced their reputation as being honest. The person in charge of counting all these contributions also deserves praise for preventing the people from bringing more than was needed, as he was not interested in accumulating the people’s gold and silver.

More than is. . . The מ [of מדי ] means “more than,” as in (Bereishis 29:30), “He loved Rochel more than Leah ( מלאה ).” Rashi adds the phrase, “What was needed for,” because the people brought only what was needed for the work, not the [completed] work itself.

V. 5. מדי העבדה למלאכה, wörtlich: mehr als die Ausführung der Aufgabe erfordert für das Werk, welches Gott geboten hat.

מדי העבודה, “than what is required for the work;” the prefix letter מ in this word is superfluous, just as in Psalms 119,99: מכל מלמדי השכלתי, “I have become wiser through all those who have taught me something.”.