Comentário sobre Êxodo 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.