Êxodo 25:2 Cabalá: Zohar & Maggid Meisharim

For, observe that first it is written here, “of every man whose heart makes him willing ye shall take my offering” (Ex. 25, 2); to wit, of the whole body of the people, including the mixed multitude, as the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have in the work of the Tabernacle the co-operation of all sections of the people, both the “brain” category and the “shell” category: all were charged with the performance of the work.

Subsequently, however, the sections separated, each betaking itself to its own affinity, and so the mixed multitude made the golden calf and led astray numbers who afterwards died, and thus brought upon Israel death and slaughter. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said: “Henceforward the work of the Tabernacle shall be performed from the side of Israel only.” Straightway “Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel… Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord” (Ibid. 35, 1-5). “From among you” emphatically, but not “from every man whose heart maketh him willing”, as in the previous injunction. Furthermore, as no place of assembly is mentioned, the words, “And Moses assembled”, etc., signify that, as the mixed multitude were mingled among the Israelites, Moses found it necessary to assemble the latter on one side so as to segregate them from the former.’

However, the hint in this thing is that the sections are in their [chronological] order. And even though it was said by the sages, may their memory be blessed, that there is no earlier or later [chronological sequence] in the Torah, there are seventy faces to [possible interpretations of] the Torah. And more strength to Moses, my chosen one [Ramban], who said that they are in their order! And they are in their order here, too. As, at first, He commanded about the work of the tabernacle in Parashat Terumah, and He said, that they shall take me a contribution from every man whose heart prompts him (Exodus 25:2). But after this, they made the calf. And as atonement for this deed, He commanded in this parashah that they themselves bring the contribution, as it is written, bring it, the contribution for the Lord (Exodus 35:5). And that which is written [right before it], Take from with you is to say everyone himself should carry the contribution of the Lord. And for that reason, the Lord congregated the entire congregation of the Children of Israel — for atonement from the liability of the calf. That is to say, that he united all of those sefirot, so that they would give light: For Moses hints to Splendor [Tiferet]; [the word,] et, Kingship [Malkhut]; entire, Foundation [Yesod]; congregation of the Children of Israel, the sefirot of the Matron; and he congregated [vayakhel, divided into its component letters], vav hints to Splendor, yod to Wisdom [Chochmah], kof [which corresponds to 100], the tally of all of the sefirot which comes to 100 — since each one is composed of ten — hey hints to Understanding [Binah] and Kingship, lamed to Understanding; and he said, is Kingship; to them [alehem divided into its component letters], alef is the three Supernal [sefirot], lamed, Understanding, hey, Understanding, mem, Understanding in the secret of the mem [setumah, the closed script that is usually only found at the end of a word, but is found in the middle of the word lemarbeh in Isaiah 9:6]; this, is Foundation; the thing, is Kingship; that, is the three Supernal ones. And because the calf was mentioned in this section — because of that, the one that worked on the day of Shabbat was punished, while he was not punished before this. As only, you shall not do any work (Exodus 20:10), was stated, and not its punishment. You shall kindle no fire in all of your settlements (Exodus 35:3): This hints to two places that each person has, one in the Garden of Eden and one in Geihinnom. And when a person lights a fire on the Shabbat day, two fires are lit and rage in those two places that we said. And that is why it calls them, all of your settlements. Bring it, the contribution for the Lord hints to the Assembly of Israel [Knesset Yisrael] becoming connected to their fathers, who are hinted in, gold, silver, and copper. And You are peace [alluding to Zohar 2:30 based on I Samuel 25:6].