Мусар к Шмот 35:5

ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל. Why are all the members of the nation included here, whereas when the donations are discussed in chapter 25 Moses was content to receive gifts from כל איש, every man? The Zohar Sullam edition Vayakhel page 3 asks and adds a further question. Why did Moses describe the donations for the building of the Tabernacle (35,5) as קחו מאתכם, "take from you," whereas when Moses was commanded about this in Exodus 25,2 G–d described the donations ויקחו לי תרומה, as "a donation for Me?" The answer given is that Moses first received this commandment prior to the sin of the golden calf. At that time G–d included the mixed multitude in the list of people from whom He would accept these donations, hence the emphasis on מאת כל איש, from everybody. Moses relayed this instruction to the Jewish people on the morrow of the Day of Atonement, after the episode of the golden calf. That whole episode was caused by the mixed multitude. This is why the Torah emphasised that Moses assembled "the whole congregation of the Children of Israel," thereby excluding those converts who were not descended from Jacob. In order to emphasise this further, Moses instructed: "take from you, not from the mixed multitude."

Rabbenu Bachyah comments on the repeated use of the word משכן in 38,21, that this is a hint that the Tabernacle in our world stood "opposite" the Sanctuary in the Celestial Regions. We know this also from Exodus 15,17: מכון לשבתך פעלת ה', "You have made a place for You to dwell in." The word מכון should be read as מכוון, "corresponding" to the Sanctuary in Heaven. This places the importance of the Tabernacle on earth on a par with the creation of the universe. In connection with the universe, Isaiah 40,22, speaks about G–d "who spread out the skies like gauze, stretched them out like a tent to dwell in," whereas in connection with the Tabernacle on earth the Torah says: "You shall make cloths of goats' hair for a tent over the Tabernacle." In connection with the creation of the universe the Psalmist (Psalms 104,2) speaks about נוטה שמים כיריעה, "He stretches the heavens like a tent-doth." During the process of creation we read (Genesis 1,9) "Let the waters concentrate in one place," whereas in connection with the construction of the Tabernacle the Torah instructs the making of a copper basin to contain all the water used in the Tabernacle by the priests. During the creation the Torah speaks about the creation of luminaries, whereas during the construction of the Tabernacle the making of a candlestick is commanded. The winged creatures mentioned during the process of creation are matched in the Tabernacle by the cherubs spreading their wings over the Holy Ark. Whereas the creation of Adam represented the highlight of the act of creation, the highlight of the construction of the Tabernacle was reached when G–d told Moses to appoint Aaron as High Priest (Exodus 28,1). The completion of the work of creation was announced by the words: ויכלו השמים והארץ, whereas the completion of the work on the Tabernacle was described by the Torah as ותכל כל עבודת משכן (39,32). Whereas the Torah reported that G–d blessed the seventh day (Genesis 2,3), Moses blessed the Tabernacle and sanctified it and all its utensils (39,43). The Torah reported G–d as resting on the seventh day, (Genesis 2,3), whereas in connection with the Tabernacle the Torah stated: "You shall perform your work during six days and the seventh day shall be holy" (35,2). After all this the Torah said: "Take from yourselves a donation" Thus far the comment of Rabbenu Bachyah.