Komentaryo sa Nehemias 10:33: Ralbag

To charge ourselves one-third of a shekel yearly: It is fitting that you should know that this shekel was bigger than the shekel mentioned in the Torah. And that is why a third of a shekel sufficed for them, since it was [equivalent to] the half-shekel that the Torah commanded. And it has already been explained in Parashat Ki Tissa that this silver was given for the service of the tabernacle, to [use it for] all of the communal sacrifices and all of the work that was required in the Temple. And in order that the service in the Temple never cease, they cast lots for the wood offering. Meaning to say that some of them would bring wood to the Temple [at one time], and others at another time, in such a way that the matter was controlled, to bring it at set and controlled times. This was in such a way that wood would not be lacking for the requirements of the arrangement [of wood] on the altar, and it appears that they also erred with this in earlier times. And they also organized themselves to give the presents of the priesthood and the Levites in such a way that there would be priests and Levites to do the Temple service, and they should not be lacking bread or cloaks. For they also erred with this in earlier times, and that is why priests and Levites would leave the Temple service. And behold, they mentioned the gifts to the priests in this section: The first fruits, the firstborn of man and the firstborn of impure and pure animals, the dough tithe [challah], the priestly tithe, and the tithe from the tithe which the priests would take from the Levites. And they decreed that they should bring all of these presents to the priests in the House of God, in order that the priests not leave their service, to go around to the threshing floors to take the priestly tithes and [other] tithes.