Tune in Torah: Vayakheil

Ramban on Exodus 35:21

Every man whose heart lifted him up (asher nesa’o libo). This expression is used only in connection with the artisans (see for example 36:2), whereas regarding the donors it is written, “every man whose heart impels him (asher yidvenu libo)” (see 25:2). The artisans are described in this way because none of them had studied their crafts formally. Rather they discovered that they were naturally endowed with these gifts and then were “lifted up” spiritually and inspired to come before Moshe to offer their services.

Abravanel, Portugal 15th cent, on Exodus 35:29

All of them brought their voluntary contributions to serve God and fulfill God's commands, and not for any ulterior aim, in order to take pride in their own generosity. But "every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work which the Eternal commanded", emphasizing that they brought their contributions for the sake of the Eternal and not for any other motive.

Malbim, Ukraine 19th cent

All these gifts were not the chief thing in the eyes of God, since it is the heart that the Eternal demands... If there were found needy people in Israel who contributed nothing materially, but nevertheless gave their hearts, making a mental reservation , that if they would have the means, they would give it to build the whole Tabernacle and all its vessels. This is what is meant by the statement that though in their hearts to bring to "for all the work which the Eternal had commanded to do", implying that they all shared the intentions to build the whole Tabernacle. It was this type of man and woman which Israel brought as a free will offering to God. This man and this woman were the real free will offering which the Almighty received, as if Israel were bringing them to Him.

Yerusalmi, Sheklalim 1, 1

R. Yehudah Ben Pazi in the name of Rabbi said:

Can we read (these verses) and not shudder?

For good-- "Every willing heart brought" (for the Tabernacle)

For evil -- "All the people broke off" (their ornaments to give to the golden calf).

(This text wrongly connects dark sin color to skin. This racist notion is hurtful and must be called out. The underlying message of the text does hold something powerful: namely, as Nechama Liebowitz teaches "The Midrash throws into relief the greatness of Israel. If they fell, they rose again. They made amends..."

Midrash Aggada, Teruma 26, as written in Nechama Liebwotz New Studies in Shemot p.667

"And you shall make curtains of goat's wool" To this the following verse (Song of Songs) refers: "I am black but comely". Is it possible for black to be comely? To what may this be compared? To a maiden who had misbehaved in her father's house and her father was a king. Said her father: Send her out to go and glean ears of corn after the reapers. So they did, and the girl's face became black from the sun. Afterwards her father made an investigation and found out that it was not she who had misbehaved but one of the maidservents. He promptly made it up to her, and reinstated her to greater favor than previously.....

I was black with the gold that I gave to the calf, as it is said: "And the people broke off their golden rings"; and I was comely in the with the gold I gave to the Tabernacle of Testimony, as it is said: "As many as were willing hearted brought bracelets and earrings and rings and tablet, and all jewels of gold." Thus it is with Israel. The notions of the world scorn then, but we are aware that they are as full of good deeds as a pomegranate...."

Or HaChayim on Exodus 35:21

ויבאו כל איש ישראל אשר נשאו לבו, Every Israelite whose heart had elevated him came, brought, etc. The Torah alludes to two different categories of donors. 1) A person who donates as a result of an urge to do so in accordance with his means, both physically and financially. The Torah describes such a person as נדבה רוחו, to stress that such a donor does not feel that he deprives himself of something by giving it away. 2) The second type of donor is one who loses his sense of proportion because of his enthusiasm for the project for which he donates. As a result he contributes more than he can afford. The Torah describes this second type of person as נשאו לבו, "he is carried away by his heart." At the time he donates, such a person considers himself as possessing far more economic resources than he actually does. The Torah spoke of both of these types in our verse to show that there were both of these kinds of donors among the Israelites. The Torah first mentions the overly enthusiastic donor, i.e. אשר נשאו לבו, describing such individuals as איש, as people of distinction. Next the Torah mentions the וכל אשר נדבה רוחו, anyone moved to donate by his spirit. In this instance, the Torah avoids describing these individuals as איש, an honorary title. Although such people are to be commended for their noble gestures, they do not compare to the first category. We know that there are far inferior reasons for donating to charity or to public causes, such as social pressures, etc. The fact that the Torah speaks of only these two categories mentioned is a great compliment to the Israelites, something the Torah underlines when repeating הביאו את תרומת השם, they brought the Lord's offering. By writing these words the Torah testifies that all the donors were sufficiently highly motivated to enable G'd's contribution to attach itself, את, to their own, as we have described in our commentary on verse 5.

Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 9

When the Holy One, blessed be God, told Moses to build the Tabernacle, all the Israelites brought their contributions. Some brought silver, others brought gold or copper or onyx stones or unset stones. They brought everything eagerly. The women asked themselves: "What contribution can we make to the Sanctuary?" They arose, took their mirrors, and brought them to Moses. When Moses saw them he became angry with them. He said to the Israelites: "Take your canes and beat them on their shoulders. What purpose do these mirrors serve?" The Holy One, blessed be God, called out to Moses: "Moses, do you mistreat them because of these?! These very mirrors produced offspring in Egypt. Take them and make a basin of brass and its base for the priests, that they may sanctify the priests from it," as it is said: And he made the laver of brass, and base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the serving women that did service (ibid. 38:8), for they had produced all the hosts. Therefore it is written: And the brass of the offering was seventy talents (ibid., v. 29), that is, the offering of the wives amounted to seventy talents.

Rabbis Lawrence Kushner and Kerry M. Olitsky, Sparks Beneath the Surface

In the building of the Tabernacle, all Israel were joined in their hearts; no one felt
superior to his fellow. At first, each skilled individual did his own part of the
construction, and it seemed to each one that his own work was extraordinary.
Afterward, they saw how their several contributions to the “service” of the
tabernacle were integrated–all the boards, the sockets, the curtains, and the
loops fit together as if one person had done it all. Then they realized how each of
them had depended on the other. They then understood that what they had
accomplished was not by virtue of their own skill alone, but that the Holy One
had guided the hands of everyone who had worked on the Tabernacle. They had
merely joined in completing its master building plan, so that “It came to pass
that the Tabernacle was one.” (Exodus 36:13). Moreover, the one who made the
holy ark itself was unable to feel superior to the one who had made only the
courtyard tent pegs.

Rachel Adler, Engendering Judaism

A contemporary Jewish praxis would reduce our sense of fragmentation. If we had a praxis rather than a grab bag of practices, we would experience making love, making kiddush, recycling paper used at our workplace, cooking a pot of soup for a person with AIDS, dancing at a wedding, and making medical treatment decisions for a dying loved one as integrated parts of the same project: the holy transformation of our everyday reality...

We cannot simply resurrect the old premodern praxis, because it no longer fits us in the world we now inhabit... the old praxis can be preserved intact only if we schizophrenically split off our religious lives from our secular lives and live two separate existences with two different sets of values and commitments. But the obligation to be truthful and the yearning to be whole are what made us progressive Jews in the first place. To be faithful to the covenant requires that we infuse the whole of our existence with our religious commitments. How is that to be done in our specific situation?

Sforno on Exodus 36:6:1

אל יעשו עוד מלאכה לתרומת הקדש, he did not proclaim that no more donations should be brought. But he did proclaim that no more work, such as spinning, weaving, etc, intended for materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle should be begun. Also timber which had been brought in the correct dimensions with the carved parts should not be brought anymore.

Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 38:21:10

Just as G’d had told the universe to stop continuing to expand, i.e. He said די, “enough” (Bereshit Rabbah 46,2), so Moses also declared the contributions for the Tabernacle as being sufficient and ordered the people to stop bringing more, the Torah saying והמלאכה היתה דים, “and there were sufficient materials, etc.” (36,7). According to a kabbalistic interpretation the word מלאכה instead of something more appropriate, meant that it referred to the מלאכת שמים וארץ, the work of constructing heaven and earth, i.e. the Tabernacle was a replica of the creation of heaven and earth.

Midrash Tanchuma on P’kudei 11:3

The leaders were deeply distressed by not having been privileged to bring anything to the work of the sanctuary. They said, ‘Since we did not merit to participate in the offerings for the Tabernacle, let us give the garments for the priesthood.’”