Luckily, this year is a leap year, or else I would’ve certainly just lumped Vayakhel and Pikudei together, as well as the other double-Parshas, and we’d have fewer lessons.
When collecting raw materials to be used in the construction of the Mishkan, Moshe becomes overwhelmed by the response of the people and instructs them to stop their contributions, saying that they’ve received enough, and a surplus.
This brings up 2 questions:
- Why did Moshe tell the people to stop? Certainly, they could have found some use for the donations. If not, we know that any donation to the Mishkan/Mikdash goes to the treasury, where the item is sold and the money is used to cover other expenses.
- How do we resolve the conflict, did the people give just enough, or too much?
I believe that the answer lies in Moshe’s attitude to donations for a specific use. Moshe had convinced the people to open up their hearts and give for the purpose of building the Mishkan and its utensils. He did not, however, tell them to donate now so that the treasury will have funds to sustain itself long-term. There will be a time for people to give to that cause. After all, it is better for someone to give small amounts of charity over time, rather than one big lump-sum. Regular charity helps a person become more compassionate.
Since Moshe had determined to only use these donations for this purpose, and not stock-up on the extras, he told the people to stop giving – that they had enough for their needs. One commentary explains that Moshe did receive more than what was needed, and was compelled to use it up to support or patch the items being made, just as long as they went to use for this purpose.
How are we to conduct ourselves when we collect money or payment for a specific good, service, or purpose, only to find that we overestimated the cost? Some may welcome the extra funds as additional profit, and some may even put the money to another use for the payee without consulting with them. I submit that the best practice is to return the money, like Moshe, or make sure it’s used for the purpose stated. Establishing honesty is a great thing, not just in religion but business too. If we keep the lines of communication open and honest, our businesses are sure to succeed.