These gifts are to come from public contributions.
Detailed instructions follow about the different components of the mishkan.
Commentary by Pinchas Peli W ERE WE to put our hearts where our mouths are, we would be amazed to find, in certain matters, how wide is the gulf that separates the two. This is followed by a detailed report of a massive campaign to collect all the materials needed to build it. What lies behind the story is the genesis of what was destined to become a major institution in the history of Judaism and the people of Israel. Today it often causes confusion, sometimes even embarrassment, to many a contemporary Jew, whether Orthodox, Conservative, Reform or atheist. Over and beyond its religious significance, the belt hamikdash, in the course of history, acquired the status of a national center for all Jews everywhere.