“These Are The Reckonings Of The Mishkan, The Tabernacle Of Testimony Which Were Reckoned At Moshe's Request.” (38:21)
Our sages taught in Ta'anis (8b) that blessings do not rest on things that are measured and weighed. However here regarding the labor and work of the Mishkan which was all done according to exacting reckonings and specific measurements, even so blessing rested in it. As it says in Shir HaShirim (7:5) “Your eyes are like the pools of Cheshbon.”
The root of the evil eye comes from the same source as Bila'am's power, that wherever he gazed there was a blight. This is because when that wicked individual would gaze upon something he separated and detached it from its root source up above, from the source of life since he was aflame in desire for that and it was important in his eyes, however he did not see the power of Hashem which was found in that object.
However regarding the offspring of the Jewish people it says in Shir HaShirim (7:5) “Your eyes are like the pools of Cheshbon,” even something that has measure and is counted (Cheshbon is a place but it also means a reckoning or measurements). Even regarding such things, their gaze is not harmful since each object which a Jew sees, he recognizes the power of the Creator that is in it. Since he attaches that object to its supernal root source, then with this gaze he is able to draw down blessings and shefa from the upper source to this object. This is the meaning of “Your eyes are like the pools,” the eyes become as pools and wellsprings of shefa, even to an object that is counted and reckoned - “Cheshbon.”
This then is the meaning of “These are the reckonings of the Mishkan,” in the Mishkan everything was counted and reckoned several times to be exact in the number, nonetheless there was blessing and the Divine presence of the Shechina rested there. All the more so here the counting and reckoning was for a Divine purpose. This is why it is written in the verse that it was reckoned “at Moshe's request,” since this counting came out of Moshe's mouth who was attached cleaving in dveykus and supernal sanctity, then it even added blessings.
Notes:
See Zohar I 68b “What is written regarding Bilaam? “The words of a man with an open eye.” (Bamidbar 24:15) He had an evil eye and everywhere he would gaze he would draw down a spirit of destruction. This is the manner in which he wished to gaze upon Israel, since he would destroy wherever his eyes would gaze.” See also Ramban's commentary to Bamidbar 22:35.
See Zohar II 225:1 “Rav Yitzchak asked Rabbi Shimon, since we know that blessings do not rest on an object that has been counted and reckoned, why was everything in the mishkan counted and reckoned? It has been said that in any place where sanctity rests, then if the counting is also done for a holy purpose, then blessings continually rest there and do not depart. From where is this known? From Ma'aser tithes. Since it is counted for a holy purpose, it is blessed, all the more so regarding the mishkan. However any other thing that does not come from the side of holiness, if they are counted or reckoned blessings do not rest there. Since the other side, known as the evil eye can have control over it. And since the evil eye can control it, blessings do not reside there.”
