The Torah records the total weight of the gold, silver and copper that Bnei Yisrael donated for the Mishkan. Notably, no mention of the value or quality of the precious metals is made, only their weight.
What is the difference between weight and worth? Whereas weight only measures an object’s mass, value reflects its quality and distinct form as well.
In a spiritual sense, these two components exist in varying degrees in all our “contributions” toward “making a Mishkan”—our efforts to make a dwelling place for G-d in this world. The weight, or mass, of our contributions are our actions, such as our practical observance of a mitzvah. The quality and “character” of the contribution, on the other hand, is the intention and spirit of devotion with which we perform that mitzvah.
Now, one might assume that actions devoid of any conscious feelings or intent serve no purpose in making the Mishkan. After all, how can uninspired physical acts contribute toward making G-d manifest in our lives?
To dispel this notion, the Torah relates that Moshe specifically calculated the weight of the precious metals, meaning that he attributed significance not only to the worth of the donations but also to their weight. For even the mass—actual deed alone—was worthy enough in Moshe’s eyes to count and record.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 26, p. 279
