Here and in Parshas Ki Sisa, the Menorah is called: הָרֹהְטַּה הָרֹנְמַּה “the pure Menorah”, and the gold is not mentioned. Perhaps there is a message, that purity is more important than quality (similar to the Chovos Halvavos who says that: ַה ְמ ַﬠ ַה ט ָז˂ הוּ ַר א ב the pure, despite small, is truly more). Especially the Menorah, which symbolizes Torah She'bal Peh and Pilpul HaTorah (Netziv) where the human does his best and cannot always succeed. The Torah has to emphasize the purity of your intentions, not your actual accomplishments in Torah, since: יֵﬠָבּ אָבּיִל אָנָמְחַר the main thing is your pure desire.
As long as you try and/or you desire to learn, that is the true purity of a person, who deserves credit for choosing to do good. All successes though, are just gifts from Shamayim.
Hashem Gives Credit to People Even If They Don't Actualize Their Wishes
When the Mishkan was completed, the Passuk says: תֶא םיִקָהְל הֶשׁמ תוֹלַּכּ םוֹיְבּ יִהְיַוןָכְּשִׁמַּה א ז אשנ that Moshe finished erecting the Mishkan. Rabeinu B’chayei brings a Medrash that says that a person always eats the fruit of his hard labor, like Moshe Rabeinu, who was Moser Nefesh for the Mishkan, and therefore Hashem said: “Since Moshe sacrificed himself for the Mishkan: ֵא ִניי כּוֹ ְת וֹב ֶא ָל ַﬠ א ל ְשׁמוֹ ֶשׁ , ֶנ ֱא ַמהֶשׁמ תוֹלַּכּ םוֹיְבּ יִהְיַו ר נשא ז א I give him all the credit”. The same with Dovid. Even though it was Shlomo who actually built the Bais Hamikdash, yet, since Dovid sacrificed himself for it, he gets all the credit, like it says: דִוָדְל תִיַבַּה תַכֻּנֲח ריִשׁ רוֹמְזִמ א ל םילהת Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis L’Dovid. ִל ְשׁ˄ ֹמ ֵא ה ןי ְכּ ִתי ַכּ ב ֶא ןא ָל א ְל ָד ִו ד Not Shlomo, but Dovid. Look how Hashem gives credit to people even if they don't actualize their wishes.
All Those Who Have Zero Success May Be Far Greater Than All Those Mutzlach’im
Look at Rabeinu B’chayei’s Lashon (words). He says that it should have said: תִיַבַּה תַכֻּנֲח ריִשׁ רוֹמְזִמ ִל ְשׁ˄ ֹמה “Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis L’Shlomo”, and yet it says Davka” L’Dovid”, as if Dovid is actually better than Shlomo?! My Rebbe Zatzal has taught me that: םוּפְל אָרְגַא אָרֲﬠַצ אבות ה כב (reward is in proportion to your Tza'ar) is very powerful, and perhaps the Tza'ar (stress) of NOT being able to accomplish, is worth even MORE than accomplishing! I don't know exactly what Rabeinu B’chayei means, but he is clearly saying that at least in a sense, Dovid is actually better than Shlomo! How can NOT doing be BETTER than doing?
All those who strive, and have pain and frustration to achieve in Torah and Chesed, and have zero success, may very well be by far greater than all the Mutzlach’im. We have zero appreciation for trying and wanting and having pain over our goals. All we care about is success. Our failed Bitachon attempts are meaningless to us. But: םֶכיֵתוֹבְשְׁחַמ יַתוֹבְשְׁחַמ אֹל ישעיה נה ח Hashem’s thoughts are not anything like ours. Lucky is the person who thinks like Hashem. He truly believes in: יֵﬠָבּ אָבּיִל אָנָמְחַר the main thing Hashem cares about is our desires.
