And the princes brought the shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod.. Rashi gives an important insight: What prompted the m ́¦` ¦U §P, princes, to donate for the dedication of the altar first ©g ¥A§f ¦O ©d z ©M ªp £g ©A, while in contrast, they did not donate first for the work of the Mishkan? Answers Rashi: This is what the princes said, “Let the community donate what they will donate, and whatever they are missing to be donated we will complete.” Since the community completed everything, as it is said: m² ̈I ©c d¬ ̈z §i« ̈d d À ̈k` ̈l §O ©d §e(“And the work was sufficient” (Shemos. 36:7), the princes said, “What are we to do?” So they brought the shoham stones, etc. Therefore, for this merit, they brought donations first for the dedication of the altar. The holy Chasam Sofer askes that this Rashi is difficult to understand: If the princes bought the shoham stones m² ̈I ©c d¬ ̈z §i« ̈d d À ̈k` ̈l §O ©d §e which made the donations complete, what is the explanation of the end of that verse x «¥z ed §e and to leave over? This implies that there was a surplus!
To understand this Rashi and the Posuk, the Chasam Sofer gives a beautiful insight. The Gemara Yuma 75a that the Posuk 36:3 says x ¤w a ©a x ¤w a ©a d ̈a ̈c §p c er ei ̈l ¥` E`i ¦a ¥d m ¥d §e “And they brought to him free-will offerings every morning.” Asks the Gemara what is the meaning of everyday? Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that Rabbi Yonasan said: They brought donations from that which fell every morning with the manna. This teaches that pearls and precious stones fell for the Israelites with the manna. It states: “And the princes m ́¦` ¦U §P brought the shoham stones” (Shemos 35:27). A tanna taught that the word nesi’im means actual clouds brought them. As it states: (sh 'vf hkan)m ¤y ́¤b §e ©gEx †§e mi ́¦`i ¦y §p “As clouds [nesi’im] and wind without rain, so is he that boasts himself of a false gift” (Mishlei 25:14). We learn from this that the precious stones fell from the clouds with the manna.
Based on this Gemara asks the Chasam Sofer, we have a contradiction as to who brought the shoham stones. According to Rashi the princes brought them. Yet according to the Gemara the clouds brought them? Says the Chasam Sofer: The princes asked Klal Yisrael to bring everything needed for the Mishkan. Yet they searched all over and weren’t able to locate the shoham stones. They approached the princes, who were able to make miracles, and gave them money for the value of the shoham stones. This made the donations of Klal Yisrael sufficient. Once the princes had the money, Hashem sent the shoham stones from heaven together with the manna, as per the Gemara. Therefore, now that the princes didn’t have to pay for the stones, the money that Klal Yisrael gave was surplus. Hence, the Torah states at the end of that verse x «¥z ed §e and to leave over, which means the money donated for the stones was surplus. This is what Rashi was alluding to. The term mi ́¦`i ¦y §p serves as princes, and clouds. Both were needed to bring the Shoham stones. The greatness of the princes received the stones from the clouds, which the money, brought a surplus to the Mishkan.
