“One hundred and thirty was each silver dish, and seventy each basin; all the silver of the vessels was two thousand and four hundred, in the sacred shekel” (Numbers 7:85). “One hundred and thirty was each silver dish…all the silver of the vessels was two thousand and four hundred” – is it not known that they were two thousand four hundred? Why does the verse need to say their total weight? It is to say that, perhaps, when one weighs them together they were more, but when one weighs them one at a time, they would be lacking?99There could be small variations in weight that might not be noticeable when the gifts would be weighed individually but which could be more apparent when weighed all together.
That is why the verse says the weight of each and every one and the weight of all of them together, as they were neither less nor more. “In the sacred shekel” – why is it stated? It is because it is stated: “His offering was one silver dish…” (Numbers 7:13). I have only the basin, in whose regard “in the sacred shekel” (Numbers 7:13) is explicit; a dish, from where is it derived?
The verse states: “All the silver of the vessels was two thousand and four hundred, in the sacred shekel.” Why did it need to say in their regard “each…dish,” “each basin”? Rather, it teaches that they would sanctify what would fall into them, and they could become disqualified due to impurity100An offering which was sanctified in a vessel is very susceptible to impurity. and due to remaining overnight.101An offering which was sanctified in a vessel becomes invalid when the morning arrives.
Likewise it says: “Its dishes and its spoons and its tubes and its supports, with which it will be covered” (Exodus 25:29). With them they would cover it.102The showbread. But is it not already stated: “And the covering tubes” (Numbers 4:7)? How do I realize “with which it will be covered”?
Rather, it teaches that they would sanctify what would fall into them, and they could become disqualified due to impurity and due to remaining overnight.