והנשאם הביאו את אבני השהם ואת אבני המלאים לאפוד ולחשן
Rashi quotes the Midrash in which Rabbi Nosson notes that the word Nesiim, Princes, is spelled without the two yuds that would normally be there. The defective spelling is sort of a subtle rebuke of the Princes for not bringing their gifts immediately when the call for contributions was made; rather, they waited until everything else had been donated. They had calculated that they would complete whatever would end up lacking. How surprised they were to discover that the nation had given overwhelmingly, leaving almost nothing for the Princes to give. Our sages indicate that their lack of an immediate…
