Various means may be employed to establish the value of a given item. Obviously, not all items have the same value to everyone. Supply and demand increase or decrease the market value of most items. The Torah has its own unique measuring stick for determining the value of an object. Let us explain: The Ohr Ha’Chaim Ha’kadosh questions the sequence for enumerating the various gifts to the Mishkan. The Torah’s arrangement seems to imply that the most valuable item is cited first, followed by the other gifts in order of their decreasing value. After all, the Torah first enumerates the precious metals, beginning with gold. If this is the case, why does the Torah mention the Avnei Shoham and Avnei Miluim last? These stones were priceless. Therefore, they should have been detailed first!
The Ohr Ha’Chaim offers three answers. First, these stones were donated by the nesiim, princes, after everyone had already offered their own contribution. Since the princes were not in the forefront of the contributors, the Torah sensed a tinge of indolence on their part. Thus, their gift is quoted last. Second, since these stones were earmarked for the Bigdei Kehunah, priestly vestments, the Kohanim were permitted to have benefit from them. This practical application decreased their spiritual worth, thus, they are listed last. Third, according to one theory in Chazal, the Clouds of Glory had delivered these precious stones. Because no ameilus, toil, was involved in bringing forth this contribution, they are listed at the conclusion of the inventory.
The Ohr Ha’Chaim seems to imply that the criteria for precedence in the donations were not determined by value, but rather by other factors. These factors include the amount of toil and energy which were expended in preparing and bringing the donation. Horav Baruch Ezrachi, Shlita, posits that a much deeper insight can be gleaned from the Ohr Ha’Chaim. Undoubtedly the sequence of the donations was based upon the value of the object contributed towards the Mishkan. The question is, how do we determine value? What were the criteria for establishing the value of something to be used in the Mishkan? The Torah does not establish the spiritual worth of something commensurate with its market value. The value of something is contingent upon the amount of effort, tenacity and devotion to the cause one has exerted in preparing the object for use in the Mishkan.
The Torah‘s assessment of an object is different from ours. The Torah takes every aspect of the object’s preparation into consideration before rendering its value. If a slight taint of indolence was detected by the Heavenly microscope, then it was no longer considered as precious as before. If there was a stigma of complacency, a lack of effort demonstrated by the nesiim, then the stones were no longer considered to be “worthy” of precedence. The Torah’s value system has much more lofty criteria for establishing the value of a specific object.
