ואת האלף ושבע המאות… עשה ווים לעמודים (פקודי לח:כח)

Rabbi Meir Schapira zt”l once said: During the sin of the Eigel – golden calf – the Yidden gave their gold willingly and a small calf was made from it.  No one questioned where all the gold went, when in reality – when collecting earrings from over half a million people – an elephant should have come out of it…

However, when building the Mishkan, everyone gave just half a shekel, and they suddenly came and asked what had happened with the remaining 1750 shekels…

Said Reb Meir: This is the way of the world. When one gives to a holy cause, they don’t rely on the gabbai – the collector – they constantly scrutinise and demand to know where and how precisely the money was disbursed…